SEWAGE WATER TREATMENT BTY308

Waste Water Treatment

Wastewater comes from sewage, house washing waste and industrial effluent. This water contains a high BOD it will cause eutrophication and deoxygenation of rivers And may contain poisonous compounds and pathogenic organisms.

3 stages of treatment.
Primary. This is only a physical separation to remove solid matter. Effluent is allowed to settle for a few hours. Secondary. The organic and nutrient load is decreased by microbial activity Up to 95% so that the effluent is of a quality to be able to go into rivers. Tertiary. This is a complete treatment, but it is very expensive and not used much.

Primary Treatment.
Sewage entering the system passes through a grate to remove large debris branches. And a smaller grate filter out smaller things a grit tank to get rid of sand and gravel. Then it is allowed to sit in the settling tank. About half the suspended organic solids settle at the bottom as sludge or biosolids. The sludge is also further treated. About 20-30% of the Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is removed by primary treatment.

Biochemical oxygen demand

This is an indirect measure of the dissolved O2 required to oxidise the biodegradable organic matter. Sample is diluted and sealed in a bottle with bacteria. Measure dissolved oxygen after 5 days.

Secondary Treatment.
Can be divided into anoxic or oxic treatment processes

Anoxic
Complex series of digestive and fermentative reactions by a mixture of bacteria. It can remove 95% BOD. This is the choice if there is a lot of insoluble matter cellulose, industrial waste. Degradation is carried out in large tanks sludge digestors or bioreactors.

Molecular components are digested and fermented to FA, H2, CO2. FA then to acetate, CO2 and H2. These are substrates for methanogenic bacteria to make methane. Major products are methane and CO2. Used or burnt off.

Anoxic Sludge Digester

Anoxic sludge digestion

Aerobic
There are several kinds of aerobic decomposition processes. Trickling filter and activated sludge are the most common. Trickling filter is a bed of crushed rock, ~2m thick. Wastewater is sprayed on the top. Liquid slowly passes through the rock, organic matter absorbs to the rock and microbial growth takes place. Complete mineralisation of organic matter takes place. Most common is activated sludge. Wastewater is mixed and aerated in a large tank

Trickling Filter

Aeration tank, activated sludge

Aeration tank, dairy waste

Microbial activity in activated sludge.

Slime forming bacteria like Zoogloea grow and form flocs. Small animals and protozoa attach to these. Process of oxidation is similar to the trickling bed. Effluent containing flocs goes to settling tanks. Flocs settle. Some floc material is recirculated. Water spends 5-10 hours in sludge tank, too short for complete oxidation. Main process is absorption of organic matter to the floc. BOD of liq waste is reduced by ~95%. Most BOD is in the flocs. BOD reduction then takes place by digestion of the flocs in the sludge digestor.

Anaerobic treatment has advantages over aerobic. Methane is produced and the sludge has less volume and can be dried easily. But it can contain concentrated heavy metals. The sludge can be further treated aerobically.

Anaerobic digestors. These can be used to further treat aerobically treated sewage. Or for very highly concentrated sewage. Vats have heating venting, mixing, sludge seeding, draw-off. Protozoa and fungi are insignificant. 2 step process. 1st non-methanogenic, faculatively or obligately anaerobic. Get H2 and CO2. 2nd step get methane. Products are methane and CO2. Opt temp 35-37C and ph 6-8. Get a better reduction in volume of sludge.

Oxidation ponds or lagoons.

This is very simple treatment used in rural areas, particularly suited for tropical areas (Portmore sewage treatment Plant). Take up a large area, are less than 3m deep (allow light to penetrate). Heterotrophic bacteria degrade organic matter. Algae/cyanobacteria thrive producing oxygen, allowing continued heterotrophic growth. There are odour problems and the process can take over a week.

Tertiary treatment
This is used if the water is released somewhere which is a fragile environment (wetlands) or for drinking. Tertiary treatment may be needed to remove nitrates and phosphates (Lead to eutrophication). Reed beds (artificial wetlands) can be used to remove these nutrients.

Water Purification
Water treated by secondary treatment is suitable for release into rivers and the sea. Water for drinking must be further treated. Suitable water, often from a river 1st taken into sedimentation tanks to allow solid things to settle. 2nd coagulation tanks where chemicals containing Fe & Al are added to generate flocks to trap bacteria. 3rd it is filtered. 4th passed through fine sand beds to remove more matter and microbes. 5th it is chlorinated to remove remaining microbes and oxidise any organic matter. Sufficient Cl2 is added so that some is left over.