Wastewater Treatment

Water Use
What is wastewater, and why treat it?
We consider wastewater
treatment as a water use because it is so interconnected with the other uses
of water. Much of the water used by homes, industries, and businesses must
be treated before it is released back to the environment.
If the term "wastewater treatment" is confusing to you, you might think of it
as "sewage treatment." Nature has an amazing ability to cope with small
amounts of water wastes and pollution, but it would be overwhelmed if we
didn't treat the billions of gallons of wastewater and sewage produced every
day before releasing it back to the environment. Treatment plants reduce
pollutants in wastewater to a level nature can handle.
Wastewater is used water. It includes substances such as human waste,
food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals. In homes, this includes water from
sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers.
Businesses and industries also contribute their share of used water that
must be cleaned.
Wastewater also includes storm runoff. Although some people assume that
the rain that runs down the street during a storm is fairly clean, it isn't.
Harmful substances that wash off roads, parking lots, and rooftops can harm
our rivers and lakes.
Why Treat Wastewater?
It's a matter of caring for our environment and for our own health. There are
a lot of good reasons why keeping our water clean is an important priority:
Fisheries
Clean water is critical to plants and animals that live
in water. This is important to the fishing industry, sport
fishing enthusiasts, and future generations.
Wildlife Habitats
Our rivers and ocean waters teem with life that
depends on shoreline, beaches and marshes. They are critical
habitats for hundreds of species of fish and other aquatic life.
Migratory water birds use the areas for resting and feeding.

Recreation and Quality of Life
Water is a great playground for us all. The scenic and
recreational values of our waters are reasons many people
choose to live where they do. Visitors are drawn to water
activities such as swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking.
Health Concerns
If it is not properly cleaned, water can carry
disease. Since we live, work and play so close to water,
harmful bacteria have to be removed to make water safe.
Effects of wastewater pollutants
If wastewater is not properly treated, then the environment and human
health can be negatively impacted. These impacts can include harm to fish
and wildlife populations, oxygen depletion, beach closures and other
restrictions on recreational water use, restrictions on fish and shellfish
harvesting and contamination of drinking water. Environment
Canada provides some examples of pollutants that can be found in
wastewater and the potentially harmful effects these substances can have on
ecosystems and human health:
decaying organic matter and debris can use up the dissolved oxygen in
a lake so fish and other aquatic biota cannot survive;
excessive nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen (including
ammonia), can cause eutrophication, or over-fertilization of receiving
waters, which can be toxic to aquatic organisms, promote excessive
plant growth, reduce available oxygen, harm spawning grounds, alter
habitat and lead to a decline in certain species;
chlorine compounds and inorganic chloramines can be toxic to aquatic
invertebrates, algae and fish;
bacteria, viruses and disease-causing pathogens can pollute beaches
and contaminate shellfish populations, leading to restrictions on
human recreation, drinking water consumption and shellfish
consumption;
metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic can
have acute and chronic toxic effects on species.
other substances such as some pharmaceutical and personal care
products, primarily entering the environment in wastewater effluents,
may also pose threats to human health, aquatic life and wildlife.
Wastewater treatment
The major aim of wastewater treatment is to remove as much of the
suspended solids as possible before the remaining water, called effluent, is
discharged back to the environment. As solid material decays, it uses up
oxygen, which is needed by the plants and animals living in the water.
"Primary treatment" removes about 60 percent of suspended solids from
wastewater. This treatment also involves aerating (stirring up) the
wastewater, to put oxygen back in. Secondary treatment removes more
than 90 percent of suspended solids.
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/wuww.html

A visit to a wastewater-treatment plant:
Primary treatment of wastewater

Here's a step-by-step guide describing what happens at each stage of the
treatment process and how pollutants are removed to help keep our
waterways clean. This information is courtesy of the Greater Vancouver
Regional District.

The Primary Treatment Process
1. Screening:
Wastewater entering the treatment plant includes items like wood, rocks,
and even dead animals. Unless they are removed, they could cause
problems later in the treatment process. Most of these materials are sent to
a landfill.

2. Pumping:
The wastewater system relies on the force of gravity to move sewage from
your home to the treatment plant. So wastewater-treatment plants are
located on low ground, often near a river into which treated water can be
released. If the plant is built above the ground level, the wastewater has to
be pumped up to the aeration tanks (item 3). From here on, gravity takes
over to move the wastewater through the treatment process.

3. Aerating:
One of the first steps that a water treatment facility can do is to just shake
up the sewage and expose it to air. This causes some of the dissolved gases
(such as hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs) that taste and
smell bad to be released from the water. Wastewater enters a series of long,
parallel concrete tanks. Each tank is divided into two sections. In the first
section, air is pumped through the water.
As organic matter decays, it uses up oxygen. Aeration replenishes the
oxygen. Bubbling oxygen through the water also keeps the organic material
suspended while it forces 'grit' (coffeegrounds, sand and other small, dense
particles) to settle out. Grit is pumped out of the tanks and taken to landfills.

4. Removing sludge
Wastewater then enters the second section or sedimentation tanks. Here,
the sludge (the organic portion of the sewage) settles out of the wastewater
and is pumped out of the tanks. Some of the water is removed in a step
called thickening and then the sludge is processed in large tanks called
digesters.

5. Removing scum:
As sludge is settling to the bottom of the sedimentation tanks, lighter
materials are floating to the surface. This 'scum' includes grease, oils,
plastics, and soap. Slow-moving rakes skim the scum off the surface of the
wastewater. Scum is thickened and pumped to the digesters along with the
sludge.
Many cities also use filtration in sewage treatment. After the solids are
removed, the liquid sewage is filtered through a substance, usually sand, by
the action of gravity. This method gets rid of almost all bacteria, reduces
turbidity and color, removes odors, reduces the amount of iron, and
removes most other solid particles that remained in the water. Water is
sometimes filtered through carbon particles, which removes organic
particles. This method is used in some homes, too.

6. Killing bacteria:
Finally, the wastewater flows into a 'chlorine contact' tank, where the
chemical chlorine is added to kill bacteria, which could pose a health risk,
just as is done in swimming pools. The chlorine is mostly eliminated as the
bacteria are destroyed, but sometimes it must be neutralized by adding
other chemicals. This protects fish and other marine organisms, which can
be harmed by the smallest amounts of chlorine.
The treated water (called effluent) is then discharged to a local river or the
ocean
.

R. Wastewater Residuals:
Another part of treating wastewater is dealing with the solid-waste material.
These solids are kept for 20 to 30 days in large, heated and enclosed tanks
called 'digesters.' Here, bacteria break down (digest) the material, reducing
its volume, odors, and getting rid of organisms that can cause disease. The
finished product is mainly sent to landfills, but sometimes can be used as
fertilizer.
Related topics:

http://water.usgs.gov/edu/wwvisit.html


ABL-SBR Process

The Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process has been extensively used in Europe and the
United States in the past two decades. Its use in Canada has been limited to date, although
within the last three years approximately seven treatment plants using this technology
were constructed in Nova Scotia. One of the obstacles in the acceptability of SBR process
has traditionally been the need for precise, automated and reliable control of various stages
of the process. Recent developments in the programmable logic controller (PLC)
technology, however, have made the control of an SBR process readily achievable. The SBR
process is an activated sludge process in which the sewage is introduced into a Reaction
Tank (or SBR Tank), one batch at a time. Wastewater treatment is achieved by a timed
sequence of operations which occur in the same SBR Tank, consisting of filling, reaction
(aeration), settling, decanting, idling, and sludge wasting. The various stages in the
sequence are as follows:

Stage 1: Filling
During this stage the SBR Tank is filled with the influent wastewater. In order to maintain
suitable F/M (food to microorganism) ratios, the wastewater should be admitted into the
tank in a rapid, controlled manner. This method functions similarly to a selector, which
encourages the growth of certain microorganisms with better settling characteristics.
Stage 2: Reaction
This stage involves the utilization of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and ammonia
nitrogen, where applicable, by microorganisms. The length of the aeration period and the
sludge mass determines the degree of treatment. The length of the aeration period
depends on the strength of the wastewater and the degree of nitrification (conversion of
the ammonia to a less toxic form of nitrate or nitrite) provided for in the treatment.
Stage 3: Settling
During this stage, aeration is stopped and the sludge settles leaving clear, treated effluent
above the sludge blanket. Duration for settling varies from 45 to 60 minutes depending on
the number of cycles per day.
Stage 4: Decanting
At this stage of the process effluent is removed from the tank through the decanter,
without disturbing the settled sludge.
Stage 5: Idling
The SBR Tank waits idle until it is time to commence a new cycle with the filling stage.
Stage 6: Sludge Wasting
Excess activated sludge is wasted periodically during the SBR operation. As with any
activated sludge treatment process, sludge wasting is the main control of the effluent
quality and microorganism population size. This is how the operator exerts control over the
effluent quality by adjusting the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration and
the Mean Cell Residence Time (MCRT).
In this process, the SBR Tank acts as the equivalent of several components in the
conventional activated sludge treatment process, as follows:
1. Aeration Tank: the SBR Tank acts as an aeration tank during the reaction stage where
the activated sludge is mixed with the influent under aerated conditions.

2. Secondary Clarifier: the SBR Tank acts as a secondary clarifier during the settling and
decanting stages where the mixed liquor is allowed to settle under quiescent conditions,
and the overflow is discharged to the next stage of treatment.

3. Sludge Return System: the activated sludge, following settling in the SBR Tank, is
mixed with the influent similar to the sludge return system, except that the feed is
transferred to the sludge rather than the sludge being transferred to the front end of the
plant.
http://www.ablenvironmental.com/prod/prod_sbr_stages.htm


ABL-SBR Advantage

The ABL-SBR product incorporates:
the innovative rapid fill mode of operation,
true batch mode of operation,
nutrient removal capabilities,
solids excluding decanters,
production of high quality effluents of near tertiary quality,
complete process train including sludge inventory control,
a pre-engineered, modular, packaged treatment plant,
tankage of corrosion resistant fiberglass, FRP or SS or concrete,
minimal operating costs,
computer interface technologies and advanced monitoring instrumentation
capability, and
major equipment and process backup.
The ABL-SBR method has a number of advantages over other treatment technologies:
the influent and effluent are never directly hydraulically connected so that process
short circuiting and washout of sludge is very unlikely and high effluent qualities
can be consistently achieved.
the settling cycle provides ideal flocculation opportunity for the solids and therefore
results in better clarifying of the effluent prior to discharge.
the settling cycle is isolated and quiescent so is not disturbed by velocity currents
due to flow entering and leaving in an uncontrolled manner -- resulting in more
efficient use of the clarifier and better effluent quality.
the process results in better conditions for the culture of biological growth which
allows improved, more intuitive, operator control of the sludge inventory and
sludge properties.


Introduction to Wastewater Treatment
Processes
Wastewater treatment is closely related to the standards and/or expectations set for the effluent quality. Wastewater
treatment processes are designed to achieve improvements in the quality of the wastewater. The various treatment processes
may reduce:

1. Suspended solids (physical particles that can clog rivers or channels as they settle under gravity)
2. Biodegradable organics (e.g. BOD) which can serve as food for microorganisms in the receiving body. Microorganisms
combine this matter with oxygen from the water to yield the energy they need to thrive and multiply; unfortunately, this
oxygen is also needed by fish and other organisms in the river. Heavy organic pollution can lead to dead zones where no
fish can be found; sudden releases of heavy organic loads can lead to dramatic fishkills.
3. Pathogenic bacteria and other disease causing organisms These are most relevant where the receiving water is used for
drinking, or where people would otherwise be in close contact with it; and
4. Nutrients, including nitrates and phosphates. These nutrients can lead to high concentrations of unwanted algae, which
can themselves become heavy loads of biodegradable organic load Treatment processes may also neutralize or removing
industrial wastes and toxic chemicals. This type of treatment should ideally take place at the industrial plant itself, before
discharge of their effluent in municipal sewers or water courses.
Widely used terminology refers to three levels of wastewater treatment: primary, secondary, and tertiary (or advanced).
Primary (mechanical) treatment is designed to remove gross, suspended and floating solids from raw sewage. It
includes screening to trap solid objects and sedimentation by gravity to remove suspended solids. This level is sometimes
referred to as mechanical treatment, although chemicals are often used to accelerate the sedimentation process. Primary
treatment can reduce the BOD of the incoming wastewater by 20-30% and the total suspended solids by some 50-60%.
Primary treatment is usually the first stage of wastewater treatment. Many advanced wastewater treatment plants in
industrialized countries have started with primary treatment, and have then added other treatment stages as wastewater
load has grown, as the need for treatment has increased, and as resources have become available.
Secondary (biological) treatment removes the dissolved organic matter that escapes primary treatment. This is
achieved by microbes consuming the organic matter as food, and converting it to carbon dioxide, water, and energy for their
own growth and reproduction. The biological process is then followed by additional settling tanks (secondary
sedimentation", see photo) to remove more of the suspended solids. About 85% of the suspended solids and BOD can be
removed by a well running plant with secondary treatment. Secondary treatment technologies include the basic activated
sludge process, the variants of pond and constructed wetland systems, trickling filters and other forms of treatment which
use biological activity to break down organic matter.
Tertiary treatment is simply additional treatment beyond secondary! Tertiary treatment can remove more than 99
percent of all the impurities from sewage, producing an effluent of almost drinking-water quality. The related technology can
be very expensive, requiring a high level of technical know-how and well trained treatment plant operators, a steady energy
supply, and chemicals and specific equipment which may not be readily available. An example of a typical tertiary treatment
process is the modification of a conventional secondary treatment plant to remove additional phosphorus and nitrogen.
Disinfection, typically with chlorine, can be the final step before discharge of the effluent. However, some environmental
authorities are concerned that chlorine residuals in the effluent can be a problem in their own right, and have moved away
from this process. Disinfection is frequently built into treatment plant design, but not effectively practiced, because of the
high cost of chlorine, or the reduced effectiveness of ultraviolet radiation where the water is not sufficiently clear or free of
particles.
http://water.worldbank.org/shw-resource-guide/infrastructure/menu-technical-options/wastewater-
treatment

While it's easy to push on water, it's hard to pull on water. When you drink soda through a straw, you
may feel like you're pulling on the water, but you're not. What you are actually doing is removing
some air from the space inside the straw and above the water, so that the air pressure in that space
drops below atmospheric pressure. The water column near the bottom of the straw then experiences
a pressure imbalance: the usual atmospheric pressure below it and less-than-atmospheric pressure
above it. That imbalance provides a modest upward force on the water column and pushes it up into
your mouth. So far, so good. But if you make that straw longer, you'll need to suck harder. That's
because as the column of water gets taller, it gets heavier. It needs a more severe pressure
imbalance to push it upward and support it. By the time the straw and water column get to be about
40 feet tall, you'll need to suck every bit of air out from inside the straw because the pressure
imbalance needed to support a 40-foot column of water is approximately one atmosphere of
pressure. If the straw is taller than 40 feet, you're simply out of luck. Even if you remove all the air
from within the straw, the atmospheric pressure of the water below the straw won't be able to push
the water up the straw higher than about 40 feet. To get the water to rise higher in the straw, you'll
need to install a pump at the bottom, or a submersible pump. The pump increases the water
pressure there to more than 1 atmosphere, so that there is a bigger pressure imbalance available
and therefore the possibility of supporting a taller column of water. The submersible pump can boost
the water pressure well above atmospheric and thereby push the water to the surface despite the
great height and weight of the water column. Multiple stage submersible pumps are arranged in
series so that the discharge from the first stage becomes the intake for the next stage with each
successive stage adding its pressure to the previous one. Surface suction pumps are really only
practical for water that's a few feet below the surface; after that, deep pressure pumps are a much
better idea.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_submersible_pumps_work


Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) has become an accepted process for the removal of
suspended solids, oil, grease, and other dissolved waste streams from industrial and
municipal wastewater. It is a process which relies on uniting air bubbles coming from
solution with suspended particles and subsequently, raising the suspended particles to
the surface for removal. The DAF process employs the principle of increased solubility
of gas in solution at elevated pressures (Henry's Law). In the flotation process, the
stream to be treated is saturated with air at several times atmospheric pressure. When
the pressure is released, air in excess of atmospheric saturation comes out of solution
in the form of tiny air bubbles which attached to the suspended solids and float them to
the surface. Figure 1 shows the relationship of the solubility of air in water to pressure
applied at various temperatures. Flotation units typically operate at 30 to 70 pounds per
inch.
Figure 1 - Solubility of Air in Water at Various Temps & Pressures

The released air bubbles become attached to the suspended particles by one of the
following mechanisms:
1. Condensation
2. Collision
3. Entrapment
In the condensation mechanism, air in excess of atmospheric saturation comes out of
solution by formation on the surface of the suspended particle. This is not the dominant
mechanism, however, since non-turbulent depressurization of the suspension results in
a degree of super saturation. Hence, it is necessary to first achieve near complete air
release by turbulence before attachment to the particles.
The collision mechanism is perhaps the most significant in the flotation process. In
this mechanism, the air-to-solids bond is created by collision during random motion. Air
bubble and particle size must be controlled to some extent to ensure that there is a
sufficient radius of attachment to maintain the bond until separation. Particle size is
controlled by the amount of chemical added during the enflocculation process.
The entrapment mechanism, which provides a "permanent" air-to-solids bond, can be
the predominant mechanism when the final step of chemical flocculation occurs after air
release. This occurs as the air bubbles become embedded in the floc mass.
After the air-to-solids bond is complete, flotation will occur if the net combined specific
gravity of the air-to-solids agglomerate is less than 1.0. Rise rate of the undisturbed
agglomerate is governed by Stokes' Law. The revised Stokes' Equation for the flotation
process is:
Vt = (p liquid - pa) Da
2

u 18

In this formula Vt = terminal velocity agglomerate, p = density of liquid, pa = density
of agglomerate, u = viscosity of the liquid, and g = acceleration due to gravity.

Actual separation of the suspension in the flotation unit will also be governed by the
solids and air concentration; and, the degree of turbulence.

The flotation process is employed where separation of particles having specific gravities
close to that of water is desired. The flotation process will provide faster separation and
higher ultimate solids concentration. Sludge volume generated by the DAF process will
be nearly equal to other system processes, but the DAF will have more air volume
entrapped with the sludge; therefore, less water entrapment.

Equipment Used in the Flotation Process
The DAF unit consists of two major components: the retention tank and the separation
vat. The retention tank is a pressure vessel designed to provide sufficient time for
dissolution of air into the stream to be treated. There are a variety of air introduction
systems available, most employing a sparger or ductor.

From the retention tank, the stream is released back to atmospheric pressure in the
separation vat. The system is usually designed so that most of the pressure drop occurs
in the transfer line between the retention tank and the separation vat so that the
effects of turbulence are minimized. In the separation vat, air in excess of atmospheric
saturation comes out of solution in the form of tiny air bubbles, which become attached
to the particles in the suspension, thus resulting in floating of the particles. The
separation vat is equipped with a flight scraper mechanism, which removes the floated
material to a recovered solid compartment. Clarified effluent is drawn off from the
bottom of the vat. There are a number of different vat configurations and process
application methods available to satisfy the conditions of a particular application.

There are three general parameters involved in sizing DAF cells:
1. Hydraulic Loading (gpm/ft
2
)
2. Solids Loading (lbs/hours/ft
2
)
3. Air-to-Solids Ratio (lbs of air/lbs of solids)
Generally, one of the above parameters will be the controlling design point.

Hydraulic Loading: The relationship of the surface area of the flotation cell (ft
2
)
versus the influent rate into the flotation cell (gpm). For full pressurization systems, the
influent rate is the capacity of the pressurizing pumps. For recycle pressurization
systems, the total influent is the raw influent flow plus the recycle pump rate. Effective
design ranges are 1.0 to 2.5 gpm/ft
2
, depending upon the application.

Solids Load: The relationship of the surface area of the flotation cell (ft
2
) versus the
amount of solids (lbs) entering the system per hour. Design points for solid loadings
range from 0.5 to 3.5 lbs/hr/ft
2
, depending on the application and the type of solids
involved. It should be noted that any chemical additives used to promote coagulation
and flocculation are generally included as solids determining the surface loading since
the chemicals used are removed with the float from the system.

Air-to-Solid Ratio: The ratio of the number of pounds of air to the number of pounds
of solids. Generally, air is injected in a range of two percent to eight percent (2% to
8%) by volume. Depending upon the type of solids and application, the air-to-solids
ratio ranges from 0.020 to 0.1.

Advantages of Dissolved Air Flotation
1. Purchase cost is lower than any other system of comparable waste extraction
performance.
2. Installation cost is low. The unit is typically delivered fully prefabricated. Normal
concrete pad installation.
3. Space requirements are minimal.
4. Capability to treat a wide variety of organic and inorganic solids and dissolved
waste streams.
5. Low retention time from wastewater stream to effluent ejection.
6. Superior clarification of most waste streams.
7. Easy to clean and maintain.
8. Higher density sludge with low water content.
Types of Pressurization Flow Schematic
Full Pressurization
The entire wastewater flow is injected with air and
pressurized for dissolution of the air in the water.
This flow then passes into the flotation cell where
pressure is relieved. A pump equalization is used to
return water to the pump in order to maintain
flooded suction during periods of low flow.

Partial Pressurization
Only part of the wastewater flow is pressurized, and
the remainder enters the flotation cell bypassing the
pressurization step. Once inside the flotation cell,
the two flows are again joined together as the air is
coming out of solution. A pump equalization return
line is also employed in this mode to protect the
pressurizing pumps.

Recycle Pressurization
Raw influent is introduced directly into the flotation
cell. A portion (generally 50% of raw flow) of the
system effluent is pressurized and recycled to the
flotation cell where it is blended with the raw
wastewater flow.


http://www.rgf.com/products/dissolved_air_flotation_info.htm