Treated Biochar for Water Nutrient Removal and Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biochar products are ineffective in efficiently removing nutrients like phosphorus from water due to variations in surface charge, pH, ash content, and toxic residues, which can harm aquatic ecosystems and human health, and there is a need for a more sustainable and efficient method to recycle these nutrients for agricultural use.
Innovation Solution
Treated biochar is produced by modifying the physical and chemical properties of raw biochar through methods such as vacuum impregnation and surfactant treatment to enhance its ability to adsorb contaminants, adjust pH, and introduce beneficial additives, allowing for improved water treatment and agricultural applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If raw biochar is used for water treatment, then production cost is reduced and manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but contaminant removal efficiency is insufficient due to variable surface charge, pH, and toxic residues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by treating the biochar with oxidizing agents, acids, or bases before use in water treatment. This pre-treatment modifies the surface charge, pH, and removes toxic residues to ensure consistent and reliable contaminant removal efficiency, resolving the contradiction between reliability and process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical and chemical parameters of the biochar through controlled treatment processes. By adjusting pH, surface charge, and other properties through standardized treatment protocols, the patent achieves reliable contaminant removal while maintaining manageable process complexity through parameter optimization.
2Reliability
If biochar is treated to improve contaminant removal, then water treatment effectiveness is enhanced, but production cost and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes treatment parameters such as oxidizing agent concentration, treatment duration, and pH levels to achieve effective water treatment in minimized time. By carefully controlling these parameters, the patent enhances treatment effectiveness while reducing processing time compared to untreated biochar.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If biochar is used to remove nutrients from water, then water quality improves, but the nutrients are lost rather than recycled for agriculture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers nutrients from water treatment processes by capturing phosphorus and other nutrients that would otherwise be discarded. The treated biochar and associated byproducts are utilized in agricultural applications, transforming waste into valuable resources and eliminating harmful nutrient loss while maintaining water quality improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of nutrient pollution into a benefit by recovering phosphorus and other nutrients from treated water and applying them to agricultural soils. This transforms the waste product into a valuable fertilizer source, simultaneously improving water quality and supporting agricultural productivity.
4Reliability
If treated biochar is produced through multiple processing steps, then contaminant removal capability is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary treatment steps that can be integrated into existing biochar production workflows. By performing these treatments during the standard manufacturing process rather than as separate post-processing steps, the patent enhances contaminant removal capability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and avoiding additional complexity.
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 treated biochar effectively removes contaminants and nutrients from water, reducing environmental pollution and providing a sustainable solution for recycling nutrients back into agriculture, enhancing agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
Some forms of carbonaceous material (charcoal, activated charcoal, coal and carbonaceous composite substrates) have been commonly used in treating water or waste water... The first step to making activated charcoal in a two-step process is to make charcoal by heating the material in a low oxygen atmosphere to very high temperatures... the second step is to activate it using one of two methods-hot gas activation or chemical activation
Implementation Method 2
The biochar is then treated in a manner that causes the infusion and/or effusion of liquids into and out of the biochar pores or infiltration and/or exfiltration of liquids, gases, nutrients and/or other additives into and out of the biochar pores... one such treatment process that can be used is a process that changes the pressure differential surrounding the biochar, such as vacuum impregnation
Implementation Method 3
Treatment also allows for the impregnation or inoculation of the pores of the biochar with additives that can introduce greater efficiencies in water treatment... treatment with a solution containing either organic or inorganic surfactant or detergent
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is provided for treating water to remove contaminants using treated biochar placed in the water flow pathway of a water treatment process. The system further includes the further treatment of the treated biochar after its use in the water treatment process for use in agricultural or animal applications.