Biological and ballasetd flocculation treatment of wastewater
First Claim
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1. A method for biologically treating wastewater, the method comprising:
- biologically treating the wastewater in a fixed-biomass biological reactor;
directing the biologically treated wastewater to a ballasted flocculation system, and wherein a portion of the biomass from the biological reactor flows with the wastewater to the ballasted flocculation system;
removing suspended solids from the wastewater by mixing the biologically treated wastewater with a ballast and a flocculant in the ballasted flocculation system to produce clarified wastewater and sludge, wherein the sludge contains suspended solids and the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon;
separating the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon from the sludge;
cleaning the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon by mixing the ballast with a cleaning solution;
separating the cleaned ballast from the biomass; and
recirculating the cleaned ballast to the ballasted flocculation system.
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Abstract
A method for treating wastewater comprises biologically treating the wastewater in a fixed-biomass biological reactor and then treating the wastewater in a ballasted flocculation system. The ballasted flocculation system produces a clarified effluent and sludge containing inert granular material having biomass accumulated thereon and suspended solids. The inert granular material having biomass accumulated thereon is separated from the suspended solids and then cleaned with a cleaning solution. After separating the biomass from the cleaned inert granular material, the cleaned inert granular material is recycled for use in the ballasted flocculation system.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for biologically treating wastewater, the method comprising:
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biologically treating the wastewater in a fixed-biomass biological reactor; directing the biologically treated wastewater to a ballasted flocculation system, and wherein a portion of the biomass from the biological reactor flows with the wastewater to the ballasted flocculation system; removing suspended solids from the wastewater by mixing the biologically treated wastewater with a ballast and a flocculant in the ballasted flocculation system to produce clarified wastewater and sludge, wherein the sludge contains suspended solids and the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon; separating the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon from the sludge; cleaning the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon by mixing the ballast with a cleaning solution; separating the cleaned ballast from the biomass; and recirculating the cleaned ballast to the ballasted flocculation system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for treating wastewater comprising:
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biologically treating the wastewater in the fixed-biomass biological reactor; directing the biologically treated wastewater to a ballasted flocculation system, and wherein a portion of the biomass from the biological reactor flows with the wastewater to the ballasted flocculation system; removing suspended solids from the biologically treated wastewater in a ballasted flocculation system by mixing the wastewater with a ballast and a flocculant to produce clarified water and sludge, wherein the sludge contains suspended solids and the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon; separating the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon from the sludge; recirculating a first portion of the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon to the ballasted flocculation system; directing a second portion of the ballast having biomass accumulated thereon to a primary cleaning system; cleaning the second portion of the ballast in the primary cleaning system by mixing the second portion of the ballast with a cleaning solution and causing the biomass to detach from the ballast; collecting the detached biomass, cleaning solution, and the cleaned ballast in a secondary cleaning system; separating the cleaned ballast from the detached biomass and cleaning solution in the secondary cleaning system; and recirculating the cleaned ballast from the secondary cleaning system to the ballasted flocculation system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification