Cyclic aeration system for submerged membrane modules
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
- (a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
, (e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles;
(g) the valve set controller is operable to switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles of less than about 120 seconds in duration; and
(h) each aerator is associated with a distinct branch of the air delivery network and located adjacent to the aerators associated with a different distinct branch of the air delivery network.
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Abstract
An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate of air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
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(a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
,(e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles;
(g) the valve set controller is operable to switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles of less than about 120 seconds in duration; and
(h) each aerator is associated with a distinct branch of the air delivery network and located adjacent to the aerators associated with a different distinct branch of the air delivery network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
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(a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
,(e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles;
(g) the one or more aerators are conduit aerators covered by a resilient sleeve having slits corresponding to holes in the conduit aerators and the lower flow rate is sufficient to produce bubbles through the slits.
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15. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
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(a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
,(e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles;
(g) one or more valves of the valves set are associated with each distinct branch of the air delivery network such that opening the associated valve or valves for a distinct branch of the air delivery network allows air to flow into that distinct branch of the air delivery network;
(h) position sensors are fitted to the valves and the valve set controller and configured to receive signals from the position sensors; and
,(i) the valve or valves associated with a distinct branch of the air delivery network begin to either open or close, or both, automatically with or in response to the signal received from a position sensor fitted to a valve or valves associated with another distinct branch of the air delivery network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
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(a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
,(e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles;
(g) the valve set controller is operable to switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles of less than about 120 seconds in duration; and
(h) the time required to fully open or close the valve or valves associated with a distinct branch of the air delivery network is less than about 5 seconds. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An apparatus to aerate tank water in one or more tanks containing one or more immersed membrane modules comprising:
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(a) an air delivery network having a plurality of distinct branches;
(b) one or more aerators in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network and mountable below the membranes;
(c) an air supply to provide an initial air flow at an initial flow rate;
(d) one or more valves in a valve set in fluid communication with the air supply and having distinct outlets in fluid communication with the distinct branches of the air delivery network; and
,(e) a valve set controller to control the valves of the valve set;
wherein (f) the valve set controller automatically operates the valves to (i) split the initial air flow such that at least one of the distinct branches of air delivery network receives air at a higher flow rate and at least one other of the distinct branches of the air delivery network receives air at a lower flow rate, the lower flow rate being less than one half of the higher flow rate, and (ii) switch which branch or branches of the air delivery network receive air at the higher flow rate and the lower flow rate in repeated cycles of less than about 120 seconds in duration; and
,(g) the one or more aerators admit tank water when air is supplied at the lower flow rate.
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Specification