Waste water Treatment Processes

Introduction
Sewage Treatment Processes: A. Preliminary B. Primary C. Secondary

D. Tertiary

Introduction
Definitions: Sewage:
The content of sewer or drains

Sewage Treatment:
Removing of impurities so that the remaining waste water can be safely returned to the river or sea and become part of the natural water cycle again.

Introduction Contd
Compositions:

Human waste
paper Food Grease Mineral matter and almost any things that can be carried by water

Fig 21.21 Diagram of sewage treatment processes.

2003 John Wiley and Sons Publishers 4

Disease-Causing Agents

Sewage Treatment Processes

Preliminary
Primary

Secondary
Tertiary

Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Preliminary Treatment

Solids like wood paper, rags and plastic are removed by screens

Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Primary Treatment

The remaining solids that passed from the preliminary treatment are removed About 70% of solids settle out at this stage

Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Secondary Treatment
Biological treatment to reduce organic matter in the waste stream Aerobic bacteria is the main cause for this reduction

The chemical reaction:

Organic matter

Bacteria
O2

CO2 + H2O

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Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Secondary Treatment
This process can be speeded up by blowing air into tanks of sewage These treatment units are called Aeration Tanks.

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Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Secondary Treatment

Bacteria Found in the Sewage

Aerobic
Require dissolved oxygen for their existence Ex: Earobacter

Anaerobic
Exist in the absence of dissolved oxygen Ex: Sulfate Reducer

Facultative
Can grow with or without oxygen Ex: Salmonella

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Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Tertiary Treatment Several forms of tertiary treatment are available for example:

Passing the effluent over grass plots 2. Retaining the effluent in lagoons 3. Filtering through sand beds
1.

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Sand Filters

Advantages Long history in the industry - known Easy to operate Easy to construct

Disadvantages Requires large water pumps Operation smothers the nitrifying biofilm Needs frequent backwashing
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Trickle Filters

Advantages Good air exchange Simple to construct Almost any material will work

Disadvantages Uneven surface wetting May promote solids retention & be hard to clean

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Industrial RBC

Advantages Good air exchange Least maintenance of all biofilters Automatically maintains a thin biofilm Most efficient Biofilter

Disadvantages No solids removal Have to maintain rotation Needs space

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Fluidized Beds

Advantages Constant movement of beads promotes thin biofilm Large surface for nitrification

Disadvantages Hard to maintain constant bead movement Beads tend to stick together Loss of Beads from the filter May promote growth of heterotrophic bacteria
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Filter Comparison
Filter Type Maintenance
Sand Filter

Clogging Potential

Oxygen Limited

Mechanical

Ability

high high

high high

yes yes

good good

Undergravel Filter
Plenum Trickle Filter

RBC
Fluidized Bed Bead Filter

low medium low

med-high high

medium medium low

medium high

yes no no
yes yes

none none none

good good
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Activated sludge is a process for treating sewage and industrial wastewaters using air and a biological floc composed of bacteria and protozoans.

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oxidizing carbonaceous matter: biological matter. oxidizing nitrogeneous matter: mainly ammonium and

nitrogen in biological materials.

removing phosphate. driving off entrained gases carbon dioxide, ammonia,

nitrogen, etc.
generating a biological floc that is easy to settle. generating a liquor that is low in dissolved or suspended material.

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Activated sludge process

Activated sludge is a biochemical process for treating sewage and industrial wastewater that uses air (or oxygen) and microorganisms to biologically oxidize organic pollutants, producing a waste sludge (or floc) containing the oxidized material. Any oxidizable material present in a natural waste will be oxidized both by biochemical (bacterial) or chemical processes. The result is that the oxygen content of the water will be decreased. Oxidizable material + bacteria + nutrient + O2 CO2 + H2O + oxidized inorganics S-- + 2 O2 SO4-NO2- + O2 NO3-

In general, an activated sludge process includes: An aeration tank where air (or oxygen) is injected and thoroughly mixed into the wastewater. A settling tank (usually referred to as a "clarifier" or "settler") to allow the waste sludge to settle. Part of the waste sludge is recycled to the aeration tank and the remaining waste sludge is removed for further treatment and ultimate disposal.

Trickling filter system

A bed of filter medium upon which a
layer of microbial slime is promoted and developed.

An enclosure or a container which

houses the bed of filter medium. A system for distributing the flow of wastewater over the filter medium. A system for removing and disposing of any sludge from the treated effluent. The treatment of sewage or other wastewater with trickling filters is among the oldest and most well characterized treatment technologies.