Anaerobic bioreactor with electrolytic regeneration for wastewater treatment
AssigneeSouth Dakota Board of Regents
InventorsMaryam Amouamouha, Travis W. Walker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An anaerobic bioreactor with electrolytic regeneration system, method and apparatus for monitoring pH levels which is simultaneously efficient in both anaerobic digestion and optimized filtration process is disclosed. To maintain the pH stability of an anaerobic bioreactor, an electrolysis process is integrated with the bioreactor. The integration of an electrolysis process with the bioreactor sustains the pH in the optimized range for anaerobic process while enhancing the removal of contaminants in the bioreactor, augmenting biogas production, and mitigating fouling.
Claims20
An anaerobic bioreactor with electrolytic regeneration for wastewater treatment, the anaerobic bioreactor comprising:
- an anaerobic bioreactor having a longitudinal wall, wherein in the longitudinal wall is divided into a plurality of chambers and wherein anaerobic bacteria are housed within the plurality of chambers, the anaerobic bioreactor further comprising:
- at least one pair of electrodes, wherein the pair of electrodes further comprise an anode and a cathode, and wherein the pair of electrodes are configured to adjust a pH level of wastewater in the bioreactor;
- wherein the pair of electrodes regenerate electrolytes;
- a pH sensor operatively connected to the bioreactor for sensing the pH level of the wastewater;
- a discharge mechanism for carrying effluent from the anaerobic bioreactor to a membrane cell;
- the membrane cell comprising a nanocomposite membrane for filtering effluent produced by the anerobic bioreactor;
- and
- wherein the pair of electrodes reduce an amount of total suspended solids discharged from the bioreactor to the membrane cell;
- a pH control system wherein the pH control system is configured to adjust the pH if the level exceeds a threshold.
A wastewater treatment system for controlling a pH of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor, the control system comprising:
- a bioreactor housing a pH sensor, wherein the pH sensor monitors a pH level of wastewater in the bioreactor, wherein the wastewater further comprises wastewater flowing through the bioreactor;
- wherein the bioreactor houses a plurality of microorganisms for breaking down the wastewater prior to the wastewater reaching a membrane cell;
- a pH adjuster operatively connected to the bioreactor and a control system, wherein the pH adjuster is configured to adjust the pH if the pH level exceeds a threshold;
- and
- the control system further comprising a processor, wherein the control system analyzes the pH of the bioreactor utilizing data sensed by the pH sensor, wherein the control system is configured to adjust the pH utilizing electrolysis if the pH level exceeds a threshold.
A method for controlling the pH of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor with electrolytic regeneration:
- flowing wastewater through a bioreactor, wherein a plurality of microorganisms breaks down the wastewater during acidification and methanogenesis to form an effluent;
- monitoring a pH of the wastewater in the bioreactor by a pH sensor housed within the bioreactor;
- filtering effluent through a membrane to obtain permeate;
- and
- adjusting the pH of wastewater in the bioreactor to enhance methanogenesis and filtration of the effluent, wherein the adjusting of the pH comprises electrolysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.