Trickling Filter Oxygenation with Multiphase Pump Microbubbles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trickling filters for wastewater treatment face issues with oxygen depletion within the biomass and require energy-intensive air blowers for oxygen supply, leading to high energy consumption and increased manufacturing costs due to the need for pressurized reactors or separate pre-cleaning tanks.
Innovation Solution
A wastewater treatment apparatus using multiphase pumps to inject oxygen-rich gas into the wastewater, creating a pressurized gas-wastewater mixture that generates microbubbles upon pressure drop, enhancing oxygen supply to the biofilm without the need for air blowers, thus reducing energy consumption and apparatus size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If air blowers are used to supply oxygen to the trickling filter, then oxygen supply is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of oxygen delivery from gas phase (air blowers) to liquid phase (dissolved oxygen in wastewater). By injecting oxygen-rich gas into wastewater and creating pressurized gas-wastewater mixture that generates microbubbles, the system achieves high oxygen supply efficiency without energy-intensive air blowers. The multiphase pump creates a pressurized system that delivers oxygen directly to the biofilm through microbubbles, fundamentally changing how oxygen is transported to the filter media.
2Quantity of substance
If pressurized reactors or separate pre-cleaning tanks are used to saturate wastewater with oxygen, then oxygen saturation is improved, but manufacturing costs and apparatus complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the oxygen saturation function with the existing trickling filter system by integrating a multiphase pump and gas injector directly into the wastewater circulation loop. Instead of using separate pressurized reactors or pre-cleaning tanks, the system combines oxygen injection, pressurization, and biofilm treatment in a single integrated unit. The multiphase pump creates pressurized gas-wastewater mixture that generates microbubbles directly in the filter, eliminating the need for separate saturation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiphase pump serves multiple functions simultaneously: it pumps wastewater, injects oxygen-rich gas, creates pressurized gas-wastewater mixture, and generates microbubbles for oxygen delivery to the biofilm. This multi-functional device replaces what would traditionally require separate equipment for oxygen saturation and pressurization, simplifying the overall apparatus while maintaining high oxygen saturation efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If air blowers are used to blow air into the filter material bed, then oxygen supply to biofilm is improved, but energy consumption increases and dissolved oxygen transfer rate remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses hydraulic principles by injecting oxygen-rich gas into wastewater and creating a pressurized liquid-gas mixture that flows through the filter media. The multiphase pump creates a hydraulic system where oxygen is delivered through dissolved microbubbles in the wastewater stream, rather than using pneumatic air blowers that force air through the filter bed. This hydraulic approach achieves superior oxygen transfer efficiency with lower energy consumption because the oxygen is carried by the flowing wastewater itself rather than requiring separate pneumatic forcing.
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 apparatus enhances purification efficiency, reduces treatment time, decreases energy consumption, and minimizes the need for chemical treatments while maintaining or increasing treatment capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a first pump and a circulation pipe for pumping wastewater above the filter material bed and first nozzles at the discharge end of the circulation pipe for spraying the wastewater on top of the filter material bed. The first pump is a multiphase pump comprising a gas injector for injecting gas, such as air or oxygen, to the wastewater to create pressurized gas-wastewater mixture.
Implementation Method 2
The pressurized, oxygen saturated mixture of contaminated water and effluent is fed into a reactor system, wherein it is allowed to percolate through the support colonized with bacteria.
Implementation Method 3
creating a pressurized gas-wastewater mixture that generates microbubbles upon pressure drop, enhancing oxygen supply to the biofilm
Implementation Method 4
While the wastewater percolates through the support material in the presence of air, the microbes that grow in the thin biofilm over the surface of the media oxidize the organic load in the wastewater to carbon dioxide and water thereby removing oxygen demanding substances.
Implementation Method 5
the microbes that grow in the thin biofilm over the surface of the media oxidize the organic load in the wastewater to carbon dioxide and water thereby removing oxygen demanding substances.
Implementation Method 6
A wastewater treatment apparatus using multiphase pumps to inject oxygen-rich gas into the wastewater, creating a pressurized gas-wastewater mixture that generates microbubbles upon pressure drop, enhancing oxygen supply to the biofilm
Implementation Method 7
spraying the wastewater on top of the filter material bed... dissolving air into the wastewater
Data Source
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AI summary
The wastewater treatment apparatus (50) comprises a trickling filter including a tank (2), a filter material bed (4) inside said tank, a first pump (10) and a circulation pipe (20) for pumping wastewater above the filter material bed and first nozzles (24) at the discharge end of the circulation pipe for spraying the wastewater on top of the filter material bed. The first pump is a multiphase pump comprising a gas injector (62) for injecting oxygen-rich gas, such as air or pure oxygen, to the wastewater to create pressurized gas-wastewater mixture.