A PROCESS AND AN APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING ORGANIC MATERIAL ALONG A MICROBIOLOGICAL ROUTE

Abstract: Process for converting organic material in a microbiological way under gas generation, the conversion being carried out in a reaction vessel by means of microorganisms which are grown on a movable bed of inorganic granular material and freely in micro flocks in a continuous aqueous phase, the substrate for the microorganisms being supplied to the bed in connection with a mechanical stirrer and the gases generated by the conversion being utilized for expanding the bed, the free micro flocks being externally separated from discharged liquid and returned to the reaction vessel. The invention also comprises an apparatus for carrying out said process, including a reaction vessel (1), a stirrer (3) arranged therein, means (6) for supply of liquid containing substrate and means (7, 8) for discharge of liquid and for recirculation of free active material and a movable bed (5) of inorganic granular material positioned in the reaction vessel and intended for carrying growing microorganisms.

Description: TITLE OF INVENTION A PROCESS AND AN APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING ORGANIC MATERIAL ALONG A MICROBIOLOGICAL ROUTE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a process of con¬ verting in a reaction vessel containing a movable bed organic materials in a microbiological way under the formation of gas. When using mictroorganis s for the manufacture of different types of products it is essential that the con¬ tents of active microorganisms in the reaction vessel is kept as high as possible. BACKGROUND ART In accordance with conventional prior art the con- tents of organisms is controlled by means of static sedi¬ mentation, floatation, centrifugation or filtration, the microorganisms being separated from the discharged liquid phase and returned to the reaction zone as bio¬ sludge. Limiting factors in this known technique is for example the .sedimentation properties, the centrifugation or filtration performance of the biosludge formed. Static sedimentation, which is the technique most frequently used, involves the limitation that the biosludge cannot take up more than about 50 . of the volume in a sediment- ed state in order that static sedimentation shall operate in a satisfactory manner. This volume corresponds to a concentration of bLrmass of 5-10 kgs DS (dry substance) 3 per m of reaction vessel. In another type of known technique there is used a reaction vessel containing a packing, the bio mass being fixed to a solid surface structure, for example a bed of stone materials or plastics. A limiting factor in this case is the fact that no more than about 100-200 surface per of reaction vessel can be obtained blocking of the cavities is to be prevented. Also this specific surface corresponds to a concentration of bio 3 mass of 5-10 kgs DS/ of reaction vessel. For such tech¬ nique see f.i. Swedish patent specification Ser.No. 7605005-3. In a third variant of the known technique there is used a suspensible bed in a reaction vessel, the bed be¬ ing fluidized by means of an upward flow of gases or liquid. (See f.i. Swiss patent specification Ser.No. 612.655.) However, this system provides for a pronounced practical limitation, in that the distribution of the fluidization flow must be exactly uniform across all of the lower part of the reaction zone cross section, which is very difficult to obtain in a large reaction vessel. Moreover, such fluid bed system calls for careful select¬ ion of bed material with regard to grain size and distri¬ bution, as is well known in the art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus,the object of the present invention is to provide a process and an apparatus whereby organic materi¬ als in a microbiological way can be converted under the generation of gas while avoiding the disadvantages asso¬ ciated with for example the above-described conventional techniques. To this end there is provided by the invention a process wherein the conversion is performed in a react¬ ion vessel by means of microorganisms which are grown on a movable bed of inorganic granular material and which, furthermore, are present in a free state in the form of micro flocks, the conversion taking place in a continu¬ ous acqueous phase and substrate for the microorganisms being supplied to the bed in connection to a mechanical stirrer. The gases generated from the conversion are utilized for expanding the bed, and the free microflocks are externally separated at a place outside the reaction vessel from liquid discharged therefrom and are then re¬ turned to the reaction zone. The stirrer is suitably arranged so as to impart to the bed material a downward movement, preferably all the way down to the bottom of the reaction vessel, and it is preferred to introduce the substrate into the vessel within the part of the bed subject to such downward move¬ ment. This results in efficient fluidization of the bed due to the generation of gases therein. Thus, by the com- bined pneumatic and hydraulic mixing effects an optimized overall process results. In a preferred embodiment of the process of the in¬ vention there is used a bed based on an organic granular material having a grain size lying within the range about 0.05 - 5 mm. This material constituting the bed can be sand, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide or dolomite or the like. The invention also relates to an apparatus wherein this process can be. performed, and this apparatus includ- es a reaction vessel, a stirrer arranged therein, means for supplying liquid containing substrate and means for discharging liquid and for recirculation of free active material. To obtain the object of the invention the appa¬ ratus includes a movable bed of inorganic granular mate- rial arranged in the reaction vessel, said bed being in¬ tended for supporting growing microorganisms for con¬ version of the organic material. The movable bed is preferably made of materials described above in connection with the process. The stirrer used is preferably constituted by a radial or axial turbine or propeller placed at the lower end of the reaction vessel and suitably positioned cen¬ trally therein, At rest the movable bed suitably occupies 20 - 80 % of the volume of the reaction * vessel, preferably about 40 - 60 % . T t The reaction vessel of the apparatus of the invent¬ ion is suitably provided with interior vertical baffles over 20 - 100 % of the height of the vessel, and these baffles can be present in a number of from 1 - 10. The invention is generally applicable on a number of different types of microbiological processes depending on type of substrate and type of microorganism. As examp¬ les there may be mentioned microorganisms of a monocult¬ ure, such as Saccaromyces Services , to form ethanol from carbohydrate substrates, or of a multiculture, such as in the conversion of complex organic substrates to methane gas and carbon dioxide. Another application of the invention is in denitrification of nitrate-rich aqueous substrates. EXAMPLE The invention will now be further described by a non-limiting example in connection with the appended drawing, wherein Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a vertical cross section through an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, and Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the circulatory features in the embodiment according to Fig. 1. The embodiment of the apparatus according to this invention shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings includes a circular-cylindrical reaction vessel 1 having a planar bottom and a curved top, the vessel being provided with interior vertical baffles 2 which may be present in a number of 1 - 10. It is preferred to use a plurality of baffles evenly distributed around the inner wall of the vessel. The reaction vessel is furthermore provided with a central stirrer 3 driven by an externally placed motor through a gas-tight throughlet 4 at the upper end of vessel 1. Reaction vessel 1 contains a movable bed 5 of an inorganic granular material which at rest in the embodi¬ ment shown occupies about half of the volume of the re¬ action vessel. The reaction vessel furthermore contains water as a continuous phase up to the level shewn in Fig. 1. The supply of substrate, i.e. material to be treat¬ ed, takes place through an inlet conduit 6 opening directly under the stirrer 3. Treated liquid is removed from the reaction vessel through an outlet conduit 7 and is transferred to a separation device 8 whereby separat¬ ion bio sludge is separated and returned to the reaction vessel to a place immediately below stirrer 3. The fuction of the apparatus described above is briefly as follows. On the suspended bed material of inorganic material which may be sand, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide or dolomite having a grain size within the range 0.05 to 5 mm, present in the reaction vessel, a flora of anaero¬ bic microorganisms will grow in a thin layer. Thereby, the microorganisms will convert supplied organic com¬ pounds to different types of products in dependence on the type of substrate and the type of microorganisms. For the purpose of transferring the substrate to the microorganisms bound to the inorganic grains of the bed material the substrate is transferred through inlet conduit 6 to a place immediately below the stirrer 3 which is centrally positioned in the bed (Fig. 1) . When under operation stirrer 3 is brought into rotation a flow of liquid and bed grains will be pumped around in the reaction vessel, the substrate coming into intimate contact with the remaining contents of the re¬ action vessel. The flow created by stirrer 3 is horizont¬ al and downwardly directed, in view of which a strong flow will be obtained along the bottom of the reaction vessel and upwardly along the walls of the reaction vessel. This flow means that the movable bed will extend, the expansion being further increased by the generation of a gas which takes place when the substrate comes into contact with the microorganisms supported by the bed. In this manner a very even and homogeneous distribution of the substrate in the bed will be obtained whereby effect¬ ive utilization of the microorganisms will take place. In Fig. 2 the flows provided by the mechanical mix¬ ing by stirrer 3 and by the gases generated in the micro¬ biological reaction are illustrated. In view of the direction of the flow created by the stirrer there is obtained efficient distribution of the substrate hori¬ zontally at the bottom of the reaction vessel. In view of the gas generation and the entrainment of liquid phase with the gas bubbles there is obtained a good mixing in vertical direction, as is clear from Fig. 2. The gas generation in the apparatus described is of the order of 1 - 100 m 3 of gas per " m3 reaction vessel per day, and the generated gases vary in dependence of type of substrate and microorganism- and may be carbon dioxide, methane gas or a mixture thereof, or nitrogen. By modify¬ ing the height of the baffles and the rotation of the mechanical stirrer the movable bed can be brought to ex¬ pand to the desired level. By discharging a liquid phase from the surface at the upper end of the reaction vessel where the movable bed does not reach by the expansion the microorganisms may to a great extent be maintained in the system. The quantity of microorganisms maintained bound to the bed material may vary from 1 - 50 g of DS/1 * volume of reaction vessel. Part of the microorganisms are found in the form of microflocks in the liquid phase. This part will not be separated in the reaction vessel but is carried along with the discharged liquid flow. By means of separation device 8 they can be separated from the liquid and returned to the reaction vessel. In this λay the microorganisms may be maintained suspended in a quantity corresponding 5 - 10 g TS/1 (total suspended solids) . In toto one can obtain a total content of microorganisms bound to the movable bed and suspended of about 60 g DS/1, which is 6 - 12 times of what can be obtained with conventional technique. The invention is not delimited to the embodiment described above. Thus, the ratio between height and dia¬ meter of the reaction vessel may vary from 5:1 to 1:5. Moreover, the details of the construction described can be varied and modified in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A process for converting organic material in a microbiological way under gas generation, characterized thereby that the conversion is carried out in a reaction vessel by means of microorganisms which are grown on a movable bed of inorganic granular material and freely in micro flocks in a continuous acqueous phase, the sub¬ strate for the microorganisms being supplied to the bed in connection with a mechanical stirrer and the gases generated by the conversion being utilized for expanding the bed, the free micro flocks being externally separat¬ ed from discharged liquid and returned to the reaction vessel. 2. A process according to claim 1, characterized thereby that the inorganic granular material has a grain size within the range of about 0.05 - 5 mm. 3. A process according to claim 1 or 2, character¬ ized thereby that the granular inorganic material is constituted by sand or calcium carbonate. 4. An apparatus for converting inorganic material in liquid phase in a microbiological way, including a reaction vessel (1) , a stirrer (3) arranged therein, means (6) for supply of liquid containing substrate and means (7,8) for discharge of liquid and for recirculation of free active material, characterized by a movable bed (5) of inorganic granular material positioned in the reaction vessel and intended for carrying growing micro¬ organisms. • 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized thereby that the inorganic granular material has a grain size within the range of about 0.05 - 5 nun. 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, charact¬ erized thereby that the granular inorganic material is constituted by sand or calcium carbonate. 7. Apparatus according to any of claims 4-6, characterized thereby that the stirrer consists^'- of a radial or axial turbine (3) placed at the lower end of the reaction vessel and generating a downward flow. 8. Apparatus according to any of claims 4-7, characterized thereby that the movable bed (5) at rest occupies 20 - 80 % of the volume of the reaction vessel (1). 9. An apparatus according to any of claims 4-8, characterized thereby that the reaction vessel (1) is provided with interior vertical baffles (2) extending over 20 - 100 % of the height of the vessel.

Inventors: HUSS L
Applicants: HUSS L, SORIGONA AB
Application year: 1981
Main classification: C12P5
IPC codes: C02F3, C12M1, C12P1