초록 ▼

A system and method for removing contaminants from water that has a relatively low oxygen content with naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, ferrous iron, manganese, sulfide, and other contaminants. The system comprises an oxygenation vessel for oxygenating the water and a filtration vessel

A system and method for removing contaminants from water that has a relatively low oxygen content with naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, ferrous iron, manganese, sulfide, and other contaminants. The system comprises an oxygenation vessel for oxygenating the water and a filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water. The chemoautotrophic bacteria propagate in the presence of the oxygenated water and deposit certain of the contaminants on the bio-filtration media as by-products. The contaminants are also precipitated in the presence of the oxygenated water and settle on the bio-filtration media in at least the filtration vessel. A secondary filtration stage can further remove contaminants from the water that were not sufficiently removed by the first filtration stage.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the

1. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andwherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include Thiobacillus ferrooxidans , the water is oxygenated by exposing the water to air and turbulence in an oxygenation vessel, the oxygenation vessel includes a housing with bio-filtration media to thereby create the turbulence in the water, and the bio-filtration media includes a plurality of bio-media balls, at least one having a plurality of axially extending pins positioned on concentric rings. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 3. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 6. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising infusing bacteria into water before oxygenating the water. 7. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andwherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include Thiobacillus ferrooxidans , the water is oxygenated by exposing the water to air and turbulence in an oxygenation vessel, the oxygenation vessel includes a housing with bio-filtration media to thereby create the turbulence in the water, and forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 8. A method according to 7 , wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 9. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising a removable basket positioned in the at least one chamber and housing the bio-filtration media. 10. A method according to claim 7, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 12. A method according to claim 7, and further comprising infusing bacteria into the water before oxygenating the water. 13. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the wate r having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andwherein the water is oxygenated by exposing the water to air and turbulence in an oxygenation vessel, the oxygenation vessel includes a housing with bio-filtration media to thereby create the turbulence in the water, and the bio-filtration media includes a plurality of bio-media balls, at least one having a plurality of axially extending pins positioned on concentric rings. 14. A method according to claim 13, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 16. A method according to claim 13, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 17. A method according to claim 13, and further comprising a removable basket positioned in the at least one chamber and housing the bio-filtration media. 18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 20. A method according to claim 13, and further comprising infusing bacteria into the water before oxygenating the water. 21. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andwherein the filtration vessel comprises at least one weir dividing the filtration vessel into a plurality of chambers, with the bio-filtration media located in at least one of the chambers. 22. A method according to claim 21, and further comprising a removable basket positioned in the at least one chamber and housing the bio-filtration media. 23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 24. A method according to claim 21, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 27. A method according to claim 21, and further comprising infusing bacteria into the water before oxygenating the water. 28. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andinfusing bacteria into the water before oxygenating the water; andinjecting an oxidant into the water to thereby kill the bacteria after the removing the water from die filtration vessel. 29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 30. A method according to claim 28, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 31. A method according to claim 28, and further comprising a removable basket positioned in the at least one chamber and housing the bio-filtration media. 32. A method according to claim 28, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 34. A method for removing contaminants from water with a relatively low oxygen content, the water having naturally occurring chemoautotrophic bacteria, and at least one of ferrous iron and sulfide, the method comprising:oxygenating the water;directing the oxygenated water to a filtration vessel, the filtration vessel having bio-filtration media with surfaces that are exposed to the oxygenated water;propagating the chemoautotrophic bacteria in the presence of the oxygenated water and at least one of the ferrous iron and sulfide;depositing at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate on the bio-filtration media as a by-product of the chemoautotrophic bacteria;precipitating at least one of ferric iron and iron sulfate in the presence of the oxygenated water;removing the water from the filtration vessel; andinjecting an oxidant into the water to thereby kill the bacteria after the removing the water from the filtration vessel. 35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the chemoautotrophic bacteria include at least one of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius , and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. 36. A method according to claim 34, and further comprising forming holes in the housing for exposing the water to air. 37. A method according to claim 34, and further comprising a removable basket positioned in the at least one chamber and housing the bio-filtration media. 38. A method according to claim 34, wherein the removed water is further filtered at a secondary filtration stage. 39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the secondary filtration stage comprises at least one of reverse osmosis, ion exchange, activated charcoal, and capacitive deionization. 40. A method according to claim 34, and further comprising infusing bacteria into the water before oxygenating the water.