Free-flowing carrier elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016376175-A1
Application number	US-201415039522-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 28, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2013
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A carrier element ( 1; 10; 20 ) for growth of biofilm thereon is designed for free-flowing in liquid to be purified and has surfaces ( 3; 13 ) for biofilm growth which are protected from the abrasion from other carrier elements or surfaces in a container containing the liquid to be purified by ridges ( 4; 12 ) having a height corresponding to a desired thickness of a biofilm intended to grow on the protected surfaces ( 3; 13 ). The ratio between the surfaces ( 3; 13 ) for biofilm growth and the area of the ridges ranges from 1:1 to 1:20.

First claim

1 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) for growth of biofilm thereon, said carrier elements ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) being designed for free-flowing in liquid to be purified and having surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ) for biofilm growth which are protected from the abrasion from other carrier elements or surfaces in a container containing the liquid to be purified by ridges ( 4 ; 12 ) having a height corresponding to a desired thickness of a biofilm intended to grow on the protected surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ), characterized in that the ratio between the surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ) for biofilm growth and the area of the ridges ranges from 1:1 to 1:20.

2 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the ridges ( 4 ; 12 ), which corresponds to the desired thickness of a biofilm intended to grow on the protected surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ), is within the interval of 0.05-1.0 mm.

3 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the ridges ( 4 ; 12 ), which corresponds to the desired thickness of a biofilm intended to grow on the protected surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ), is within the interval of 0.1-0.5 mm.

4 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the height of the ridges ( 4 ; 12 ), which corresponds to the desired thickness of a biofilm intended to grow on the protected surfaces ( 3 ; 13 ), is within the interval of 0.15-0.45 mm.

5 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to any of claims 1 to 4 , wherein said carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) is in the form of a plate ( 10 ) with a pattern on each side, said pattern forming well defined indentations to protect biofilm growth, and where the depth of said indentations decides the thickness of said protected biofilm.

6 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to claim 5 , wherein said plate is of round or oval shape.

7 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein said plate is saddle shaped.

8 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to any of claims 5 to 7 , wherein said pattern is in the shape of a grid with square or rectangular indentations.

9 . Carrier element ( 1 ; 10 ; 20 ) according to any of claims 5 to 7 , wherein said pattern is in the shape of a honeycomb with hexagonal indentations.

10 . Carrier element ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said carrier element is in the shape of a profile with longitudinal inner channels ( 2 ), wherein,
the longitudinal inner channels contain a multitude of longitudinal retention walls ( 4 ) extending from inner channel walls ( 3 ) towards the centre of the longitudinal inner channels ( 2 ), longitudinal grooves are formed between the longitudinal retention walls ( 4 ), cleaning spikes ( 5 ) can enter the center of the longitudinal inner channels, said cleaning spikes ( 5 ) cannot enter said longitudinal grooves, the longitudinal grooves protects biofilm growth along the longitudinal inner channel walls ( 3 ), the protected biofilm thickness along the longitudinal inner channel walls is determined by the height of the longitudinal retention walls ( 4 ).

11 . Carrier element ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein said cleaning spikes ( 5 ) are arranged along the periphery of the carrier element ( 1 ), on part of or all the carrier element.

12 . Carrier element ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein said cleaning spikes ( 5 ) are provided on another structure of in the reactor than the carrier element ( 5 ).

13 . Carrier element according to claim 10 , wherein said cleaning spikes ( 5 ) are arranged in the shape of brushlike structures inside a reactor in which the carrier elements are free-floating.

14 . Carrier element according to any of claims 10 - 13 , wherein said profile is round.

15 . Carrier element according to any of claims 10 - 10 , wherein said profile is hexagon shaped.

16 . Carrier element according to any of claims 10 - 13 , wherein said profile is squared.

17 . Carrier element according to any of claims 10 - 13 , wherein said longitudinal inner channels are hexagon shaped.

18 . Carrier element according to any of claims 10 - 13 , wherein said longitudinal inner channels are square shaped.

Assignees

• Veolia Water Solutions & Tech

Inventors

• Welander Thomas
• Piculell Maria

Classifications

• B01J2219/30219

  Disk · CPC title

• B01J2219/30466

  Plastics · CPC title

• B01J2219/30203

  Saddle · CPC title

• B01J2219/30242

  Star · CPC title

• B01J2219/30234

  Hexagon · CPC title