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Biochemical reactor with a lower divider support structure

  • US 9,809,791 B1
  • Filed: 03/23/2017
  • Issued: 11/07/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A biochemical reactor with a lower divider support structure, the biochemical reactor comprising:

  • a tank configured to house immobilized carriers and fluid, the tank having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the immobilized carriers including porous materials and live microorganisms immobilized on a surface of the porous materials, wherein the immobilized carriers are configured to remove one or more contaminants from the fluid;

    a circulation conduit at least partially disposed within the tank, the circulation conduit having a circulation inlet opening and a circulation outlet opening;

    one or more vanes disposed proximate to the circulation outlet opening, the one or more vanes configured to cause the immobilized carriers and the fluid exiting the circulation outlet opening to enter into a helical pattern as the immobilized carriers and the fluid recirculate through the tank;

    a tank recirculation port disposed proximate to the second end, the tank recirculation port configured such that fluid is drawn from the tank through the tank recirculation port;

    a tank inlet configured for feeding fluid into the tank;

    a tank outlet configured for drawing fluid from the tank, the tank outlet disposed proximate to the first end; and

    a first divider having a perforated area, the first divider including a disk shaped membrane mounted along an axis perpendicular to a central axis of the circulation conduit, the first divider being disposed between the circulation inlet opening and the tank outlet for separating fluid from the immobilized carriers, anda second divider having a perforated area, the second divider including a disk shaped membrane mounted along an axis perpendicular to the central axis of the circulation conduit, the second divider being disposed between the circulation outlet opening and the second end for separating fluid from the immobilized carriers, wherein the first divider perforated area provides fluid communication between the tank outlet and a tank recirculation area, the tank recirculation area including tank one or more regions between the first divider and the second divider, wherein the first divider is configured such that no immobilized carriers exit the tank via the tank outlet, wherein the second divider perforated area provides fluid communication between the tank recirculation port and the tank recirculation area, and wherein the second divider is configured such that no immobilized carriers exit the tank via the recirculation port;

    wherein at least the second divider comprises a support structure configured to withstand variable loads, the support structure including a grating disposed between the second divider and the second end, wherein the variable loads include one or more pressures excreted by fluid within the tank and the circulation conduit.

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