Water Purification Process Capturing Methane for Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water purification methods release methane into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and posing issues for bacterial growth in filtration processes, while failing to effectively reuse gases present in the water.
Innovation Solution
A process involving vacuum degassing to remove methane, followed by incineration to produce electricity and utilize CO2 in subsequent water softening steps, including ion exchange and pellet water softening, where CO2 is reused for regeneration and further processing, reducing methane release and enhancing water purification efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plate aerators are used to remove methane from water, then methane is effectively removed from the water, but methane is released into the atmosphere contributing to the greenhouse effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the methane gas released during aeration and directs it to a combustion engine where it is burned to generate electricity. This converts the harmful greenhouse gas into a beneficial energy source, simultaneously removing methane from water and preventing atmospheric release while producing useful energy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the methane gas into the atmosphere, the system recovers it by capturing the gas stream from the aeration process and feeding it to a combustion engine for energy generation, thereby recovering what would otherwise be wasted and harmful.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If standard purification steps are applied to remove gases from water, then gas removal is achieved, but the removed gases are not effectively reused and are released into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful effect of gas release into a beneficial energy source by capturing the methane and burning it in a combustion engine to generate electricity, thereby eliminating the harmful release while creating useful energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The water treatment plant essentially fuels itself by using the methane extracted from the water to power a combustion engine that generates electricity for the plant's operations, creating a self-sustaining system.
3Reliability
If methane is removed from water to prevent bacterial growth, then water purification is improved, but the removal process releases methane into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The methane that must be removed to ensure reliable bacterial control is captured and converted into electricity through combustion, transforming the harmful emission into a beneficial energy source while maintaining the reliability of water purification.
4Productivity
If vacuum degassing is used to remove gases from water, then gas removal efficiency is improved, but additional energy is consumed for vacuum generation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the removed methane to fuel a combustion engine that generates electricity, which can offset the energy consumed by the vacuum system and other plant operations, making the energy-intensive gas removal process self-sustaining.
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 approach achieves significant methane reduction, reuses gases as energy and regeneration agents, and minimizes atmospheric gas release, resulting in a sustainable and efficient water purification process with reduced environmental impact and improved bacterial control.
Implementation Method 1
i) vacuum degassing water
Implementation Method 2
ii) incinerating the gasses obtained in step i)
Implementation Method 3
whereby at least a part of the CO2 formed in step ii) is supplied to treatment step b), the water softening applied in treatment step b) comprising an ion exchange process
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for the sustainable purification of water by application of a number of intermediate steps which include (membrane)filtration, water softening and aeration, characterised in that the process comprises the following steps: i) degassing water ii) incinerating the gasses obtained in step i) iii) further treating the degassed water obtained in step i) in one or more intermediate steps, whereby the released incineration products in step ii), in particular CO2 and water, energy, heat are at least in part usefully re-used in one or more of the said intermediate steps.