Kitchen Waste Carbon Source via Aerobic Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current kitchen waste treatment methods, primarily relying on anaerobic digestion for large-scale and aerobic fermentation for small to medium-scale plants, do not effectively utilize the high organic matter content of kitchen waste to enhance nitrogen and phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment, leading to suboptimal treatment efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method involving aerobic fermentation of kitchen waste with a complex microbial inoculant containing aerobic bacteria and an Fe-based MOF nanocomposite, which degrades organic matter into low-molecular-weight compounds, improving the carbon-nitrogen ratio and biodegradability, thereby enhancing wastewater treatment efficiency and nitrogen and phosphorus removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If anaerobic digestion is applied to large-scale kitchen waste treatment plants, then treatment capacity is increased, but the high organic matter content is not effectively utilized to enhance nitrogen and phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fermentation parameters by using aerobic fermentation instead of anaerobic digestion, controlling oxygen supply, temperature (35-45℃), and pH (6.5-7.5) to optimize the degradation of organic matter into low-molecular-weight compounds. This parameter change enables the production of carbon sources with carbon-nitrogen ratio greater than 40, which significantly improves nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency while maintaining high treatment capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a complex microbial inoculant containing multiple strains of aerobic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride) combined with Fe-based MOF nanocomposite as excipient. This composite microbial system enhances the degradation of complex organic matter into low-molecular-weight compounds, producing a carbon source that simultaneously improves organic matter removal and nitrogen-phosphorus removal efficiency
2Reliability
If aerobic fermentation is applied to small and medium-sized kitchen waste treatment plants, then organic matter degradation is enhanced, but treatment capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a phase-change liquid intermediate product obtained from aerobic fermentation of kitchen waste. This intermediate contains low-molecular-weight organic compounds (sugars, amino acids, fatty acids) with high biodegradability and carbon-nitrogen ratio greater than 40. The intermediate serves as a bridge that converts kitchen waste into a high-quality carbon source, enabling small and medium-sized plants to achieve both efficient organic matter degradation and enhanced nitrogen-phosphorus removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the treatment process into distinct stages: (1) aerobic fermentation of kitchen waste to produce phase-change liquid, (2) solid-liquid separation to obtain carbon source, and (3) application to wastewater treatment. This segmentation allows optimization of each stage independently, achieving high organic matter degradation efficiency in the fermentation stage while maintaining scalable treatment capacity through the modular process design
3Device complexity
If conventional carbon sources are used in wastewater treatment, then treatment process is simple, but nitrogen and phosphorus removal effects are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where kitchen waste is converted into a high-quality carbon source through aerobic fermentation, eliminating the need to import external carbon sources. The complex microbial inoculant and Fe-based MOF nanocomposite work together to automatically degrade organic matter into low-molecular-weight compounds with optimal carbon-nitrogen ratio, producing a carbon source that self-optimizes nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency without requiring complex treatment processes
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 method significantly improves nitrogen and phosphorus removal effects in wastewater treatment by increasing the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the carbon source, promoting microorganism growth, and enhancing sludge activity, leading to better agglomeration and sedimentation.
Implementation Method 1
the organic matter of the kitchen waste is degraded into low-molecular-weight organic matter, H2O, CO2, NH4+—N, SO42− and other inorganic salts by the complex microbial inoculant through dissimilation under aerobic conditions
Implementation Method 2
phase-change degrading the kitchen waste into a phase-change liquid under aerobic fermentation of the complex microbial inoculant
Implementation Method 3
the nanocomposite has stronger adsorption capacity, and its internal structure is adjusted to a certain extent during the preparation process, so as to reduce ammonia toxicity by adsorbing ammonia nitrogen
Implementation Method 4
phase-change degrading the kitchen waste into a phase-change liquid under aerobic fermentation of the complex microbial inoculant
Implementation Method 5
Such low-molecular-weight organic matters are finally converted into H2O and CO2 through biological metabolism processes such as glucolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation
Data Source
AI summary
A method for preparing a carbon source for wastewater treatment by using kitchen waste, comprises: adding a complex microbial inoculant into the kitchen waste; and phase-change degrading the kitchen waste into a phase-change liquid under aerobic fermentation of the complex microbial inoculant; wherein the phase-change liquid is the carbon source for wastewater treatment; the complex microbial inoculant comprises: a microbial agent comprising aerobic bacteria; and an excipient comprising an Fe-based MOF (metal-organic framework) nanocomposite. According to the method, the kitchen waste is treated under aerobic fermentation to prepare the carbon source, a carbon-nitrogen ratio is greater than 40, and the carbon source is used to supplement a carbon source in a sewage treatment process of a sewage plant, which significantly improves nitrogen and phosphorus removal effects of sewage treatment in the sewage plant, and provides theoretical foundation and basis for resource utilization of the kitchen waste.