Spent Coffee Ground Biochar for Stormwater Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional activated carbon for water purification is expensive, requires high chemical additives, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, while existing decentralized stormwater management systems in urban areas fail to adequately remove contaminants from urban runoff.
Innovation Solution
Production of biochar from spent coffee grounds through pyrolysis and activation with caustic, which is used in environmental remediation systems for contaminant removal from aqueous solutions, including urban stormwater and drinking water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional activated carbon is used for water purification, then high reactivity and contaminant removal capacity are achieved, but high cost and large quantities of chemical additives are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive conventional activated carbon with biochar derived from waste biomass, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining adequate contaminant removal capacity for stormwater applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes waste biomass materials (coffee grounds, food waste, agricultural residues) as feedstock for biochar production, converting waste into a valuable water treatment material and eliminating the need for expensive raw materials
2Reliability
If conventional activated carbon is produced through chemical activation, then high reactivity is achieved, but large quantities of chemical additives and greenhouse gas emissions are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical activation methods with thermal activation (pyrolysis) using heat treatment, eliminating the need for large quantities of chemical additives like phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, and zinc chloride, and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the activation parameters from chemical (using activating agents) to thermal (using controlled pyrolysis temperatures), achieving reactivation of biochar while minimizing harmful environmental impacts
3Ease of operation
If decentralized stormwater management systems are implemented, then local groundwater recharge is facilitated, but inadequate contaminant removal occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite filtration system by combining biochar with other materials (such as sand, gravel, or organic matter) to form bioretention media that simultaneously provides groundwater recharge and effective contaminant removal through adsorption and filtration mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of biochar to enhance contaminant adsorption capacity while maintaining hydraulic conductivity for groundwater recharge, creating a material that satisfies both filtration and infiltration requirements
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 biochar effectively removes trace contaminants and is robust, resistant to physical shearing, and has high hydraulic conductivity, making it suitable for urban stormwater treatment and water filtration applications while reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the SCG biochar of the present disclosure indicates the capacity for high trace contaminant removal in water
Implementation Method 2
heating dried spent coffee grounds in an oven in a first pyrolysis temperature range to provide an intermediate biochar
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing biochar from spent coffee grounds, biochar, such as biochar produced according to the methods of the present disclosure, an environmental remediation system including biochar according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and methods of removing contaminants from an aqueous solution using biochar according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described. In an embodiment, the method of producing biochar from spent coffee grounds comprises heating dried spent coffee grounds in an oven in a first pyrolysis temperature range to provide an intermediate biochar; and heating the intermediate biochar and a caustic in the oven in a second pyrolysis temperature range to provide the biochar.