BE896430A - Fermentation reactor core has rigid carrier - for open-cell foam material contg. active organism concn. centres and outlet duct - Google Patents

Abstract

The rigid reactor core is intended for an aerobic or anaerobic fermentation reactor such as may be used for treatment of effluent water, sludge, continuous cultures, etc. It comprises a rigid (e.g. tubular) carrier covered and/or filled with open-cell foam material which contains active concn. centres for microorganisms consisting of activated carbon, polyelectrolytes or the like, and is provided with an outlet duct within this material. Arrangement minimises flow resistance and maximises efficiency in terms of chemical oxygen consumption (for biological effluent), volume of methane produced (anaerobic fermentation) or weight of extracellular metabolite per m3 carrier (e.g. enzyme prodn. in continuous fermentation culture).

Description

       

  DESCRIPTION FOR THE INVENTION PATTERN - 1 APPLICATION FROM FRANK FISHERIES ON

"RIGID CARRIER ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH OF ACTIVE

NUCLEAR FACES PROVIDED FOR FOAMING MATERIAL, FOR THE

USE AS REACTOR FILLING IN BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES ".

  
The invention relates to carrier elements made of hard material coated and / or filled with foam material, wherein in

  
the respective foam active cores prevent, for example, active carbon, polyelectrolytes, etc. intended to promote the fixing possibilities of the biomass on the support element in the reactor.

  
It is known that, especially in the anaerobic digestion of waste waters

  
or of other substrates, due to the very low growth rates of the micro-organisms, a real risk of washing out of this active material in the reactor may arise.

  
The classic hard support elements that have been used up to now as a reactor filling have a small specific surface area (m <2> per m3 of support material) and are also unable to form active bonds (physical, physico-chemical, etc.) with the cell material of the microorganism, so that the effective utilization of the carrier material (kg biomass per m carrier surface) remains low.

  
It is clear that these limitations result in sizeable amounts of support material or reactor volume and low plant reliability.

  
The only disadvantage of filling the reactor with foam flakes is that they can become compressed during operation and can lead to blockage, which causes a high pressure drop over the reactor bed.

  
Difficulties can also arise with the separation of the reactor liquid from the foam flakes and the handling thereof is also somewhat more cumbersome.

  
A solution to the problems is contained in this invention.

  
By covering and / or filling a rigid support element with foam material that has an open-cell structure and in which the relevant support is provided with a discharge channel, a reactor bed can be assembled with a large specific surface area (m <2> per m <3> support ) and a fairly low pressure drop.

  
In addition, the foam material is provided with active cores consisting of, for example, active carbon, polyelectrolytes, etc., which act as physical and / or chemical attachment points for the micro-organisms.

  
The chances of adhesion of the biomass to the carrier element are thus significantly increased.

  
Small fireplaces of microorganisms will develop at the points of attachment of the foam flake, which can be regarded as a continuous inoculum for the reactor medium.

  
The use of this type of support element results in a higher efficiency of the reactor.

  
This can be expressed, for example, if:
- kg C Z V (<1>) removed per m <3> carrier
(biological wastewater treatment)
- m <3> waste gas (<2>) produced per m carrier
(anaerobic digestion)
- kg extra-cellular (<3>) metabolite per m <3> carrier
(fermentation, continuous cultures)

  
where (1) C Z V = chemical oxygen consumption

  
(2) waste gas = methane production

  
(3) extracellular metabolite = e.g. enzymes

  
production In figure 1 the developed carrier element with its constituent components is represented:

  
a active points

  
b hard carrier wall

  
c drain

  
d foam

PATENT

  
The preparation of a rigid carrier element coated and / or filled with foam which exhibits an open-cell structure, wherein the foam material concerned is provided with active cores and in which a recess discharge channel is present.

  
The carrier element is intended as a reactor filling in biological processes, in particular: anaerobic and aerobic biological wastewater treatment, sludge fermentation, continuous cultures and other fermentation processes, whereby the specific structure ensures a
- minimal pressure drop
- optimal return.

  
There is no limitation here with regard to the size, mutual dimensional ratios, material types of the carrier element.