Water Treatment Membrane Circulation for Post-Wash Bubble Removal

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional water treatment facilities require additional equipment such as a relay tank and decontamination filter due to the presence of bubbles in treated water after membrane filtration, leading to increased installation space and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A water treatment facility design that includes a first membrane filtration device, a second membrane filtration device, a reservoir tank, and a circulation flow path to circulate permeated water between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank after air introduction, allowing for bubble removal without additional equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a relay tank and decontamination filter are added to remove bubbles from treated water, then the reliability of the pump is improved, but the device complexity and installation space increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepump reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes bubbles from the treated water flow path by introducing a separate air removal chamber where bubbles can separate from the water and be discharged independently, eliminating the need for relay tanks and decontamination filters while maintaining pump reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an intermediary air removal chamber that acts as a mediator between the membrane filtration device and the pump, allowing bubbles to be removed in this intermediate stage without requiring additional complex equipment in the main flow path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a relay tank and decontamination filter are added to remove bubbles from treated water, then the pump malfunction risk is reduced, but the installation space increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepump reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the air removal function with the existing membrane filtration device by integrating an air removal chamber that utilizes the same structural space, eliminating the need for separate relay tanks and decontamination filters while maintaining pump protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts bubbles from the treated water flow path by introducing a separate air removal chamber where bubbles can separate from the water and be discharged independently, eliminating the need for relay tanks and decontamination filters while maintaining pump reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If air is introduced for membrane filtration cleaning, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but bubbles remain in the treated water causing pump malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidpump reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediary air removal chamber that acts as a mediator between the membrane filtration device and the pump, allowing bubbles to be removed in this intermediate stage without requiring additional complex equipment in the main flow path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes bubbles from the treated water flow path by introducing a separate air removal chamber where bubbles can separate from the water and be discharged independently, eliminating the need for relay tanks and decontamination filters while maintaining pump reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 design reduces the installation space and complexity by eliminating the need for additional equipment like relay tanks and decontamination filters, while effectively managing bubbles in the treated water.

Implementation Method 1

circulation flow path, provided between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank, which enables the permeated water stored in the reservoir tank to circulate between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

membrane filtration devices are widely used in fields such as pure water production and wastewater recovery as a means to remove suspended matter components and organic matter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS20250288958A1Water treatment facility and method for operating water treatment facility

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

This water treatment facility comprises: a first membrane filtration device; a second membrane filtration device provided at a stage subsequent to the first membrane filtration device; a reservoir tank that retains a portion of permeated water that has permeated through the first membrane filtration device; a circulation flow path that is provided between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank, and enables the permeated water retained in the reservoir tank to circulate between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank; a pump that is provided in the circulation flow path; and a control unit that controls the pump such that after the end of washing of a filtration membrane accompanied by introduction of air into the first membrane filtration device, the permeated water retained in the reservoir tank is circulated between the first membrane filtration device and the reservoir tank through the circulation flow path.