Submersible Flocculent Accelerator for Water Clarification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling ponds associated with electrical power plants experience turbidity that harms marine life, necessitating a reliable, robust, and cost-effective method for water clarification.
Innovation Solution
A submersible system that disperses active flocculents generated by an electrocoagulative reactor into large bodies of water, utilizing an accelerator apparatus with concentric conduits to shear and disperse the flocculents, recovering waste energy and enabling in-situ treatment through charge neutralization and co-precipitation of contaminants, and can be powered by alternative energy sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electrocoagulative reactor is used to generate active flocculent, then water treatment capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accelerator combines the drive water tube and pump tube into a single integrated device, merging the functions of flocculent delivery and water pumping into one compact unit. This reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the electrocoagulative treatment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The accelerator apparatus serves multiple functions: it delivers active flocculent from the reactor, pumps large volumes of pond water through the treatment zone, and facilitates the interaction between flocculent and contaminants. This multi-functionality improves water treatment capability without requiring separate devices for each function.
2Productivity
If flocculent particle size is reduced to increase surface area, then contaminant adhesion efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The accelerator utilizes turbulent flow and hydraulic shear forces within the concentric tube structure to mechanically break down larger flocculent particles into smaller particles. This natural mechanical breakdown achieves the desired particle size reduction and increased surface area without requiring precise manufacturing control of individual particle sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs hydraulic principles by using pressurized drive water flowing through the inner tube to create shear forces and turbulence in the annular space where flocculent is introduced. This hydraulic action automatically sizes the particles through mechanical shearing rather than requiring precision manufacturing.
3Productivity
If large volumes of water are treated in-situ, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accelerator is designed to be driven by the pressure of the electrocoagulative reactor's discharge itself. The system uses the reactor's own output pressure to drive water through the accelerator and maintain flow, making the system self-powered to a significant extent and reducing external energy requirements while treating large water volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the high pressure discharge from the reactor, which would otherwise be wasted energy, into the driving force for water circulation through the accelerator. This converts what could be considered waste energy (excess pressure) into a useful function (water pumping and flow maintenance).
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
Effectively clarifies large volumes of water by increasing the surface area of active flocculents for contaminant adhesion and precipitation, restoring marine life while utilizing waste energy and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the generation of active flocculent (Iron, Aluminum, etc.) within the electrolytic reactor
Implementation Method 2
the active flocculent is sheared into smaller particles by impingement against the striking surfaces
Implementation Method 3
so as to cause the charge neutralization of colloidal particulates
Implementation Method 4
co-precipitation of contaminate species
Implementation Method 5
Bacteria, algae, viruses and certain organics are destroyed by the EMF present when passing through the electrolytic reactor
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for the shearing and dispersion of an active flocculent that is discharged from an electrolytic reactor into a larger volume or flow of water are disclosed. The device is submerged in a natural body of water, tank, etc. and is connected to the reactor via a fluid conduit such that the effluent is discharged under pressure through the device into the body of water. The accelerator device uses available pressure to shear the active flocculent into smaller size particles by impingement and to mix the reactor discharge into a larger volume or flow of water by entrainment. The apparatus uses the available pressure present in the reactor discharge and therefore is recovering waste energy from the available hydraulic power for operation. The submerged accelerator device may also include charged electrode plates to provide additional treatment and/or a motor driven turbine pump to allow the device to operate detached from the reactor as a stand-alone, submersible system that may be operated via alternative energy sources including solar, wind and hydro power. An in-line device is also described.