An MBBR unit allowing homogeneous water distribution and high-performance BIO-media movement

Abstract

The invention relates to an MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) unit (1) that reduces the amount of total nitrogen (TAN, NH3N), which yields fatal consequences for living organisms in living systems; requires no downtime for system maintenance; and maximizes the efficiency of the nitrification process by activating Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas type bacteria. More specifically, the present invention relates to an MBBR unit (1) that allows for homogeneous water distribution and high-performance bio-media movement, which improves the performance values of the nitrification process vital for living systems, provides longevity, and increases efficiency while reducing water consumption.

Description

[0001] AN MBBR UNIT ALLOWING HOMOGENEOUS WATER DISTRIBUTION AND HIGH- PERFORMANCE BIO-MEDIA MOVEMENT

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to an MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) unit that reduces the amount of total nitrogen (TAN, NH3N), which yields fatal consequences for living organisms in living systems; requires no downtime for system maintenance; and maximizes the efficiency of the nitrification process by activating Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas type bacteria.

[0004] More specifically, the present invention relates to an MBBR unit that allows for homogeneous water distribution and high-performance bio-media movement, which improves the performance values of the nitrification process vital for living systems, provides longevity, and increases efficiency while reducing water consumption.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] Wastes, also referred to as biological load (dead plant residues, dead fish, uneaten feed, feces, etc.), found in Closed or Semi-Closed Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) or Aquarium Life Support Systems (LSS), cause an increase in the amount of total nitrogen in the system. Even trace amounts of ammonium yield fatal consequences for living organisms living in the aquarium. In order to eliminate the probability of this risk present in the system, the amount of ammonium, also known as ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3N), must be reduced to the lowest possible level.

[0007] The Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR), which is the subject of the invention, determines the quality of the nitrification process. Within this unit, the amount of substance constituting a fatal danger for living organisms is minimized through ammonium oxidation, i.e., nitrite and subsequently nitrate formation processes, carried out by bacterial derivatives such as Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, etc.. This process is the nitrification process. While the most effective solution point of the nitrification process is the MBBR, the process stage of biological filtration involves the proliferation of the bacteria used for biological treatment by adhering to a suitable medium and forming a biofilm layer during this time. Effective structuring of the process depends on the MBBR unit focusing on the requirement in the most correct manner. This requirement is determined by calculations based on the biological load, briefly, the number, amount, weight, reproduction rate, feed amount, and lifespan of the living organisms found in the location.CN113666485A relates to the field of aquaculture sewage treatment and discloses a modified MBBR biological membrane filler and a zero-discharge aquaculture sewage treatment system applying the filler. The modified MBBR biological membrane filler possesses a high specific surface area, and microbial strains and / or algae are added to the surface of the modified MBBR biological membrane filler. The zero-discharge aquaculture sewage treatment system applying the filler comprises a grid, an anoxic tank, a facultative tank, an MBBR ultra-fine bubble biological reaction tank, a secondary sedimentation tank, and an efficient oxygenator ion system.

[0008] The fact that energy and water consumption intended for recirculation in the system are quite high constitutes large-scale problems. With the present invention, energy and water consumption are reduced through homogeneous water distribution into the unit and effective bio-media movement.

[0009] Object and Brief Description of the Invention

[0010] An object of the invention is to provide an MBBR unit that allows for homogeneous water distribution and high-performance bio-media movement.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide an MBBR unit that reduces the amount of total nitrogen (TAN, NH3N), which yields fatal consequences for living organisms in living systems; requires no downtime for system maintenance; and maximizes the efficiency of the nitrification process by activating Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas type bacteria.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to improve performance values by restructuring the equivalent and existing product, and to enable the product, which is a part of the life support unit required to be used in aquaculture and industrial aquariums and is constructed upon the execution of the nitrification process, to provide longer-term use and become more efficient.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to develop an eco-friendly MBBR unit system that is used to reduce the total nitrogen amount which is quite fatal for living organisms living in aquaculture and industrial aquariums, and reducing the amount of water required while improving the living conditions of the organisms.

[0014] An MBBR unit comprising at least one water inlet line and at least one water outlet line, allowing for homogeneous water distribution and high-performance bio-media movement, and comprising:

[0015] - a lower body configured at the lower part of the MBBR unit,

[0016] - an upper body associated with the lower body,- at least one perforated flat plate containing a plurality of holes allowing the passage of water thereon, for the homogeneous distribution of the water to be biologically filtered entering from the water inlet line into the MBBR unit,

[0017] - at least one base grid positioned such that a specific gap distance remains between it and the MBBR unit floor,

[0018] - at least one air inlet pipe configured on the base grid,

[0019] - at least one blower which increases the amount of oxygen in the water and pumps air to the air inlet pipe,

[0020] multiple arms formed under the base grid, and

[0021] multiple nozzles configured on each arm, to which the air distributed within the arms is transmitted, and which are positioned by being distributed so as to form a nested dual ring in double rows between holes positioned in slice-shaped specific sections on the base grid in order to distribute the air into the MBBR unit and provide the movement of the bio-media.

[0022] Brief Description of the Figures

[0023] Figure 1 provides a perspective view of the MBBR unit subject to the invention.

[0024] Figure 2 provides a cross-sectional perspective view of the MBBR unit in the vertical axis.

[0025] Figure 3 provides a cross-sectional perspective view of the MBBR unit in the horizontal axis.

[0026] Figure 4 provides a close-up cross-sectional perspective view of the MBBR unit in the vertical axis.

[0027] Reference Numerals

[0028] 1. MBBR unit

[0029] 10. Water inlet line

[0030] 20. Water outlet line

[0031] 21. Outlet chamber

[0032] 30. Lower body

[0033] 40. Upper body

[0034] 50. Perforated flat plate

[0035] 60. Base grid

[0036] 61. Arm

[0037] 70. Air inlet pipe

[0038] 80. Blower

[0039] 81. Serpentine pipe

[0040] 90. NozzleDetailed Description of the Invention

[0041] The present invention relates to an MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) unit (1) that reduces the amount of total nitrogen (TAN, NH3N), which yields fatal consequences for living organisms in living systems; requires no downtime for system maintenance; and maximizes the efficiency of the nitrification process by activating Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas type bacteria.

[0042] The MBBR unit (1) subject to the invention is formed by connecting a lower body (30) and an upper body (40) to each other by means of a flange. The reason why the MBBR unit (1) consists of a lower body (30) and an upper body (40) is that when intervention into the MBBR unit (1) is desired, the flanges are opened to separate the body into two parts, thus facilitating intervention. The MBBR unit (1 ) ensures the determination of the water level inside the M BBR unit (1 ) with at least one observation window it contains and at least one transparent level indicator pipe extending from the lower body (30) to the upper body (40). An optical sensor connected to the T-connection component located on the upper body (40) of the level indicator pipe gives an alarm when the water level rises above the determined level and stops the system, thereby preventing an overflow situation. The MBBR unit (1) increases the amount of oxygen in the water and mobilizes the bio-media inside the MBBR unit (1) with the blower (80) it contains. The blower (80) sucks the atmospheric air outside and pumps the air to the air inlet pipe (70) by following the serpentine pipe (81) line found on the blower (80). Since the blower (80) continuously compresses air, the air inside it heats up. In order to prevent this heating from being transferred into the MBBR unit (1), the serpentine pipe (81) ensures that the temperature of the heated air is reduced through air-to-air contact. The control unit contained in the MBBR unit (1) is used to determine the capacity of the blower (80).

[0043] Water to be biologically filtered enters into the MBBR unit (1) from the water inlet line (10). There is at least one perforated flat plate (50) containing a plurality of holes allowing the passage of water thereon for the homogeneous distribution of the water entering from the water inlet line (10) into the MBBR unit (1). The perforated flat plate (50) extends at least partially along the circumference inside the upper body (40) and ensures that the entering water receives air in a fragmented manner and is distributed equally into the MBBR unit (1) body. At the same time, since the holes found in the perforated flat plate (50) are of a small structure, the bio-media is prevented from passing through the holes and exiting in the event of water rising and flowing back.

[0044] The air provided by the blower (80) proceeds through the serpentine pipe (81), and as its temperature decreases, it is distributed into the arms (61) formed under the base grid (60) via at least one air inlet pipe (70) configured at the center of a base grid (60) positioned such that a specific gap distanceremains between it and the MBBR unit (1) floor. The air distributed within the arms (61) is transmitted to the nozzles (90) configured on these arms (61). These nozzles (90) are configured in a cylindrical structure on each arm (61) on the base grid (60) and distribute the incoming air homogeneously into the MBBR unit (1). The locations where the nozzles (90) are positioned on the base grid (60) are important in terms of effectively pumping the air into the MBBR unit (1) and ensuring the movement of the bio-media therein with high performance. Accordingly, multiple nozzles (90) are placed on the base grid (60) by being distributed so as to form a nested dual ring in double rows between holes positioned in slice-shaped specific sections. And thanks to the positioning of the nozzle (90) in this manner, a blower (80) with a 1.1 kW power capacity may be sufficient instead of a blower (80) with a 2.2 kW power capacity. Thus, energy saving is also provided.

[0045] In another embodiment of the invention, the MBBR unit (1) is formed with a larger diameter. This large-diameter MBBR unit (1) consists of a single body. Observation windows are formed with a larger diameter on the MBBR unit, and it is possible to enter into and intervene in the MBBR unit (1) with the aid of these windows.

[0046] With the nozzle (90) providing the movement of bio-media inside the MBBR unit (1) and the water to be biologically filtered filtering from top to bottom in the system, the moving bio-media remove dead bacteria from their surfaces, and the nitrification process is provided for other bacteria with the O2 provided by the nozzle (90). Inside the MBBR unit (1), firstly nitrite and then nitrate formation occurs. The filtered water passing through this process exits from the water outlet line (20). While an outlet chamber (21) structure configured in front of the water outlet line (20) allows water output thanks to the plurality of holes thereon, it prevents the sludge-like layer inside the MBBR unit (1) from exiting the water outlet line (20).

[0047] The blower (80) found in the MBBR unit delivers the air suction into the MBBR unit. These nozzles (90) increase the amount of oxygen required by the Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas bacteria carrying out the nitrification process during this operation while ensuring bio-media mobility inside the MBBR unit (1).

Claims

CLAIMS1. An MBBR unit (1) comprising at least one water inlet line (10) and at least one water outlet line (20), characterized in that, in order to provide homogeneous water distribution, energy saving, and high-performance bio-media movement, it comprises:- a lower body (30) configured at the lower part of the MBBR unit (1),- an upper body (40) associated with the lower body (30),- at least one perforated flat plate (50) containing a plurality of holes allowing the passage of water thereon, for the homogeneous distribution of the water to be biologically filtered entering from the water inlet line (10) into the MBBR unit (1), - at least one base grid (60) positioned such that a specific gap distance remains between it and the MBBR unit (1) floor,- at least one air inlet pipe (70) configured on the base grid (60),- at least one blower (80) which increases the amount of oxygen in the water and pumps air to the air inlet pipe (70),multiple arms (61) formed under the base grid (60), andmultiple nozzles (90) configured on each arm (61), to which the air distributed within the arms (61) is transmitted, and which are positioned by being distributed so as to form a nested dual ring in double rows between holes positioned in slice-shaped specific sections on the base grid (60) in order to distribute the air into the MBBR unit (1) and provide the movement of the bio-media.

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