Microbubble Water Softening Before Reverse Osmosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The economic burden of water treatment processes is high due to the need for various chemicals, which must be transported and stored, and existing methods do not adequately address the removal of calcium ions or improve separation characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A water treatment method involving microbubble generation, calcium carbonate crystallization, and reverse osmosis membrane treatment, along with pH adjustment and electrolysis steps, to reduce chemical usage and enhance calcium ion removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If various chemicals are used in water treatment processes, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but economic burden increases due to transportation and storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses microbubbles generated from air as a self-service reagent that reacts with calcium ions in the water. The microbubbles rise and burst at the water surface, automatically releasing oxygen that oxidizes calcium ions to form removable precipitates. This eliminates the need for external chemical reagents, thereby reducing transportation and storage requirements while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical treatment methods with a physical-chemical mechanism using microbubble generation and oxidation. Instead of adding chemical reagents, the system uses mechanically generated microbubbles that undergo phase change and oxidation reactions to remove calcium ions, thereby substituting chemical systems with a more economical physical process.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional water softening methods are used, then calcium ion removal is achieved, but chemical usage and running costs remain high
Solution Approach 1:
The microbubbles serve as a self-service oxidation agent that continuously reacts with calcium ions as they rise through the water column. The bubbles burst at the surface, releasing oxygen that immediately oxidizes calcium ions into removable forms. This self-sustaining process eliminates the need for continuous chemical addition while maintaining high calcium ion removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits the phase transition of microbubbles from dispersed gas phase to burst liquid phase at the water surface. This phase change releases concentrated oxygen that rapidly oxidizes calcium ions. The cyclic generation and bursting of microbubbles creates continuous phase transitions that drive the oxidation process without requiring external chemicals.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more chemicals are added for comprehensive treatment, then treatment coverage is improved, but the amount of chemicals to be transported and stored increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microbubble oxidation process serves multiple treatment functions simultaneously: it oxidizes calcium ions for softening, generates oxygen for disinfection, and creates oxidative conditions that inhibit bacterial growth. This single microbubble-based mechanism replaces multiple separate chemical treatment processes, providing comprehensive treatment coverage without requiring multiple different chemical reagents.
Solution Approach 2:
The microbubble system is a self-service treatment method that generates its own oxidizing agent (oxygen) through the bursting of air bubbles. This eliminates the need to import, store, and handle multiple chemical reagents while providing comprehensive water treatment coverage including softening, disinfection, and biological control.
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
Significantly reduces the amount of chemicals required, leading to lower running costs and more efficient calcium ion removal, thereby decreasing the economic burden.
Implementation Method 1
a microbubble generating step of generating microbubbles in water to be treated containing at least calcium ions
Implementation Method 2
a water softening step of crystallizing calcium ions contained in the water to be treated containing the microbubbles as calcium carbonate and removing the calcium carbonate
Implementation Method 3
crystallizing calcium ions contained in the water to be treated containing the microbubbles as calcium carbonate and removing the calcium carbonate
Implementation Method 4
a reverse osmosis membrane treatment step of separating the water to be treated, from which the calcium carbonate has been removed, into reverse osmosis membrane treated water and reverse osmosis membrane concentrated water using a reverse osmosis membrane
Implementation Method 5
a pH adjusting step of adjusting a pH of the water to be treated containing the at least calcium ions to 8.3 or more and less than 10 before the water softening step
Implementation Method 6
an electrolysis step of electrolyzing some of the electrodialysis concentrated water and obtaining an acidic aqueous solution and an alkaline aqueous solution
Data Source
AI summary
A water treatment method includes a microbubble generating step (S101) of generating microbubbles in water to be treated containing at least calcium ions and producing water to be treated containing microbubbles, a water softening step (S102) of crystallizing calcium ions contained in the water to be treated containing the microbubbles as calcium carbonate and removing the calcium carbonate, and a reverse osmosis membrane treatment step (S103) of separating the water to be treated, from which the calcium carbonate has been removed, into reverse osmosis membrane treated water and reverse osmosis membrane concentrated water using a reverse osmosis membrane.