HIGH-PRECISION, HIGH-EFFICIENCY RECIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR PRESERVING MULTIPLE-DENSITY BIOMASS AND ATTACHED BIOFILM IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT BIOREACTORS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multiple-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors, which is characterized in that it consists of a bioreactor tank in which a central recirculation duct is centrally and vertically disposed, said duct comprising a diffuser cone at the bottom thereof, close to the bottom of a baffle of the bioreactor, and an upper guide cone at the upper end thereof, wherein the central recirculation duct is designed for an inductor/nozzle to be inserted there into up to the limit of the upper wall of the bioreactor baffle, said parts forming together a central assembly containing, in vertical attitude, a drive shaft which comprises, at the upper end thereof, above the inductor/nozzle, sealing means for hermetic sealing at the upper wall of the bioreactor baffle, wherein the upper end of the drive shaft is coupled to a low-revolution motor reducer for rotating the drive shaft, which comprises one or more axial-type impellers, and wherein the lower end of the drive shaft is coupled to a hyperbolic impeller/mixer close to the bottom of the bioreactor baffle.

Claims

1. A high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors, comprising a bioreactor tank in which a central recirculation duct is centrally and vertically disposed, said duct comprising a diffuser cone at the bottom thereof, close to the bottom of a baffle of the bioreactor, and an upper guide cone at the upper end thereof, wherein the central recirculation duct is designed for an inductor/nozzle to be inserted into its interior up to the limit of the upper wall of the bioreactor baffle, said parts forming together a central assembly containing, in vertical attitude, a drive shaft which comprises, at the upper end thereof, above the inductor/nozzle, packing means for hermetic sealing at the upper wall of the bioreactor baffle, wherein the upper end of the drive shaft is coupled to a low-revolution motor reducer to rotate the drive shaft, which comprises one or more axial-type impellers, and wherein the lower end of the drive shaft is coupled to a hyperbolic impeller/mixer close to the bottom of the bioreactor baffle.

2. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bioreactor comprises an upper influent duct which discharges into an area close to the area in which the upper guide cone and said inducer/nozzle are located at the upper end of said central recirculation duct; at the top, it comprises a recirculation inlet duct coming from other stages that is connected near the center of the upper wall of the bioreactor baffle in order to discharge in the upper area of said inductor/nozzle, and a bioreactor outlet duct that is connected to the wall of the baffle of the bioreactor, said bioreactor outlet duct comprising a section that extends the end to an area near the bottom of the bioreactor.

3. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inducer/nozzle is configured to receive the recirculating water from other stages coming from the recirculation inlet duct, and to induce and project the recirculation water with greater pressure toward the center of the upper guide cone and the central recirculation duct.

4. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein the assembly and arrangement of inducer/nozzle, upper guide cone, and the central recirculation duct are configured to induce water flows from other stages and internal and external recirculation toward the bottom area of the bioreactor where said mixer/hyperbolic impeller is arranged, which changes the direction of the flow from vertically descending to a radial direction and later to an ascending direction at a lower speed inside the bioreactor.

5. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one or a plurality of axial-type impellers are distributed along said drive shaft and configured to displace the water longitudinally downward with respect to the drive shaft through the central recirculation duct, the number of axial impellers being a function of the depth of the reactor.

6. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing means for a hermetic seal consist of a male/female gasket assembly.

7. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said low-speed gearmotor comprises a protective cover.

8. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive shaft comprises at least one or more central supports and, alternatively, ceramic bushings, for alignment and centering.

9. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 1, wherein it comprises a Venturi-nozzle pumping system that allows the flow to be dragged downward through the central recirculation duct.

10. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 2, wherein said inducer/nozzle is configured to receive the recirculating water from other stages coming from the recirculation inlet duct, and to induce and project the recirculation water with greater pressure toward the center of the upper guide cone and the central recirculation duct.

11. The high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors as set forth in claim 2, wherein the assembly and arrangement of inducer/nozzle, upper guide cone, and the central recirculation duct are configured to induce water flows from other stages and internal and external recirculation toward the bottom area of the bioreactor where said mixer/hyperbolic impeller is arranged, which changes the direction of the flow from vertically descending to a radial direction and later to an ascending direction at a lower speed inside the bioreactor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0042] FIG. 1 is an exploded front view of the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors.

[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional exploded perspective view of the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multiple-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a cross section on the vertical axis of the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a cross section on the vertical axis of the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors showing the arrows for the influent, recirculation, and outlet flows.

[0046] In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, a detailed description will be provided below of some of the embodiments thereof as depicted in the drawings, which are appended to the present invention for illustrative but non-limiting purposes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] The characteristic details of the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multi-density biomass and attached biofilm in wastewater treatment bioreactors are clearly elucidated in the following description and in the accompanying illustrative drawings, with the same reference signs serving to denote same parts.

[0048] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the high-precision, high-efficiency recirculation system for preserving multiple-density biomass and attached biofilm in bioreactors for wastewater treatment consists of a bioreactor tank (1) in which is disposed a central recirculation duct (5) which comprises at its lower end a lower diffuser cone (4) that is close to the bottom of the baffle (2) of the bioreactor (1) and, at its upper end, an upper guide cone (9) that is configured to receive an inductor/nozzle (10) in its interior up to the limit of the upper wall of the baffle (2) of the bioreactor (1), producing overall a central assembly that internally houses in vertical attitude a drive shaft (13) which includes, at its upper end above the inducer/nozzle (10), a male/female gasket assembly (12,), and whose upper end is coupled to a low-speed gearmotor (14) having a protective cover (15) for rotating said drive shaft (13), which is aligned, shaped, and centered by at least one or more central supports (6) and may have ceramic bushings (7).

[0049] At least one or a plurality of axial-type impellers (8) are mounted along said drive shaft (13), and a hyperbolic mixer/impulsor (3) is fixed to the lower end thereof, which remains close to the bottom of the baffle (2) of the bioreactor (1).

[0050] Said baffle (2) of the bioreactor (1) comprises at the top an influent duct (16) to the bioreactor (1); at the top, it comprises a recirculation inlet duct (17), and there is a bioreactor outlet duct (18) on the side opposing the wall of the bioreactor (1) where said influent inlet duct (16) is located.

[0051] The inducer/nozzle (10) projects the recirculation water from other stages to the center of the upper guide cone (9) and to the central recirculation duct (5) coming from the recirculation inlet duct (17). The inductor/nozzle arrangement (10), upper guide cone (9), and the central recirculation duct (5) function as if they were a nozzle/Venturi system to induce the flows of other stages and internal and external recirculation down the bioreactor (1) through the inner part of the central recirculation duct (5).

[0052] The at least one or a plurality of axial-type impellers (8) are used to displace the water longitudinally with respect to the drive shaft (13) through the central recirculation duct (5), with the number of impellers depending on the depth of the reactor. The reason why a plurality thereof are used is that the maximum accelerations and speeds that can be achieved in each one have to be enough to push the water and the biocarriers to the bottom of the bioreactor (1), since these are less dense than water, but at a slower rate than where detachment of the biofilm from the carrier would occur. Similarly, the lower diffuser cone (4) is provided in the terminal part of the central recirculation duct (5), and a hyperbolic mixer/impeller (3), whose purpose is to change the direction of the flow from vertically descending to radial and subsequently ascending at a lower speed within the bioreactor (1), is mounted on the drive shaft (13) and rotates therewith.

[0053] This configuration makes it possible to achieve the goal of high efficiency, not only in mass transfer and contaminant removal, but also in energy use and the preservation of multiple types of biomass through a meticulous and innovative hydraulic design consisting of a plurality of types of inductors, impellers, and diffusers for directing the flow to where it is required from the bioreactor (1) while providing the speeds for preserving the different types of biomass/biofilm therein.

[0054] The invention has been described sufficiently so as to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to reproduce and obtain the results mentioned in the present invention. Despite the fact that any person skilled in the field of the art that is concerned with the present invention may be able to make modifications that are not described in the present application, if the subject matter claimed in the following claims is required for the application of these modifications in a certain structure or in the manufacturing process of thereof, said structures must be included within the scope of the invention.