Fixed Bed Reactor Partitions Meandering Flow Wastewater

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fixed-bed reactors for wastewater purification face inefficiencies due to channel formation in the fixed bed, resulting in areas that are not or insufficiently reached by the wastewater flow, leading to suboptimal utilization of the filling material and reduced cleaning rates.

Innovation Solution

The reactor features partitions that meanderly divert the wastewater flow, with the filling material consisting of activated coke or a mixture of activated coke and porous materials like zeolite, ensuring the filling material height exceeds partition edges, and a backwash system for regeneration, enhancing mechanical stability and absorption capacity, and preventing channel formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If partitions are arranged in the basin to divert wastewater flow, then the utilization of filling material is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning rateVSAvoidpartition arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The basin is divided into multiple compartments by partitions arranged at different heights and positions. This segmentation forces the wastewater to follow a meandering flow path through the fixed bed, ensuring comprehensive contact with the filling material and preventing channel formation, thereby improving the cleaning rate without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Partitions are arranged not only in the horizontal plane but also at different vertical heights, creating a three-dimensional meandering flow path. This multi-dimensional arrangement maximizes wastewater contact with the filling material while maintaining a relatively simple partition structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If filling material height is increased above partition edges, then channel formation is prevented, but the volume of filling material required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow distribution uniformityVSAvoidfilling material volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The fixed bed is segmented into compartments by partitions at different heights. The filling material in each compartment extends above the partition edges, creating a stepped configuration that prevents channel formation while optimizing the volume of filling material used in each section

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different compartments have filling material heights tailored to local flow requirements. The filling material locally exceeds partition edges where needed to prevent channeling, while maintaining appropriate heights in other areas, thus optimizing overall material usage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If activated coke and porous materials are used as filling material, then absorption capacity is enhanced, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiological degradation efficiencyVSAvoidfilling material cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The filling material uses a composite of activated coke and porous materials (such as ceramic or plastic granules). This composite structure combines the high absorption capacity of activated coke with the mechanical stability and cost-effectiveness of porous materials, achieving enhanced biological degradation efficiency while controlling manufacturing costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 configuration ensures improved utilization of the filling material, increasing the cleaning rate and economic efficiency by ensuring all areas of the fixed bed are utilized, leading to enhanced biological degradation of organic impurities and reduced odorous emissions.

Implementation Method 1

a fixed bed made of a granular filling material is arranged... The filling material being activated coke or a mixture made of activated coke and a porous material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

partitions being arranged in the basin, which meanderingly divert the waste water flow from the inlet to the outlet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow diversion:

Implementation Method 3

a backwash system for regeneration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBackwash regeneration:

Data Source

PatentEP2791068B1Fixed bed reactor
Publication Date: 2015.08.12 AQUA BIOCARBON
  • EP2791068B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2791068B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2791068B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a fixed bed reactor for cleaning waste-water, more particularly for the biological cleaning of industrial waste-water, having a reactor container (1) with a floor (3) and walls (4) that form a basin (2), in which a fixed bed made of a granular filling material (5) is arranged and which has an inflow (6) for the waste-water to be cleaned and an outflow (7) for the cleaned waste-water. The invention is characterised in that dividing walls (8), which divert the waste-water flow from the inflow (6) to the outflow (7) in a meandering manner, are arranged in the basin (2), said dividing walls (8) being arranged offset against one another in one plane and/or at one height, and said filling material (5) having or consisting of active carbon or a mixture of active carbon and a porous material.