Cylindrical Bioreactor Device for Nitrogen Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coastal hypoxic zones are increasing due to high nitrogen levels from nutrient pollution, causing harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion, which is detrimental to marine life and has economic impacts, with existing solutions being impractical for non-source point pollution.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, cylindrical device with a bioreactor medium containing carbon, wood, and bacteria, powered by a collection strip to collect environmental energy, which processes excess nitrogen from water, reducing nitrogen levels and mitigating algal blooms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filters or specific designs are used to limit pollution directly from the source, then pollution control effectiveness is improved, but such solutions are impractical for non-source point pollution due to the vast number of sources and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the large-scale pollution control problem into numerous small, independent denitrification devices that can be distributed throughout the waterbody. Each device is a simple cylindrical unit with a bioreactor medium, eliminating the need for complex centralized treatment systems while effectively addressing non-point source pollution from multiple diffuse sources.
2Reliability
If a bioreactor medium containing bacteria, carbon, and wood is used to process excess nitrogen, then nitrogen removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bioreactor medium is designed to be self-sustaining, utilizing naturally occurring bacteria combined with carbon and wood materials that are readily available. The system requires no external power source, chemical inputs, or complex maintenance, allowing for simple manufacturing and deployment while maintaining effective nitrogen removal through natural biological processes.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a collection strip is used to collect ambient heat or energy from the environment, then energy availability for the bioreactor is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collection strip passively captures ambient thermal energy from the environment to support the bioreactor's thermal needs. This passive energy collection requires no external power source, control systems, or complex mechanisms, simply adding a straightforward energy-gathering component that enhances system sustainability without significantly increasing complexity.
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 device effectively reduces nitrogen levels in water, diminishing hypoxic zones and harmful algal blooms, thereby protecting marine life and reducing economic impacts on fishing and tourism industries.
Implementation Method 1
A collection strip is located on an outer surface of the housing and can be colored, sized and shaped to collect ambient heat or energy from the environment and thereby pass such collected energy to the inner cavity
Implementation Method 2
An impurity-removing medium is contained within the inner cavity of the housing... the impurity-removing medium is a bioreactor for processing excess nitrogen in water entering the inner cavity
Implementation Method 3
the impurity-removing medium that includes a mixture of carbon, wood, dirt, and bacteria
Data Source
AI summary
Devices are provided herein for the purification of free flowing or semi-free flowing bodies of water by removing impurities, such as nitrates. In one or more implementations, the impurity-removing device includes a cylindrically shaped housing that is open on both ends and defining an inner cavity. A cap is disposed at one opening at one end of the housing, the cap having multiple openings placed through the cap and being sized and shaped to fit the opening at the end of the housing. The impurity-removing device also includes a collection strip on an outer surface of the housing that is colored, sized and shaped to collect heat or energy from the environment, and an impurity-removing medium contained within the inner cavity.