Piping manifold for pulsating flow

A method for providing pulsating flow, the method comprising:

• rotating an inner tubular member within an outer tubular member about a longitudinal axis, the outer tubular member extending along the longitudinal axis;
• providing a fluid to a lumen of the inner tubular member through an inlet port of the inner tubular member;
• periodically bringing a plurality of inner radial openings disposed on the inner tubular member in and out of registration with a plurality of outer radial openings disposed on the outer tubular member via a rotation of the inner tubular member;
• and
• periodically permitting and restricting flow of the fluid out of the outer radial openings via a periodic registration of the plurality of inner radial openings with the plurality of outer radial openings, wherein:
• periodically bringing the plurality of inner radial openings disposed on the inner tubular member in and out of registration with the plurality of outer radial openings comprises crossing an edge of at least one outer radial opening having a first curvature with an edge of at least one inner radial opening having a second curvature comprising an opposite convexity to the first curvature, and
• permitting flow of the fluid out of the outer radial openings comprises separating the fluid from each one of adjacent outer radial openings with a low-friction seal disposed along a circumferential groove on either side of each inner radial opening, in an outer surface of the inner tubular member, and wherein the low-friction seal is selected to reduce a rotational friction between the inner tubular member against the outer tubular member.

A biological system comprising:

• a plurality of biofilm reactors, each of the biofilm reactors comprising an influent port configured to receive a liquid and a growth surface configured to provide growth of a biofilm of microorganisms capable of metabolizing substances in the liquid;
• and
• a piping system coupled to the plurality of biofilm reactors and configured to provide a plurality of pulsating flows of the liquid to the plurality of biofilm reactors, wherein the piping system comprises:
• an outer tubular member extending along a longitudinal axis, the outer tubular member comprising a plurality of outer radial openings, the outer radial openings having a first curvature on opposing edges, each of the outer radial openings being coupled to a respective one or more of the biofilm reactors;
• an inner tubular member disposed within the outer tubular member and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the inner tubular member comprising a plurality of inner radial openings, the inner radial openings having a second curvature on opposing edges, an inlet port configured to receive the liquid, and a lumen providing a fluidic pathway between the plurality of inner radial openings and the inlet port, and a circumferential groove on either side of each inner radial opening of adjacent inner radial openings in an outer surface of the inner tubular member;
• and
• a seal disposed along the circumferential groove to separate a fluid flow from each adjacent inner radial opening and an overlapping outer radial opening, wherein rotation of the inner tubular member about the longitudinal axis is configured to periodically bring the plurality of inner radial openings in and out of registration with the plurality of outer radial openings to provide the plurality of independent, pulsating flows of the liquid out of the outer radial openings, wherein the first curvature and the second curvature comprise complementary convex and concave shapes, and
• an edge with the first curvature in the outer tubular member crosses an edge with the second curvature in the inner tubular member.