Mobile Wastewater Treatment With Autonomous Sludge Dewatering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile wastewater treatment systems face challenges in treating wastewater containing contaminants like concrete sludge, bitumen, and plastics, which can damage high-pressure pumps and nozzles, and require complex control systems due to varying sludge content, especially in remote locations where trained personnel are unavailable.
Innovation Solution
A modular wastewater treatment device with a sludge dewatering unit, comprising a belt filter and level sensors, operates autonomously to separate sludge and return filtrate to the treatment unit, using simple interfaces and sensors to manage sludge processing without external intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a treatment unit with flocculation and sedimentation stages is used to treat wastewater, then clean water can be obtained for reuse, but liquid sludge requiring disposal is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The belt filter press recovers water from liquid sludge by filtration, separating filtrate (recovered for reuse) from dried sludge (disposed). This transforms a waste disposal problem into a resource recovery process, reducing the volume of sludge requiring hazardous waste disposal while recovering additional process water
2Ease of operation
If autonomous operation is implemented without trained personnel, then operation simplicity is improved, but control of varying sludge content becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Level sensors provide continuous feedback on filtrate collection tank status, automatically controlling the filtrate pump to maintain optimal operation. This closed-loop control enables autonomous adaptation to varying sludge inputs without requiring trained personnel intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-regulation through level sensors and automatic pump control, eliminating the need for external operator intervention. The apparatus autonomously handles sludge dewatering operations despite varying sludge content
3Quantity of substance
If a belt filter press is added for sludge dewatering, then water recovery is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: wastewater treatment unit, sludge dewatering unit with belt filter press, and filtrate return system. This modular segmentation allows the water recovery function to be added without redesigning the entire system, managing complexity through functional separation
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 system efficiently recovers 99% of wastewater as reusable clean water, minimizing waste disposal and operating independently, even with varying sludge content, by integrating a sludge dewatering unit that autonomously manages sludge processing.
Implementation Method 1
a belt filter (36) for separating sludge
Implementation Method 2
a submersible pump (32) for supplying the wastewater
Implementation Method 3
a filtrate pump (46) arranged in the filtrate collection tank (37) and connected to the second connection
Implementation Method 4
level sensors (40, 41, 42) for monitoring a lowest, a middle and a highest fill level in the filtrate collection tank (37)
Implementation Method 5
a flocculation stage (16) and a sedimentation stage (17) downstream of the flocculation stage
Implementation Method 6
a sedimentation stage (17) downstream of the flocculation stage (16)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a mobile wastewater treatment apparatus having: - a sewage tank for sewage to be treated, designed as a storage tank (7); - a treatment unit (11) for the sewage, designed as a first module, said unit comprising a flocculation stage (16) and a sedimentation stage (17) downstream of the flocculation stage (16); and - a purified water tank (8) for the treated purified water. According to the invention, a sludge dewatering unit (12) designed as a second module is provided, which unit comprises a belt filter (36) for removing sludge (S) and a filtrate receiving tank (37) for the filtrate (F) from the belt filter (36) and can be connected via a first connection (33) to the sludge discharge pump (21) and via a second connection (34) to an overflow from the sedimentation stage (17). The filtrate receiving tank (37) is provided with fill level sensors (40, 41, 42) by means of which a filtrate pump (46) positioned in the filtrate receiving tank (37) and connected to the second connection (34) can be switched on and off and the power supply for the submersible pump (32) can be switched on and off.