Concentric Bioreactor for High Volatile Organic Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biodigestion technologies face challenges in efficiently treating organic waste with high volatile organic matter content, particularly in maintaining optimal conditions for methanogenesis and managing substrates with varying compositions, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for multiple tanks and complex processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-phase anaerobic digestion process with a continuous piston-type loading system, featuring a specific architectural design with concentric cells and bioturbation zones, which allows for distinct biological retention times and efficient phase separation, utilizing radiant heating and micro-bubbling to maintain microbiological balance and promote granulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional biodigestion technologies are used to treat organic waste with high volatile organic matter content, then the treatment process can be implemented, but the efficiency is reduced and costs increase due to the need for multiple tanks and complex processes
Solution Approach 1:
The bioreactor is divided into multiple functional zones (aeration zone, anaerobic digestion zone, sedimentation zone) within a single integrated structure, allowing distinct biological processes to occur simultaneously in different spatial regions. This segmentation enables efficient treatment of high volatile organic matter content waste while avoiding the need for multiple separate tanks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines aeration, anaerobic digestion, and sedimentation functions into a single bioreactor system. The aerobic aeration zone and anaerobic digestion zone are integrated, along with the sedimentation zone, creating a unified process that reduces equipment complexity while maintaining high productivity for treating organic waste with high volatile organic matter content.
2Reliability
If multiple tanks and complex processes are used to maintain optimal conditions for methanogenesis, then the biological constraints can be satisfied, but the investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different zones within the bioreactor are designed with specific local characteristics: the aeration zone provides oxygen for aerobic degradation, the anaerobic digestion zone maintains anaerobic conditions with appropriate pH and temperature for methanogenesis, and the sedimentation zone provides quiescent conditions for solids separation. Each zone is optimized for its specific function, ensuring reliable methanogenesis while simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control of operational parameters including pH adjustment, temperature maintenance, and controlled aeration rates to maintain optimal conditions for methanogenesis. The bioreactor can adapt to varying substrate compositions and loading rates, ensuring reliable performance without requiring overly complex process designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional processes are used to handle substrates with varying compositions, then the treatment can be performed, but the versatility and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bioreactor system allows dynamic adjustment of operational parameters such as aeration rate, pH, temperature, and hydraulic retention time to accommodate varying substrate compositions. The aerobic aeration zone can be adjusted to handle different volatile organic matter contents, while the anaerobic zone maintains conditions optimal for methanogenesis, enabling the system to adapt to diverse organic waste streams while maintaining high productivity.
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 approach enhances the versatility and modularity of the system, improving productivity and reducing investment costs by maintaining optimal conditions for each phase of digestion, effectively handling substrates with high volatile organic matter content and promoting efficient methane production.
Implementation Method 1
The treatment of organic materials by biodigestion is above all subject to biological constraints that the techniques which aim to create and maintain a favorable ecosystem for the microorganisms specific to this type of bio-oxidation attempt to respect.
Implementation Method 2
these particular microbial populations develop bio-oxidation activity, but in the absence of oxygen from the air.
Implementation Method 3
A digestate heating device
Implementation Method 4
A stirring or stirring device
Implementation Method 5
Inlet and outlet devices for the substrate, digestate and biogas
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The facility comprises: - a first tank (1) comprising separation means (15) extending over a portion of the height of the tank, so as to define a central compartment, or tube (11), a peripheral compartment, or ring (12), and a compartment for stirring and biochemical exchanges (16) in the bottom portion of the tank, comprising stirring means (17), - a second tank (2) comprising separation means (25) extending over a portion of the height of the tank, so as to define a central compartment, or tube (21), a peripheral compartment, or ring (22), and a compartment for stirring and biochemical exchanges (26) in the bottom portion of the tank, comprising stirring means (27), - means (ALIM) for feeding the waste to be treated into the first ring - means (T) for transferring the partially treated waste from the first tube to the second ring, - means (EVAC) for discharging the treated waste out of the second tube, - advantageously pneumatic means (4, 43, 44) for circulating the waste from the first ring to the second tube.