JOHN MCCRORIE, III
Pilots at Meridian Rd, Kalispell, MT

2002014, Oct 10, 2002

Apr 10, 2001

09/833121

John McCrorie - Kalispell MT, US
Michael Boyarski - Kalispell MT, US
Thomas Water - Kalispell MT, US

F28F003/12

165/169000

A septic system thermal recovery mechanism includes a septic tank. The tank has a top, a bottom, and at least one upstanding side wall joining the top to the bottom. The top, bottom, and at least one sidewall define an interior of the tank, and the at least one sidewall is devoid of angular corners. A septic inlet is adapted and constructed to conduct septic waste material into the interior of the tank, and a septic outlet is adapted and constructed to conduct septic waste material out of the interior of the tank. A thermal exchange fluid conduit is embedded in the at least one wall of the tank The thermal exchange fluid conduit is connected to a source of thermal exchange fluid. The mechanism is configured such that thermal exchange fluid can be circulated through the thermal exchange fluid conduit without traversing an angular corner and without contacting the interior of the tank The sidewall can be provided as a cast concrete wall, with the thermal exchange fluid conduit being PVC tubing embedded in sidewall in a spiral configuration at the time the sidewall is cast. The sidewall itself can be configured in any suitable form, such as a substantially contiguous cylindrical wall, or four walls in two substantially parallel pairs of sidewalls, the contiguous sidewalls being connected together with rounded connecting portions. The thermal recovery mechanism can also include a second thermal exchange fluid conduit embedded in the top of the tank. In an embodiment, the mechanism can include first and second tanks constructed as described, with septic waste flowing from the first tank to the second tank. A thermal exchange fluid pump can be connected to circulate thermal exchange fluid sequentially through a return conduit, into a thermal exchange fluid conduit in the second tank, then through a first thermal exchange fluid conduit in the first tank, through a supply conduit and a thermal exchanger, through a thermal output zone, then back through the return conduit.