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Title: Modular bioreactor for the remediation of liquid streams and methods for using the same

Patent ·
OSTI ID:871660

The present invention is directed to a bioreactor system for the remediation of contaminated liquid streams. The bioreactor system is composed of at least one and often a series of sub-units referred to as bioreactor modules. The modular nature of the system allows bioreactor systems be subdivided into smaller units and transported to waste sites where they are combined to form bioreactor systems of any size. The bioreactor modules further comprises reactor fill materials in the bioreactor module that remove the contaminants from the contaminated stream. To ensure that the stream thoroughly contacts the reactor fill materials, each bioreactor module comprises means for directing the flow of the stream in a vertical direction and means for directing the flow of the stream in a horizontal direction. In a preferred embodiment, the reactor fill comprises a sulfate reducing bacteria which is particularly useful for precipitating metals from acid mine streams.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-94ID13223
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (Idaho Falls, ID)
Patent Number(s):
US 5772887
OSTI ID:
871660
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Laboratory and Pilot-Scale Studies on the Treatment of Acid Rock Drainage at A Closed Gold-Mining Operation in California journal January 1994
Treatment of Metal-Contaminated Water Using Bacterial Sulfate Reduction: Results from Pilot-Scale Reactors journal January 1991