IP Library Granted Patent US 12685968
Granted Patent B2
US 12685968 · App. 18/569,774 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Wastewater treatment method

Inventors: Yasunobu Okajima (Amagasaki, JP); Yukako Ishihara (Amagasaki, JP); Ken Tanaka (Amagasaki, JP)
Assignee: Kubota Corporation
B01D65/02C02F3/1273B01D2321/185C02F2201/005C02F2303/16C02F2303/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12685968
App. No.
18/569,774
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

While productivity in generation of treated water is improved, a membrane cleaning effect through relaxation is sufficiently exerted. While aeration is carried out with respect to at least one membrane cartridge ( 18 ), a cycle of a filtration operation and a filtration stoppage operation is repeated. A gas vent valve ( 62 ) connected to a gas retention chamber ( 52 ) is used, and the gas vent valve ( 62 ) is opened and then closed in accordance with a timing of start of the filtration stoppage operation in each cycle.

Claims (4)

1 . A wastewater treatment method for generating treated water by subjecting wastewater to solid-liquid separation by repeating, while aeration is carried out on at least one membrane cartridge immersed in the wastewater in a membrane separation tank, a cycle including a filtration operation of generating a negative pressure on a secondary side of the at least one membrane cartridge so as to filter the wastewater and a filtration stoppage operation of stopping the filtration operation, said method comprising:

using a valve that is connected to a gas retention chamber for retaining a gas contained in the treated water and that supplies a fluid to the gas retention chamber, in a manner so as to open and then close the valve in accordance with a timing of start of the filtration stoppage operation in the cycle, wherein the valve is a gas vent valve provided in a pipe that connects the gas retention chamber and an ejector which generates the negative pressure.

2 . The wastewater treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the valve is opened and then closed in accordance with a timing of start of the filtration stoppage operation in the cycle, so as to prevent occurrence of air lock in a treated-water pipe system that connects the membrane separation tank and a treated-water tank for storing the treated water.

3 . The wastewater treatment method according to claim 1 , wherein the valve is opened concurrently with or immediately after start of the filtration stoppage operation in the cycle and, when a transmembrane pressure of the at least one membrane cartridge becomes zero, the valve is closed.