Light Particle Suspension for Wastewater Energy Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wastewater treatment technologies face challenges in achieving efficient and energy-saving wastewater treatment due to the high energy consumption required for maintaining fluidization of heavy particles, leading to inadequate treatment and pollution.
Innovation Solution
A light particle or mixed particle system is introduced, where light particles with a density lower than the liquid phase float on top and heavy particles sink to the bottom, allowing for uniform axial distribution and efficient contact between gas, liquid, and solid phases through gas injection, reducing energy consumption and enhancing microorganism concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If heavy particles are used as solid phase in fluidization system, then microorganism concentration can be increased, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of solid particles from heavy (traditionally used) to light particles with density lower than liquid phase. This parameter change fundamentally alters the fluidization mechanism, allowing particles to be suspended by gas injection alone without requiring high energy input to overcome excessive particle weight, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving high microorganism concentration and reducing energy consumption
2Productivity
If heavy particles are used in fluidization, then treatment efficiency can be improved, but liquid reflux ratio must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
By changing from heavy particles to light particles with density lower than liquid phase, the patent eliminates the need for high liquid reflux ratios that were necessary to maintain fluidization of heavy particles. The light particles naturally suspend with gas injection alone, simplifying the system while maintaining high treatment efficiency through increased microorganism concentration on particle surfaces
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 system increases microorganism concentration, improves treatment efficiency, reduces sludge production, and minimizes energy consumption, resulting in high-efficiency wastewater treatment with low energy expenditure.
Implementation Method 1
Injecting gas into the wastewater treatment system lowers the average density of the gas-liquid mixture. When the average density of the mixed fluid is close or equal to the density of light particles, the slight disturbance of gas flow is capable of dispersing the light particles in the liquid.
Implementation Method 2
The density of the light particles is lower than the density of the liquid phase... Injecting gas into the wastewater treatment system lowers the average density of the gas-liquid mixture. When the average density of the mixed fluid is close or equal to the density of light particles
Implementation Method 3
The density of the light particles is lower than the density of the liquid phase, and the density of the heavy particles is higher than the density of the liquid phase
Implementation Method 4
After adding the mixture of light particles and heavy particles into the suspension system, light particles float on the top of the system while heavy particles sink to the bottom of the system
Implementation Method 5
With the effect of gas and liquid, light particles at the top are dispersed downward and heavy particles at the bottom are fluidized upward. Therefore, more uniform axial distribution of mixed particles can be achieved in the system by relatively small driving force
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a light particle system or a mixed particle system for wastewater treatment comprising a contactor. The contactor includes a gas-liquid-solid three-phase region, and the gas-liquid-solid three-phase region includes gas phase, liquid phase, and solid phase. The liquid phase is a continuous phase and the solid phase is light particles or mixed particles. The mixed particles include light particles and heavy particles. The density of the light particles is lower than the density of the liquid phase and the density of the heavy particles is higher than the density of the liquid phase. The light particles or mixed particles are able to carry some microorganisms on their surfaces at least. The light/mixed particle-suspension system in the present invention applied in wastewater treatment can increase the concentration of microorganisms significantly, improve the ability to bear impact load, produce less sludge, and without sludge expansion. The ability to suspend particles under the combined effect of gas and liquid is able to reduce energy consumption to a larger extent. Therefore, this system features both high efficiency and low energy consumption.