Aeration Balance Controller for Wastewater Zone Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional aeration control systems in wastewater treatment, whether pressure-based or flow-based, face inefficiencies in responding to demand changes and energy consumption, and they often propagate disturbances across compartments, requiring excessive instrumentation and stability issues due to independent zone operation.

Innovation Solution

An aeration balance controller that uses arithmetic functions and process controllers to adjust airflow among zones, averaging error signals to maintain balance and minimize disturbances, reducing the need for multiple flow meters and stabilizing the header by controlling overall airflow based on zone errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If pressure-based aeration control is used, then the system is simpler to implement, but the response to demand changes is slow and energy consumption increases due to excess pressure generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidresponse speed to demand changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional pressure-based mechanical control system with a flow-based control system using flow meters and flow controllers. This substitution enables faster response to demand changes while maintaining relative simplicity through centralized control logic that aggregates flow requirements from multiple zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If pressure-based aeration control is used, then the system is simpler to implement, but energy consumption increases due to excess pressure generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces pressure-based control with flow-based control, allowing the system to generate only the necessary pressure required for actual air delivery rather than maintaining excess pressure. This is achieved through flow meters that accurately measure demand and flow controllers that adjust supply accordingly, reducing wasted energy on pressure generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Speed

If flow-based aeration control is used, then response to demand changes is fast and energy efficiency is improved, but significantly more instrumentation is required including flow meters for each zone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speed to demand changesVSAvoidinstrumentation requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control functions of multiple zones into a centralized control system. Instead of requiring independent flow control instrumentation for each zone, the system uses a single flow meter to measure total aeration demand and a centralized flow controller to distribute air to multiple zones based on aggregated flow requirements, significantly reducing instrumentation needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Use of energy by moving object

If flow-based aeration control is used, then energy efficiency is improved, but piping requirements increase due to straight run requirements for flow meters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidpiping length

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates flow measurement into a single location rather than requiring separate flow meters at multiple zone locations. This eliminates the need for additional straight run piping at each measurement point and reduces overall piping requirements while maintaining energy efficiency through accurate centralized flow control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

5Adaptability or versatility

If independent zone operation is used, then each zone can be controlled individually, but disturbances propagate across compartments requiring compensation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual zone control capabilityVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a centralized feedback control system that monitors total aeration demand and coordinates air distribution across all zones. This feedback mechanism detects disturbances in the system and adjusts air flow to multiple zones simultaneously, preventing disturbance propagation and maintaining system stability while preserving individual zone controllability through the coordinated response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11365141B2Process aeration balance controller in wastewater treatment

Publication Date: 2022.06.21 OVIVO WATER INC

AI summary

An aeration balance controller in a wastewater treatment process allows for precise control of aeration medium in situations where the oxygen concentration must be controlled in more than one aeration zone or compartment, with reduced instrumentation. The system also has application controlling aeration media where the aeration of one or more zones may interfere with the stable control of aeration in another zone. This is accomplished by the use of two control schemes: one which determines the overall aeration effort required, and one or more controllers which adjust the balance between zones to equalize the process error from setpoint from zone to zone.