Uric Acid Removal Composition for Waste Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-flush and waterless urinals lead to uric acid build-up in waste pipes, causing odors and blockages, which are typically addressed with increasingly corrosive chemicals, posing environmental and social concerns.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising acidifying bacteria, an oxidizing agent, organic acid, and a chelating agent is introduced to digest organic waste and remove inorganic components, using non-toxic and eco-friendly chemicals, with the bacteria being optimized for digestion and the oxidizing agent providing oxygen for bacterial activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If low-flush or waterless urinals are used to reduce water consumption, then water usage is reduced, but uric acid build-up in waste pipes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composition is applied in advance to the waste pipe before uric acid blockages fully form. The acidifying bacteria and chemical agents work proactively to digest organic waste and prevent inorganic scale accumulation, addressing the uric acid build-up problem before it becomes a severe blockage, thereby enabling low-flush operation without the harmful effects of accumulated uric acid
Solution Approach 2:
The composition acts as an intermediary substance introduced into the waste pipe system. It contains acidifying bacteria that produce organic acids in situ, along with chelating agents and oxidizing agents, to mediate the decomposition of uric acid deposits without requiring large amounts of water for flushing
2Productivity
If corrosive chemicals are used to remove blockages, then blockage removal effectiveness is improved, but environmental and social harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the cleaning composition by using biologically-produced organic acids instead of strong mineral acids. The acidifying bacteria metabolize to produce acids in situ, providing effective blockage removal through controlled acidification while maintaining environmentally benign conditions, thus achieving blockage removal effectiveness without the harmful effects of corrosive chemicals
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful accumulation of uric acid into a beneficial process by using acidifying bacteria to metabolize and digest the organic waste components. The uric acid build-up, which would normally require harsh chemicals to remove, is instead transformed into a controlled biological decomposition process that produces effective cleaning action without environmental or social harm
3Object-affected harmful factors
If acidifying bacteria are used to digest organic waste, then eco-friendliness is improved, but digestion efficiency may be reduced compared to chemical methods
Solution Approach 1:
The composition is a composite formulation combining acidifying bacteria with chemical agents including organic acids, chelating agents, and oxidizing agents. This composite approach allows the biological component to provide eco-friendly organic acid production while the chemical components enhance and accelerate the digestion process, achieving both environmental sustainability and high digestion efficiency that neither component could achieve alone
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges biological and chemical cleaning mechanisms into a single integrated composition. The acidifying bacteria work synergistically with the included organic acids, chelating agents, and oxidizing agents to create a unified cleaning system that maintains the eco-friendliness of biological processes while achieving the rapid and thorough digestion efficiency characteristic of chemical methods
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 composition effectively breaks down legacy uric acid build-ups and prevents new formations, achieving significant weight loss in uric acid samples, outperforming control samples in degradation efficiency under both static and simulated hydraulic conditions.
Implementation Method 1
acidifying bacteria can digest organic waste because it is a food source for the bacteria
Implementation Method 2
introduction of oxygen within the composition via the inclusion of an oxidising agent
Implementation Method 3
The inorganic component can be removed by inclusion of an organic acid and a chelating agent
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention relates to a composition comprising: (a) 10-20 wt% acidifying bacteria, (b) 30-40 wt% of an oxidising agent, (c) 5-15 wt% of an organic acid, and (d) 1-10 wt% of a chelating agent. The invention also relates to a method of removing uric acid from a waste pipe comprising the step of inserting the composition into the waste pipe.