Apparatus for the treatment of waste water

• US 6,613,222 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aqua-Aerobic Systems Incorporated (Metawater Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aqua-Aerobic Systems Incorporated (Metawater Company Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Lloyd W., Mikkelson, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Chester T.
• Application Number:
  US10/001,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 210/626, 210/138
• US Class Current: 210/138
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1263 Sequencing batch reactors [SBR]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1268 Membrane bioreactor systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

A process and apparatus for removing organic contaminants, nutrients and suspended solids from waste water. A three-phase cycle is used, consisting of a mix fill phase, a react fill phase and a react discharge phase. The process and apparatus eliminate the need for separate basins for anaerobic and anoxic conditions, appropriate time periods for a quiescent environment for solids/liquid separation and the requirement of mechanical decanter devices normally required to extract the desired effluent quality in conventional sequencing batch reactor systems.

Claims

1. A device for the treatment of waste water comprising:

one or more single-chamber bioreactors in parallel containing an activated sludge for exposing the waste water to a) an initial mix-fill phase having a predetermined duration in which the waste water is directed into the bioreactor, mixed with the activated sludge and the bioreactor environment is controlled to provide an initial anaerobic time for achieving phosphorous release and denitrification of oxidized nitrogen in the vessel, b) a react-fill phase having a predetermined duration in which the flow of waste water into the bioreactor continues and the waste water is exposed to alternating periods of aeration and mixing only to promote completely mixed aerobic and anoxic conditions and c) a react-discharge phase having a predetermined duration in which the flow of waste water into the bioreactor ceases and the waste water is exposed to alternating periods of aerobic and anoxic conditions;

an external filtration unit including a membrane;

one or more valves for controlling the flow of wastewater into the bioreactor to create a mixture;

one or more pumps for controllably pumping waste water into the bioreactor

one or more mixers for mixing the waste water with the activated sludge in the bioreactor;

one or more blowers for controllably aerating the waste water and activated sludge in the bioreactor at designated intervals;

one or more valves for controlling the flow of the mixture to the filtration unit;

a pump for pumping the mixture through the filtration unit such that solids in the mixture are separated from liquid in the mixture; and

one or more valves for controlling the return flow of the mixture from the filtration unit to the bioreactor.

2. A device for the treatment of waste water comprising:

bioreactor means for bioreacting the waste water, said bioreactor means having one or more single-chamber bioreactors in parallel containing an activated sludge, and using a) an initial mix-fill phase having a predetermined duration in which the waste water is directed into the bioreactor means, mixed with an activated sludge and the environment of the bioreactor means is controlled to provide an initial anaerobic time for achieving phosphorous release and denitrification of oxidized nitrogen in the vessel, b) a react-till phase having a predetermined duration in which the flow of waste water into the bioreactor means continues and the waste water is exposed to alternating periods of aeration and mixing only to promote completely mixed aerobic and anoxic conditions and c) a react-discharge phase having a predetermined duration in which the flow of waste water into the bioreactor means ceases and the waste water is exposed to alternating periods of aerobic and anoxic conditions;

external filtering means for filtering the waste water;

means for controlling the flow of wastewater into the bioreactor means to create a mixture;

means for controllably pumping waste water into the bioreactor means;

means for mixing the waste water with the activated sludge in the bioreactor means;

means for controllably aerating the waste water and activated sludge in the bioreactor means at designated intervals;

means for controlling the flow of the mixture to the filtration means for filtering the waste water;

means for pumping the mixture through the filtration means such that solids in the mixture are separated from liquid in the mixture; and

means for controlling the return flow of the mixture from the filtration means to the bioreactor means, wherein said bioreactor means constitutes the only means in which bioreacting takes place.