Venturi Ozone Saturation With Fluidized Activated Carbon Adsorption

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing water treatment processes for removing dissolved organic pollution face issues such as sludge production, chemical consumption, formation of toxic by-products, and inefficiencies in ozone use, particularly in ozonation and adsorption techniques using activated carbon, which lead to increased costs and health risks.

Innovation Solution

A water treatment process that combines ozone injection via a Venturi effect with immediate ozone saturation in a fluidized bed of activated carbon particles, utilizing a saturation cone or degassing column to dissolve ozone quickly, reducing contact time and preventing bubble formation, and employing specific activated carbon agglomerates to enhance adsorption and regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional ozonation with long contact time (20 minutes) is used, then ozone transfer into water is achieved, but ozonation byproducts (bromates, NDMA) form and operator health is at risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveozone transfer efficiencyVSAvoidozonation byproducts
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the 'Skipping (Rushing through)' principle by dramatically reducing the ozone contact time from conventional 20 minutes to just 10-30 seconds. The Venturi injector rapidly saturates water with ozone, and the fluidized bed reactor immediately processes the ozonated water, rushing through the ozonation step before byproducts can form, thus achieving ozone transfer efficiency while preventing harmful byproduct accumulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the 'Taking out (Extraction)' principle by extracting the ozone from the vapor space before it can react to form byproducts. The Venturi injector system efficiently transfers ozone into water, and any remaining ozone in the vapor phase is removed through the reactor design, preventing its conversion into harmful byproducts like bromates and NDMA

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If activated carbon is used for adsorption, then dissolved organic pollutants are removed, but used activated carbon must be replaced with new activated carbon

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepollutant removal capacityVSAvoidactivated carbon
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the 'Parameter changes' principle by changing the physical state and reactivity parameters of activated carbon through ozone treatment. The in-situ ozonation process modifies the surface chemistry and porosity parameters of the carbon particles, regenerating their adsorption capacity and allowing continuous operation without replacement, thus maintaining pollutant removal capacity while eliminating carbon loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the 'Self-service' principle by enabling the activated carbon to self-regenerate through in-situ ozonation. The ozone injected into the reactor directly reactivates the carbon particles as they become saturated, allowing the adsorbent to service itself and maintain its pollutant removal capacity continuously without external intervention or replacement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If ozone destroyer and reducing agent are added to protect operators, then operator health is protected, but chemical consumption increases and process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator health protectionVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the 'Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)' principle by converting the potentially harmful residual ozone into a beneficial regenerating agent for the activated carbon. The short contact time prevents harmful byproduct formation while the ozone that would otherwise need destruction is instead used to regenerate the carbon particles, turning a harmful factor into a useful function and eliminating the need for additional safety equipment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 process reduces ozone and activated carbon consumption, minimizes by-product formation, and enhances pollutant removal efficiency, achieving up to 99% micropollutant removal while ensuring operator safety and reducing sludge production.

Implementation Method 1

ozone injection into the water to be treated is carried out by a Venturi effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

removing dissolved organic pollution by upward flow through a reactor containing activated carbon

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

The advantage of such a technique lies not only in the combination of ozone's strong oxidizing power with the high adsorption capacity of activated carbon

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 4

a step of bringing the ozonated water to be treated into contact with the activated carbon particles according to an upward flow of water in the reactor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluidization: Fluidisation

Data Source

PatentEP4271656B1Process for treatment of water by adsorption on active carbon coupled with the addition of ozone, and installation for the implementation of this process
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 VEOLIA WATER SOLUTIONS & TECHNOLOGIES SUPPORT SAS
  • EP4271656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4271656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4271656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a water treatment method comprising a step of injecting ozone by a Venturi effect into the water to be treated, immediately followed by a step of ozone saturation of the water to be treated, a step of bringing the ozonated water to be treated into a reactor comprising a fluidised bed of activated carbon particles, a step of placing the ozonated water to be treated in contact with the activated carbon particles according to a flow of water ascending in the reactor, and a step of discharging the water treated in this way. The invention also relates to a facility comprising an activated carbon reactor, means for bringing the water to be treated into the reactor, means for discharging the treated water, means for injecting ozone into the water by a Venturi effect and means for saturating the water with ozone mounted directly, or as a bypass, on the means for bringing water into the reactor.