Solid Waste Treatment via Chlorination and Biodegradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solid waste treatment methods, such as aerobic treatment and chlorination, are costly and generate harmful byproducts, and existing methods do not effectively decontaminate waste for reuse or disposal without killing beneficial microbes or releasing contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A method involving partial sterilization of solid waste through chlorination followed by dechlorination and inoculation with aerobic or facultative bacteria, which biodegrades the waste, potentially eliminating the need for primary and secondary treatment steps and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If aerobic treatment is used to oxidize organic constituents in solid waste, then odor and ammonia emissions are reduced, but operating costs increase due to motors, compressors or fans required to supply oxygen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical aeration system (motors, compressors, fans) with a biological treatment system using microorganisms that naturally oxidize organic constituents without requiring mechanical oxygen supply, thereby eliminating the associated operating costs while maintaining the benefit of reduced odor and ammonia emissions
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment system utilizes the waste material itself and naturally present or added microorganisms to perform the oxidation process without external energy input for aeration, allowing the system to treat itself using biological processes rather than mechanical intervention
2Reliability
If sterilization is performed to reduce microorganisms in treated water, then pathogenic microbes are eliminated, but beneficial microbes are also killed and contaminants are released
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial sterilization rather than complete sterilization, using controlled dosing of sterilizing agents or controlled thermal treatment that reduces pathogenic microorganisms to safe levels while preserving beneficial microbial populations and avoiding the release of contaminants that would result from complete sterilization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the parameters of sterilization (temperature, time, chemical dosage) to achieve selective destruction of pathogenic microbes while maintaining conditions that preserve beneficial microbes, thereby reducing pathogens without releasing contaminants through complete sterilization
3Reliability
If chlorination is used for waste water sterilization, then pathogenic microorganisms are reduced, but chlorinated-organic compounds are generated and residual chlorine must be dechlorinated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the chlorination step from the treatment process entirely, replacing it with alternative sterilization methods such as controlled thermal treatment, UV irradiation, or biological disinfection that achieve pathogen reduction without generating chlorinated-organic compounds or requiring subsequent dechlorination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the harmful side effects of chlorination by using alternative sterilization methods that achieve the same pathogen reduction benefit without producing harmful chlorinated byproducts, effectively converting the harmful chlorination process into a beneficial pathogen-free treatment approach
4Reliability
If primary sedimentation and secondary treatment infrastructure is used, then waste decontamination is achieved, but construction and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple treatment functions (sedimentation, biological treatment, sterilization) into a single integrated process step or reactor system, eliminating the need for separate primary sedimentation tanks, secondary treatment structures, and associated infrastructure, thereby achieving decontamination with reduced construction costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a multi-functional treatment system that performs sedimentation, biological oxidation, and sterilization functions within a single process unit, replacing the need for multiple specialized infrastructure components and reducing both construction and operating costs while maintaining effective decontamination
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 method effectively decontaminates solid waste, reducing biological oxygen demand by at least 50% and eliminating the need for costly infrastructure, while minimizing harmful byproducts and preserving beneficial microbes.
Implementation Method 1
chlorinating solid waste having a first biological oxygen demand to produce degraded and sterilized solid waste
Implementation Method 2
inoculating the dechlorinated residual solid waste with bacteria, selected from the group of aerobic bacteria, facultative bacteria and combinations thereof, wherein the bacteria biodegrade the dechlorinated residual solid waste
Implementation Method 3
adding a flocculating composition to the dechlorinated residual solid waste to solubilize the dechlorinated residual solid waste
Data Source
AI summary
A solid waste treatment method includes the steps of: degradation and sterilization via chlorination of the solid waste, stabilization of the solid waste and regeneration of biomass to reduce or eliminate solid waste. The solid waste treatment method may be utilized in agricultural, industrial or municipal settings.