Apparatus for purifying a liquid effluent containing pollutants
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the purification of liquid effluent containing pollutants, particularly metals and/or radionuclides, the apparatus comprising:
- a confinement enclosure for receiving cells of microorganisms able to trap the pollutants;
means for introducing the effluent to be treated into said enclosure;
means for circulating said effluent through said enclosure; and
means for sampling the treated, liquid effluent and means for sampling the pollutants;
wherein;
the micro-organism cells are living photosynthetic cells immobilized on a support which at least partly occupies an interior of the enclosure and is traversed by the effluent to be treated, the enclosure comprising walls such that the walls of the enclosure and the support of the cells are made from a material which is transparent to light rays;
the apparatus further comprising;
means for introducing CO2 into the enclosure;
means for introducing and means for circulating a liquid nutrient culture medium through said support, the circulating means for the effluent and the circulating means for the culture medium incorporating an injector connected to an air reservoir and to a CO2 reservoir and permitting an injection of air bubbles containing CO2 into a lower part of the enclosure; and
connected in series, a sensor for measuring a pH within a confinement enclosure, a pH analyzer, a pH regulator and a valve acting on the CO2 reservoir, so as to control a release of CO2 within said enclosure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for the purification of a liquid effluent containing pollutants, particularly metals and/or radionuclides, as well as to a process for purifying the effluent.
An object of the invention is to provide a continuously functioning purifying apparatus.
This object is achieved with the aid of an apparatus incorporating a confinement enclosure containing a support in which are immobilized living cells of photosynthetic microorganisms. The support is made from a material transparent to light rays. The apparatus also incorporates a mechanism for introducing and circulating the effluent to be treated and a culture medium within the enclosure.
68 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the purification of liquid effluent containing pollutants, particularly metals and/or radionuclides, the apparatus comprising:
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a confinement enclosure for receiving cells of microorganisms able to trap the pollutants; means for introducing the effluent to be treated into said enclosure; means for circulating said effluent through said enclosure; and means for sampling the treated, liquid effluent and means for sampling the pollutants; wherein; the micro-organism cells are living photosynthetic cells immobilized on a support which at least partly occupies an interior of the enclosure and is traversed by the effluent to be treated, the enclosure comprising walls such that the walls of the enclosure and the support of the cells are made from a material which is transparent to light rays; the apparatus further comprising; means for introducing CO2 into the enclosure; means for introducing and means for circulating a liquid nutrient culture medium through said support, the circulating means for the effluent and the circulating means for the culture medium incorporating an injector connected to an air reservoir and to a CO2 reservoir and permitting an injection of air bubbles containing CO2 into a lower part of the enclosure; and connected in series, a sensor for measuring a pH within a confinement enclosure, a pH analyzer, a pH regulator and a valve acting on the CO2 reservoir, so as to control a release of CO2 within said enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification