Baffled Denitrifying Reactor with Basalt Fiber Bio-nests

Solution Overview

Problem

Current sewage treatment processes, such as activated sludge and anaerobic processes, face challenges including high energy consumption, excess sludge production, and inefficient biofilm detachment, which limits denitrification and biomass retention, especially in anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR) that struggle with uniform water distribution and shallow reacting pools.

Innovation Solution

A baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing device with anaerobic bio-nests featuring a cuboid structure with trough plates and baffles, incorporating micron-sized basalt fiber carrier media and an independent nitrification tank, allowing for deep denitrification and efficient biomass retention without additional carbon sources, and utilizing a biomass-separating device to retain slow-growing nitrifying bacteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If activated sludge processes are used for sewage treatment, then sewage purification is achieved, but energy consumption is high and excess sludge production is large

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesewage purificationVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor is divided into multiple chambers (anaerobic, anoxic, oxic) separated by baffles, allowing different treatment processes to occur simultaneously in distinct zones. This segmentation enables the system to achieve comprehensive sewage purification while reducing overall energy consumption by utilizing anaerobic digestion in the first chamber to break down organic matter without aeration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple treatment functions (anaerobic digestion, anoxic denitrification, and oxic nitrification) into a single integrated reactor system. By merging these processes, the system achieves effective sewage purification while minimizing excess sludge production through internal recycling of biomass and nutrients across chambers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If biofilm processes are used to separate HRT and SRT, then biomass retention is improved, but biofilm detachment occurs and treatment efficiency is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiomass retentionVSAvoidtreatment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor is divided into multiple chambers (anaerobic, anoxic, oxic) separated by baffles, allowing different treatment processes to occur simultaneously in distinct zones. This segmentation enables the system to achieve comprehensive sewage purification while reducing overall energy consumption by utilizing anaerobic digestion in the first chamber to break down organic matter without aeration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple treatment functions (anaerobic digestion, anoxic denitrification, and oxic nitrification) into a single integrated reactor system. By merging these processes, the system achieves effective sewage purification while minimizing excess sludge production through internal recycling of biomass and nutrients across chambers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If ABR is used for anaerobic treatment, then investment and operation costs are reduced, but water distribution is non-uniform and reacting pools are shallow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstruction costVSAvoidwater distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor is divided into multiple chambers (anaerobic, anoxic, oxic) separated by baffles, allowing different treatment processes to occur simultaneously in distinct zones. This segmentation enables the system to achieve comprehensive sewage purification while reducing overall energy consumption by utilizing anaerobic digestion in the first chamber to break down organic matter without aeration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces vertical carrier media structures that extend from the bottom to near the top of each chamber, creating three-dimensional treatment zones. This dimensional addition improves water distribution uniformity by providing extensive surface area for biofilm attachment throughout the water column, overcoming the shallow pool limitation of conventional ABRs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 solution significantly reduces energy consumption and investment costs while achieving deep denitrification and efficient sewage treatment by forming stable bio-nests and improving biomass retention, overcoming limitations of existing ABR systems.

Implementation Method 1

microorganisms are utilized to form a biofilm on the surface of carrier medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBiofilm formation:

Implementation Method 2

carrier media for purifying water and adhering microorganisms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

baffles are arranged to guide sewage into each chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow guidance:

Implementation Method 4

ABR is also characterized by achieving the longitudinal separation of acid-producing and methane-producing processes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydraulic separation:

Implementation Method 5

As one of the typical anaerobic processes, continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) are widely used in high-rate treatment of industrial wastewater

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAnaerobic digestion: Anaerobic Digestion

Implementation Method 6

chamber I, chamber II, and chamber III are respectively provided with several carrier media for purifying water and adhering microorganisms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDenitrification:

Implementation Method 7

chamber IV is a nitrification tank arranged internally with a biomass-separating device and an aeration device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAeration: Aeration

Implementation Method 8

the ABR has no special requirement for the sedimentation of biomass

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSedimentation: Sedimentation

Implementation Method 9

biomass-separating device has two ends connected with the trough plate and the baffle of chamber IV respectively

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical separation: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11724949B2Baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing device with anaerobic bio-nests and baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing process with anaerobic bio-nests

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 JIANGSU UNIV

AI summary

Disclosed are a baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing device with anaerobic bio-nests and a baffled integrated denitrifying and decarbonizing process with anaerobic bio-nests thereof. The wastewater with low carbon-nitrogen ratio first enters anaerobic chamber I, then enters anaerobic chamber II and chamber III to complete anaerobic decarbonization and denitrification. The chambers are provided with modified basalt fiber carrier media to enrich a large number of functional microorganisms, and improve the device in terms of anaerobic treatment efficiency. Fermentation liquid in chamber III then flows back to aerobic chamber IV to complete the nitrification process. Nitrified liquid enters chamber I and mixes with influent for further treatment, and effluent is finally discharged from chamber III. The clapboard and basalt fiber felt in chamber IV can retain and enrich autotrophic/heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria.