# US 10,870,596 B2 · Aerated reactor with internal solids separation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,596 B2 - Document ID: US10870596B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/442,115 - Filed: 2019-06-14 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-16 - Assignees: Paques I.P. B.V. - Applicants: Paques I.P. B.V. - Inventors: Maxime José Jean Remy; Rienk Prins; Jacob Cornelis Theodorus Vogelaar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870596B2 ## CPC - C02F 3/307: {characterised by direct conversion of nitrite to molecular nitrogen, e.g. by using the Anammox process} - B01D 21/0045: {Plurality of essentially parallel plates} - C02F 1/006: {Water distributors either inside a treatment tank or directing the water to several treatment tanks; Water treatment plants incorporating these distributors, with or without chemical or biological tanks (for settling tanks B01D21/24)} - C02F 3/223: {using "air-lift"} - C02F 2101/16: Nitrogen compounds, e.g. ammonia - C02F 2203/006: details of construction, e.g. specially adapted seals, modules, connections - C02F 2209/42: Liquid level - C02F 2301/046: Recirculation with an external loop - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A process for aerobic treatment of wastewater is provided, which process comprises: (a) supplying a liquid influent comprising wastewater to a reactor containing granular biomass; (b) subjecting the reaction mixture to aerobic conditions comprising a concentration of dissolved oxygen from 0.1 mg/L to 4.0 mg/L, and a hydraulic retention time from 0.5 to 72 hours; (c) separating the reaction mixture into granular biomass and treated wastewater; and (d) recycling separated granular biomass to the reaction mixture. A bioreactor for the process is also disclosed, comprising a reaction vessel provided with an aeration means, a solids separation device with an inlet in the lower part of the reaction vessel having an outlet line for solids arranged to transport separated solids to a riser driven by airlift action and arranged to transport the solids to the upper part of the reaction chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bioreactor for aerobic treatment of wastewater, comprising: (a) a reaction vessel comprising a liquid inlet and a gas outlet, the reaction vessel having a lower part which is below half of the effective height of the reactor vessel, wherein the effective height of the reactor vessel is the maximum reactor wastewater level; (b) one or more aerators located in the lower part of the vessel for upward moving of reactor content; (c) a solids separation device for separating solids from liquid, located in the lower part of the reaction vessel, comprising a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet and a solids outlet; (i) the liquid inlet of the solids separation device being located at a height of less than 75% of the effective height of the reactor vessel, (ii) the liquid outlet of the solids separation device being connected to a liquid outlet line exiting the reactor vessel, and (iii) the solids outlet of the solids separation device being connected to a solids outlet line ending above the one or more aerators for upward moving of reactor content. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the liquid inlet of the solids separation device is located at a height of less than 55% of the effective reactor vessel height. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the liquid inlet of the solids separation device is positioned directly above the solids separation device or above a part of the reactor vessel where the one or more aerators are not located. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the solids outlet of the solids separation device is capable of producing liquid or gas flows for upward movement of the solids. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bioreactor according to claim 4, wherein the solids separation device comprises a series of parallel inclined structures. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bioreactor according to claim 5, wherein the structure are lamellae or pipes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, further comprising a gas separation device integrated in the solids separation device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the solids separation device comprises an oblique dividing wall dividing the device into a degassing chamber comprising oblique lamellae below inlet and a solids settling chamber comprising oblique lamellae. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the reactor is covered at the top, apart from the gas outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The bioreactor according to claim 9, wherein the reactor has a height between 4 and 12 m. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The bioreactor according to claim 1, wherein the liquid outlet line is connected to a control valve, which controls the rate of discharge of the separated liquid so as to adjust the level of the reactor content. ### Claim 12 A process for aerobic treatment of wastewater, comprising: (a) supplying a liquid influent comprising wastewater to an aerated reactor containing granular biomass to provide a reaction mixture; (b) subjecting the reaction mixture to aerobic conditions comprising a concentration of dissolved oxygen in the range of from 0.1 mg/L to 4.0 mg/L and a hydraulic retention time in the range of from 0.5 to 72 hours; (c) separating the reaction mixture into granular biomass and treated wastewater; and (d) recycling separated granular biomass to the reaction mixture, wherein in step (c) the reaction mixture is separated in the lower part of the reactor at a hydrostatic pressure of at least 0.2 bar, and in step (d) granular biomass is recycled to the reaction mixture by upward movement inside the reactor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein in step (d) granular biomass is recycled to the reaction mixture using low shear. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the granular biomass is recycled to the reaction mixture using air lift. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein the reactor is aerated at a part of a bottom area resulting in one or more vertical aerated zones and one or more vertical non-aerated zones and in step (d) granular biomass is recycled by introducing it into one or more aerated zones. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein in step (c), reaction mixture is separated in a solids separation device and collected above the level of the granular biomass when the reactor is not aerated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein steps (a)-(d) are carried out continuously or intermittently, and/or a part of the treated wastewater provided in step (c) is recycled and added to the liquid influent supplied in step (a). ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein the granular biomass has a sludge retention time of at least 4 times the hydraulic retention time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, wherein the wastewater contains ammonia, and the granular biomass comprises granules having a core of Anemoi bacteria and an outer rim of ammonia-oxidising nitrite-producing bacteria. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The process according to claim 12, comprising controlling a discharge of treated wastewater from the reactor to vary the level of the reaction mixture in the reactor.