Biological Wastewater Treatment via Composite Microbial Inoculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wastewater treatment systems face challenges in efficiently and economically removing a broad spectrum of contaminants from wastewater, particularly in rural communities with limited resources, where existing microbial products are often ineffective and require extensive monitoring and equipment, leading to compliance issues and environmental risks.
Innovation Solution
A highly concentrated biological solution involving a bioreactor system that rapidly grows and injects non-pathogenic microbes, spores, and enzymes into wastewater, streamlining the treatment process, eliminating the need for complex monitoring equipment, and allowing for on-site or off-site production, tailored to specific treatment sites, to effectively reduce organic material, nutrients, and pollutants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional microbial products are used to treat wastewater, then some specific contaminates can be addressed, but the overall effectiveness to curb the entire spectrum of contaminates is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple types of microorganisms (aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, fungi, algae) into a single composite microbial product. This merging of different microbial species allows the treatment system to address the entire spectrum of contaminants including organic matter, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus), and various other pollutants simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between targeting specific contaminants and effectively treating the full range of wastewater contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite microbial formulation that integrates diverse microbial communities with complementary functions. This composite approach ensures that different contaminates are degraded by appropriate microbial species within the mixture, achieving reliable and versatile treatment effectiveness across multiple contaminant types without requiring separate products for each contaminant category.
2Productivity
If exogenous microorganisms are added to remove contaminants, then contaminate removal increases, but the process requires several weeks to reduce the amount of contaminates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-acclimating and pre-growing microorganisms in controlled conditions before application to the wastewater. The microbial communities are prepared in advance with the specific contaminants they will encounter, allowing them to immediately begin degradation upon introduction. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces the lag time and accelerates the overall treatment process compared to introducing untreated exogenous microorganisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes parameter changes by optimizing microbial growth conditions (temperature, pH, nutrient availability) during the pre-acclimation phase to maximize microbial metabolic activity and replication rates. By controlling these parameters during preparation, the microbial communities are activated and multiplied to high densities before application, enabling rapid contaminant degradation and reducing treatment time.
3Reliability
If complex monitoring equipment is used to ensure compliance, then treatment reliability improves, but device complexity and operation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing a microbial product that autonomously monitors and regulates its own effectiveness through inherent biological indicators. The microbial communities naturally respond to contaminant presence and treatment conditions, providing self-indicating behavior where the treatment process itself serves as the monitoring mechanism. This eliminates the need for complex external monitoring equipment while maintaining reliable compliance through the self-regulating properties of the microbial treatment system.
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
This solution significantly reduces contaminants such as ammonia, E. coli, and suspended solids, achieving compliance with environmental regulations while being cost-effective and easy to administer, with demonstrated reductions in sludge volume and pollutant levels, providing a rapid and efficient treatment option for wastewater facilities.
Implementation Method 1
Microorganisms breakdown the organic matter in the contaminated wastewater and digest the nutrients as a food source
Implementation Method 2
one process for the biological control of this organic material is using microorganisms to convert the organic materials into nutrients ingested by the microorganisms
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to apparatus, methods and applications for treating wastewater, and more particularly to a technique of biological processes that integrates lowering the levels of effluent pollutants and reducing accumulated sludge volume from wastewater. This invention further relates to apparatus and methods for using a blend of non-pathogenic microbes, spores, unicellular organisms, and enzymes on-site at a wastewater treatment facility to rapidly, ecologically, and cost-effectively solve numerous contaminant issues common in wastewater.