US 11,685,675 B2
Reduction of substances in contaminated fluids using a naturally occurring biological growth media
Jason Calhoun, Riner, VA (US)
Assigned to NUVODA LLC, Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed by NUVODA LLC, Raleigh, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 31, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/237,000.
Application 16/237,000 is a continuation of application No. 14/519,842, filed on Oct. 21, 2014, granted, now 10,189,730.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/894,232, filed on Oct. 22, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2019/0135666 A1, May 9, 2019
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C02F 3/08 (2006.01); C02F 3/34 (2006.01); C02F 3/12 (2006.01); C02F 101/32 (2006.01); C02F 1/28 (2006.01); C02F 3/10 (2023.01); C02F 103/22 (2006.01); C02F 3/04 (2023.01); C02F 103/00 (2006.01); C02F 103/32 (2006.01)
CPC C02F 3/08 (2013.01) [C02F 3/105 (2013.01); C02F 3/121 (2013.01); C02F 3/343 (2013.01); C02F 1/286 (2013.01); C02F 3/04 (2013.01); C02F 2101/32 (2013.01); C02F 2103/001 (2013.01); C02F 2103/22 (2013.01); C02F 2103/32 (2013.01); C02F 2203/004 (2013.01); C02F 2301/046 (2013.01); Y02W 10/10 (2015.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system to treat a fluid including one or more substances at a first concentration, the system comprising:
(a) an aerator including:
(i) at least one inlet connection to receive a portion of the fluid containing the one or more substances at the first concentration;
(ii) at least one inlet connection to receive a mixture that includes a portion of the fluid containing the one or more substances at the first concentration, a biological growth media and a microbial growth;
(iii) at least one inlet connection to receive an oxygen containing gas;
(iv) at least one gas dispersion system to disperse the oxygen containing gas into the mixture to aerobically stimulate the formation of biosludge that includes at least microbial growth and biological growth media through the physiological consumption of at least a portion of the one or more substances by at least a portion of the microbial growth within the aerator;
(v) at least one outlet connection to exhaust at least a portion of the fluid including some or all of the one or more substances at a second concentration, the second concentration being less than the first concentration; and
(vi) at least one outlet connection to exhaust a first portion of a biosludge blanket formed in the aerator, the first portion of the biosludge blanket being returned to the aerator via the at least one inlet connection to receive a mixture that includes a portion of the fluid containing the one or more substances at the first concentration, a biological growth media and a microbial growth; and
(b) a separator to apportion a remaining portion of the biosludge blanket formed in the aerator into a separated biological growth media-rich component comprising a biological component and at least 60 wt % biological growth media, the separator including:
(i) at least one inlet connection fluidly coupled to the aerator to receive the remaining portion of the biosludge blanket exhausted by the aerator;
(ii) at least one liquid/solid separations stage to apportion the remaining portion of the biosludge blanket into a fluid-rich portion and a biosludge-rich portion;
(iii) at least one solid/solid separations stage to apportion at least some of the biosludge-rich portion into the separated biological growth media-rich component and a microbial growth-rich biological component;
(iv) at least one discharge connection to exhaust the portion of the fluid-rich portion to the aerator;
(v) at least one discharge connection to exhaust the microbial growth-rich biological component from the system; and
(vi) at least one discharge connection to exhaust at least a portion of the separated biological growth media-rich component to the aerator.