IPC Definitions - January 01, 2012

C02F - Definition fr

Definition statement

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
Examples of places where the subject matter of this subclass is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system.

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

Informative references

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.

Glossary of terms

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.