Suspended Bed Electro-Membrane Bioreactor for Wastewater Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microbial fuel cell (MFC) wastewater treatment processes produce poor effluent quality, and membrane bioreactors (MBR) suffer from significant fouling issues due to biomass deposition on the membrane surface, limiting their efficiency and practicality for widespread use.
Innovation Solution
A suspended bed electro-membrane bioreactor system is developed, integrating a tubular cathode and anode chamber with a stainless steel membrane module and polymethyl methacrylate partition plate, utilizing a carbon felt and biological conductive particles to enhance pollutant removal and reduce fouling through electrostatic repulsion and increased contact interfaces for efficient wastewater treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the aeration rate is increased to reduce membrane fouling, then the deposition of biomass on the membrane surface is reduced, but the energy consumption increases and the actual anti-fouling effect is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical aeration system with an electrochemical system. Stainless steel plates are used as both electrodes and membranes, where electrostatic repulsion and electrochemical oxidation replace mechanical aeration forces to prevent biomass deposition, thereby reducing energy consumption while improving anti-fouling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The stainless steel plates serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as membranes for separation, electrodes for electrochemical reactions, and structural components for support. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate aeration devices, reducing system complexity and energy consumption while maintaining effective anti-fouling performance
2Power
If conventional MFC is used for wastewater treatment, then bioelectricity production is achieved, but the effluent quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges MFC technology with membrane separation technology to create an electro-membrane bioreactor. The stainless steel membrane plates simultaneously perform electrochemical reactions for power generation and physical separation for effluent purification, achieving both power generation and high-quality effluent treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The stainless steel plates are designed with porous structures that allow selective passage of substances. The porous membranes enable efficient separation of treated water from biomass while maintaining electrochemical activity, thereby improving effluent quality without compromising power generation capacity
3Manufacturing precision
If MBR is used to improve effluent quality, then wastewater treatment efficiency is enhanced, but membrane fouling prevents widespread use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical aeration-based anti-fouling methods with electrochemical mechanisms. Electrostatic repulsion between charged membrane surfaces and electrochemical oxidation of organic matter prevent biomass adhesion, providing reliable anti-fouling performance while maintaining high effluent quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface properties of the membrane through electrochemical treatments and material selection. The stainless steel plates develop surface charges and oxidation layers that alter surface energy and wettability, reducing biomass adhesion and improving fouling resistance while maintaining separation efficiency
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 effectively reduces membrane fouling, improves pollutant removal efficiency, and enhances wastewater treatment by combining anaerobic and aerobic biological processes, while reducing aeration power requirements and increasing hydraulic retention time, leading to improved effluent quality and power generation capacity.
Implementation Method 1
electrostatic repulsion formed by micro-electric field not only pushes organic pollutants away from the membrane surface
Implementation Method 2
anode assembly includes a carbon felt, a carbon rod and biological conductive particles
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of the aeration devices are arranged, all of the aeration devices are fixedly connected to an inner wall of a bottom of the cathode chamber
Implementation Method 4
a middle of the anode chamber is provided with a proton channel region, proton transfer is carried out between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber through the proton channel region
Data Source
AI summary
A suspended bed electro-membrane bioreactor system is provided, including a cathode chamber with a tubular structure with a sealed bottom; an anode chamber with a tubular structure located in the cathode chamber, where there is a gap between an outer wall of the anode chamber and an inner wall of the cathode chamber, and the anode chamber is provided with a proton channel region in a middle, is fixedly connected with an anode cover plate in a top and is filled with an anode assembly; a stainless steel membrane module located in the gap and electrically connected with the anode assembly; a polymethyl methacrylate partition plate located in the gap, forming a closed cylindrical space with the stainless steel membrane module and communicating the cathode chamber and the anode chamber; and a suspended bed filled between the closed cylindrical space and the anode chamber.