Wastewater treatment system and method

• US 8,372,274 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel M. Early
• Original Assignee: Daniel M. Early, Scott F. Easter
• Inventors: Early, Daniel M., Easter, Scott F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): GURTOWSKI, RICHARD C
• Application Number:
  US13/005,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 210/86
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2203/002 comprising an initial buffer container
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/06 using submerged filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/1247 comprising circular tanks with elements, e.g. decanters, aeration basins, in the form of segments, crowns or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/302 Nitrification and denitrification treatment C02F3/308 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/208 Off-grid powered water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 Systems

Abstract

The wastewater treatment system provides multiple techniques for decontaminating wastewater contained within a single system, thus optimizing the decontamination of the wastewater. In one embodiment, the wastewater treatment system includes a steel-reinforced plastic tank having first and second partition walls dividing the tank into first, second and third chambers. The first chamber includes at least one first effluent filter and further contains anaerobic bacteria for removal of organic waste material from the wastewater received therein. The first chamber is configured for at least partial removal of particulate and organic matter from the wastewater. The second chamber includes an air diffuser and further contains aerobic bacteria for further removal of organic waste material from the wastewater received therein. The third chamber includes a sludge pump assembly and at least one second effluent filter. Resultant purified water is selectively discharged from the third chamber through an outlet port.

Claims

1. A wastewater treatment system, comprising:

a hollow, elongate, cylindrical body made from high-density polyethylene, the cylindrical body having reinforcement ribs formed by a helically wound steel band embedded in the high-density polyethylene and extending between opposite ends of the elongate cylindrical body;

end members extending across and covering the opposite ends of the cylindrical body, the end members and the cylindrical body forming a watertight tank defining at least one chamber adapted for treatment of wastewater, the tank being oriented vertically;

an inlet pipe extending into the tank adapted for admitting wastewater into the tank, the inlet pipe consisting of a single inlet pipe;

an outlet pipe extending from the tank adapted for discharging treated wastewater from the tank, the outlet pipe consisting of a single outlet pipe;

first and second partition walls dividing said tank into three chambers, including;

an anoxic first chamber adapted for housing bacteria, said inlet pipe extending into the first chamber, wherein the bacteria is selected from the group consisting of anaerobic bacteria and facultative bacteria;

a second chamber forming a bioreactor adapted for housing aerobic bacteria;

a third chamber forming a clarifier, said outlet pipe extending from the third chamber;

a first conduit extending between the first chamber and the second chamber for passing partially treated wastewater from the anoxic chamber to the bioreactor chamber; and

a second conduit extending between the second chamber and the third chamber for passing partially treated wastewater from the bioreactor chamber to the clarifier chamber;

a first effluent filter disposed in the anoxic first chamber for filtering undigested organic matter in the partially treated wastewater before passing the partially treated wastewater to the bioreactor chamber;

a source of pressurized air;

an air conduit extending from the source of pressurized air into the bioreactor chamber;

an air diffuser connected to the air conduit, the diffuser being disposed in the bioreactor chamber and producing a stream of air bubbles;

a fixed film assembly disposed in the bioreactor chamber for supporting growth of the aerobic bacteria;

a return activated sludge pump disposed in the clarifier chamber for feedback of activated sludge from the clarifier chamber to the anoxic first chamber for further wastewater treatment; and

siphon-ejection air lift assembly disposed in the clarifier chamber for feedback of surface scum from the clarifier chamber to the bioreactor chamber, the siphon-ejection assembly including a air lift pump and needle valve block for air flow rate adjustment.

2. The wastewater treatment system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a baffle wall disposed in the bioreactor chamber; and

a stilling well disposed behind the baffle wall, said siphon-ejection air lift assembly feeding the surface scum in the clarifier chamber back to the stilling well for further wastewater treatment.

3. The wastewater treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said source of pressurized air comprises a blower assembly.

4. The wastewater treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said source of pressurized air comprises a mechanical air pumping system.

5. The wastewater treatment system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic control unit regulating flow of wastewater between the three chambers, the feedback of surface scum and activated sludge between the chambers, and the inlet and outlet of wastewater into and from said tank.

6. A wastewater treatment system, comprising:

a hollow, elongate, cylindrical body made from high-density polyethylene, the cylindrical body having reinforcement ribs formed by a helically wound steel band embedded in the high-density polyethylene and extending between opposite ends of the elongate cylindrical body;

end members extending across and covering the opposite ends of the cylindrical body, the end members and the cylindrical body forming a watertight tank defining at least one chamber adapted for treatment of wastewater, the tank being oriented horizontally;

an inlet pipe extending into the tank adapted for admitting wastewater into the tank, the inlet pipe consisting of a single inlet pipe;

an outlet pipe extending from the tank adapted for discharging treated wastewater from the tank, the outlet pipe consisting of a single outlet pipe;

a plurality of vertically extending baffles separating the cylindrical body into a plurality of adjacent compartments adapted for treating wastewater, including a flow equalization and influent pumping compartment, an anoxic compartment, a bioreactor compartment, a clarification compartment for effluent polishing, and a sludge digestion compartment;

a pump and pump control system disposed in the flow equalization and influent pumping compartment for monitoring water levels and pumping wastewater to the anoxic compartment as needed;

the inlet pipe extending into the anoxic compartment, the anoxic compartment being adapted for mixing incoming wastewater with anaerobic bacteria;

an air diffuser disposed in the bioreactor compartment for aerating wastewater in the bioreactor compartment, the bioreactor compartment being adapted for treating the wastewater with aerobic bacteria;

a pump disposed in the bioreactor compartment for pumping mixed liquor suspended solids from the bioreactor compartment back to the anoxic compartment for further treatment;

a fixed film media assembly disposed in the bioreactor compartment for fostering growth of aerobic bacteria and resulting formation of suspended growth and attached growth biomass;

a stilling well assembly disposed in the bioreactor compartment;

a sloped sump assembly disposed in the clarifier compartment;

thermal insulation disposed beneath said sloped sump assembly, the thermal insulation including closed-cell urethane foam insulation;

a return activated sludge pump disposed in the clarifier compartment for feeding activated sludge back to the bioreactor compartment for further treatment;

a discharge weir disposed in the clarifier compartment;

a scum removal assembly disposed in the clarifier compartment for feeding surface scum back to the bioreactor compartment for further treatment;

a membrane filter assembly disposed in the membrane compartment;

a membrane blower assembly aerating the membrane filter assembly;

a plurality of control members disposed in the membrane compartment, wherein the control members are selected from the group consisting of pressure transducers and float switches;

a recirculation pump disposed in the bioreactor compartment, the recirculation pump being connected to the control members and being configured to optionally pump mixed liquor to the membrane compartment or to the sludge digestion compartment in order to maintain water levels in the membrane compartment for proper operation of the membrane filter assembly;

a diffuser disposed in the sludge digester compartment for aerating and mixing waste sludge;

a pump assembly disposed in the sludge digester compartment for pumping supernatant water from the sludge digester compartment back to the bioreactor compartment for further treatment; and

a plurality of access hatches providing access to each of the compartments.