Horizontal Plate Microbial Support Media

Abstract

A horizontal plate microbial support media. The horizontal plate microbial support media having a plurality of frustum shaped protuberances extending there-from, the frustum shapes having a hole in their upper base for allowing fluid to flow there-through. These media plates able to be stacked for use in a bioreactor.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A microbial support media system for an upward flow microbial digestion system, comprising:
 a plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in a vertical stack, each of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates having a plurality of protuberances extending upward to an upper end, the upper end of each of the plurality of protuberances having an opening for allowing the upward flow of a liquid to pass through, the horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack are disposed in such a way that protuberances of adjacent horizontal microbial support media plates are offset a predetermined distance from one another;   a plurality of upward flow splitting features formed by the plurality of protuberances of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack, the plurality of upward flow splitting features configured to split the upward flow of the liquid; and   a plurality of upward flow remixing features formed by the plurality of protuberances of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack, the plurality of upward flow remixing features configured to remix the flow of liquid split by the plurality of upward flow splitting features.   
     
     
         22 . The microbial, support media system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of upward flow splitting features are configured to ace as a first attachment sire for a first biofilm. 
     
     
         23 . The microbial support media system of  claim 22 , wherein the first biofilm is comprised mainly of methane producing microorganisms. 
     
     
         24 . The microbial support media system, of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of upward flow splitting features are configured to act as an impingement surface for the liquid flowing upward such that the liquid contacts the first biofilm. 
     
     
         25 . The microbial support media system of  claim 24 , wherein the liquid is as an upward flowing carrier liquid for suspended and colloidal solids. 
     
     
         26 . The microbial support media system of  claim 25 , wherein the first biofilm captures suspended and colloidal solids from the liquid for digestions. 
     
     
         27 . The microbial support media system of  claim 26 , wherein the first biofilm captures upward flowing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ). 
     
     
         28 . The microbial support media system of  claim 27 , wherein the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ) are released in hydrolysis and acidogenesis reactions. 
     
     
         29 . The microbial support media system of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of upward flow remixing features are configured to provide a second attachment sire for a second biofilm. 
     
     
         30 . The microbial support media system of churn  29 , wherein the second biofilm is comprised mainly of hydrolysis bacteria and acidogenesis bacteria. 
     
     
         31 . The microbial support media system of  claim 24 , further comprising biofilm attachment projections extending downward irons the impingement surface of the upward flow splitting feature. 
     
     
         32 . The microbial support media system of  claim 31 , wherein the biofilm attachment projections are configured to act as a third attachment site for the first biofilm. 
     
     
         33 . A horizontal plate microbial support media for an upward flow microbial digestion system, the horizontal plate microbial support media configured to be disposed, within a stack of similarly configured horizontal plates in a staggered layout, the horizontal plate microbial support media comprising.
 an upper surface and a lower surface;   a plurality of protuberances, each of the protuberances having a base and an upward end, each of the protuberances extending upward from the upper and lower surfaces at the base to the upward end in such a way that the base of each of the protuberances is wider than the upward end, each upward end having an opening for allowing the upward flow of a liquid to pass through;   an upward flow splitting feature formed on the lower surface of the horizontal plate microbial support media by adjacent portions of at least two protuberances, the upward flow splitting features configured to split the flow of liquid prior to the liquid flowing upward through the opening; and   an upward flow remixing feature formed at least in part on the upper surface of the horizontal plate microbial support media by the adjacent portions of the at least two protuberances, the upward flow remixing feature configured to remix at least a portion of the flow of the liquid split by the upward flow splitting feature after the liquid has passed through the opening.   
     
     
         34 . The horizontal plate microbial support media of  claim 33 , wherein the upward flow splitting feature is configured to act as a first attachment site for a first biofilm, wherein the upward flow remixing feature is configured to provide a second attachment site for a second biofilm. 
     
     
         35 . The horizontal plate microbial support media of  claim 34 , wherein the upward flow splitting feature is configured to act as an impingement surface for the liquid flowing upward such that the liquid contacts the first biofilm. 
     
     
         36 . The horizontal plate microbial support media of  claim 35 , further comprising biofilm attachment projections extending downward from the impingement surface of the upward flow splitting feature, wherein the biofilm attachment projections are configured to act as a third attachment site for the first biofilm. 
     
     
         37 . A microbial support: media system for an upward flow microbial digestion system, comprising:
 a plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in a vertical stack, each of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates having a plurality of protuberances extending upward to an upper end, the upper end of each of the plurality of protuberances having an opening for allowing the upward flow of a liquid to pass through, the horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack are disposed in such a way that protuberances of adjacent horizontal microbial support media plates are offset a predetermined distance from one another;   a plurality of upward flow splitting features formed by the plurality of protuberances of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack, the plurality of upward flow splitting features configured to split the upward flow of the liquid, the plurality of upward flow splinting features are configured to act as impingement surfaces for the liquid flowing upward;   a plurality of upward flow remixing features formed by the plurality of protuberances of the plurality of horizontal microbial support media plates in the vertical stack, the plurality of upward flow remixing features configured to remix the flow of liquid split by the plurality of upward flow splitting features; and   a plurality of biofilm attachment projections extending downward from the impingement surfaces of the plurality of upward flow splitting features, the plurality of biofilm attachment projections configured to act as first attachment sites tor a first biofilm.   
     
     
         38 . The microbial support media system of  claim 37 , wherein the first biofilm is comprised mainly of methane producing microorganisms. 
     
     
         39 . The microbial support media system of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of upward flow remixing features are configured to provide second attachment sites for a second biofilm. 
     
     
         40 . The microbial support media system of  claim 39 , wherein the second biofilm is comprised mainly of hydrolysis bacteria and acidogenesis bacteria.