Self-regenerating biofilter

Abstract

The present invention is a self-regenerating biofilter. The biofilter tank receives untreated water through an intake inlet, filters it through a filtration mass and expels purified water through an output outlet. The filtration mass includes gravel and activated carbon layers separated by a mesh screen. A compressed air line is located below the mesh screen. Periodically, the biofilter self-cleans by opening a flush valve that expels a flush water stream carrying debris. The biofilter self-regenerates by periodically stopping filtration for a time, allowing biological matter left on the activated carbon to degrade into biomass. Periodically, the biofilter removes and flushes out biomass by application of water or a combination of air and water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-regenerating biofilter apparatus comprising:
 a biofilter tank, wherein said biofilter tank comprises an intake inlet connected to a first channel, an output outlet connected to a second channel, and a flush valve;   a filtration mass located within said biofilter tank and at least partially above said intake inlet and said flush valve, said filtration mass comprising a layer of gravel and a layer of non-gravel materials, wherein said layer of non-gravel material comprises activated carbon;   a mesh screen separating said layer of gravel from said layer of non-gravel material; and   a compressed air line located at least partially within said biofilter tank below said mesh screen.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said biofilter tank has a volume ranging from approximately 5 gallons to approximately 5,000 gallons, and wherein said biofilter tank has a daily flow-through volume ranging from approximately 50 gallons to approximately 50,000 gallons. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said flush valve is selected from the group consisting of: a solenoid valve, a butterfly valve, a ball valve and a pinch valve. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said filtration mass makes up approximately 50% to approximately 85% of a volume of said biofilter tank, wherein said layer of gravel comprises approximately 3% to approximately 10% of said filtration mass, wherein said layer of activated carbon comprises approximately 60% to approximately 97% of said filtration mass. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of gravel has an average diameter ranging from approximately 5 mm to approximately 30 mm, wherein said layer of non-gravel material has a mesh size ranging from approximately 8 to approximately 12. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of non-gravel material further comprises a bioculture seed. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said filtration mass further comprises a layer of ion exchange material, wherein said layer of ion exchange material comprises up to approximately 30% of said filtration mass. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to said flush valve and connected to a power source. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a timer connected to said controller. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a memory connected to said controller, wherein said memory is configured with at least one pre-programmed cycle for opening and closing said flush valve. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a biomass sensor connected to said controller. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a controller interface connected to said controller. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element located within said biofilter tank. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a thermal sensor at least partially located within said biofilter tank. 
     
     
         15 . A self-regenerating biofilter system comprising:
 at least one self-regenerating biofilter apparatus, wherein said at least one self-regenerating biofilter apparatus comprises:
 a biofilter tank, wherein said biofilter tank comprises an intake inlet connected to a first channel, an output outlet connected to a second channel, and a flush valve; 
 a filtration mass located within said biofilter tank and at least partially above said intake inlet and said flush valve, said filtration mass comprising a layer of gravel and a layer of non-gravel materials, wherein said layer of non-gravel material comprises activated carbon; 
 a mesh screen separating said layer of gravel from said layer of non-gravel material; and 
 a compressed air line located at least partially within said biofilter tank below said mesh screen; 
   a central controller connected to said flush valve and connected to a power source.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a central timer connected to said central controller. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a central memory connected to said central controller, wherein said central memory is configured with at least one pre-programmed cycle for opening and closing said flush valve. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a central interface connected to said central controller. 
     
     
         19 . A method for using a self-regenerating biofilter apparatus comprising the steps of:
 iteratively invoking a function n times, wherein said function comprises the steps of:
 receiving an untreated water stream into a biofilter tank through an intake inlet connected to a first channel, wherein said biofilter tank comprises said intake inlet connected to said first channel and receiving said untreated water stream, wherein said biofilter tank comprises an output outlet connected to a second channel and expelling a purified water stream, wherein said biofilter tank comprises a flush valve expelling a flush water stream 
 filtering said untreated water stream through a filtration mass to transform said untreated water stream into said purified water stream, said filtration mass comprising a layer of gravel and a layer of non-gravel materials, wherein said layer of non-gravel material comprises activated carbon, wherein said filtration mass is located within said biofilter tank and at least partially above said intake inlet and said flush valve, wherein a mesh screen separates said layer of gravel from said layer of non-gravel material, wherein a compressed air line is located at least partially within said biofilter tank below said mesh screen, 
 expelling said purified water stream through said output outlet connected to said second channel, 
 stopping receiving said untreated water stream, opening said flush valve, 
 draining said flush water stream through said flush valve, closing said flush valve, and 
 waiting for a predetermined time period before invoking another iteration of said function; 
   receiving said untreated water stream into said biofilter tank through said intake inlet;   opening said flush valve;   draining said flush water stream through said flush valve; and   closing said flush valve.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of receiving an air stream through said compressed air line.