Activated Sludge Tank Layout for Emergency Wastewater Bypass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sewage treatment plants face difficulties in emergency operations without the need to shut down the entire system for repairs or maintenance, especially under conditions like dry weather with reduced inflow.

Innovation Solution

The sewage treatment plant is divided into two tanks (B1 and B2) connected via a P tank, allowing hydraulic connections to be cut off during emergencies, enabling wastewater to be accumulated and treated without shutting down the entire system, using a P tank that can function as a biological phosphorus elimination unit in summer and a B tank in winter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional single-snapshot models are used for state determination, then the model structure is simple, but the accuracy of state determination deteriorates due to inability to capture temporal dynamics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate determination accuracyVSAvoidmodel structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from static single-snapshot models to dynamic sequential models that process time-series data. The model architecture evolves to handle temporal dependencies through recurrent connections and hidden states that capture dynamic behavior patterns in electrochemical reactor data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a preprocessing stage that prepares time-series data before main processing. Data is collected, preprocessed, and formatted in advance to enable efficient sequential model processing, including feature extraction and data transformation steps that occur before the core state determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If more process data is collected and analyzed, then the state determination accuracy improves, but the computational complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate determination accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous state estimation through sequential processing of time-series data. The model continuously updates state predictions as new data arrives, maintaining continuous useful action rather than periodic batch processing, which improves responsiveness while managing computational load through efficient recurrent architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent processes essential features and key temporal patterns rather than all possible data dimensions. The model focuses on extracting meaningful temporal dependencies and critical state indicators, performing partial action on the most relevant data aspects to balance accuracy with processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If simple models are used for state determination, then the ease of operation is high, but the reliability of state estimation deteriorates due to inability to capture temporal dependencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestate estimation reliabilityVSAvoidmodel operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where model predictions are continuously compared with actual measurements, and errors are used to refine state estimates. The recurrent architecture provides internal feedback through hidden states that carry information across time steps, improving reliability through continuous self-correction and temporal context utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Speed

If traditional batch processing methods are used, then the computational resources required are lower, but the responsiveness to changing reactor conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponsiveness to condition changesVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic updating of state estimates at optimized intervals rather than continuous high-frequency processing. The model processes data in sequential batches or at predetermined time steps, providing periodic action that balances responsiveness with computational efficiency, updating states frequently enough to capture dynamics but not so frequently as to waste resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3720821B1Method and device for biological waste water purification
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 NEWPORT GMBH
  • EP3720821B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3720821B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3720821B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for carrying out biological purification of wastewater with the aid of activated sludge in a sewage treatment plant, the sewage treatment plant comprising: an activated sludge tank that can be ventilated (B tank), at least two sedimentation and recirculation tanks (SU tanks), and a tank for biological phosphor elimination (P tank), wherein the P tank is hydraulically connected with the B tank via one or more openings, wherein the B tank is divided into two tanks B1 and B2 (B1 tank and B2 tank) which are hydraulically connectable via the P tank, wherein each of the B1 tank and the B2 tank is continuously connected hydraulically to at least one SU tank, wherein the P tank comprises closure means to cut off the hydraulic connection between the P tank and the B1 tank and/or the B2 tank, and wherein each of the SU tanks comprises an overflow unit for draining the excess water in the sewage treatment plant, wherein in the event of an emergency, the hydraulic connection between the P tank and either the B1 tank or the B2 tank is cut off, and the waste water is then accumulated and lifted up in the tanks that are not cut off, and the treated wastewater can effluent via the overflow unit of the respective SU tank(s). The present invention also relates to a sewage treatment plant for carrying out said method.