DE102006000982B4 - Device for the degradation of pollutants in water - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for the degradation of pollutants in water comprising a housing (11) in which a carrier material for microorganisms is arranged, wherein the carrier material is a honeycomb filter ceramic (32), the honeycomb filter ceramic (32) has flow channels (43), the channels have a diameter of 0.3 to 2 millimeters, the honeycomb filter ceramic (32) is associated with a trickling section (16) for trickling down the water on the honeycomb filter ceramic (32), wherein the housing (11) is closed and a water inlet (12), a Water outlet (13), an air inlet and an air outlet (36), characterized in that an air enrichment section (15) and an air discharge section (17) are provided and in an upper region an overflow (30) between the air enrichment section (15) and Rieselabschnitt (16) is provided, wherein the air inlet is associated with an air distributor (23) disposed in the air enrichment section (15) is, the air enrichment portion (15) has a formed from honeycomb filter ceramic mixing element (28), which is flowed through an air-water mixture vertically upward, at the top of the mixing element (28) the oxygen-saturated water to the trickling section (28) over the overflow (30) is supplied, and an air separator (33) at the end of the trickle section (16) for removing the air from the housing (11) is provided, wherein the air separator (33) is a ceramic sponge (33), and the air outlet (36) a float switch (35) is associated, and with a sealing element (54) which closes the lower opening of the air outlet (36), and a float (53), wherein at a large air accumulation in the air discharge portion (17) of the Water level therein and thus the float (53) drops and then the sealing element (54) releases the lower opening of the Lauftauslassers (36).

Description

The invention relates to a device for the degradation of pollutants in water, especially aquarium water, with a housing in which a carrier material for microorganisms is arranged, wherein the carrier material is a honeycomb filter ceramic, the honeycomb filter ceramic in the flow direction has continuous channels, the channels have a diameter of 0 , 3 to 2 millimeters, and the honeycomb filter ceramic is associated with a trickling section for trickling down the water at the honeycomb filter ceramic, the housing being closed and having a water inlet, a water outlet, an air inlet and an air outlet.

Such a device is known from US 2005/0029176 A1 known. However, here the device for cooling the water is provided, while for the actual filter function, an additional filter is provided with a plurality of filter boxes under water.

Furthermore, from the DE 41 09 562 A1 a device with a soft ceramic with many continuous pores known, wherein the water to be purified by means of an air bubble generator is enriched with air.

From the JP 2002301492 A a device is known in which air by means of a countercurrent principle against the flow of water through the trickle section is passed through this.

In particular, in aquariums, but also in garden ponds or other water reservoirs in which biological pollutants caused by animal husbandry, there is the problem that these biological contaminants must be removed from the water again. For this purpose, it is also appropriate to resort to bacterial cultures and micro-organisms acting in nature, which provide the necessary balance in nature. Unfortunately, however, the available space in the aquarium or garden pond is far too small to balance the pollutant-degrading microorganisms with the animal stock. Therefore, aquarium filters have achieved great importance, which have a carrier material for microorganisms. On this carrier material, these microorganisms then settle on and are traversed by polluted with pollutants water. In this way, a large supply of food is constantly passed by the microorganisms, which thus achieve a high degradation capacity of pollutants under ideal conditions in a small space. So that here a large surface is provided for colonization, clay tubes or ceramic tubes are used. There are also Kunststoffbesilelungskörper and other porous materials in use. Common to all these bodies is that the largest possible colonizable area for the microorganisms should be provided by providing a sponge-like microstructure with a large surface area. A disadvantage of these porous support materials is that there are a variety of unperformed or insufficiently perfused cavities, so that after prolonged use of the carrier material, the microorganisms in the region of these or insufficiently flowed cavities begin to die and so the already already contaminated water even more strain. For this reason, it is necessary to clean the support materials at regular intervals so as to remove dead or disproportionately grown cultures. This is laborious and initially weakens the performance of the filter until the bacterial culture has recovered from cleaning.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a device for the degradation of pollutants in water, can be achieved with the lowest possible maintenance long term good biodegradation of pollutants.

The problem is solved in that in an apparatus of the type mentioned an air enrichment section and an air discharge section are provided and in an upper region an overflow between the air enrichment section and the trickle section is provided, wherein the air inlet is associated with an air distributor, which is arranged in the air enrichment section is, the air enrichment portion comprises a honeycomb filter formed from a mixing element, which is flowed through an air-water mixture vertically upward, at the top of the mixing element, the oxygen-saturated water is supplied to the trickling section via the overflow, and an air separator at the end of the trickling section is provided for removing the air from the housing, wherein the air separator is a ceramic sponge, and the air outlet is associated with a float switch, as well as with a sealing element that verse the lower opening of the air outlet chließt, and a float, wherein at a large air accumulation in the Luftabführungsabschnitt the water level in it and thus the float sinks and then the sealing element releases the lower opening of the Lauftauslassers.

Such honeycomb filter ceramics are used for example in catalyst construction for motor vehicles as support materials. They are characterized by the fact that in a small space a large surface is provided, which is almost completely flowed through. In particular, only occur in On a small scale cavities that can not be flowed through by the flow. It has been found that when using such honeycomb filter ceramic as a carrier material for microorganisms for pollutant degradation in water, a highly efficient pollutant degradation takes place, at the same time a cleaning of the carrier material, ie the honeycomb filter ceramic, is practically superfluous. It can be so biologically clean with a small volume of filter a large reservoir of water, with maintenance practically not incurred.

A development of the invention is characterized in that the honeycomb filter ceramic has continuous channels in the flow direction. Because of these continuous channels virtually the entire populated area of the honeycomb filter ceramic is permanently supplied with the necessary nutrients from the passing water. The channels may have a diameter of 0.3 to 2 millimeters, preferably 1 millimeter. In this way, on the one hand results in a large surface of the honeycomb filter ceramic on the other hand sufficiently large flow rate through the individual channels, so that the risk of constipation is low here.

Another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the housing is closed and has a water inlet and a water outlet. Since in particular aquariums are usually heated in the domestic area, a closed filter housing has the advantage that the humidity in the filter is not unnecessarily increased. In particular, when using so-called trickle filters otherwise occur undesirable corrosion phenomena in the filter.

It is also advantageous if the device with the invention features an air inlet and an air outlet. In this way, the water to be purified in the filter can be additionally enriched with atmospheric oxygen, which significantly increases the efficiency of the microorganisms on the substrate. It is also advantageous if the air inlet is associated with an air distributor. Since the cleaning of the water should take place in a small space, it is expedient to disperse the air added to the water so that it dissolves as quickly as possible and over a short distance largely in the water. It is also advantageous if the air outlet is assigned a float switch. Especially when using a closed housing, the air should be removed from the housing again, so that the filter can work evenly and continuously. By means of such a float switch, a constant level can be set in the closed housing, so that this float switch acts as a continuous control.

Preferably, the air distributor is arranged in the air enrichment section. As air distributor can be used here, for example, a Keramikausströmer. It is also advantageous if the air enrichment section has a mixing element through which an air-water mixture flows. By means of this mixing element, a good mixing of the water with the fine gas bubbles generated by the air distributor can be effected. Preferably, the mixing element has a plurality of mixing channels. In this way, the formation of larger gas bubbles can be prevented. In particular, the mixing element may be formed of honeycomb filter ceramic.

When the mixing element is vertically upwardly flowed through by the air-water mixture, so can be achieved by the same flow direction for the rising air bubbles and the water flowing through a relatively long contact duration of the air bubbles with the water, so that the air bubbles well in the water can be solved.

Another development of the invention is characterized by a trickle section, in which the water trickles down on the honeycomb filter ceramic. In such a trickle section, the bacteria and microorganisms on the honeycomb filter ceramic are on the one hand well supplied with the nutrients from the water. On the other hand, there is always sufficient ventilation of the microorganisms, so that the oxygen supply is ensured here. With such a trickle section, a good degradation performance can be achieved. In particular, when using the closed housing can be at the same time but prevent unnecessary burden on the environment with high humidity. Preferably, the water is supplied to the trickling section by means of an overflow. Thus, at the top of the mixing element, the oxygen-saturated water can be supplied to the trickling section via the overflow. A further development is characterized by a droplet plate for distributing the water on the honeycomb filter ceramic. By means of such a drop plate, a uniform distribution of the water supply over the entire cross section of the honeycomb filter ceramic can be achieved.

Another development is characterized by an air separator at the end of the trickle section. Especially when using a closed housing, the air must be removed from this case again. For this purpose, an air separator at the end of the trickle section offers. As an air separator, for example, a ceramic sponge can be used. Due to its porous property, a separation of water and air can occur when passing through the water saturated with air. If the Rieselabschnitt is in fluid communication with the water outlet in a lower region, the water can be supplied through the lower portion of the water outlet, while the air lingers over it. The water outlet may advantageously be associated with a water pump, by means of which the water is returned, for example, transported to the aquarium. If an air pump is assigned to the air inlet, the required or desired amount of air can be introduced into the air enrichment section by means of this air pump. In addition, if an air filter of the air pump is connected upstream, so can prevent contamination of the trickle section by the supplied air.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 a schematic sectional view of a trickle filter as an embodiment of the invention,

2 a schematic representation of a cross section of a honeycomb filter ceramic of the trickle section,

3 an air enrichment section of the trickle filter in a schematic representation,

4 a drop plate in plan view, and

5 a float switch for an air outlet of the trickle filter of 1 ,

1 shows a schematic sectional view of an aquarium filter 10 with the invention features. The aquarium filter 10 has a housing 11 that with a water inlet 12 and a water outlet 13 is provided. In the embodiment shown, the housing 11 closed executed.

The interior of the housing 11 is divided into an inlet section 14 , an air enrichment section 15 , a trickle section 16 , an air discharge section 17 and an outlet section 18 , The water inlet 12 is with a hose 19 connected in the illustrated embodiment with a suction of an aquarium, the aquarium and the suction basket are not shown in the figure. In the inlet section 14 the water intake 12 facing is a baffle plate 20 arranged, the uniform distribution of incoming water from the water inlet into the inlet section 14 serves. In the inlet section 14 is also a coarse filter 21 arranged through which the inflowing water must first pass. As coarse filter 21 For example, a sieve or grate, or filter wadding or a filter sponge is suitable.

The inlet section 14 is by means of a bridge 22 from the air enrichment section 15 separated, wherein at the bottom of a fluid connection between the inlet portion 14 and the air enrichment section 15 consists. In the lower part of the air enrichment section 15 is a vent 23 arranged by means of a hose 24 with an air pump 25 communicates. The air pump 25 is also an air filter 26 upstream, by means of a holder 27 on the housing 11 attached on the upper side. The vent 23 is in the embodiment shown, an elongated Keramikausströmer whose longitudinal direction is arranged at right angles to the plane of the drawing. The air pump 25 is a diaphragm pump in the embodiment shown 25 that by means of the air filter 26 filtered air to the vent 23 inflated.

Above the vent 23 is in the air enrichment section 15 a mixing element 28 arranged. The mixing element 28 consists in the embodiment shown of a honeycomb filter ceramic, the narrow, about 1 millimeter wide, vertically upwardly extending channels.

The air enrichment section 25 is by means of a bridge 29 from the trickle section 16 separated. In the upper area is an overflow 30 between the air enrichment section 15 and the trickle section 16 intended. In the upper part of the trickle section 16 and the overflow 30 adjacent is a drop plate 31 provided under which a carrier material 32 intended for microorganisms as a trickle body. The carrier material 32 is in the embodiment shown, a honeycomb filter ceramic in the figure from top to bottom extending honeycomb channels. The honeycomb filter ceramic 32 corresponds to the structure of the carrier material for an exhaust gas catalyst in automotive engineering. Under the honeycomb filter ceramic 32 is a ceramic sponge in the figure 33 arranged.

The trickle section 16 is by means of a bridge 34 from the air discharge section 17 separated, wherein in the lower part of the trickle section 16 with the air discharge section 17 is in fluid communication. The air discharge section 17 has a swimmer 35 up, with an air outlet 36 communicates. The air outlet 36 is with a hose 37 connected, in turn, to a suitable location for the leakage of air from the aquarium filter 10 leads.

The air discharge section 17 is by means of a bridge 38 from the outlet section 18 separated, again at the bottom of a Fluid connection between the air discharge section 17 and the outlet section 18 consists. The outlet section 18 is with the water outlet 13 connected, which in turn by means of a hose 39 with a water pump 40 communicates. The water pump 40 is on the outlet side by means of a hose 41 connected to an outlet in the aquarium for the return of the water. In the embodiment shown, the water pump 40 externally on top of the case 11 arranged. It is equally possible that a suitable built-in pump inside the housing 11 is provided.

2 shows schematically and not to scale a cross-section of the substrate 32 , As can be seen from the figure, the honeycomb filter ceramic of the carrier material 32 from a variety of webs 42 built between each of which continuous channels 43 are arranged with square cross-section.

3 shows a schematic Funktionsssizizze the air enrichment section 15 , As the figure can be seen, is the vent 23 by means of holders 44 under the mixing element 28 arranged. The vent 23 has an elongated shape and is made of a porous ceramic material for generating a plurality of air bubbles 46 , The hose 24 is by means of brackets 45 of which an example of a holder 45 in the figure is fixed in the region of the air enrichment section.

As the figure can also be seen, is a support plate 47 for the mixing element 28 intended. The carrier plate 47 is as rust 47 trained, as reflected in the 3 to the right. The mixing element is similar to the carrier material 32 from a honeycomb filter ceramic with a plurality of continuous channels, as can also be seen in the figure to the right in a cross-sectional view.

4 shows a plan view of the drop plate 31 , In a middle area of the drop plate 31 is a hollow 48 arranged a variety of openings 49 having. For better clarity, there is only one opening 49 provided with a reference numeral. The openings 49 are as through holes in the area of the trough 48 arranged.

5 shows a schematic diagram of the air outlet 36 , The air outlet 36 is by means of a holder 50 on the housing 11 attached and in its upper part with the hose 37 connected. As the figure can be further seen, is below the air outlet 36 on an axis 51 swiveling a lever 52 stored. The lever 52 has at his from the axle 51 opposite end of a float 53 , The lower opening of the air outlet 36 assigned is a sealing element 54 on the lever 52 attached.

In the 5 On the top left is also a top view of the float 35 shown. As the figure can be seen, is the lever 52 by means of a sliding guide 55 on the housing 11 attached. In the embodiment shown, the sliding guide 55 as trapezoidal sliding guide 55 formed by means of which the lever 52 can adjust in height so that a secure seal the air outlet 36 with the sealing element 54 achieved and at the same time the desired water level in the air discharge section 17 can be adjusted.

The following is the operation of the aquarium filter 10 explained with reference to the figures. By means of the hose 19 enters contaminated with biological contaminants water, for example, from an aquarium through the water inlet 12 in the inlet section 14 , The incoming water initially flows against the baffle plate 20 and thereby becomes uniform in the inlet section 14 distributed, as indicated by arrows in the figure. The water then passes through the coarse filter 21 through, with coarse impurities are retained. Next, the roughly pre-filtered water flows under the dock 22 through into the air enrichment section 15 , In this are bubbles 46 from the vent 23 generated in finely divided form, the air pump 25 in which it is a membrane air pump 25 acts, by means of the air filter 26 filtered air to the vent 23 inflated. The air bubbles 46 climb through the grate 47 into the mixing element 28 on. There they go up in the individual channels. The separation by means of the grate and the individual channels in the mixing element 28 Prevents the formation of larger bubbles when lifting up the air bubbles. Since the upward movement of the air bubbles takes place parallel to the passage of the water, so effectively causing a release of the air bubbles and thus the air therein oxygen in the water. At the upper end of the mixing element 28 The water enriched with atmospheric oxygen thus passes over the overflow 30 on the drop plate 31 and is here evenly distributed evenly on the carrier material 32 herabgerieselt. The water then flows through the individual channels 43 the honeycomb filter ceramic 32 down. On the one hand, the water is already enriched with atmospheric oxygen. On the other hand, the honeycomb filter ceramic 32 essentially surrounded by air, so here at the jetties 42 attached microorganisms get a good nutrient supply from the trickling water on the one hand and a good oxygen supply from the trickling water and from the ambient air on the other hand.

At the lower end of the carrier material 32 the water largely freed from the biological contaminants then reaches the ceramic sponge 33 and separates as it passes from the excess portion of the air dissolved in the water. That from the ceramic sponge 33 emergent water passes under the dock 34 and the jetty 38 over, into the outlet section 18 as indicated by arrows. In the outlet section 18 the water flows upwards to the water outlet 13 and gets through the hose 39 in the water pump 40 , From there, the water is made by means of the water pump 40 through the hose 41 pumped back to the aquarium. The means of ceramic sponge 33 air separated from the water collects in the trickle section 16 and the air discharge section 17 at. If there is too much air accumulation in the air discharge section 17 The water level drops so far in that the float 53 which floats on the water, also drops. This is the lever 52 in the 5 counterclockwise around the axis 51 pivoted, the sealing element 54 the lower opening of the air outlet 36 releases. The excess air can thus through the air outlet 36 and the hose 37 from the air discharge section 17 escape and be discharged at a suitable location in the aquarium or elsewhere. With the escape of air, the water level in the air discharge section rises again, the float 53 with the water level rises while the lever 52 in the 5 around the axis 51 swings upwards in a clockwise direction. The sealing element closes 54 the lower opening of the air outlet 36 , so here by means of the float 35 a uniform water level and a continuous Luftabtransport in the required amount from the Luftabführungsabschnitt 17 is guaranteed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

aquarium filter

11

casing

12

water inlet

13

water outlet

14

inlet section

15

Air enriching section

16

Rieselabschnitt

17

Air discharge section

18

outlet

19

tube

20

flapper

21

coarse filter

22

web

23

vent

24

tube

25

air pump

26

air filter

27

bracket

28

mixing element

29

web

30

overflow

31

drop plate

32

support material

33

ceramic sponge

34

web

35

swimmer

36

air outlet

37

tube

38

web

39

tube

40

water pump

41

tube

42

web

43

channel

44

bracket

45

bracket

46

bubbles

47

rust

48

trough

49

opening

50

bracket

51

axis

52

lever

53

float

54

sealing element

55

sliding guide

Claims (8)

Apparatus for the degradation of pollutants in water with a housing ( 11 ), in which a carrier material for microorganisms is arranged, wherein the carrier material is a honeycomb filter ceramic ( 32 ), the honeycomb filter ceramic ( 32 ) in the flow direction through channels ( 43 ), the channels have a diameter of 0.3 to 2 millimeters, the honeycomb filter ceramic ( 32 ) a trickle section ( 16 ) for trickling down the water on the honeycomb filter ceramic ( 32 ), wherein the housing ( 11 ) is closed and a water inlet ( 12 ), a water outlet ( 13 ), an air inlet and an air outlet ( 36 ), characterized in that an air enrichment section ( 15 ) and an air discharge section ( 17 ) are provided and in an upper area an overflow ( 30 ) between the air enrichment section ( 15 ) and the trickle section ( 16 ), wherein the air inlet is an air distributor ( 23 ), which in the air enrichment section ( 15 ), the air enrichment section ( 15 ) a honeycomb filter ceramic formed mixing element ( 28 ), which is flowed through by an air-water mixture vertically upward, at the top of the mixing element ( 28 ) the water saturated with oxygen the Rieselabschnitt ( 28 ) over the overflow ( 30 ), and an air separator ( 33 ) at the end of the trickle section ( 16 ) for removing the air from the housing ( 11 ) is provided, wherein the air separator ( 33 ) a ceramic sponge ( 33 ), and the air outlet ( 36 ) a float switch ( 35 ), as well as with a sealing element ( 54 ), which is the lower opening of the air outlet ( 36 ) and a float ( 53 ), where too much air accumulation in the air discharge section ( 17 ) the water level in it and thus the float ( 53 ) and then the sealing element ( 54 ) the lower opening of the Lauftauslassers ( 36 ) releases. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels ( 43 ) have a diameter of 1 millimeter. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing element ( 28 ) has a plurality of mixing channels. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a drop plate ( 31 ) for distributing the water on the honeycomb filter ceramic ( 32 ). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the trickling section ( 16 ) with the water outlet ( 13 ) is in fluid communication in a lower region. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a water pump ( 40 ) the water outlet ( 13 ) assigned. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an air pump ( 25 ) is associated with the air inlet. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the air pump ( 25 ) an air filter ( 26 ) is connected upstream.

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