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Wednesday, 11 June 2008
industrial wastewater treatment
The disclosure generally relates to wastewater treatment systems. More particularly, the disclosure pertains to apparatus, structures, systems and methods for treating wastewater.
 
Background
Wastewater treatment facilities, such as municipal, agricultural or industrial wastewater treatment facilities, commonly utilize aeration techniques in order to treat the wastewater. Aeration of the wastewater has been found to reduce or eliminate contaminants found in the wastewater by increasing the oxygen available to microorganisms which break down contaminants during a biological process. Such techniques have been found to reduce the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and / or ammonia levels found in wastewater. However, there is an ongoing need to provide more efficient ways of treating wastewater.
 
Summary
The disclosure is directed to apparatus, structures, systems and methods for treating wastewater,
Accordingly, one illustrative embodiment is an apparatus for treating wastewater at a wastewater treatment facility. The apparatus includes a microorganism clad structure positioned in a body of wastewater such that the microorganism clad structure is at least partially submerged in the body of wastewater. The apparatus also includes an aeration device, such as a propeller-type surface mounted aeration device, supplying a horizontal flow of oxygenated water to the microorganisms attached to the microorganism clad structure such that the microorganisms may carry out a biological process.
 
Another illustrative embodiment is a wastewater treatment system including a wastewater containment reservoir containing a body of wastewater, A baffled structure including a plurality of microorganism clad sheets of material are positioned in the wastewater containment reservoir such that the plurality of microorganism clad sheets are at least partially submerged in the body of wastewater. An aeration device, such as a propeller-type surface mounted aeration device is positioned in the wastewater containment reservoir in proximity to the baffled structure. The aeration device provides an oxygenated flow of wastewater past the microorganisms such that the microorganisms may carry out a biological process in the body of wastewater.
 
An illustrative method of treating wastewater includes the steps of submerging a microorganism structure clad in a body of wastewater such that at least a portion of the microorganism clad structure is immersed in the body of wastewater. Oxygen may be injected into the body of wastewater with an aeration device, creating a high velocity jet fluid in the body of wastewater, thereby providing a horizontal flow of oxygenated water and / or nutrients past the microorganism clad structure to provide a favorable environment to carry out a biological process.
 

Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top view of an exemplary wastewater treatment system;
Figure 2 is a side view of the exemplary wastewater treatment system of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a depiction of an exemplary horizontal flow which may be achieved within a wastewater treatment system;
Figure 4A is a perspective view of an exemplary aeration device which may be used in a wastewater treatment system;
Figure 4B is a perspective view of another exemplary aeration device which may be used in a wastewater treatment system;
Figures 5A-5D illustrate an exemplary microorganism clad structure which may be used in association with an aeration device in a wastewater treatment system;
Figure 6 is another exemplary wastewater treatment system utilizing a plurality of aeration devices and a plurality of microorganism clad structures, and
Figure 7 is yet another exemplary wastewater treatment system utilizing a plurality of aeration devices and a plurality of microorganism clad structures within a zone of the wastewater treatment system.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Detailed Description
For the following defined terms, these definitions shall be applied, unless a different definition is given in the claims or elsewhere in this specification.

All numeric values herein are assumed to be modified by the term "about" whether or not explicitly indicated. The term "about" generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (ie, having the same function or result). In many instances, the term "about" may be indicative as including numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.

Now referring to the drawings, an illustrative 10 wastewater treatment system is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The 10 wastewater treatment system includes a reservoir 12 containing a quantity of wastewater 14. Although depicted as an oxidation oval, the reservoir 12 may be a lagoon, such as an earthen or concrete lagoon, a basin, a pond, a tank, or the like. The wastewater 14, prior to being treated, includes undesired contaminants such as high levels of BOD and / or ammonia.

The plurality of 22 sheets may be formed of a material conducive to growth and microorganism attachment thereon. In some embodiments, the plurality of 22 sheets may be formed of a textile material. For example, the plurality of 22 sheets may be formed of a textile material, such as a non-biodegradable geo-textile, having a high effective surface area. In describing the textile material as having a high effective surface area, it is intended to mean the textile material has a surface area greater than that computed by taking into account the outer periphery of the textile material alone. For example, the textile material may be porous, convoluted, woven, honeycombed, or may have other structure providing a high effective surface area.

A population of 40 microorganisms, or bio-film, is attached to the plurality of sheets 22. The population of microorganisms 40 may be attached to both sides of the sheets 22, or the population of 40 microorganisms may be attached to only one side of the sheets 22 if desired. The population of microorganisms 40 may include bacteria, such as BOD reducing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and / or denitrifying bacteria which may carry out a biological process, such as BOD reduction, nitrification and / or denitrification in the wastewater.
 

Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 July 2008 )
 
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