IPC Definitions - January 01, 2012
C02F - Definition
This subclass covers:
The physical, chemical and biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage, e.g. by distillation or evaporation, by degassing, by centrifugal separation, by flocculation of suspended impurities, or by using plants such as algae.
Selection or use of compositions for such treatments.
Compositions (per se) specially adapted for such treatments.
Softening water and preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents.
Aeration of stretches of water.
Multistep treatment of water, waste water or sewage.
Treatment of sludge and devices therefor, e.g. bioreactors.
Devices for the treatment of water, waste water or sewage, e.g. devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material.
Relationship between large subject matter areas
Separation in general is classified in B01D.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless, or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances | A62D 3/00 |
Settling tanks and filter devices | B01D |
Adding materials to water to prevent corrosion | C23F |
Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water, e.g. the sea | E02B 15/00 |
Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water | E02B 15/04 |
Methods for obtaining or collecting drinking water or tap water | E03B 3/00 |
Treating radioactively-contaminated liquids | G21F 9/04 |
Special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for producing fresh water | B63J 1/00 |
Special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating waste water or sewage. | B63J 4/00 |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Medicinal water | A61K |
Degasification of liquids in general | B01D 19/00 |
Ion-exchange in general | B01J |
Packing elements in general | B01J 19/32 |
Device in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage | E03F 5/14 |
Methods of steam generation | F22B |
Preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water | F22D |
Incinerators or other apparatus for burning waste liquors | F23G 7/04 |
Special rules of classification
Processes using enzymes or micro-organisms classified in this subclass are not further classified in subclass C12S.
When classifying in this subclass, classification is also made in group B01D 15/08 insofar as subject matter of general interest relating to chromatography is concerned.
It is desirable to add the indexing codes of group C02F 101/00 for the nature of the contaminant and of group C02F 103/00 for the nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated which are considered to be of interest for search.
In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Sludge | Solids that remain after wastewater treatment. This material may be separated, treated and composted into fertilizer. |