With Gas-liquid Surface Contact Means Patents (Class 210/150)
  • Patent number: 8232096
    Abstract: A diffusion controlling bioreactor that selectively controls the molecular diffusion between fluids through at least one microchannel in fluid communication with a reaction reservoir. Length and cross-sectional area of the microchannel may be selected to obtain a predetermined rate of molecular diffusion between fluids. When the fluids are liquids, flow through the microchannel is laminar and the capillary action of the microchannel and fluid is such that the fluid flow is regulated, and may have a structure configured to minimize the chances of fluid leakage from the bioreactor, even if the bioreactor is turned in various directions. In certain embodiments, one or more diffusion control chambers regulate fluid flow and diffusion between a reaction reservoir and an outside atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Inventor: Emilio Barbera-Guillem
  • Publication number: 20120181223
    Abstract: A fluid purification unit includes a case including a hollow and a plurality of openings communicating with the hollow to flow a fluid inside into the hollow and outside from the hollow, the case including combining protrusions formed on a first face and concave portions formed on a second face opposite to the first face, each of the combining protrusions having a first cross sectional area and being regularly arranged in a first direction and at a first interval and each of the concave portions having a second area corresponding to the first cross sectional area and being arranged at a second interval corresponding to the first interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEGI ENVIRONMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki-Hae Yang
  • Patent number: 8221631
    Abstract: A system and method include providing waste water to a treatment tank, diffusing air into the waste water in the treatment tank to treat the waste water, and measuring O2 percentage in off gas from the waste water having diffused air. Dissolved oxygen in the waste water is measured in further embodiments, and the amount of air diffused into the waste water may be controlled as a function of the measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ravi Bhaskar, Herman Dharmarajah, Bill Sheridan, Sujit V. Gaikwad, Sachi K. Dash
  • Publication number: 20120175301
    Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is a method of treating a source water, comprising: providing a source water containing an amount of silicon-containing molecules; and exposing the source water to a plurality of organisms, whereby the amount is reduced after the exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Andy Komor, Keisuke Ikehata
  • Publication number: 20120168362
    Abstract: Provided is an purification system having vertical multi-compartment reactor for organic waste water, which generates swirling flow in respective sections while circulating wastewater vertically in respective wastewater treatment blocks in the system, so as to considerably increase contact time between air and the wastewater, thus greatly improving wastewater treatment efficiency. According to the system, a size of an aeration tank built in the wastewater purification system may be greatly decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Hong Lim CHOI, Jeong Mun Lim
  • Patent number: 8211306
    Abstract: A biotrickling filter treatment method includes the steps of: arranging waste tires in an organic treatment area to form at least one waste tire array; forming biological membranes on the waste tire array; and circulating wastewater in the organic treatment area to pass through the waste tire array and ventilating the organic treatment area. The biotrickling filter treatment tank includes an organic treatment area, a waste tire array and a sprayer unit. The waste tire array is formed from a plurality of waste tires on which to form biological membranes and is provided in the organic treatment area. The sprayer unit is aligned with the waste tire array to spray wastewater on the waste tires for wastewater treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Inventor: Hsu-Hsien Sun
  • Publication number: 20120152833
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment facility with a rotating biological contactor (“RBC”) system. The RBC sits in a tank that receives wastewater to be purified. The tank supports a rotatable shaft. One or more stages of rotating disk assembles progressively purify incoming wastewater. Each stage is oriented transversely to the shaft and has a plurality of disk assemblies. Each disk assembly has a number of disks. Each of the disks comprises multiple concentric arcuate segments. The segments are provided with two generally radially extending edges, two circumferential edges that extend between the two radially extending legs, and a front face and a back face. Posts extend from the front and back faces of the disks for stirring wastewater and for offering a site for adherence of biomass suspended in the wastewater. Connecting members interconnect adjacent disks and optionally define a flow channel therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: BIOMASS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Indra Baxi
  • Publication number: 20120152832
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for removal of undesirable substances from a body of liquid. The system can include an aeration structure having a continuously inclined surface configured to provide an interaction of air bubbles against substantially an entire length of the continuously inclined surface while the air bubbles are moving toward a top of the body of liquid. The continuously inclined surface can be substantially submerged in the body of liquid. A bio-film of diverse bacteria colonies is disposed on the continuously inclined surface, and a high surface area-to-volume structure is located in proximity to the aeration structure, upon which a bio-film of bacteria colonies can be formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kraig Johnson, Lawrence D. Reaveley, Fred Jaeger, Hua Xu, Robert Okey
  • Publication number: 20120152834
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment facility with a rotating biological contactor (“RBC”) that has a control system. The RBC sits in a tank that receives wastewater to be purified over which a reversible rotatable shaft is supported. One or more stages of rotating disk assembles progressively purify incoming wastewater. Each stage is oriented transversely to the shaft and has a plurality of disk assemblies. Each disk assembly has a number of disks that are sandwiched between end plates. Each of the disks comprises multiple concentric truncated pie-shaped segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: BioMass Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Indra R. Baxi
  • Publication number: 20120152831
    Abstract: A method for cleaning waste water is provided whereby the waste water is led through a throughput tank having filler materials to which aerobic microorganisms are adhered and wherein the throughput tank is ventilated with an oxygen containing gas. As filler materials, materials are used which have a specific weight approximately equal to the specific weight of the waste water whereby the filler materials are suspended in the waste water. The inflow of the waste water into the throughput tank and the ventilation of the throughput tank is affected from bottom of the throughput tank and in such a gas amount that the waste water and the filler bodies suspended therein are mixed and the microorganisms on the filler bodies are supplied with sufficient oxygen. The device has a throughput tank with a tank bottom, a tank wall, wherein the inflow connecting pipe and the ventilation arrangement are arranged on the tank bottom and the outflow connecting pipe is arranged at the upper area of the throughput tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventor: Holger Blum
  • Publication number: 20120145611
    Abstract: Described herein is a water treatment system for simultaneously removing ammonia and nitrates from a liquid. The water treatment system comprises a nitrifying volume for nitrification of a liquid and a denitrifying volume for denitrification of the liquid. One of the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume resides substantially within the other of the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume, and the nitrifying volume and the denitrifying volume are in fluid communication. In one aspect, the nitrifying volume is a relatively oxygenated region and the denitrifying volume is a relatively oxygen-depleted region. In another aspect, the nitrifying volume is in communication with an oxygen-supplying source for providing oxygen to create the relatively oxygenated region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Dean Smith, Ola Lysenstoen, Cary Tope-McKay, Gary Gorian
  • Publication number: 20120145635
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a process for treating water with multiple contaminants. The process includes filtering the water to remove relatively large particulates and immiscible organic fluids. The pH of the water is adjusted. Components such as sulfates are added to precipitate heavy metals. Any suspended solids and residual organic compounds are removed with an enhanced air flotation device. The resulting water is then passed through a reverse osmosis system whereby the water is treated in a cascading stage-wise manner with one or more selective membrane units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Arthur L. Lucas, III, John E. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 8197690
    Abstract: A biological wastewater is mixed in an activated sludge tank with activated sludge that is concentrated in the activated sludge tank to a predetermined value. The mixture of wastewater and activated sludge running off in a drain of the activated sludge tank is then sieved to effect an incomplete solid/liquid separation that leaves a separated solid phase in the activated sludge tank. The liquid phase including a remnant of solids is then removed from the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Universitaet Kassel
    Inventors: Franz-Bernd Frechen, Wernfried Schier
  • Publication number: 20120138527
    Abstract: An integrated bioreactor and its applications as well as a method for treatment of highly-concentrated organic wastewater using the same. The integrated bioreactor with a concentric columnar structure includes an inner layer and an outer layer, in which the inner layer is an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and the outer layer is a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). The effluent of the MBBR is recycled into UASB via a reflux pump mounted between a water tank and the integrated bioreactor. A water outlet of the UASB is arranged with an on-line pH monitor and a mechanical agitation device is arranged on the top of a bottom water distributor. The bioreactor is low in cost, features friendly maintenance, stable operation, and high degree of automation, and can be applied under low temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: NANJING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hongqiang REN, Ke XU, Lili DING, Jicheng XIE, Xinkun REN
  • Patent number: 8192625
    Abstract: A jet aeration apparatus for aerating a membrane bioreactor has a jet aerator and an air supply pipe. The jet aerator is disposed in the membrane bioreactor and includes a water inlet, a pump disposed below a liquid surface of the membrane bioreactor, an air inlet pipe whose air inlet is disposed above the liquid surface of the membrane bioreactor, and a jet pipe having a jet nozzle. The air supply pipe includes a connector; and the connector of the air supply pipe is connected to the jet nozzle of the jet pipe of the jet aerator. A method of using the jet aeration apparatus is also provided. The jet aeration apparatus is easy to install, quiet in operation, and features a high degree of integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhimin Liao, Jianzhong Xiong, Shengyun Yang, Jialin Zhou, Xingfu Jiang, Lingyun He, Qihu He, Dejin Ju, Aiguo Wan, Zhihua Yuan, Jiejun Cao, Kun Tao
  • Patent number: 8192617
    Abstract: Treatment of contaminated liquid is provided including an integrated ultra-filtration and clarification apparatus. Clarification of liquid occurs in a gap between a casing and a tank of the apparatus. Solids settle and aggregate in the bottom of the tank. The solids act as a secondary filter prior to contact of the liquid with the ultra-filtration filters. Clarified liquid is drawn through the ultra-filtration filters. An upstream electrocoagulation unit and a downstream reverse osmosis unit may be included in combination. Electrocoagulation can occur in the tank by reaction plates mounted within the tank. One embodiment includes dual integrated ultra-filtration and clarifier apparatuses and corresponding electrocoagulation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: Scott W. Powell
  • Publication number: 20120103882
    Abstract: A device for clarifying wastewater, preferably on ships, having the following features: A tank for untreated water is connected to a pressure tank via a macerator and a feed pump. The pressure tank is connected to a compressed air source so that the untreated water in the pressure tank is saturated with air. The pressure tank is connected via a line to a decompression tank in which the flotate and clarification water can be separated from each other. An expansion valve is inserted in the line, and a dosing pump for flocculant is connected to the line between expansion valve and decompression tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: HAMANN AG
    Inventor: Knud Hamann
  • Publication number: 20120097608
    Abstract: A wastewater treatment system is provided comprising a biological reactor having a separation subsystem, a suspension system and a membrane operating system. The separation subsystem is constructed and arranged to maintain adsorbent material in the biological reactor with a mixed liquor. The suspension system is positioned in the biological reactor and is constructed and arranged to maintain adsorbent material in suspension with mixed liquor. The membrane operating system is located downstream of the biological reactor and is constructed and arranged to receive treated mixed liquor from the biological reactor and discharge a membrane permeate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: William G. Conner, Mohammed A. Al-Hajri, Thomas E. Schultz, Michael Howdeshell, Chad L. Felch, Matthew Patterson, Samuel Shafarik, Curt Cooley
  • Patent number: 8163181
    Abstract: A process has steps of one or more of aerobic treatment to remove COD and nitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to denitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to remove selenium and anaerobic treatment to remove heavy metals and sulphur. The process may be used to treat, for example, FGD blow down water. The process may further include one or more of (a) membrane separation of the waste stream upstream of the anoxic digestion to remove selenium, (b) dilution upstream of the biological treatment step, (c) physical/chemical pretreatment upstream of the biological processes or dilution step to remove TSS and soften the waste stream, or (d) ammonia stripping upstream of the biological treatment steps or dilutions step. These processes may be provided in a variety of suspended growth or fixed film reactors, for example a membrane bioreactor or a fixed film reactor having a GAC bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Zenon Technology Partnership
    Inventors: Jeffrey Gerard Peeters, William A. Bonkoski, Pierre Lucien Cote, Hidayat Husain, Timothy Michael Pickett
  • Publication number: 20120091058
    Abstract: A modular, vertical bioreactor system includes a plurality of vertical bioreactor chambers each of which encloses an interior volume and has a height dimension which is greater than its width dimension; a drain manifold which maintains the bioreactor chambers in a spaced apart relationship and defines a fluid channel which is in fluid communication with each of the vertical bioreactor chambers; and, a fluid delivery assembly which delivers a fluid to each of the bioreactors. The system may be reconfigured so as to accommodate varying applications. The system may be integrated with an aquaculture system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventor: Derek Byrd
  • Patent number: 8157991
    Abstract: A retention basin enclosure includes a plurality of prefabricated concrete vertical wall segments, a baffle unit and at least one steel connecting dowel. Each wall segment includes a horizontal top end that defines a notch and two vertical edges that define at least one cylindrical bore. The baffle segment includes a vertical edge surface that defines a plurality of cylindrical bores and a horizontal planar member from which a plurality of protrusions extend upwardly therefrom so that the baffle segment reduces water flow velocity. Two baffle vertical wall members each have a planar vertical surface that defines a plurality of cylindrical bores disposed so that at least one of the cylindrical bores defined by concrete baffle segment can be placed in alignment with at least one of the cylindrical bores defined by the planar vertical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: HOK Product Design, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Wilhelms, Matt Snelling, Jim Fetterman
  • Publication number: 20120085530
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for hydrocarbon recovery and/or treatment of frac water includes introducing a volume of water into a formation, recovering the introduced water, with the recovered introduced water further comprising suspended hydrocarbon product. The recovered liquid is treated to remove substantial amounts of the suspended hydrocarbon product, provide the treated recovered liquid with a ORP in a range of 150 mv to 1000 mv, and partially desalinated, and is either re-introduced as treated recovered liquid with the ORP into a formation to assist in recovery of additional hydrocarbon deposits in the formation, or is stored to reduce the ORP and then subsequently discharged into surface waters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventor: William B. Kerfoot
  • Publication number: 20120086136
    Abstract: An aeration apparatus is immersed in diluted used seawater which is water to be treated and generates fine air bubbles in the diluted used seawater. The aeration apparatus includes: an air supply line L5 having branch pipes L5A to L5H for supplying air 122 through blowers 121A to 121D serving as discharge unit; aeration nozzles 123 including diffuser membranes 11 having slits, through which the air 122 is supplied to the aeration nozzles 123 via headers 15 of the branch pipes L5A to L5H; a water tank 140 and a supply pump P1 that are used as water introducing unit for supplying water 141 to the air supply line L5. When pressure loss of the aeration nozzles 123 increases, the aeration apparatus stops introduction of the air 122 and supplies the water 141 into the branch pipes L5A to L5H branched from the air supply line L5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sonoda, Shozo Nagao
  • Publication number: 20120067797
    Abstract: An aeration and microbial reactor system for use in decontaminating water including a housing adapted to float and/or submerged within the medium such that a top portion thereof remains adjacent a top surface of the contaminated water while the bioreactor containing inoculated carrier media is attached below. Beneficial microbial populations thrive and spread throughout the liquid medium, and consume or fix the contaminant such that the contaminant is removed from the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Eros G. KAW
  • Patent number: 8137544
    Abstract: A molded modular wastewater treatment system including a tank with molded double thick baffle walls made of UV stabilized ?? thick polyethylene. The system is designed with three separately molded and interconnected chambers, a pretreatment chamber connected to a first side of an aeration chamber and a second side of the aeration chamber connected to a clarification chamber. The pretreatment chamber initially receives the wastewater and uses anaerobic bacterial action and gravity to precondition the wastewater and then passes the preconditioned water to an aeration chamber. The aeration chamber receives the pretreated wastewater from the pretreatment chamber and uses aerobic bacteria to biologically convert the waste in the wastewater into stable substances and then pass it to the clarification chamber. The clarification chamber receives the flow from the aeration chamber and settles out any biologically active material in the flow and returns it to the aeration chamber for additional processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Gregory D. Graves
  • Patent number: 8137703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ozone water that has the potential to find useful applications in a wide variety of technical fields and is capable of maintaining the effects of wiping out microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and the like and inhibiting the growth thereof over long periods. The present invention provides ozone nano-bubbles capable of staying in a solution for an extended period of time and a method for producing the ozone nano-bubbles by instantaneously shrinking the diameters of ozone microbubbles contained in an aqueous solution by the application of a physical irritation to the ozone microbubbles in an aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignees: REO Laboratory Co., Ltd., National Institute of AIST
    Inventors: Kaneo Chiba, Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8133386
    Abstract: A method of mixing liquid waste material in a digester tank by extending a supporting beam between opposing walls of the tank, securing a paddle to the supporting beam, fixturing the paddle for rotation about the supporting beam, securing a pair of inflatable air sacks to the paddle at opposing ends, and selectively inflating and deflating the sacks to force the paddle to tilt in cyclic motion thereby mixing the liquid waste containing bacteria, waste material, and oxygen uniformly throughout the digester tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Inventor: Gerhardt Van Drie
  • Publication number: 20120055884
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for hydrolyzing an organic solid are described. The method includes mixing an organic solid and a nanobubble water having a plurality of nanobubbles, to form an organic liquid, in which the nanobubbles contain a combustible gas; and applying an ultrasonic wave on the organic liquid, such that the nanobubbles generate an additional cavitation effect. A preprocessor is applicable to an organic solid processing system having an anaerobic digestion tank, in which the anaerobic digestion tank has anaerobic microbes for generating a combustible gas. The preprocessor includes a nanobubble water generator, a digestion tank, and an ultrasonic wave generator. With the method and the structure, the nanobubbles are used to increase the probability of generation of the additional cavitation effect, and the combustible gas is used to improve an impact force of bursts produced by the cavitation effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shing Der Chen, Chen Hua Chu, Wang Kuan Chang, Shing Chen, Teh Ming Liang, Shan Shan Chou
  • Publication number: 20120055871
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrolysis method that uses iron particles and an aqueous solution containing sodium hypochlorite. The method is characterised in that said method uses direct current, the iron particles form the anode (46) and the sodium hypochlorite concentration of the aqueous solution is at least 1 g/L. The invention further relates to a method and to a plant for the pretreatment of raw water for producing water that can then be easily treated in order to produce drinkable water or a so-called technical water that cannot be consumed but that can be used for household, agricultural or industrial applications such as cleaning, washing, laundry, flushing, garden watering or irrigation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Jean-Marie Fresnel
  • Publication number: 20120055870
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier element for an aerobic biological water treatment system. The carrier element has a first end and a second end at a distance from each other, the maximum diameter of the first end being larger than the maximum diameter of the second end. It also has biofilm growing surface structures that extend from the first end to the second end and from inner part of the element towards periphery of the element and at least two support structures that encircle the growing surface structures at the periphery of the element and connect the growing surface structures to each other. The support structures define the outer boundary surface of the carrier element, whereby the support structures are spaced from each other so that apertures allowing access to the biofilm growing surface structures are formed between the support structures. The invention relates also to a water treatment system employing the carrier elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Petri Pajuniemi, Mikko Siivonen
  • Patent number: 8128741
    Abstract: A dissolving apparatus has a cylindrical tubular container closed at both ends with its center axis being inclined to the horizon. A center of an interface between a gas and a liquid in the container is positioned at a center in a lengthwise direction of a side wall of the container. Two inner spaces of the container above and below the interface are referred to as a gas section and a liquid section. An injection inlet for injecting a gas-liquid mixed fluid into the container is provided at a level corresponding to, or lower than, the interface. A liquid outlet for discharging the liquid is provided near a bottom of the liquid section of the container. Since the container is inclined, the interface can have an area large enough to promote dissolution of the gas into the liquid. Since the depth of the liquid in the liquid section is sufficiently deep, the liquid can be prevented from being discharged through the liquid outlet with large gas bubbles being present therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunari Maeda, Shigeyuki Yamaguchi, Kazumasa Rokushima, Naoki Shibata, Hitoshi Kitamura, Noriyuki Kitachi, Yoshihiro Itou, Takaya Niu
  • Publication number: 20120037551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier insert for accommodating and maintaining the biofilm culture of fluid cleaning structures, which contains a spatial web made of staple fibres using the hosiery method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: István Kenyeres, Robert Kovács
  • Patent number: 8114659
    Abstract: This apparatus introduces catalysts and fluids into a media to effect remediation of contaminants, improve soil fertility and permeability, control undesirable pests, or create useful chemicals or food. The apparatus generates and releases enzymes, metabolites, and biologically active organisms. Aerobic metabolism of compounds in a media is facilitated through the transfer of fluids, such as air. The apparatus and methods provide an environment for select organisms, including refugia and nutrient substrate. The biodegradable composition of the apparatus is partially transformed by catalytic treatment. Catalysts or remediation agents are produced in-situ, for specific applications that provide a range of retention, activation, activity, and release profiles. The apparatus is placed in contact with media. Catalytic infusion of media by biological consortia, such as fungi, releases exudates that transform or biodegrade materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventors: Robert William Rawson, Mia Rose Maltz
  • Patent number: 8114277
    Abstract: The water to be treated might be river water which needs to be clarified, or might be septic tank effluent which needs to have its BOD and dissolved organics content diminished, and its ammonium oxidized. Treatment is done by passing the water through a block of soft open-cell foam. The block of foam is rectanguloid in its basic form. The block of foam is housed in a watertight box. The rectanguloid form enables minimal hydraulic heads, and is simple and cheap to manufacture and install.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: E. Craig Jowett
  • Publication number: 20120031835
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for anaerobically purifying waster water, especially waste water from the paper industry, comprising a reactor vessel, several inlets arranged in the bottom region of the reactor vessel to feed waste water to be purified into the reactor, at least one outlet for discharging purified water, and at least one sediment drain. One or more inlets are fed by a supply pipe, and several supply pipes are fed by a collecting supply pipe. In order to ensure that waste water to be purified is fed as regularly as possible at the bottom of the reactor vessel, at least the majority of the supply pipes of a collecting supply pipe supply waste water to be purified to a maximum of 10 inlets, and at least the majority of said supply pipes each have a control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Axel Gommel, Dieter Efinger, Werner Gessler, Ronald Mulder
  • Publication number: 20120031849
    Abstract: A reaction tank useful for precipitating struvite from aqueous solutions such as wastewater comprises an aeration system. The aeration system includes air diffusers in the reaction tank. The air diffusers are located at a level below an outlet of the reaction tank. The airflow control mechanism comprises means for automatically controlling the flow of the stripping gas from the diffusers. The airflow control mechanism may be configured to automatically control the flow of stripping gas in response to a signal from a sensor measuring the pH of the aqueous solution the alkalinity of the aqueous solution or the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in the aqueous solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: OSTARA NUTRIENT RECOVERY TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Ahren Britton
  • Patent number: 8110108
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for treating wastewater. The system includes a microorganism clad structure positioned in a body of wastewater such that the microorganism clad structure is at least partially submerged in the body of wastewater. The apparatus also includes an aeration device, such as a propeller-type, surface mounted aeration device, supplying a horizontal flow of oxygenated water to the microorganisms attached to the microorganism clad structure such that the microorganisms may carry out a biological process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Aeration Industries International LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Durda, G. Shawn Brown, Cory Mortenson
  • Patent number: 8110096
    Abstract: A system and method includes an aeration subsystem that excites enzymes in the liquid waste passing through the septic system. The aeration subsystem includes a compressor section that compresses the liquid waste and an injector section that injects oxygen into the compressed liquid waste. The system further includes a driver subsystem for driving the compressor section and a control subsystem for activating and deactivating the driver subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Kistner, Carolyn R. Kistner
  • Publication number: 20120024780
    Abstract: A waste water treatment system is provided that includes a basin for holding water; nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria; macroalgae; and a biobed having a at least one layer and being constructed of materials selected to provide sufficient level of pH for enabling bacterial growth. In the biobed de-nitrification and nitrification bacterial processes are separated. Oxygen produced by algae is used by the nitrifying bacteria. Water is provided continuously to the biobed at an inlet and exits the system downstream after having gone through the biobed. The system may be used with waste water in water treatment plants, domestic waste water (sewage), waste water from diverse industries, drain water from waste deposits, runoff water from roads, water waste treatment and recycling plants, agricultural and farm land and surrounding land of populated areas. The algae and bacteria are combined for symbiotic remediation of water that may be flexibly controlled to adapt to a broad range of applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Herman Carr, Tommy Landberg
  • Publication number: 20120018386
    Abstract: Ozone/oxygen gas is mixed with treated seawater at 30% quality foam and injected to the wellhead at the sea floor. At the seafloor, a tank mixing eductor would be used to mix high pressure oxygen bubbles with the oil contaminated seawater by shearing the oil globs into small oil droplets allowing the new surface area to immediately react with the dissolved ozone/oxygen in the seawater. The ozone/oxygen admixture creating an attraction force between the droplets and the oxygen bubbles. As the droplets and bubble rise, they form larger spherical top-hat bubbles that rise faster in the seawater. In the preferred embodiment, the eductor employs a cone shape flow to direct a significant amount of the oil plume into a predictable area that can then be skimmed mechanically for harvesting or destruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Dennis McGuire, Sanjeev Jakhete
  • Publication number: 20120021507
    Abstract: Disclosed are bioreactor systems and methods to transfer a gaseous composition into a liquid composition in a closed environment. Also disclosed are bioreactor systems and methods for high-density culture of microorganisms and stably culture of activated sludge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventor: Mizhou Hui
  • Patent number: 8101070
    Abstract: A chemical/biological wastewater treatment apparatus employing rapid sludge chemical dewatering technology in conjunction with an environmental biological system for treating the separated treated wastewater by land applying it for the propagation of biosynthetic fuels and other plants; and/or passing it through aqueous plant, algae, or microbial reduction of the dissolved solids and ammonia for BOD compliance to produce water of sufficient quality to meet open stream and ocean effluent discharge requirements; and disposing of the high BTU low moisture solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcus G. Theodore, Larry P. Wardle
  • Patent number: 8097168
    Abstract: A treatment method for wastewater employing sulfur dioxide and lime chemical dewatering technology in conjunction with an environmental photo biomass/algae biological treatment system growing photo biomass/algae to reduce dissolved solids, heavy metals, and ammonia in the wastewater to produce recovered treated wastewater for vegetation consumption, biofuel feedstock, and biofuel and carbon credits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Earth Renaissance Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcus G. Theodore, Larry P. Wardle
  • Patent number: 8087516
    Abstract: A new device, method, and system are disclosed that provide for removal of undesired materials from a contaminated fluid. Materials present in the fluids are kept in motion in one or more filter cassettes that include disc aerators that improve contact times with the sorbents and that rotate the filter media to pump contaminated water through the filter media for treatment of the contaminated fluids. The device and system provide containment of sorbent fines that keeps the filter media free from clogging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventor: Henry O. Pate
  • Patent number: 8088278
    Abstract: A secondary wastewater treatment filtering bed medium, which includes a hollow tubular plastic body and a plurality of elongated ribs affixed to an outer surface of the body aligned with an axis of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: David Poltorak
  • Publication number: 20110303605
    Abstract: A method for removing a target compound from a liquid can include arranging two active surfaces so as to be separated by a distance. The active surfaces can be placed within a flow of the liquid and can be capable of supporting an electrical charge, biological growth, and/or enzymes and proteins. The method can further include developing a population of microorganisms concentrated on the active surfaces where the population of microorganisms is configured to or capable of transformation of the target compounds. The method can further include developing enzymes or proteins concentrated on the active surfaces where the enzymes or proteins are configured to or capable of transformation of the target compounds. The method can further include applying a potential difference between the two active surfaces. The microorganisms and the potential difference can be sufficient in combination and/or with specific nutrients to remove the target compound from the liquid and maintain the population of microorganisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Jack Adams, Jan Dean Miller, Nicol Nuku Newton, Madhuri Nanduri, Mike Peoples
  • Publication number: 20110297620
    Abstract: A gas flotation separator for use in horizontal tanks, such as those used for oil storage on board Floating Production Storage and Off-loading (FPSO) vessels, includes dividing the tank into a plurality of chambers operating in series. Prior to entering each chamber, the contaminated aqueous phase is mixed with a stream containing gas bubbles to aid in flocculation and flotation of the immiscible phase contaminant. The gas bubble recycle stream can be generated by injecting a controlled rate of a pressurized gas into a liquid stream of the clean produced water in a process external to the tank or by induction of a gas phase internal to the tank. The mixture flows into the first chamber and impinges on an angled inlet water weir. A portion of the immiscible phase and the gas phase rises to the top of the chamber while the remaining immiscible contaminants flow downward with the aqueous phase to the bottom of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas W. Lee, Nicholas Owens
  • Publication number: 20110297596
    Abstract: Apparatus to treat pollution in rivers, streams, lakes, bays, ports and all bodies of water, employing as methodology wetland plants or macrophytes growing atop a wire or rigid frame basket filled with polygons or other irregular shaped objects of various configurations. The root system of the macrophytes are merged with and grow down amid the substrate composed of small polygons, other irregular shaped hollow, plastic, ceramic objects or other materials. The substrate provides nutrients, oxygen and sanctuary to bacteria, thereby reducing and eliminating pollutants in all bodies of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventor: John L. Hondulas
  • Publication number: 20110297594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating high frequency electromagnetic field with adjustable magnetic field intensity and waveform and water purification system comprising the same. The apparatus for generating high frequency electromagnetic field is comprising of a user input unit into where the user can input; a quantum field generator for generating a quantum field of high voltage which is capable of adjusting output voltage; a wave generator for generating high-frequency signals of variable waveforms and matching with the quantum field; a high-frequency output unit for scanning the matched quantum field of high frequency; and a controller that controls magnitude of output voltage from the quantum field generator and output frequency from the wave generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicants: CHUNG HAE ENVRIONMENT CO., LTD
    Inventor: Byonggi Lee
  • Patent number: 8070949
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for improving the treatment of wastewater in a dispersal drainage trench by facilitating the direct aeration of wastewater passing through a drainage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ezflow, L.P.
    Inventors: Theophilus B Terry, III, Jeffrey G. Karl