Bacterial Additives for Organic Acid Reduction in Wastewater
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The presence of organic acids in water-based fluids, such as wastewater streams from hydrocarbon processing, promotes excessive filamentous bacterial growth and slime-forming bacteria, leading to operational issues in wastewater treatment systems, including reduced sludge settling and potential hazards to life forms.
Innovation Solution
Adding an effective amount of second bacteria, including facultative, spore-forming, phenol degrading, denitrifying, and organic acid-degrading bacteria, to the water-based fluid to consume organic acids and out-compete first bacteria, thereby reducing their populations and organic acid levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If organic acids are added to hydrocarbon fluids to remove metals and amines, then metal removal efficiency is improved, but excessive filamentous bacterial growth is promoted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of organic acids (promoting excessive bacterial growth) into a beneficial effect by introducing specific bacterial strains that consume organic acids as their primary food source. The organic acids that cause problems are transformed into nutrients for beneficial bacteria, which then outcompete harmful filamentous bacteria and produce useful byproducts like nitrogen gas through denitrification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mediator (specific bacterial strains including denitrifying bacteria and organic acid-degrading bacteria) that bridges the problem of organic acid accumulation and harmful bacterial growth. These intermediary bacteria consume organic acids and transform them into harmless substances, preventing the chain reaction that leads to filamentous bacterial overgrowth while maintaining the metal-removal function of organic acids
2Reliability
If organic acids are added to hydrocarbon fluids to eliminate emulsions, then emulsion breaking is improved, but slime-forming bacteria levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful slime-forming bacteria into beneficial organisms by selecting and introducing specific bacterial strains that consume organic acids and produce useful byproducts. The same organic acids that promote harmful slime formation are transformed into food sources for beneficial bacteria that outcompete harmful species
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the biological parameters of the system by introducing specific bacterial strains with different metabolic capabilities. These introduced bacteria alter the competitive dynamics in the wastewater system, shifting the balance from harmful slime-forming bacteria to beneficial organic acid-consuming bacteria that produce desirable outcomes
3Quantity of substance
If bacterial growth is allowed to occur in wastewater streams, then organic acids are consumed, but sludge settling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting and introducing specific bacterial strains with targeted functions in specific locations within the wastewater treatment system. Different bacterial strains are deployed to perform specific tasks: some consume organic acids, others perform denitrification, and others compete with filamentous bacteria, creating functionally differentiated bacterial populations that collectively solve multiple problems simultaneously
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively decreases the amount of organic acids and first bacteria in the water-based fluid, improving wastewater treatment system performance by reducing bacterial growth and contaminants, thus enhancing water quality and safety.
Implementation Method 1
adding an effective amount of at least one second bacteria to the water-based fluid comprising organic acids to at least partially consume the organic acids
Implementation Method 2
The second bacteria may out-compete the first bacteria for the organic acids present within the water-based fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An effective amount of at least one second bacteria may be added to a wastewater stream within a water treatment system. The wastewater stream may have or include an aqueous-based fluid, a first bacteria and organic acids. The second bacteria may be or include, but is not limited to facultative bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, phenol degrading bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, organic acid-degrading bacteria, high temperature bacteria, and combinations thereof. The addition of the second bacteria the wastewater treatment system may at least partially reduce the amount of the organic acids within the wastewater stream as compared to an otherwise identical wastewater stream in the absence of the second bacteria.