Nested Nitrifying Denitrifying Reactor for Simultaneous Nitrogen Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water treatment systems require separate aerobic and anoxic zones for ammonia and nitrate conversion, leading to inefficiencies and the buildup of toxic intermediate molecules, which complicates the simultaneous reduction of ammonia and nitrate levels.
Innovation Solution
A water treatment system with a nitrifying volume and a denitrifying volume in fluid communication, where the nitrifying volume is oxygenated and the denitrifying volume is oxygen-depleted, allowing for counter-current exchange and creating an anoxic environment within a single fluid body to facilitate simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate aerobic and anoxic zones are used for ammonia and nitrate conversion, then the treatment process can proceed in stages, but the system complexity increases and intermediate toxic molecules build up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate aerobic and anoxic zones into a single integrated reactor vessel, where nitrification (aerobic) and denitrification (anoxic) occur simultaneously in different spatial regions. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate treatment stages while maintaining treatment effectiveness, directly resolving the contradiction between treatment reliability and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested configuration where an inner reactor column is positioned within an outer reactor vessel. The inner column provides anoxic conditions for denitrification while the outer annular region provides aerobic conditions for nitrification. This nesting arrangement allows both aerobic and anoxic processes to occur simultaneously in a compact single-vessel configuration, reducing overall system complexity while ensuring reliable simultaneous nitrification and denitrification
2Productivity
If separate aerobic and anoxic zones are used, then ammonia and nitrate conversion can occur, but the reaction efficiency decreases due to intermediate molecule buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary fluid communication system between the inner anoxic column and outer aerobic region, allowing continuous exchange of liquid and gases. This intermediary flow path enables rapid removal of intermediate toxic molecules (such as nitrite) from the nitrification zone to the denitrification zone, preventing their accumulation and enabling faster overall reaction kinetics, thus improving productivity while eliminating harmful intermediates
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 configuration enables efficient reduction of ammonia and nitrate levels by preventing the buildup of intermediate molecules, improving reaction speed and efficiency, and is applicable to various wastewater treatments with high ammonia content.
Implementation Method 1
The removal of nitrogen occurs through the biological oxidation of nitrogen from ammonia, or nitrification
Implementation Method 2
followed by denitrification, which is the reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas
Implementation Method 3
the oxygen-supplying source is an air-diffuser
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a water treatment system for simultaneously removing ammonia and nitrates from a liquid. The water treatment system comprises a nitrifying volume for nitrification of a liquid and a denitrifying volume for denitrification of the liquid. One of the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume resides substantially within the other of the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume, and the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume are in fluid communication. In one aspect, the nitrifying volume is a relatively oxygenated region and the denitrifying volume is a relatively oxygen-depleted region. In another aspect, the nitrifying volume is in communication with an oxygen-supplying source for providing oxygen to create the relatively oxygenated region.