Wastewater energy recycling method
First Claim
1. In the processing of wastewater by primary and secondary treatments, which includes a biochemical reaction according to the activated sludge process wherein the wastewater is separated into a sludge component and a clarified effluent, the improvement for salvaging and recycling the valuable components thereof comprising:
- comminuting primary sludge separated from said primary treatment and adding the comminuted mass to the organic input for said secondary treatment, subjecting sludge separated from the biochemical reaction of said secondary treatment to sufficient pressure to substantially rupture all of the walls of cells in said sludge and discharge the contents of the cells as part of a colloidal suspension, combining said colloidal suspension with the clarified effluent, and contacting said clarified effluent and colloidal suspension with a metal chelating substrate to remove heavy metals therefrom.
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Abstract
An auxiliary process and method for use in wastewater treatment plants, modifying conventional primary and secondary treatment, to condition the effluent for use as agricultural irrigation water containing liquified fertilizer and soil amendment materials. Primary sludge and skimmed materials are comminuted and added to the volume of organic materials available for secondary treatment. A bacterial inoculum is added to accelerate the microbial reduction of biodegradable materials into a biomass of cells. The separated predominantly cellular secondary sludge is processed to rupture the cellular structure thus releasing the protoplasm to colloidal suspension. Combined with the mainflow of secondary clarified effluent, the resultant micro-particulate effluent is thereby conditioned for effective chelation treatment to remove heavy metal ions and for effective disinfection with reduced requirements for toxic reactants. The product is discharged as agricultural irrigation water containing, in solution, agricultural fertilizers as nitrogen, minerals, carbonaceous compounds and oxygen, plus ligno-cellulose soilbuilding materials. The heavy metals may be separated and recycled as a by-product.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. In the processing of wastewater by primary and secondary treatments, which includes a biochemical reaction according to the activated sludge process wherein the wastewater is separated into a sludge component and a clarified effluent, the improvement for salvaging and recycling the valuable components thereof comprising:
- comminuting primary sludge separated from said primary treatment and adding the comminuted mass to the organic input for said secondary treatment, subjecting sludge separated from the biochemical reaction of said secondary treatment to sufficient pressure to substantially rupture all of the walls of cells in said sludge and discharge the contents of the cells as part of a colloidal suspension, combining said colloidal suspension with the clarified effluent, and contacting said clarified effluent and colloidal suspension with a metal chelating substrate to remove heavy metals therefrom.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Specification