Maze Adsorption Device for Soluble Pollutant Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wastewater treatment technologies are ineffective in extracting soluble organic micropollutants, such as pharmaceutical and pesticide residues, from aqueous solutions, often producing nonrecyclable waste and being unsuitable for variable pollutant concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A modular extraction device with a maze structure and adsorbent agent, primarily activated carbon, that increases contact time between the aqueous solution and adsorbent, using a countercurrent bubble flow to enhance pollutant absorption, allowing for adaptable treatment of diverse aqueous compositions without generating nonrecyclable waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If reverse osmosis is used to extract soluble substances, then pure water can be delivered, but the process produces concentrated waste that must be re-mineralized and requires complex equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary component (pollutants) from the aqueous solution using adsorbent material, rather than separating all components as reverse osmosis does. The adsorbent selectively binds organic micropollutants while allowing water to pass through, eliminating the need to handle concentrated waste streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses porous adsorbent material (such as activated carbon) that provides high surface area for pollutant absorption. The porous structure enables selective adsorption of organic micropollutants while maintaining water flow, achieving purification without producing concentrated waste.
2Manufacturing precision
If photo-oxidation using metal catalyst is used, then organic micropollutants can be degraded, but the catalyst must be extracted using filtration or flotation adding process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical filtration or flotation steps required in photo-oxidation processes with a simple adsorption-based solid-liquid separation. The adsorbent material captures pollutants directly, and separation is achieved through simple filtration or decantation without requiring complex flotation equipment.
3Reliability
If enzymatic extraction is used, then sustainable pollutant removal is achieved, but the process becomes more complicated to monitor and dimension on WTSs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses disposable or easily replaceable adsorbent material that can be saturated and then regenerated or replaced. This approach simplifies monitoring and dimensioning compared to enzymatic processes, as the adsorption capacity is well-established and can be easily tracked through simple parameters like flow rate and contact time.
4Manufacturing precision
If a single reactor with activated carbon fluidized bed is used, then water treatment is achieved, but it is not suitable for treating aqueous solutions with particularly variable and heterogeneous pollutant concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the treatment system into multiple sequential reactors or stages, each containing adsorbent material. This segmentation allows the system to handle variable and heterogeneous pollutant concentrations by distributing the treatment load across multiple units, with each unit optimized for specific concentration ranges or pollutant types.
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 device effectively extracts soluble substances from aqueous solutions, achieving a five-fold increase in pollutant removal while maintaining compactness and being easy to maintain and industrialize, with adjustable module configurations for optimal performance based on solution characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
the adsorbent agent being capable of extracting at least one portion of the soluble substances by contact with the aqueous solution
Implementation Method 2
the maze defining a circulation path for the aqueous solution within the peripheral wall
Implementation Method 3
using a countercurrent bubble flow to enhance pollutant absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A device for extracting soluble substances dissolved in an aqueous solution, the extraction device including a peripheral wall and an adsorbent agent contained in the peripheral wall, the adsorbent agent being capable of extracting at least one portion of the soluble substances by contact with the aqueous solution, the extraction device also including a maze, defining a circulation path for the aqueous solution within the peripheral wall, the maze including a main inlet and a main outlet of aqueous solution, in fluid communication with one another via the circulation path, the adsorbent agent being arranged inside the maze so as to be placed in contact with the aqueous solution during the circulation of the latter along the circulation path.