Effluent Distribution System for Thermal Energy Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wastewater treatment plants face challenges in efficiently utilizing effluent as a renewable energy resource, leading to environmental impacts and resource conservation issues, as they typically discharge effluent into aquatic habitats, causing pollution and depleting oxygen levels, and overflow during storms, resulting in untreated wastewater overflow.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing effluent from wastewater treatment plants to heat and cool buildings through a heat-pump apparatus and fertilize vegetation, by distributing it through an effluent distribution system comprising pipes below grade, which recovers and recharges thermal energy, reducing the need for fossil fuels and minimizing aquatic habitat discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If effluent is discharged into aquatic habitats, then the effluent is disposed of, but pollution and oxygen depletion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effluent discharge into a beneficial resource by capturing effluent thermal energy for heating and cooling buildings through heat exchange systems, and by utilizing effluent for agricultural irrigation and groundwater recharge, thereby eliminating pollution while providing energy and water benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of effluent by capturing thermal energy through heat exchangers connected to buildings, allowing the effluent to be used for heating in winter and cooling in summer, thereby transforming waste heat into a useful energy resource
2Loss of energy
If effluent is used for heating and cooling buildings, then thermal energy is recovered, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional effluent distribution system that simultaneously provides thermal energy recovery for buildings, irrigation for agriculture, and recharge for groundwater tables, allowing a single infrastructure to serve multiple purposes and reduce overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the effluent distribution into multiple independent pathways: one for thermal energy exchange with buildings, another for agricultural irrigation, and a third for groundwater recharge, allowing each function to operate independently while being part of an integrated system
3Loss of energy
If effluent is distributed through pipes below grade, then thermal energy is efficiently exchanged, but installation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the effluent distribution pipes with existing underground infrastructure such as sewer lines and irrigation channels, eliminating the need for separate dedicated pipelines and reducing installation costs while maintaining thermal exchange efficiency through proper insulation and design
4Loss of substance
If effluent is used for agricultural irrigation, then vegetation is fertilized, but nitrogen compound accumulation may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous effluent circulation through the agricultural irrigation system, where effluent is repeatedly applied to vegetation over time, allowing nitrogen compounds to be gradually absorbed and utilized by plants rather than accumulating in the soil, while the continuous flow prevents stagnation and promotes healthy plant growth
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 converts effluent into a continuous, year-round thermal energy reservoir, reduces environmental pollution, conserves resources, and allows for the recycling of treated wastewater into groundwater tables, enhancing water table fortification and enabling the installation of wastewater treatment plants in various locations.
Implementation Method 1
a building that absorbs heat from effluent in winter and deposits heat in effluent in summer
Implementation Method 2
water, when appropriately distributed below grade, can become a year-round, continuous reservoir of an exploitable thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
the vegetation can absorb nitrogen from the effluent and thereby filter water into groundwater tables
Implementation Method 4
recycling of treated wastewater into groundwater tables, enhancing water table fortification
Data Source
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AI summary
Exemplary embodiments of using effluent from a wastewater treatment plant are provided, where treated wastewater can exploit geothermal energy while delivering usable thermal energy to buildings by passing through an effluent distribution system including mains. The effluent distribution system mains can also recover the effluent used in each building and return the thermally exploited effluent to one or more ecological recharge basins, where at each basin the mains can join an infrastructure to distribute effluent to vegetation or exploit geothermal energy throughout the basin before redistributing the geothermally regulated effluent to buildings, or export the effluent to a network of EDS, or import effluent from a network of EDS.