Floating Sewage Reactor Design for Granular Sludge Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerobic granular sludge reactors face challenges in managing complex operations, requiring high oxygen levels and shear/compression forces, leading to tall structures that are difficult to adapt to existing purification plants, and continuous flow reactors struggle with easy and constant process management.
Innovation Solution
A compact reactor system with bell-shaped structures that introduce air to create a high oxygen environment and generate shear/compression forces, allowing for controlled production of Extra-cellular Polymeric Substances (EPSs) without the need for physical support masses, facilitating the degradation of organic waste in a suspension-cultured aerobic granular sludge system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reactors are made tall to generate high oxygen levels and shear/compression forces, then the production of EPSs and granular sludge is improved, but the adaptability to existing purification plants deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical height dimension to horizontal area dimension by using large surface area floating structures (boats/platforms) to generate the required oxygen and shear forces, eliminating the need for tall reactor structures while maintaining treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic systems (air injection through diffusers) and hydraulic systems (water circulation pumps) to generate dissolved oxygen and hydrodynamic shear forces on floating structures, replacing the need for gravitational forces from tall structures
2Reliability
If complex management systems are implemented to control oxygen levels and shear forces, then the generation of granular sludge is improved, but the operational simplicity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floating structures naturally move with water currents and wind, self-generating the required shear forces without active control systems. The system uses passive hydrodynamic design to achieve granular sludge formation without complex management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the system by using large surface area floating structures that naturally create appropriate hydrodynamic conditions, replacing complex active control of oxygen and shear forces with passive physical design
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 system effectively degrades organic waste with reduced energy costs, enhanced sludge aggregation, and easier separation, allowing for efficient treatment of wastewater and organic waste, while being adaptable to existing plants and capable of managing high organic loads.
Implementation Method 1
air delivery means adapted to introduce air inside said at least one structure, wherein said at least one first opening is proximal to said air delivery means and said at least one second opening is distal from said air delivery means, so that the air delivery means are adapted to generate a flow of sewage from said at least one first opening to said at least one second opening
Implementation Method 2
inside said at least one structure a superoxygenation of said organic fraction and the generation of Extra-cellular Polymeric Substances (EPSs) produced by said active biomass are obtained, i.e. a local increase in the oxygenation of the sewage resulting from the convergence of the air bubbles
Implementation Method 3
system, or apparatus, and to a method for the chemical and biochemical oxidation of organic material by means of the use of granular sludge in aerobic mode
Implementation Method 4
degrading waste water and/or organic waste fraction and/or any organic substance in aqueous solution by means of a suspension-cultured aerobic granular sludge system
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for degrading the organic fraction of sewage by means of active biomass, in particular active sludge particles, comprising: —at least one tank (1) adapted to contain the sewage and said active biomass; —at least one hollow structure (6, 106, 206), adapted to be at least partially immersed in the sewage, provided with at least one first opening (61) for letting in the sewage and with at least one second opening (62) for letting out the sewage, wherein the ratio between the area of the at least one first opening (61) and the area of the at least one second opening (62) is equal to at least 5:1; —air delivery means (7, 70) adapted to introduce air inside said at least one structure (6, 106, 206); wherein said at least one first opening (61) is proximal to said air delivery means (7, 70) and said at least one second opening (62) is distal from said air delivery means (7, 70), so that the air delivery means (7, 70) are adapted to generate a flow of sewage from said at least one first opening (61) to said at least one second opening (62).