Patent Application: US-88111801-A

Abstract:
a biofilter reactor includes a housing , an axial pipe rotatably supported in the housing and including a plurality of perforations that open into the interior of the housing for collecting a treated fluid . the axial pipe includes an outlet in communication with the interior thereof for removing the treated fluid from the housing . a porous medium is disposed about the axial pipe and is rotatable therewith . the porous medium is made of a microbial foam .

Description:
as best shown in fig1 the biofilter reactor br includes top and bottom housing sections 10 and 12 , respectively , that together define an interior recess 14 ( fig2 ). a foam media unit 16 is supported on a shaft 18 . the shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in the bottom housing section 12 . in particular , a roller support 20 , provided at an end 22 of the shaft 18 , engages a bracket 24 mounted in the bottom housing section 12 . the outlet end 26 of the shaft . 18 is supported exterior of the reactor br in a conventional manner and includes a ball - bearing unit 28 . a motor 30 is provided to rotate the shaft 18 by a belt 32 . in this manner , when the motor 30 is actuated , the shaft 18 and the foam media unit 16 , rotate about a longitudinal axis x of the shaft 18 . as best shown in fig5 the shaft 18 is in the form of a hollow pipe with an interior recess 34 , and includes perforations 36 about the periphery thereof . therefore , the interior recess 34 of the shaft 18 is in fluid communication with the foam media unit 16 by the perforations 36 . the outlet end 26 of the shaft 18 is in fluid communication with a fixed pipe 38 . as best shown in fig3 the foam media unit 16 includes layers 40 of foam media separated by air gaps 42 . the layers 40 are preferably octagonal in configuration and are supported by steel rods 44 that extend along the length of the reactor br . as best shown in fig5 the rods 44 are mechanically fastened to left and right end plates 46 and 48 by conventional nut and bolt units 50 . the end plates 46 and 48 are preferably made of stainless steel or plastic and , together with rods 44 and shaft 18 , function as a frame for supporting and rotating the foam media unit 16 . the end plates 46 and 48 are mechanically fastened to the shaft 18 by welding or screwing thereon , in a known manner . it is preferable that the foam media unit 16 fit tightly between the end plates 46 and 48 so that the contaminated fluid cf has to pass through the entire surface area of microbial films in the media 16 . the foam media layers 40 are preferably made of hydrophillic polyurethane with no fire - resistant chemicals or toxic substance for the microorganisms , and have 10 - 20 pores / inch . the media unit 16 rotates preferably in a direction r to submerge in a nutrient solution ns and , when the media 16 emerges from the solution , it carries moisture and nutrients . by changing the rotational speed , the amount of biomass attrition can be controlled and the effect of cyclic feeding can be maximized . the foam media unit 16 has a high - concentration of microbial population in fixed film that treats the contaminated fluid cf . the importance of the rotating foam media 16 is that air contaminants , nutrients , and oxygen , are uniformly distributed to the microbial fixed film . in other words , the entire media volume is fully utilized . as shown in fig1 the top housing section includes a contaminated fluid inlet 54 and a nutrients inlet 56 . likewise , the bottom housing section 12 includes a contaminated fluid inlet 58 and a by - product or sludge / nutrient removal outlet 60 . as best shown in fig3 the bottom housing section 12 includes downwardly sloping bottom walls 62 and 64 for easy collection of by - product or sludge generated from biological ( fixed film and suspended growth ) biomass . as best shown in fig4 a sludge / nutrient removal pipe 66 is located at the bottommost angular portion 68 that is formed at the point where the downwardly sloping walls 62 and 64 meet ( fig3 ). the contaminated fluid inlet 58 communicates with a diffuser 70 provided on the downwardly sloping wall 62 ( fig3 ). as best shown in fig2 contaminated fluid cf is introduced into the biofilter reactor br by a pump 72 through a valve 74 . the valve 74 can be set to determine flow direction either to the headspace 76 in the top housing section 10 , or into the nutrient solution ns through the inlet 58 and diffuser 70 . the nutrients are introduced through the nutrient inlet 56 in the form of a liquid or gas . treated fluid tf is collected in the shaft 18 and is discharged through the outlet 26 . pressure gauges 78 are provided to measure the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet . in fig1 reference numeral 80 indicates clamps , and reference numeral 82 indicates a gasket provided on flange 84 of housing 10 , to provide an air - tight seal , when housing sections 10 and 12 are closed together . suitable markings 52 are provided on the lower housing section 12 to indicate solution level l . fig6 and 7 show two different patterns of fluid flow . in particular , fig6 shows operating the biofilter reactor br of the invention in a biofilter mode , and fig7 shows the reactor br in a bioscrubber mode . in the biofilter mode ( fig6 ), when contaminated fluid cf is introduced into the top housing section 10 via fluid inlet 54 , the fluid cf occupies the head space 76 above the nutrient solution ns . a very small portion of the contaminated fluid dissolves in the nutrient solution ns . the majority of the fluid cf passes through the microbial fixed film grown in the pores of the media 16 . the contaminated fluid cf passes first through the outermost layer 40 ′ of the media 16 with biological fixed film and is collected in the adjacent air gap 42 ′ ( fig3 ). it then passes through the next foam layer and air gap repeatedly until the treated fluid tf is collected in the shaft 18 . in the bioscrubber mode ( fig7 ), when contaminated fluid cf is introduced through the fluid inlet 58 , provided in the bottom housing section 12 , and diffuser 70 , into the nutrient solution ns , some of the bubbles pass through the submerged portion of the media 16 and some of the gaseous contaminants ( aerosol / particulates ) are scrubbed / dissolved in the nutrient solution . the remaining fluid rises up to the head space 76 in the top housing 10 and passes through the media 16 , in the same fashion as in the biofilter mode ( fig6 ). this biofilter of the invention can treat a wide array of biodegradable gaseous contaminants , aerosols , and particulates . carbonic acids . . . butyric acid , vinyl acetate , ethyl acetate , butyl acetate , isobutyl acetate operational flexibility : amount of contaminants , oxygen , nutrients , moisture can be controlled . polyurethane foam media ( hydrophilic , with no biocide nor fire retardant ) with about 10 - 20 pores per inch , which supports an extremely large microbial fixed film area . high efficiency based on uniform distribution of contaminated air , nutrients , and oxygen over the biological film in the foam media . tight placement of media between end plates forces contaminated air to pass through the pores of the media covered with fixed film ( i . e ., no shortcircuiting ). housing has sloped bottoms to facilitate removal of sludge and nutrient solution . nutrient inlet , which can feed liquid nutrients as well as the gas - phase nitrogen and phosphorus . gas nutrients may improve efficiencies during nitrogen limiting case for most easily biodegradable contaminants . foam media units where the shaft is used as a treated air outlet . foam media carries water and nutrients to the fixed film . water carrying volume can be controlled . cyclic treatment improves efficiency . rotational speed can be varied for more effective treatment . the method and reactor of the invention would have applications in all industries generating biodegradable air pollutants . examples of such industries include : adhesive production , ammunition manufacturing , animal husbandry , wastewater treatment plants / remediation sites , chemical and petrochemical manufacturing , food processing , and the coating , fragrance , pharmaceutical , and pulp and paper industries . while this invention has been described as having preferred ranges , steps , materials , or designs , it is understood that it is capable of further modifications , uses and / or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as those come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth , and fall within the scope of the invention and of the limits of the appended claims . 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