Portable Wastewater Treatment Systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017081225-A1
Application number	US-201515126405-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, a portable wastewater treatment system includes an anaerobic reactor in which organic material within the wastewater can be broken down, a membrane filter that receives wastewater from the anaerobic reactor and filters the water to produce permeate, and a small shipping container in which the reactor and the membrane filter are contained.

First claim

Claimed are:

1 . A portable wastewater treatment system comprising:
an anaerobic reactor in which organic material within the wastewater can be broken down; a membrane filter that receives wastewater from the anaerobic reactor and filters the water to produce permeate; and a small shipping container in which the reactor and the membrane filter are contained.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the small shipping container is less than 14 feet in length.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the small shipping container comprises a quadcon that is configured to connect end to end with another quadcon.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the small shipping container comprises a tricon that is configured to connect end to end with another tricon.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane filter is submerged in the anaerobic reactor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the membrane filter is submerged in a membrane tank.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a biogas storage tank in which biogas produced in the anaerobic reactor can be stored, the tank also being contained within the small shipping container.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a permeate storage tank in which permeate produced by the membrane filter can be stored, the tank also being contained within the small shipping container.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger that heats the wastewater before it enters the anaerobic reactor, the heat exchanger also being contained within the small shipping container.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a biogas system configured to produce energy from biogas produced within the anaerobic reactor, the biogas system also being contained within the small shipping container.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a disinfection system configured to disinfect the permeate, the disinfection system also being contained within the small shipping container.

12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising electric pumps that drive the wastewater and permeate through the system, wherein the pumps are powered by energy produced by the system.

13 . The system of claim, further comprising an external equalization tank that receives waste and provides wastewater to the anaerobic reactor.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein a head space of the external equalization tank is in fluid communication of a head space of the anaerobic reactor.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein sludge collected in the anaerobic reactor is returned to the external equalization tank.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a renewable energy component mounted to the exterior of the small shipping container that generates energy that is used by the system.

17 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a component mounted to the exterior of the small shipping container that utilizes permeate output from the membrane filter for a beneficial use.

18 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a toilet that provides waste to the system.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the toilet is mounted to the top of the small shipping container.

20 . A method for providing wastewater treatment, the method comprising:
packaging a wastewater treatment system that includes an anaerobic reactor and a membrane filter within a small shipping container; shipping the small shipping container to a location in which wastewater treatment is needed; treating wastewater using the system; and powering the system with energy generated by the system so that the system is self-sustaining.

Assignees

• Univ South Florida

Inventors

• Yeh Daniel H
• Bair Robert A
• Ozcan Onur Y
• Dick George H
• Calabria Jorge Luis
• Woodham Matthew Jeffrey

Classifications

• C02F3/284

  using anaerobic baffled reactors · CPC title

• A01G9/14

  Greenhouses · CPC title

• A01G33/00

  Cultivation of seaweed {or algae} · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title

• Y02A20/212

  Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation · CPC title