Methods and apparatus for biological treatment of waste waters

• US 6,733,662 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vost Environmental Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VAI Ltd.
• Inventors: Pollock, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Chester T
• Application Number:
  US10/083,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20020162795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 210/188, 210/101, 210/137, 210/194, 210/197, 210/196, 210/220, 210/143, 210/532.1, 210/150, 210/151, 210/202, 210/97
• US Class Current: 210/97
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/24 by flotation C02F1/465 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 11/185 by pasteurisation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2301/106 Thermophilic treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/02 Aerobic processes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1268 Membrane bioreactor systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/226 "Deep shaft" processes
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/301 Aerobic and anaerobic treatment in the same reactor
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/308 Biological phosphorus removal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In a vertical shaft bioreactor, improved devices and methods are provided for enhanced secondary and/or tertiary treatment of wastewater, including residential, municipal and industrial wastewater. The devices and methods of the invention are useful for enhanced secondary wastewater treatment, including BOD and TSS removal. Tertiary treatment can alternately or additionally be achieved in the bioreactor with nitrification of ammonia, with nitrification and denitrification, and with nitrification, denitrification, and chemical phosphorus removal. A vertical shaft bioreactor is also provided which achieves thermophilic aerobic digestion and pasteurization of sewage sludges, optionally to produce class A biosolids.

Claims

1. A long vertical shaft bio-reactor for the purification of waste waters containing biodegradable organic matter comprising:

at least one primary downflow channel extending downward to a depth of approximately 70-90% of a total depth of the bio-reactor;

at least one primary upflow channel in fluid connection with said primary downflow channel defining a mixing zone located below a lower port of the primary downflow channel, said primary upflow channel partitioned by at least one partition, valve, or baffle into at least first and second superior upflow channels fluidly connected with said primary upflow channel;

said first superior upflow channel in fluid connection with said primary downflow channel through a first head tank, said first head tank fitted with a degassing plate to direct flow from said first superior upflow channel laterally to effectuate degassing;

a waste water influent channel fluidly connected with said first superior upflow channel;

a first fluid flow regulator operable to regulate fluid flow between said waste water influent channel and said first superior upflow channel;

said second superior upflow channel in fluid connection with a second head tank, said second head tank fitted with a degassing plate to direct flow from said second superior upflow channel laterally to effectuate degassing;

a recirculation channel fluidly connected with said second superior upflow channel;

a second fluid flow regulator operable to regulate fluid flow between said recirculation channel and said second superior upflow channel; and

,

a gas distribution port for distributing an oxygen-containing gas into said primary upflow channel to generate air-lift within said primary upflow channel.

2. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein said primary upflow channel is partitioned by at least one diversion baffle located and configured to direct a predetermined fraction of said oxygen-containing gas rising in said primary upflow channel into one or more of said superior upflow channels, and to simultaneously divert a different fraction of total fluid flow into one or more of said superior upflow channels.

3. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein a residence time of fluid in said primary upflow channel is adjustably controlled by diverting a predetermined fraction of said oxygen-containing gas rising in said primary upflow channel into one or more of said superior upflow channels, and simultaneously diverting a different fraction of total fluid flow into one or more of said superior upflow channels.

4. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a recycle channel between said first head tank and said first superior upflow channel to optionally divert recycled, degassed fluid from said first head tank into said first superior upflow channel, wherein a residence time of fluid in said primary upflow channel is adjustably controlled in part by providing a diversion baffle located and configured to direct a predetermined fraction of said oxygen-containing gas rising in said primary upflow channel into one or more of said superior upflow channels, and to simultaneously divert a different fraction of total fluid flow into one or more of said superior upflow channels, and wherein said residence time of fluid in said primary upflow channel is further adjustably controlled in part by selectably adjusting a recycle flow rate between said recycle channel into said first superior upflow channel and or by selectably adjusting a recirculation flow rate between said recirculation channel and said second superior upflow channel.

5. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein said waste water influent channel is fluidly connected with said first superior upflow channel by a downflow channel connecting to said first superior upflow channel by an upwardly directed port.

6. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein said recirculation channel is fluidly connected with said second superior upflow channel by a downflow channel connecting to said second superior upflow channel by an upwardly directed port.

7. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein said second head tank is fitted with a discharge device to optionally discharge effluent from said second head tank.

8. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 7, further comprising a clarifier to which said effluent is optionally discharged from said second head tank.

9. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein a residence time of fluid in said primary upflow channel is adjustably controlled to approximately match an oxygen supply rate in said bio-reactor with an oxygen up-take rate by a biomass of microorganisms in said bio-reactor.

10. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein voidage control in the bio-reactor is effectively achieved by regulating an amount of degassed recycle fluid flow between said second head tank and said second superior upflow channel.

11. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein voidage control is effectively achieved by regulating an amount of degassed recycle flow between said second head tank and said second superior upflow channel without altering a flow of oxygen-containing gas into said primary upflow channel.

12. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein a residence time of fluid in said primary upflow channel is adjustably controlled by adjusting voidage through regulating an amount of degassed recycle flow between said second head tank and said second superior upflow channel.

13. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein flow of oxygen-containing gas into one or more of said superior upflow channels is adjustable independent of fluid flow rate into said one or more superior upflow channels.

14. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein flow of oxygen-containing gas into said first superior upflow channel is adjustable independent of fluid flow rate into said first superior upflow channel.

15. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein flow of oxygen-containing gas into said second superior upflow channel is adjustable independent of fluid flow rate into said second superior upflow channel.

16. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, wherein recycling or recirculation of degassed fluid from said first and/or second head tank into said first and/or second superior upflow channel(s) is adjustably controlled by a system microprocessor-controlled or manual-controlled valve or baffle actuator.

17. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a sedimentation clarifier.

18. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a polishing biofilter.

19. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a disenfection chamber.

20. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising means for returning settled activated sludge into said bioreactor.

21. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising attachment media for attachment of microorganisms fixed or circulating within said second head tank and/or within said first superior upflow channel.

22. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a self-batching air lock interposed between said first and second superior upflow channels.

23. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising waste solids extraction means for extracting waste solids from a lower portion of the bio-reactor.

24. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, further comprising a shear header or bubble distribution mechanism operably integrated with said gas distribution port to enhance mixing and/or bubble generation in said mixing zone.

25. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, which is selectably operable to provide a substantially anaerobic environment in said primary downflow channel and said first superior upflow channel.

26. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, which can be adjusted to provide a substantially anaerobic environment in said primary downflow channel and said first superior upflow channel, wherein operation of the bio-reactor in this mode provides for a final step of nutrient processing including denitrification of nitrate.

27. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, which is adjustable to provide enhanced nitrification processes in a second treatment zone defined by said second superior upflow channel and said second head tank interconnected by said recirculation channel.

28. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 27, further comprising fixed or moving attachment media in said second treatment zone to further enhance said nitrification processes.

29. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, which is adjustable to provide enhanced nitrification in a second treatment zone defined by said second superior upflow channel and said second head tank interconnected by said recirculation channel, said nitrification processes driven at least in part by channeling of unspent gas from said primary upflow channel into said second superior upflow channel.

30. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 1, which features a modular reactor component having a central conduit surrounded by one or more channel-forming radial partition(s).

31. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 29, wherein said unspent gas is high in carbon dioxide which provides a source of inorganic carbon to drive said nitrification processes.

32. A long vertical shaft bio-reactor for the purification of waste waters containing biodegradable organic matter comprising:

at least one primary downflow channel extending downward to a depth of approximately 70-90% of a total depth of the bio-reactor;

at least one primary upflow channel in fluid connection with said primary downflow channel defining a mixing zone located below a lower port of the primary downflow channel, said primary upflow channel partitioned by at least one partition, valve, or baffle into at least first and second superior upflow channels fluidly connected with said primary upflow channel;

said first superior upflow channel in fluid connection with said primary downflow channel through a first head tank, said first head tank fitted with a degassing plate to direct flow from said first superior upflow channel laterally to effectuate degassing;

a waste water influent channel fluidly connected with said first superior upflow channel;

a first fluid flow regulator operable to regulate fluid flow between said waste water influent channel and said first superior upflow channel;

said second superior upflow channel in fluid connection with a second head tank, said second head tank fitted with a degassing plate to direct flow from said second superior upflow channel laterally to effectuate degassing;

a recirculation channel fluidly connected with said second superior upflow channel;

a second fluid flow regulator operable to regulate fluid flow between said recirculation channel and said second superior upflow channel; and

,

a gas distribution port for distributing an oxygen-containing gas into said primary upflow channel to generate air-lift within said primary upflow channel, wherein said first superior upflow channel and said first head tank partially define a first treatment zone and said second superior upflow channel and said second head tank partially define a second treatment zone.

33. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein said first and second treatment zones are structurally segregated to prevent substantial liquid transfer between said first and second treatment zones.

34. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein said first and second treatment zones are structurally segregated by a self-batching air lock that functions to substantially prevent fluid transfer between said first and second treatment zones to minimize heat loss in the bio-reactor.

35. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein said first treatment zone surrounds or is positioned adjacent to said second treatment zone.

36. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein said first treatment zone further comprises said primary downflow channel and said primary upflow channel.

37. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein said second treatment zone is surrounded by a second sealed outer wall to minimize heat loss from the bio-reactor to surrounding geological materials.

38. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein each of said first and second treatment zones comprise independent aeration means.

39. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein each of said first and second treatment zones comprise an upper circulating zone and a lower pseudo plug flow zone.

40. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein deoxygenation in said first treatment zone can be achieved without mechanical mixers.

41. The long vertical shaft bio-reactor of claim 32, wherein denitrification in said first treatment zone can be achieved without mechanical mixers.