WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND PROCESS INCLUDING IRRADIATION OF PRIMARY SOLIDS
First Claim
1. A method for treating wastewater that contains solids and biological oxygen demand compounds, the process comprising:
- separating a majority of the solids and biological oxygen demand compounds from the wastewater feed using a primary separation process to provide a solids phase and a water phase including wastewater, the solids phase containing an initial level of pathogens;
irradiating the solids phase to reduce the level of pathogens;
mixing the wastewater with adsorbent material in a mixing zone for a time sufficient for adsorption of contaminants from the wastewater onto the adsorbent material;
separating and removing a major portion of the wastewater from the mixture of wastewater and adsorbent material;
passing the adsorbent material having contaminants adsorbed thereon and a minor portion of the wastewater to a biological regeneration reactor;
retaining the adsorbent material and wastewater in suspension in the biological regeneration reactor for a period of time that is sufficient to allow microorganisms in the biological regeneration reactor to biologically act on at least a portion of the adsorbed contaminants;
discharging biologically treated water effluent from the biological regeneration reactor; and
recycling regenerated adsorbent material to the mixing zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for treating wastewater in which the majority of solids and biological oxygen demand compounds are separated from the wastewater feed using a primary separation process, to produce a solids phase and a water phase. The solids phase is irradiated to reduce the level of pathogens such that it is safe to use as a soil substitute and/or additive so that the solids can thus be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. In additional embodiments, the solids that have been disinfected by radiation are mixed with a suitable inert filler material to produce a soil substitute, fertilizer, compost, or other soil additive. The liquid phase is treated in a substantially smaller system than would be required for treating the full-strength wastewater that can include a suspended media biological regeneration reactor system. The liquid treatment system can include a high flux adsorbent material treatment system integrated with a low flux adsorbent material biological regeneration reactor.
66 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for treating wastewater that contains solids and biological oxygen demand compounds, the process comprising:
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separating a majority of the solids and biological oxygen demand compounds from the wastewater feed using a primary separation process to provide a solids phase and a water phase including wastewater, the solids phase containing an initial level of pathogens; irradiating the solids phase to reduce the level of pathogens; mixing the wastewater with adsorbent material in a mixing zone for a time sufficient for adsorption of contaminants from the wastewater onto the adsorbent material; separating and removing a major portion of the wastewater from the mixture of wastewater and adsorbent material; passing the adsorbent material having contaminants adsorbed thereon and a minor portion of the wastewater to a biological regeneration reactor; retaining the adsorbent material and wastewater in suspension in the biological regeneration reactor for a period of time that is sufficient to allow microorganisms in the biological regeneration reactor to biologically act on at least a portion of the adsorbed contaminants; discharging biologically treated water effluent from the biological regeneration reactor; and recycling regenerated adsorbent material to the mixing zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for treatment of wastewater comprising:
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a radiation treatment zone including a source of radiation; an inlet for receiving primary solids, a solids outlet for discharging irradiated primary solids, and a wastewater outlet; a mixing zone including a wastewater inlet in communication with the wastewater outlet of the radiation treatment zone, an adsorbent material inlet and a discharge outlet; an adsorbent material settling and liquid separation zone including a slurry inlet in communication with the discharge outlet of the mixing zone, a treated water outlet, and a contaminated adsorbent material outlet; an adsorbent material biological regeneration reactor system including a biological regeneration reactor including a contaminated adsorbent material inlet in communication with the contaminated adsorbent material outlet of the adsorbent material settling and liquid separation zone, a biologically treated water outlet, and a regenerated adsorbent material outlet in communication with the adsorbent material inlet of the mixing zone. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A wastewater treatment system comprising:
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a radiation treatment zone including a source of radiation; an inlet for receiving primary solids, a solids outlet for discharging irradiated primary solids, and a wastewater outlet; a high flux adsorption system including an inlet in communication with the wastewater outlet of the radiation treatment zone, a source of adsorbent material for contacting the wastewater and adsorbing contaminants from the wastewater, a liquid outlet for discharging a major portion of the received wastewater that has been contacted by the adsorbent material, and an adsorbent material outlet for discharging adsorbent material having adsorbed contaminants and a minor portion of the received wastewater; and a low flux adsorbent material biological regeneration reactor system for maintaining the adsorbent material having adsorbed contaminants in suspension for a period of time that is sufficient to allow microorganisms to digest adsorbed organic contaminants, the low flux adsorbent material biological regeneration reactor system including a biological regeneration reactor having an inlet for receiving adsorbent material with adsorbed contaminants from the adsorbent material outlet of the high flux adsorption system, a mixed liquor outlet, and an adsorbent material outlet in communication with the source of adsorbent material of the high flux adsorption system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification