Patent · US Expired

Modular shipboard membrane bioreactor system for combined wastewater streams

US5254253A · kind A · utility

102Cited by
10References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 21, 1992
Grant dateOct 19, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 21, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02W10/10
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Raw sewage ("black water" from toilets), wastewater from showers, sinks, kitchen facilities ("grey water") and oily water from the bilge of a host vessel ("oily water"), in combination, unexpectedly provide the essential nutrients for a live mass of mixed microorganisms which are peculiarly well-adapted to ingest the nutrients. To facilitate availability of oxygen to the microorganisms so as to provide growth of the microorganisms, and also, to allow them destroy to themselves, excess oxygen is discharged, in a combination of microbubbles and macrobubbles, into a membrane bioreactor ("MBR"). The mixture of bubbles is preferably generated with coarse (>2 mm) and fine (<20 .mu.m) bubble diffusers. An auxiliary stream, whether alone, or a recirculating stream into which air is drawn, may provide the coarse bubbles. The air is entrained, in a jet aerator or eductor, in a recirculating loop of activated sludge taken from the MBR. Another portion of the contents of the MBR is pumped to a semipermeable membrane which provides water (permeate) of excellent quality. The remaining concentrate is led to a gas micronizing means which produces a tail-jet of microaerated concentrate. The tail-je…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.