WO2023061823A1

WO2023061823A1 - Modular reactor for the treatment of wastewater and/or process water

Info

Publication number: WO2023061823A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/077683
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harald Klein
Original assignee: Four-E Holding GMBH
Priority date: 2021-10-12
Filing date: 2022-10-05
Publication date: 2023-04-20
Also published as: DE102021126417A1

Abstract

A method for treating colloidal process water, wherein the process water has pollutants and/or suspended matter, said method comprising the following steps: arranging electrode plates between the process water, generating an electrical or electromagnetic field in the process water by applying a direct current and alternating current component to the electrode plates, and influencing the colloidal double layer of the pollutants and/or suspended matter by the field in order to achieve agglomeration, in particular coagulation, of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

Description

Modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water and a method for treating waste water and/or process water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the prior art to treat waste water and process water in such a way that the waste water and process water is suitable for direct or indirect discharge and the process water is suitable for reuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The elimination of phosphates in clarification processes and the increase in the dewaterability and dewatering speed of e.g. fermentation sludge by reducing the viscosity are typical problems in the treatment of waste water and process water.

Electrolysis is a method for treating waste water and process water. Here, a direct current is applied to metal plates and the waste and process water is exposed to an electrical voltage field. In this way, electrically charged particles can be extracted from the waste water and process water by being deposited on the metal plates. However, low-reaction ingredients such as phosphonates cannot be extracted from the waste water and process water. With current methods, it is only possible with great technical effort to separate organic and inorganic components from waste water and process water due to their mostly complex and diverse colloidal nature. To date, the organic and inorganic components have been precipitated and/or biologically degraded by using precipitating agents, eg polymers, and then separated off using suitable filtration measures, eg room or surface filtration. The typical problem with the use of precipitants, in addition to ecological concerns, is the diversity of the colloidal components, so that often only a part of the colloidal components can be grasped at all by a clever combination of precipitants for filtration/separation. Therefore, the resulting filtration residue generally still contains a high proportion of water, is difficult to condition, and the remaining solids not seized by the precipitating agent must be dried out of the thin phase, for example with considerable energy input under certain circumstances. In typical wastewater and process water, the organic and inorganic components are usually present in a variety of colloidal forms: Colloids are generally understood to mean microscopically heterogeneous systems, ie real dispersions in which solids (e.g. polymers) in the size range from 10 to 10000 nm in a homogeneous liquid matrix distributed.

One object of the invention is therefore to provide a method for treating waste water and process water in such a way that

1) through a suitable electromagnetic influence, consisting of a direct current and a high-frequency alternating current component, even low-reaction ingredients can be extracted from the waste water and process water.

2) through a suitable electromagnetic influence, consisting of a direct current and a high-frequency alternating current component, a partial elimination of the colloidal repulsion in the thin phase and thus good conditionability and greatly increased dewaterability is achieved.

As a first aspect of the invention, a method for the preparation of colloidal

Provided process water available, the process water has pollutants and / or suspended matter, comprising the steps of: arranging electrodes on the Process water, generating an electrical and/or electromagnetic field in the process water by applying a direct current and/or alternating current to the electrodes and influencing the colloidal double layer of the pollutants and/or suspended matter through the field in order to prevent agglomeration, in particular coagulation, of the pollutants - and/or to reach suspended matter.

As a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water using a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: a first reactor section having two opposed first electrode plates, a first outlet and a first inlet, whereby this reactor can be extended by further reactor sections, whereby the first reactor section can be connected to further reactor sections by means of a connection flange, so that the reactor comprises several reactor sections for the treatment of the waste water and/or process water in order to vary the type and duration of the treatment and/or can be operated in a series of several reactors in order to increase the flow rate of the waste water and/or process water per time and/or wherein the two opposite first electrode plates and/or the two opposite second electrode plates are arranged in a pressure vessel and/or , wherein the reactor generates a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals, which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical and/or electromagnetic field is formed between the electrode plates, wherein the switching off and/or process water is.

Exemplary embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, in which the electric and/or electromagnetic field generates an ionization of the process water by expanding the zeta potential and/or by electrophoresis.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, wherein harmonics are generated in the process water by the field.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, in which the electric and/or electromagnetic field influences the colloidal double layers of the pollutants and/or suspended matter, which are generated from oppositely charged ions or molecules that are separated and facing each other and are therefore electrically neutral to the outside, thereby increasing the binding and/or coagulation ability of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided in which an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics arise in the process water whose bandwidths range from the MHz range to the GHz range and/or wherein the electromagnetic field is in the range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, whereby the polarity of a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, to an even greater extent 40% to 60% of the waste and/or process water is changed, in a very special case the polarity of approximately half of the waste and/or process water being changed.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided in which the direct and alternating current component is in the range from 1.5 volts to 15 volts by a direct and alternating voltage.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, in which the electromagnetic field has a frequency in the range from 10.5 MHz to 12 MHz, as a result of which harmonics with a frequency from 10 MHz to 100 MHz result in the process water.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided whereby phosphorus-containing compounds are influenced to coagulate.

Harmonics in the range from 10 MHz to 100 MHz can very effectively cause phosphorus-containing compounds to agglomerate, in particular to coagulate or precipitate. To do this, the electromagnetic field, i.e. the alternating component of the field, must have a frequency of 10.5 MHz to 12 MHz in the process water give.

As a further aspect of the invention there is provided a modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water, comprising: a reactor section with two opposed electrode plates, an inlet and an outlet.

A plurality of reactor sections can also be arranged one after the other, i.e. in series, by means of a flange at the inlet and at the outlet of the respective reactor section. Due to the construction according to the invention, the type and duration of the treatment of the waste water and process water can be varied.

Advantageously, several reactor sections can be connected in series and/or in parallel for this purpose, in order to make the type and duration and the flow rate per time variable on the one hand.

As a further embodiment of the invention, a method for the treatment of colloidal process water is made available, the process water having pollutants and/or suspended matter, comprising the steps: arranging electrode plates between the process water, generating an electric or electromagnetic field in the process water Applying a DC and AC component to the electrode plates and influencing the colloidal double layer of the pollutants and/or suspended matter through the field in order to achieve agglomeration, in particular coagulation, of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

As a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water for applying a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: a first reactor section with: two opposite first electrode plates, a first outlet and a first inlet, this reactor can be expanded to include further reactor sections, with the first reactor section being able to be connected to other reactor sections by means of a connecting flange, so that the reactor comprises several stages of treatment of the waste water and/or process water in order to change the type and duration of the To vary treatment and / or operated in series of multiple reactors can be used to increase the flow rate of waste water and/or process water over time.

As yet another aspect of the invention, a method for treating waste water and/or process water for use in a reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is provided, comprising the steps of: generating an electric or electromagnetic field between the electrode plates, influencing the Waste and / or process water between the electrode plates by the electric or electromagnetic field, so that an attraction of the colloidal components of the waste and / or process water results from a change in polarity or change from apolar to polar and thus a change in colloidal electrostatic repulsion towards a colloidal attraction, resulting in flocculation and/or clumping and/or sedimentation of the colloidal components.

The method according to the invention uses electromagnetic waves to treat the waste water and process water. These arise from a direct current together with a high-frequency alternating current, which is introduced into the water to be treated or the process water via suitable electrode plates. The transport of the high-frequency wave components occurs through an increase in the conductivity of the liquid by means of the ionization energy introduced and the release of certain ions. Harmonics of the high-frequency wave components also arise in the liquid; this can be determined empirically using suitable spectral analysis devices. Based on the resulting spectral curves, these wavelengths are more strongly reflected in certain frequency bands and more strongly absorbed in others, depending on the liquid and the high-frequency wave components introduced. The application-technical hypothesis in the development of the application was that this is equivalent to the reflection or absorption of certain molecules or compounds and thus changes in their binding energy states. For this reason, the substance-specific mode of action is selective depending on the wave pattern and electrode material. As a result, chemical processes of the molecules or compounds of a selected group of substances can be promoted in a targeted and selective manner. These are, for example, intentional charge shifts in colloids in order to specifically increase or decrease certain binding affinities. The superposition principle is also used here, in which the superimposition of the emitted electromagnetic waves with those present in the liquid Waves physical and chemical effects are achieved. This creates desired resonances and dissonances in the existing molecules or compounds, which cause the desired effects in the material flow, such as targeted precipitation and/or changes in viscosity.

The method according to the invention has the following advantages in particular

• The useful life and/or quality of the wastewater and process water is improved through an optimized elimination of impurities / reaction products.

• The supply of substances for waste water treatment and the generation of waste products is reduced.

• The viscosity of colloidal to thinly sludgy suspensions is changed, which increases the filterability and dewatering of the resulting residues

• Raw materials can be recovered from waste and process water.

The inventive method leads to a solid separation from the fermentation residue thin phase as is required e.g. in NawaRo (renewable raw materials), organic waste, sewage sludge fermentation plants or in plants for food production. The process according to the invention leads to a change in viscosity and to a conversion of the thin phase from a rather oily state which cannot be filtered further to a state which is similar to water and can be conditioned and further filtered.

The method according to the invention can separate up to 95% of the process water from the fermentation residue and thus reduce the volume to be dried to up to 5% of the original volume.

Furthermore, the process and the device can also lower the phosphate concentration (PO4-P) in the thin phase of the fermentation residue and thereby greatly reduce the uncontrolled MAP formation and deposits that endanger machine and system components.

The method according to the invention can advantageously separate these components as far as possible from the process water in an economically and ecologically advantageous manner Achieve drying of the organic and inorganic components with greatly reduced volumes, and thereby also enable treatment of the remaining and largely depolluted waste water and process water in a classic clarification process, for example.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, wherein the two opposite first electrode plates and/or the two opposite second electrode plates are arranged in a pressure vessel.

Due to the arrangement of the electrode plates, the liquid to be cleaned, the waste water and process water, can be pressurized and a high flow rate can be achieved or the liquid can be cleaned more effectively.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, the reactor comprising a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical or electromagnetic field is formed between the electrode plates, with between the electrode plates is at least partially the waste water and/or process water.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available in which an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics arise in the reactor whose bandwidths can range from the MHz range to the GHz range.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, with the electrical or electromagnetic method polarizing a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, im still special dimensions 40% to 60% of the waste and / or process water is changed, in a very special case the polarity of about half of the waste and / or process water is changed. According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, the method being applied to colloidal molecules.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available in which the electric or electromagnetic field produces an ionization of the process water by expanding the zeta potential and/or by electrophoresis.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, with harmonics being generated in the process water as a result of the alternating component.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided wherein the electric or electromagnetic field affects the colloidal bilayers of pollutants and/or airborne particles created from oppositely charged ions or molecules that are separate and opposed to and therewith are electrically neutral to the outside, which increases the binding and/or coagulation ability of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided in which an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics arise in the process water whose bandwidths range from the MHz range to the GHz range and/or where the electromagnetic field is in the range of 100 kHz to 100 MHz.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, with the electrical or electromagnetic method polarizing a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, im still special dimensions 40% to 60% of the waste and / or process water is changed, in a very special case the polarity of about half of the waste and / or process water is changed.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a Method provided, wherein the direct and alternating current component is a direct and alternating voltage in the range of 1.5 volts to 15 volts.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is made available, wherein the two opposite first electrode plates and/or the two opposite second electrode plates 4 are arranged in a pressure vessel.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, the reactor generating a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical or electromagnetic field is formed between the electrode plates, wherein between the electrode plates is at least partially the waste water and/or process water.

An idea of the invention can be seen as providing an apparatus that transmits electrically amplified vibration signals or electromagnetic pulses from an electronic control unit to opposite electrode plates, for example consisting of an AlMg3 alloy according to EN AW-5754. This electrical or electromagnetic influence on the liquid between the electrode plates causes the colloidal components to be attracted to the liquid by (partially) changing their polarity or polarity.

Change from apolar to polar. In a further step, this successively leads to a change from the colloidally acting electrostatic repulsion to a colloidally acting attraction and thus to flocculation, clumping and sedimentation of the colloidal components.

The individual features can, of course, also be combined with one another, which in some cases can also result in beneficial effects that go beyond the sum of the individual effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention are based on in the Drawings illustrated embodiments clearly. Show it:

1 shows a reactor according to the invention with three reactor sections 6 in a side view,

Fig. 2 shows the same reactor in a front view with the electrode plates 4 of the reactor section 6 and the respective alternating polarity electrode connections 7 and 9,

3 shows a single-stage reactor in a lateral partial sectional view,

4 the same single-stage reactor in a longitudinal sectional view,

5 shows the same single-stage reactor in a front view with connecting cables 8 from the electrode connections 7 and 9 to the respective alternately poled electrode plates 4,

6 the same reactor in a view from above with the outlet 1 and the connecting flange 5,

7 shows the outlet 1 in a side view,

8 shows the same outlet 1 in a perspective view,

9 shows a reactor according to the invention with a pressure vessel 10 and respective alternatingly polarized electrode connections 7 and 9 to the alternatingly polarized electrode plates 4,

10 the same reactor in a longitudinal sectional view,

11 the same reactor in a cross-sectional view,

12 shows a suspension or emulsion medium before treatment with like-polarized negative molecules that repel each other. A desired clumping is thereby excluded, Fig. 13 differently polarized molecules that attract each other and thus lead to clumping,

Fig. 14 The treatment can produce electrically neutral molecules, which allows for more clumping compared to molecules with the same polarity,

15 shows a suspension or emulsion medium before treatment with like-polarized positive molecules which repel each other. A desired clumping is thereby excluded,

Fig. 16 Differently polarized molecules that attract each other due to the treatment

17 after the treatment, neutral molecules which do not actively counteract clumping with polarized molecules.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a three-stage reactor with a funnel-shaped outlet 1 and inlet 2, a first reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4, a further reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4 and a third reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4. The electrode plates 4 can in particular be made of AlMg3 consist.

The electrode plates 4 serve to apply electrical vibration signals to the reactor contents. The electrode plates 4 can consist in particular of AlMg3. This electromagnetic influencing of the liquid within the reactor results in repulsion of the colloidal components by an at least partial change in their polarity or change from apolar to polar. In a further step, the colloidally acting electrostatic repulsion becomes a colloidally acting attraction. This results in flocculation, clumping and sedimentation of the colloidal components.

2 shows a reactor made up of three reactor sections 6, one reactor section 6 consisting of two opposing electrode plates 4 of opposite polarity on their end faces End caps 3 are attached. Individual reactor sections 6 are connected to connection flanges 5 . In this way, several reactor sections 6 can be connected in series as stages of processing.

Fig. 3 shows a reactor with a reactor section 6 with opposing electrode plates 4 and a funnel-shaped outlet 1 and a funnel-shaped inlet 2.

Fig. 4 shows the same reactor in a longitudinal section with only one reactor section 6 and opposite electrode plates 4.

Fig. 5 shows the same reactor with the funnel-shaped outlet 1 and the funnel-shaped inlet 2 in a longitudinal section.

FIG. 6 shows the same reactor of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 in a plan view with the connecting flange 5 of the funnel-shaped inlet or outlet from above.

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 show a flat, cuboid reactor with an almost resistance-free flow space. This reactor is used to treat fibrous liquids. Due to its geometry, this type of reactor has only a low pressure stability and is used for the treatment of fibrous liquids at almost atmospheric pressure.

7 shows an outlet 1 in a side view.

Fig. 8 shows the same outlet 1 in a perspective view with a connecting flange 5.

FIG. 9 shows a reactor for processes for separating pollutants from waste water and process water, which take place under pressure. These processes take place under, for example, double or triple atmospheric pressure.

Fig. 10 shows a longitudinal section through a reactor with a pressure vessel 10, wherein inside the reactor electrode plates 4 are arranged such that alternate polarized electrode plates.

FIG. 11 shows a cross section through a reactor with a pressure vessel 10 with the alternately poled electrode plates.

The reactor with pressure housing 10 can be used for pressurized liquids with fibrous components less than 1 mm in length and for pressurized liquids without fibrous components. Inside the tubular reactor there are several electrode plates arranged as a sandwich (electrode package) around which the liquid to be treated flows completely. The electrode plates are alternately electrically connected to the alternately polarized electrode connections and transmit the electrically amplified vibration signals coming from the electronic control unit into the liquid to be treated. The strength and characteristics of the electrically amplified vibration signals are selected in such a way that they influence and thus partially change the electromagnetic interaction acting in the liquid and thus change the properties of the liquid or certain components/ingredients of the liquid.

Advantageously, the reactor according to the invention can be used in modules. This can influence the degree of cleaning of the waste water and process water. In addition, reactors can be connected in parallel to increase the flow rate.

The device according to the invention and the method for this achieve a reduction in the viscosity of the starting substrate after fermentation to a fermentation residue as sediment in an aqueous environment (process water separation). In addition, precipitation in the sense of coagulation of colloidally present molecules in a separable form is achieved by reducing the electromagnetic repulsion of the colloidal components. A further advantage of the invention is that the concentration of PO4-P in the digestate/waste water/process water can be reduced by sedimentation to prevent uncontrolled MAP formation and deposits in later process steps. 12 shows an illustration of an initial situation in which colloidal molecules 11 with a negative charge are present. Due to the same polarity, the molecules 11 repel each other and clumping does not take place.

Fig. 13 shows a situation after the application of the method according to the invention, as a result of which a part of the colloidal molecules 12 have an opposite polarity, as a result of which the molecules 11 and 12 attract and clumping occurs.

14 shows a situation in which a molecule 13 has become neutral as a result of the method according to the invention, so that at least there is no repulsion between the colloidal molecules 11 and 13 .

15 shows colloidal molecules 14 with a positive charge, as a result of which the molecules 14 repel and thus form a suspension or emulsion.

FIG. 16 shows a colloidal molecule 15 that has had its polarity changed by the method of the present invention. As a result, the molecules 14 and 15 can connect and segregation takes place.

Fig. 17 shows a colloidal molecule 13 which has become electrically neutral by the method of the invention. This allows the molecules 13 and 14 to agglomerate.

The polarity of colloidal emulsions or suspensions, which mostly contain positively charged colloidal molecules, as is usual with organic molecules, can be influenced by the method according to the invention. The same applies to colloidal emulsions or suspensions with predominantly negatively charged molecules. The method according to the invention leads to a statistically significant division of the molecules into oppositely charged molecules. In addition, the electromagnetic effects of the process can also lead to electrical neutrality of some of the molecules.

The effect of the method is set in such a way that such an effect changes depending on the present liquid adjusts and the molecules pass from a solution into a suspension. As a result, the colloidal molecules can be more easily conditioned by polymer chains and can be more easily precipitated by the surrounding water (H2O) as the solvent of the suspension and thus separated.

The device according to the invention consists of an electronic control unit and a reactor through which the liquid to be treated flows. Inside the reactor there are pairs of opposite electrode plates arranged along the direction of flow, similar to capacitors. The control unit generates electrically amplified vibration signals in the high-frequency range and transmits them to the electrode plates in the reactor. The substances formed are separated either directly at the reactor outlet or in downstream reaction vessels.

The method according to the invention is characterized by the nature of the reactors and the electrode plates, the applied frequency pattern, the voltage levels, the current flow and the flow rate.

The electrode plates within the reactor are flushed by the waste water in a continuous process and expose the waste water to the electromagnetic pulses of the device according to the invention.

The process according to the invention is also particularly suitable for separating phosphate and phosphonates.

The method according to the invention advantageously leads to a reduction in trace substances, for example the human estrogens 17β-estradiol and estrone, after treatment by sedimentation of these trace substances. In an alternative embodiment, the trace substances separated by the process can be removed from the waste water by filtration.

The precipitated phosphorus compounds can also be separated from the treated water or waste water by suitable room or surface filtration, or other suitable separation techniques, for example by decanters. Advantageously, the process according to the invention can be used to change the viscosity, in particular to reduce it in colloidal to thin sludge suspensions, which makes it possible to significantly increase the ability to be conditioned and dewatered while at the same time reducing impurities such as phosphorus.

The process according to the invention converts an oily suspension characterized by colloidal rejection and very poor conditioning and dewatering properties into a water-like state which can then be easily conditioned and dewatered.

In the method according to the invention, the suspension flows through a reactor, the method having the effect that the colloidal repulsion is eliminated and clumping of the colloids occurs. This gives the structureless thin phase a structure, which means that conditioning agents have a significantly better grip and the dewaterability is significantly increased.

The advantages of the inventive method cannot be achieved with the known methods or can only be achieved with high energy and technical expenditure. Despite a coarse separation in the thin phase, known processes require that colloidal organic and inorganic components be separated by massive addition of e.g. conditioning agents and subsequent solid-liquid separation. Due to its poor dewaterability, the resulting sludge has a high water content and cannot be layered. In order to achieve stratification and storability of the sludge, the high proportion of water has to be dried out using considerable energy.

In contrast to this, the method according to the invention can be economically and ecologically advantageous for the organic and the inorganic components to be largely separated from the process water. As a result, an energetically favorable drying of the organic and inorganic components with greatly reduced volumes is achieved and a simple treatment of the remaining and to a large extent depolluted process water is made possible in a classic clarification process, for example. By combining the inventive method with the known methods, up to 95% of the process water can be separated from the suspension and thus the volume to be dried can be reduced to up to 5% of the Original volume can be reduced.

Advantageously, the process according to the invention reduces the concentration of interfering substances, e.g. phosphate (PO4-P), in the suspension by about 90%, which greatly reduces the uncontrolled and plant-endangering formation of deposits, e.g. MAP. A further advantage can be seen in the fact that a low residue concentration is achieved, which reduces the number of further process steps required or the (re)loading of an integrated purification system, for example.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, a flat reactor is used, which enables low resistance in the direction of flow and at the same time high tolerance to solids-laden or fibrous suspensions.

The reactors are controlled via an electronic control cabinet. Electronic control is essential to achieve the effect of electromagnetic waves at the molecular level. In order to set the control as optimally as possible, it is computer-controlled.

The method according to the invention utilizes the molecular resonances in the liquids to be treated and does not require any additional chemicals for this. The chemicals typically used in the downstream process steps, such as conditioning agents, can also be significantly reduced by the process.

It is noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, just as the terms "a" and "an" do not exclude multiple elements and steps.

The reference numbers used are for convenience only and should not be taken as limiting in any way, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims. LIST OF REFERENCE MARKS

1 funnel-shaped outlet

2 funnel-shaped inlet

3 end cap

4 electrode plate

5 connection flange

6 reactor section

7 electrode connector

8 connection cables between

electrode connection and

electrode plates

9 Electrode connector

10 pressure vessels

The elimination of phosphates in clarification processes and the increase in the dewaterability of fermentation sludge by reducing the viscosity are typical problems in the treatment of waste water and process water.

Electrolysis is a method for treating waste water and process water. Here, a direct current is applied to metal plates and the waste and process water is exposed to an electrical voltage field. Electrically charged particles can thus be extracted from the waste and process water by being deposited on the metal plates. However, electrically neutral substances such as phosphates cannot be extracted from the waste water and process water.

With current methods, it is only possible with great technical effort to separate organic and inorganic components from waste water and process water. So far, the organic and inorganic components have been precipitated and/or biologically degraded by using precipitating agents and then separated using suitable filtration measures, e.g. room or surface filtration. The resulting filtration residue generally contains a high proportion of water, is difficult to condition and the solids must be dried out of the thin phase, e.g. using a considerable amount of energy.

1) Electrolysis can also be used to extract electrically neutral substances from the waste water and process water.

2) by electrolysis, a partial elimination of the colloidal repulsion in the thin phase and thus good conditionability and greatly increased dewaterability are achieved.

As a first embodiment of the invention, a modular reactor for the treatment of waste and/or process water provided, comprising: a first reactor section having: two opposing first electrode plates, a first inlet and a first outlet, and a second reactor section having: two opposing second electrode plates, a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the the first outlet can be connected to the second inlet, so that the reactor comprises two stages of treatment of the waste water and/or process water and/or wherein the first inlet can be connected to the second inlet in order to increase the flow rate of the waste water and process water per time .

Due to the structure according to the invention, the degree of purification of the waste water and process water and the flow rate can be made variable. Advantageously, several sections of the reactor can be connected in series or in parallel for this purpose.

As a second embodiment of the invention, a method for treating waste water and/or process water for use in a reactor according to one of claims 1 to 9 is provided, comprising the steps of: generating an electric or electromagnetic field between the electrode plates, influencing the waste and/or process water between the electrode plates by the electrical or electromagnetic field, so that the colloidal, organic components of the waste water and/or process water are repelled by a change in polarity or change from apolar to polar and a change in the colloidally acting electrostatic Repulsion towards a colloidal attraction, resulting in flocculation and/or clumping and/or sedimentation of the organic components.

The method according to the invention uses electromagnetic waves to treat the waste water and process water. Here, the principle of superposition is applied, in which physical and chemical effects are achieved by superimposing the emitted electromagnetic waves with the waves present in the liquid. This creates desired resonances and dissonances in the existing atomic and/or molecular compounds, which lead to a shift in the electromagnetic configuration of the compounds to be influenced, which is based on electromagnetic interaction, and thus produce the desired effects in the material flow, e.g. targeted precipitation and/or changes in viscosity.

The method according to the invention has the following advantages in particular • The useful life and/or quality of the wastewater and process water is improved through an optimized elimination of impurities / reaction products.

• Raw materials can be recovered from waste and process water.

The inventive method leads to a solid separation from the fermentation residue thin phase as is required, for example, in NawaRo, organic waste or sewage sludge fermentation plants. The process according to the invention leads to a change in viscosity and to a conversion of the thin phase from a rather oily state which cannot be further filtered to a state which is similar to water and can be conditioned and further filtered.

Furthermore, the method and the device can also lower the phosphate concentration (PO4-P) in the thin phase of the fermentation residue and thereby greatly reduce the uncontrolled MAP formation and deposits that endanger machine and plant components.

The method according to the invention can economically and ecologically advantageously separate these components from the process water as far as possible and thus achieve drying of the organic and inorganic components with greatly reduced volumes, as well as treatment of the remaining and largely depolluted waste water and process water in e.g. enable a classic clarification process.

Exemplary embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

Due to the arrangement of the electrode plates, the liquid to be cleaned, the drain and Process water, are pressurized, and thus a high flow rate can be achieved or the liquid can be cleaned more effectively.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, the reactor generating a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical or electromagnetic field is formed between the electrode plates, with between the electrode plates is at least partially the waste water and/or process water.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available in which an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics are produced in the reactor, the bandwidths of which range from the MHz range to the GHz range.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, with the electrical or electromagnetic method polarizing a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, im still special dimensions 40% to 60% of the waste and / or process water is changed, in a very special case the polarity of about half of the waste and / or process water is changed.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, the method being applied to organic molecules.

According to a particularly exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, in which an electromagnetic field in the range of 10.5 MHz to 12 MHz is generated in such a way that harmonics are produced in the process water, the bandwidth of which ranges from 10 MHz to 100 MHz and/or influenced to a particular extent phosphorus-containing compounds, to an even greater extent these substances can be coagulated particularly quickly.

An idea of the invention can be seen as providing an apparatus which transmits electrically amplified vibration signals or electromagnetic pulses from an electronic control unit to opposite electrode plates, for example made of AlMg3. This electrical or electromagnetic influence on the liquid between the electrode plates causes the liquid to repel the colloidal organics Components by (partly) changing their polarity or changing from apolar to polar. In a further step, this successively leads to a change from the colloidally acting electrostatic repulsion to a colloidally acting attraction and thus to flocculation, clumping and sedimentation of the colloidal components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details and advantages of the invention become clear from the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Show it:

2 the same reactor in a front view with the electrode plates 4 and the reactor sections 6,

3 shows a single-stage reactor in a lateral partial sectional view,

4 the same single-stage reactor in a longitudinal sectional view,

5 the same single-stage reactor in a front view,

7 shows the outlet 1 in a side view,

8 shows the same outlet 1 in a perspective view,

9 shows a reactor according to the invention with a pressure vessel 10,

10 the same reactor in a longitudinal sectional view, 11 the same reactor in a cross-sectional view,

12 shows a suspension or emulsion medium before treatment with like-polarized negative molecules that repel each other. A desired clumping is thereby excluded,

Fig. 13 differently polarized molecules that attract each other and thus lead to clumping,

Fig. 1 shows a three-stage reactor with a funnel-shaped outlet 1, a first reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4, a further reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4 and a third reactor section 6 with opposite electrode plates 4. The electrode plates 4 can in particular consist of AlMg3.

The electrode plates 4 serve to apply electrical vibration signals to the reactor contents. The electrode plates 4 can consist in particular of AlMg3. This electromagnetic influencing of the liquid within the reactor results in repulsion of the colloidal, organic components by an at least partial change in their polarity or change from apolar to polar. In a further step, the colloidally acting electrostatic repulsion becomes a colloidally acting attraction. This results in flocculation, clumping and sedimentation of the colloidal components. Fig. 2 shows a reactor made of three reactor sections 6, a section 6 of the reactor consisting of two opposing electrode plates 4, on the end faces of which end caps 3 are arranged. Individual sections 6 of the reactor are connected by means of the connection flanges 5 . In this way, a plurality of reactor sections 6 can be connected in series as processing stages.

FIG. 6 shows the same reactor of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 in a plan view with the connecting flange 5 of the funnel-shaped outlet 1 from above.

Fig. 7 shows an inlet 1 in a side view with a connecting flange 5.

8 shows the same inlet 1 in a perspective view.

10 shows a longitudinal section through a reactor with a pressure vessel 10, electrode plates 4 being arranged inside the reactor in such a way that alternately polarized electrode plates alternate. FIG. 11 shows a cross section through a reactor with a pressure vessel 10 with the alternately poled electrode plates.

The reactor with pressure housing 10 can be used for pressurized liquids with fibrous components less than 1 mm in length and for pressurized liquids without fibrous components. Inside the tubular reactor there are several electrode plates arranged as a sandwich (electrode package) around which the liquid to be treated flows completely. The electrode plates are electrically connected alternately to a positive or negative pole and transmit the electrically amplified vibration signals coming from the electronic control unit into the liquid to be treated. The strength and characteristics of the electrically amplified vibration signals are selected in such a way that they influence and thus partially change the electromagnetic interaction acting in the liquid and thus change the properties of the liquid or certain components/ingredients of the liquid.

The device according to the invention and the method for this achieve a reduction in the viscosity of the starting substrate after fermentation to a fermentation residue as sediment in an aqueous environment (process water separation). In addition, failures i.S. of coagulating colloidal organics in a separable form by reducing the electromagnetic repulsion of the organic colloidal components. A further advantage of the invention is that a reduction in the concentration of PO4-P in the digestate/waste water/process water by sedimentation to prevent uncontrolled MAP formation and deposits in later process steps.

FIG. 12 shows a representation of an initial situation in which colloidal, ie organic, molecules 11 with a negative charge are present. Due to the same polarity, the molecules 11 repel each other and clumping does not take place.

Fig. 13 shows a situation after the application of the method according to the invention, whereby a

Part of the colloidal molecules 12 have an opposite polarity, whereby the Molecules 11 and 12 attract and clumping occurs.

The polarity of colloidal emulsions or suspensions, in which mostly positively charged colloidal, ie organic, molecules are present, can be influenced by the method according to the invention. The same applies to colloidal emulsions or suspensions with predominantly negatively charged molecules. The method according to the invention leads to a statistically significant division of the molecules into positively and negatively charged molecules. In addition, the electromagnetic effect of the process can lead to electrical neutrality of some of the molecules.

The effect of the method is set in such a way that such an effect occurs depending on the liquid present and the molecules change from a solution to a suspension. As a result, the organically present molecules can be more easily conditioned by polymer chains and can be more easily precipitated and thus separated by the surrounding water (H2O) as the solvent of the suspension.

The device according to the invention consists of an electronic control unit and a reactor through which the liquid to be treated flows. Inside the reactor there are pairs of opposite electrode plates arranged along the direction of flow, similar to capacitors. The control unit generates electrically amplified vibration signals in the high-frequency range and transmits them to the electrode plates in the reactor. The Separation of the substances formed happens either directly at the reactor outlet or in downstream reaction vessels.

The electrode plates inside the reactor are flushed by the waste water in a continuous process and expose the waste water to the electromagnetic pulses of the device according to the invention.

The method according to the invention advantageously leads to a reduction

Of trace substances, for example the human estrogens 17ß-estradiol and estrone, after treatment by sedimentation of these trace substances. In an alternative embodiment, the trace substances separated by the process can be removed from the waste water by filtration.

The precipitated phosphorus compounds can also be separated from the treated water or waste water by suitable room or surface filtration, or other suitable separation techniques, for example by decanters.

Advantageously, the process according to the invention can be used to change the viscosity, in particular to reduce it in colloidal to thin sludge suspensions, which makes it possible to significantly increase the ability to be conditioned and dewatered while at the same time reducing impurities such as phosphorus.

The process according to the invention converts an oily suspension characterized by colloidal repulsion and very poor conditioning and dewatering properties into a water-like state which can then be easily conditioned and dewatered.

In the process according to the invention, the suspension flows through a reactor, with the

Procedure results in the colloidal repulsion being reversed and clumping of the colloids occurs. This gives the structureless thin phase a structure, which means that conditioning agents have a significantly better grip and the dewaterability is significantly increased.

In contrast to this, the method according to the invention can be economically and ecologically advantageous for the organic and the inorganic components to be largely separated from the process water. As a result, an energetically favorable drying of the organic and inorganic components with greatly reduced volumes is achieved and a simple treatment of the remaining and largely depolluted process water is made possible in a classic clarification process, for example. By combining the inventive method with the known methods, up to 95% of the process water can be separated from the suspension and the volume to be dried can thus be reduced to up to 5% of the original volume.

Advantageously, the process according to the invention reduces interfering substance concentrations, e.g. phosphate (PO4-P), in the suspension by about 90%, which greatly reduces the uncontrolled and plant-endangering formation of deposits, e.g. MAP. A further advantage can be seen in the fact that a low residue concentration is achieved, which reduces the number of further process steps required or the (re)loading of an integrated purification system, for example.

The reactors are controlled via an electronic control cabinet. The electronic control is essential for achieving the effect of the electromagnetic waves on molecular level. In order to adjust the control as optimally as possible, it is computer-controlled and the systems are optimally adapted to the properties of the suspension at all times using artificial intelligence.

The reference numbers used are for convenience only and should not be taken as limiting in any way, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims.

In the drawings, a funnel-shaped outlet and inlet 1, 2, an end plate 3, an electrode plate 4, a connection flange 5, a reactor section 6, a connection to an electrode 7, 9 and a pressure vessel 10 are shown.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provided a modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water, comprising: a first reactor section 6 with: two opposite first electrode plates 4, a first outlet 1 and a first inlet 2 and a second reactor outlet Section 6 with: two opposing second electrode plates 4, a second outlet 1 and a second inlet 2, wherein the first outlet 1 can be connected to the second inlet 2, so that the reactor comprises two reactor sections 6 for the treatment of waste water and/or process water and /or wherein the first outlet 1 can be connected to the second inlet 2 in order to increase the flow rate of the waste water and/or process water per time.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, wherein the two opposite first electrode plates 4 and/or the two opposite second electrode plates 4 are arranged in a pressure vessel 10 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a reactor is provided, the reactor generating a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical or electromagnetic field is formed between the electrode plates, with between the electrode plates is at least partially the waste water and/or process water.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for treating waste water and/or process water for use in a reactor according to one of the preceding descriptions is made available, comprising the steps: generating an electric or electromagnetic field between the electrode plates, influencing the waste and /or process water between the electrode plates by the electric or electromagnetic field, so that the colloidal, organic components of the waste and/or process water are repelled by a change in polarity or change from apolar to polar and a change in the colloidally acting electrostatic repulsion to a colloidal attraction, resulting in flocculation and/or clumping and/or sedimentation and/or suspension of the organic components.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided in which an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics arise in the reactor whose bandwidths can range from the MHz range to the GHz range.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is made available, whereby the poling of a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, is still possible by the electrical or the electromagnetic method special dimensions 40% to 60% of the waste and / or process water is changed, in a very special case the polarity of about half of the waste and / or process water is changed.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided, wherein the method is applied to organic molecules.

Claims

- 33 - CLAIMS

1. A method for treating colloidal process water, the process water having pollutants and/or suspended matter, comprising the steps:

placing electrodes on the process water,

Generating an electric and/or electromagnetic field in the process water by applying a direct current and/or alternating current to the electrodes and

Influencing the colloidal double layer of the pollutants and/or suspended matter by the field in order to achieve agglomeration, in particular coagulation, of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an ionization of the process water is generated by the electric and/or electromagnetic field by expansion of the zeta potential and/or by electrophoresis.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein harmonics are generated in the process water by the field.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric and/or electromagnetic field influences the colloidal bilayers of the pollutants and/or suspended matter, which are generated from oppositely charged ions or molecules, which are separated and face each other and thus to the outside are electrically neutral, which increases the binding and/or coagulation ability of the pollutants and/or suspended matter.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an electromagnetic field in the MHz range is generated in such a way that harmonics arise in the process water whose bandwidths range from the MHz range to the GHz range and / or wherein the electromagnetic field in the range from 100 kHz to 100 MHz.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the polarity of a percentage of 10% to 90%, in particular 20% to 80%, in particular 30% to 70%, in even greater proportions by the electrical and / or the electromagnetic method 40% to 60% of the waste and / or process water is changed, in a very special case - 34 -

Polarity of about half of the waste and / or process water is changed.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the direct and alternating current component is in the range of 1.5 volts to 15 volts by a direct and alternating voltage.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electromagnetic field has a frequency in the range of 10.5 MHz to 12 MHz, resulting in the process water harmonics with a frequency of 10 MHz to 100 MHz.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein phosphorus-containing compounds are influenced to coagulate.

10. Modular reactor for treating waste water and/or process water for applying a method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a first reactor section (6) with: two opposite first electrode plates (4), a first outlet (1) and a first inlet (2), where this reactor can be expanded to include further reactor sections, with the first reactor section being able to be connected to other reactor sections by means of a connecting flange (5), so that the reactor comprises a plurality of reactor sections (6) for treating the waste water and/or process water To vary the type and duration of the treatment and / or can be operated in series of several reactors to increase the flow rate of waste and / or process water per time and / or wherein the two opposing first electrode plates (4) and / or the two opposing second electrode plates (4) are arranged in a pressure vessel (10) and/or, the reactor generating a control unit for generating electrical and/or electromagnetic signals which are applied to the electrode plates in such a way that an electrical and /or forms an electromagnetic field, with the waste water and/or process water being at least partially between the electrode plates.