Method for treating wastewater and wastewater treatment plant
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wastewater treatment plants face challenges in efficiently separating fibers and microplastics while minimizing the loss of organic substances and microbiota, as current methods lead to premature degradation and inactivation of these components.
Innovation Solution
A wastewater treatment process utilizing a filter belt with a water spray mist to rinse out organic microparticles, followed by cleaning with brushes and a filter press, and controlled by a regulation unit to manage parameters like belt speed and water pressure, ensuring minimal organic and microbiota loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If screenings or screen material are transferred to a dewatering device to remove excess water, then the water content is reduced from over 85%, but organic substances and microbiota are significantly reduced or inactivated due to long residence times, high temperatures, and mechanical pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dewatering function from the filtration system by introducing a separate drying chamber where hot air is circulated to remove moisture from screenings. This separates the dewatering process from the biological treatment process, allowing water removal without exposing organic substances and microbiota to harmful conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical dewatering devices (screw presses, centrifuges) that apply high pressure and shear forces with a thermal drying system using hot air circulation. This substitution eliminates mechanical stress on the screenings while achieving effective moisture removal through evaporation.
2Productivity
If a mechanical thickener is located downstream of a static thickener with residence times of one to ten hours, then dewatering efficiency is improved, but organic substances undergo premature degradation and microbiota are inactivated due to prolonged residence times and high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the multi-hour thickening process by implementing a rapid drying chamber where screenings are quickly dried using circulated hot air. This rushes through the moisture removal process in a matter of minutes rather than hours, preventing degradation of organic substances and inactivation of microbiota.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters from low-temperature, long-duration thermal processing to high-temperature, short-duration drying. By controlling the hot air circulation to achieve rapid moisture removal at elevated temperatures for brief periods, the system achieves effective dewatering while minimizing thermal degradation.
3Quantity of substance
If high pressure is applied in mechanical dewatering devices, then water removal is enhanced, but microbiota are inactivated due to high pressure and high shear forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical dewatering devices that apply high pressure and shear forces with a pneumatic drying system using hot air circulation. This substitution achieves water removal through evaporation and convection rather than mechanical compression, preserving microbiota viability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic principles by circulating hot air through the screenings in a drying chamber. The moving air stream removes moisture through evaporation and carries it away, achieving effective dewatering without mechanical contact or high pressure application to the screenings.
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 process effectively filters fibers and microplastics while preserving organic substances and microbiota, adapting to various application scenarios with automated control and minimal resource consumption.
Implementation Method 1
cleaning of the filter cake using a water spray mist, such that organic microparticles are rinsed out of the filter cake
Implementation Method 2
Filtration of substances from wastewater in a sewer using a filter belt, resulting in the formation of a filter cake on the filter belt
Implementation Method 3
cleaning of the filter belt and removal of the filter cake using brushes
Implementation Method 4
dewatering of the filter cake using a filter press
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for treating wastewater and a wastewater treatment plant. It is therefore an object of the invention to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a method for treating wastewater and a wastewater treatment plant, wherein the method according to the invention enables efficient filtration of particles such as braids and/or microplastics without significantly depleting associated organic substances and/or significantly damaging associated microbiota, and wherein the wastewater treatment plant according to the invention is adaptable to the requirements of various application scenarios. This object is achieved by the features listed in the claims.