High performance fixed film bioreactor
AssigneeAAA Environmental Services Corp.
InventorJoseph J. Ruocco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for the continuous degradation of hazardous paint and organic solvent wastes. The apparatus includes a high performance fixed film bioreactor system into which is fed waters contaminated with paints or solvents from industrial operations and which utilizes the characteristic of either anaerobic or aerobic microorganisms growing on a fixed film for the degradation of these solvents and purification of contaminated waters. The bioreactor incorporates novel internal flow features which result in highly effective destruction of organic wastes in aqueous streams.
Claims12
An apparatus for microbiological treatment of contaminated water comprising:
- a treatment chamber having a contaminated water main inlet connected through an upper surface of, and for filling, said chamber and a perforated plate connected within, and spaced above, a bottom surface of said chamber;
- a contaminated water recirculating outlet positioned above said perforated plate and below a liquid level of the contaminated water within said chamber, said recirculating outlet operably connected to an inlet of a pump, an outlet of said pump operably connected to a recirculating inlet into said chamber positioned between said bottom surface and said perforated plate;
- bioreactor packing material supporting microorganisms disposed within said chamber resting atop said perforated plate and extending upwardly to a height in the vicinity of the contaminated water level;
- a treated water outlet conduit having one end thereof connected through said chamber bottom surface for removing treated water from said chamber for discharge through an open end of said outlet conduit, said outlet conduit configured having an elevated portion thereof which establishes and maintains the contaminated water level within said chamber.
A continuous method of treating contaminated water comprising the steps of:
- A. maintaining a flow of contaminated water into a treatment chamber through a contaminated water main inlet connected through an upper surface of said chamber, said chamber also having a perforated plate connected within, and spaced above, a bottom surface of said chamber;
- said chamber including bioreactor packing supporting microorganisims disposed therein atop said perforated plate and a contaminated water recirculating outlet positioned above said perforated plate and below the liquid level of the contaminated water maintained within said chamber, said recirculating outlet operably connected to an inlet of a pump, an outlet of said pump operably connected to a recirculating inlet into said chamber positioned between said bottom surface and said perforated plate;
- B. continually circulating the contaminated water from said recirculating outlet through said pump, then into said recirculating inlet for generally circular movement up through said perforated plate and through and over said packing material;
- C. continually draining treated water from the bottom of said chamber through an outlet conduit connected at one end thereof through said bottom surface, said outlet conduit configured to establish and maintain the contaminated water level within said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.