Reactor and method for biological treatment of wastewater

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767244-B2
Application number	US-201816643818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A reactor for the biological treatment of wastewater, includes a chamber capable of containing a mixture of wastewater and sludge comprising various levels, each level being defined by a sludge concentration and/or density; means for determining a minimum level and a maximum level of sludge extraction in the chamber, comprising: measurement means capable of measuring the sludge concentration and/or density at various levels of a mixture of wastewater and sludge; selection means capable of selecting a maximum sludge concentration and/or density value and a minimum sludge concentration and/or density value; deduction means capable of deducing a minimum extraction level corresponding to the maximum concentration value selected and a maximum extraction level corresponding to the minimum concentration value selected; extraction means capable of extracting sludge at variable levels between the minimum extraction level and the maximum extraction level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reactor for the biological treatment of wastewater, comprising:
a chamber capable of containing a mixture of wastewater and sludge comprising a gradient of levels, each level of the gradient of levels corresponding to a particular sludge concentration and/or density, and each level of the gradient of levels corresponding to a specific height within the chamber, wherein a lowest level of the gradient of levels corresponds to the highest sludge concentration and/or densest sludge;
a selective sludge extraction device configured to determine a minimum level of sludge extraction in the chamber that excludes the lowest level of the gradient of levels and to determine a maximum level of sludge extraction in the chamber, comprising:
a measurer capable of measuring the sludge concentration and/or density of the gradient of levels of the mixture of wastewater and sludge;
a selector configured to select a maximum sludge concentration and/or density value and a minimum sludge concentration and/or density value, wherein the selected maximum sludge concentration and/or density value is lower than the sludge and/or density value of the sludge corresponding to the lowest level such that it excludes the lowest level of the gradient of levels, the selector being connected to the measurer
a deducer connected to the measurer and selector, the deducer configured to determine from the measurements of the measurer a minimum level of sludge extraction corresponding to the selected maximum sludge concentration and/or density value and a maximum level of sludge extraction corresponding to the selected minimum sludge concentration and/or density value; and
an extractor capable of extracting sludge at variable levels between the minimum level of sludge extraction and the maximum level of sludge extraction.

2. The reactor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising recycling means capable of recycling the extracted sludge into the chamber.

3. The reactor as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the extractor comprises at least a first portion having at least one opening inside the chamber and a second portion capable of causing the sludge to exit said chamber, and wherein the reactor further comprises:
variation means capable of varying the position of the at least one opening of the extractor by varying a level of the at least one opening between the minimum level of sludge extraction and the maximum level of sludge extraction.

4. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a pump and the variation means comprising means for varying a level of the pump inside the chamber.

5. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a tube of which a first end has an opening in the chamber and of which a second end is connected to the second portion of the extractor, the variation means comprising means for moving said tube on either side of its second end in such a way as to modify the position of the first end of said tube.

6. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a flexible hose of which a first end has an opening inside the chamber and of which a second end is connected to the second end of the extractor, the variation means comprising means for moving the first end of said flexible hose.

7. The reactor as claimed in claim 6 , the means for moving the first end of the flexible hose comprising a component connected to said first end of said flexible hose, said component being capable of cooperating with a screw such that, when the screw is actuated, said component is driven in a vertical movement along said screw.

8. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a reservoir connected to the second portion of the extractor and having a slot inside the chamber and comprising a door which has an opening facing said slot, the reservoir and the door being assembled in such a way that no fluid can circulate between them, and the variation means comprising means for moving the door in a substantially vertical movement.

9. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a first cylindrical tube which has a substantially rectilinear slot inside the chamber, and a second cylindrical tube which has a substantially helicoidal slot inside the chamber, one of the cylindrical tubes being positioned inside the other and being connected to the second portion of the extractor, the first and second tubes being assembled in such a way that no fluid can circulate between them, the variation means comprising means for turning one of the tubes relative to the other.

10. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , the extractor comprising a set of tubes placed at various levels in the chamber, each tube having a first end which has an opening inside the chamber and a second end which is connected to the second portion of the extractor, the variation means comprising a set of valves capable of opening or closing said tubes.

11. The reactor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sludge comprising the gradient of levels contains activated carbon and/or struvite; and wherein the selector is configured to select the selected maximum sludge concentration and/or density value such that the selected maximum sludge concentration and/or density value is lower than a level of the gradient of levels containing the activated carbon particles and/or struvite.

Assignees

• Suez Int

Inventors

• Ginestet Philippe

Classifications

• C02F3/308 Primary

  Biological phosphorus removal · CPC title

• B01D21/2444

  Discharge mechanisms for the classified liquid · CPC title

• B01D21/32

  Density control of clear liquid or sediment, e.g. optical control {; Control of physical properties} · CPC title

• C02F3/006

  Regulation methods for biological treatment · CPC title

• C02F3/1263

  Sequencing batch reactors [SBR] · CPC title