Greywater Treatment Using CO2 Carbonation and Pressure Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current greywater treatment methods are costly and time-consuming, making greywater recycling inefficient, as they fail to provide a quick and inexpensive solution for removing contaminants and adjusting pH effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system involving a large particle filter, small fines filter, CO2 source, bubbling chambers, and a pressure chamber is used to purify greywater by bubbling CO2, creating carbonic acid, and separating solids under pressure, followed by additional filtration to achieve a pH between 6 and 9, making the water suitable for reuse or environmental discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional treatment methods (biological, gas, holding ponds, enzymatic) are used to clean greywater, then contaminates are removed, but the process is costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the water by injecting CO2 to lower pH, which alters the solubility characteristics of contaminants. This parameter change enables rapid separation of solids from liquids without requiring lengthy biological or chemical treatment processes, thus achieving purification quickly while maintaining effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts solids from greywater through filtration after pH adjustment. By removing the solid contaminants through physical separation rather than lengthy biological degradation, the system achieves rapid purification without the time-consuming nature of conventional methods
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional treatment methods are used to clean greywater, then contaminates are removed, but the process is costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive CO2 injection and simple filtration components rather than expensive biological treatment systems or complex chemical dosing equipment. The CO2 can be sourced from common industrial byproducts, and the filtration system uses straightforward physical barriers, making the overall treatment process cost-effective while achieving adequate purification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex biological or chemical treatment systems with a simpler mechanical/chemical approach using CO2 injection and filtration. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive biological reactors, enzymatic treatments, or complex chemical dosing systems, reducing overall treatment costs while maintaining purification effectiveness
3Manufacturing precision
If CO2 is bubbled into greywater and solids are separated, then pH is adjusted to 6-9 and solids are removed, but device complexity increases with multiple chambers and filters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the treatment process into distinct functional segments: a CO2 injection chamber for pH adjustment, a separation chamber for solid-liquid separation, and a filtration system for fine particle removal. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, achieving precise pH control and effective solids removal through a modular, manageable system structure
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 method efficiently purifies greywater, making it suitable for the ready mixed concrete industry and environmentally safe for discharge, potentially making it potable, while being cost-effective and quick, thus enhancing greywater recycling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
bubbling CO2 into greywater, concentrating the CO2 in the solution, followed by separation and filtration, produces a water with a pH between 6 and 9
Implementation Method 2
a first bubbling chamber to receive CO2 from the CO2 source, which produces a carbonic acid
Implementation Method 3
a pressure chamber to separate the solids from the carbonated greywater and retaining the carbonic acid state by keeping a pressure of between about 1 and 10 psig
Implementation Method 4
a second bubbling chamber to suspend the fines solids from the treated greywater
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for removing contaminates from greywater that uses carbon dioxide (CO2) and a system that adjusts the pH between 6 and 9. The filtration system is cost effective, quick, and easy to use, resulting in purified water.