Abstract: The subject of this invention is to use beneficial reactive support media in the form of reactive support bases or stratums that provide structural or biochemical benefits to the growth or function (including agglutination) of biofilms. The functional aspect includes the provision of a polymeric, cellulosic or silicic framework. The framework could also contain charge moieties such as cations, anions, amines or carboxyl groups whose pKa's allow them to be charged at the physiological pH for an organism. For example, a cation may provide a positive charge to help the adherence of a negative charge exocellular polymeric substance. The reactive support media may include biodegradable or refractory plastics, alginates or uronic acids or extracted bacterial EPS. These materials are reacted, retained or removed based on their physical characteristics.

Abstract: A method for controlled biomass densification in a biological treatment of a raw influent, includes a step of subjecting the raw influent to a biological treatment of free suspended biomass, thereby producing a biomass comprising activated sludge; a step of separation and/or clarification of the activated sludge, thereby producing an effluent and a RAS; a step of extracting at least part of the RAS and/or part of the activated sludge as a first source of a WAS; a step of external density-based selection of at least part of the RAS and/or part of the activated sludge, thereby generating an overflow intended to be extracted as a second source of WAS, and an underflow comprising dense biomass aggregates; a step of producing and/or sustaining dense biomass aggregates, such as aerobic granular sludge or biofilm, by a dense biomass aggregates generating process, with at least part of the raw influent; a step of subjecting the dense biomass aggregates to the biological treatment; a step of subjecting the dense bioma

Abstract: This invention proposes the use of Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) at different temperatures and pressures in alternate waste streams to achieve an optimal mix of high digestion rates and pasteurization rates while still achieving large viscosity reduction. In the disclosed embodiments means of combining Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) and Pasteurization including but not limited to placing the waste streams in parallel, placing them in series, utilizing heat input in parallel and heat exchangers in series are explored to optimize hydrolysis rates, minimize the use of high pressure tanks, optimize energy used, and manage viscosity characteristics of the solids.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to sewage treatment plants and methods of operating sewage treatment plants. In one example embodiment, the sewage treatment plant includes a clarifier having an aeration region with a vent opening to blow in oxygenous gas for mixing water to be clarified and a settling region with an outlet. The sewage treatment plant further includes a wall system that delimits the at least one aeration region from the at least one settling region by the wall system. The wall system has a channel system which has at least one first opening leading to the aeration region in the region of the water level and a sludge removal device of the channel system in the region of a lower wall of the clarifier for transporting solids-rich water from the settling region into the aeration region.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to physical selection, deselection or outselection for smaller, less dense, sheared or compressed particles in sludge, wherein the first deselection step occurs at the reactor or at a clarification step, by separately deselecting for such particles and then a second deselection step occurs in an external selector. This double deselection promotes the more efficient removal of slow settling particles, while simultaneously allowing for maintenance of multiple solids residence times for fast and slow growing organisms. The deselection in a clarifier occurs typically at the periphery of the tank or at the surface of a blanket using a positive or negative pressure device. Structures such as slotted or perforated plates, pipes or manifolds can be used to assist in such deselection. Baffles can also be used for such deselection.

Abstract: A methodology, system and apparatus are provided that include anoxic biofilms to perform partial denitrification and anammox (PdNA) reactions. The PdNA reactions can facilitate process intensification and carbon efficient biological nitrogen removal. The anoxic biofilms can be placed in a pre-anoxic zone or a downstream anoxic zone, where the biofilm and reactions are managed, including using storage compounds, to overcome mass transfer limitations in the biofilm. The methodology, system and apparatus can, when compared to state-of-the art technologies, improve the concentration gradient or reduce mass transfer limitations to facilitate PdNA reactions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for water treatment, including a membrane separator for solid-liquid separation; and a particle fractionator which has at least two exits of a fractionated solid-liquid mixture produced therein, wherein a liquor containing particles of different sizes including submicron particles is fed to the particle fractionator before a membrane separation by the membrane separator, and wherein a first fraction of the fractionated solid-liquid mixture is returned to the membrane separator from one exit of the at least two exits of the particle fractionator, the first fraction being less than the liquor in terms of content of the submicron particles. This apparatus enables a rapid achievement of suppression of membrane fouling.

Abstract: This invention proposes the use of Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) at different temperatures and pressures in alternate waste streams to achieve an optimal mix of high digestion rates and pasteurization rates while still achieving large viscosity reduction. In the disclosed embodiments means of combining Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) and Pasteurization including but not limited to placing the waste streams in parallel, placing them in series, utilizing heat input in parallel and heat exchangers in series are explored to optimize hydrolysis rates, minimize the use of high pressure tanks, optimize energy used, and manage viscosity characteristics of the solids.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for water treatment, including a membrane separator for solid-liquid separation; and a particle fractionator which has at least two exits of a fractionated solid-liquid mixture produced therein, wherein a liquor containing particles of different sizes including submicron particles is fed to the particle fractionator before a membrane separation by the membrane separator, and wherein a first fraction of the fractionated solid-liquid mixture is returned to the membrane separator from one exit of the at least two exits of the particle fractionator, the first fraction being less than the liquor in terms of content of the submicron particles. This apparatus enables a rapid achievement of suppression of membrane fouling.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting, retaining or bioaugmenting solids in an activated sludge process for improving wastewater treatment using a screen device. If desired, the screen device may include a drum, and the rotating speed of the drum may be used to control the solids retained. Effluent including waste biomass may exit the screen device. No other discharge unit from the screen device may be required.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for removing constituents from an influent. The apparatus includes a biological processor that receives a water mixture as influent and outputs a liquor, a solid-liquid separator that receives the liquor and separates the liquor into a liquid and a solid; and a biofilm media that includes at least one media surface. The biofilm media may have a biofilm mass, biofilm volume, biofilm density, biofilm thickness, hydraulic retention time or solids residence time. The at least one media surface grows a biofilm that removes one or more constituents contained in the influent. The biofilm mass, biofilm volume, biofilm density, biofilm thickness, hydraulic retention time or solids residence time can be controlled by at least one of a physical process, a biological process or a chemical process.

Abstract: A method for clarification of wastewater that operates at least two alternating and equal process cycles in two or more clarifiers (1a, 1b), each process cycle consisting of a feed period with concurrent feeding and discharging and a reset period in which excess sludge is removed into a thickener (2a, 2b) and the remaining sludge blanket gets homogenized and pre-settled, wherein at each point of time in at least one clarifier (1a, 1b) the feed period is performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for draining water from a tank (22), more particularly a clarification tank, wherein water is optionally drained via a draining apparatus while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level (23).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting, retaining or bioaugmenting solids in an activated sludge process for improving wastewater treatment using screens. The screens can be used to separate and retain solids based on size, compressibility or shear resistance. The screens are used to separate and select slow growing organisms, faster settling organisms, or materials added to absorb, treat or remove constituents in the activated sludge process. A swapping screen arrangement provides another means of selecting various particles. The exposed shear rate or time, particle compression, or SRTs can be adjusted manually and/or automatically in response to detected readings from an instrument such as a spectrophotometer or other optical approaches to optimize selection of organisms.

Abstract: A method and a system for selecting and retaining solids with superior settling characteristics, the method comprising feeding wastewater to an input of a processor that carries out a treatment process on the wastewater, outputting processed wastewater at an output of the processor, feeding the processed wastewater to an input of a gravimetric selector that selects solids with superior settling characteristics, and outputting a recycle stream at a first output of the gravimetric selector back to the processor.

Abstract: One or more reactor and one or more control methods are used for nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment to achieve measured control of maintaining high ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) oxidation rates while achieving nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) out-selection, using various control strategies, including: 1) ammonia and the use of ammonia setpoints; 2) operational DO and the use of DO setpoints; 3) bioaugmentation of anammox and lighter flocculant AOB fraction; and 4) implementation of transient anoxia in several reactor configurations and conditions for removal of oxidized nitrogen using anammox or heterotrophic organisms.

Abstract: This invention proposes the use of Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) at different temperatures and pressures in alternate waste streams to achieve an optimal mix of high digestion rates and pasteurization rates while still achieving large viscosity reduction. In the disclosed embodiments means of combining Thermal Hydrolysis (or Thermal Carbonization) and Pasteurization including but not limited to placing the waste streams in parallel, placing them in series, utilizing heat input in parallel and heat exchangers in series are explored to optimize hydrolysis rates, minimize the use of high pressure tanks, optimize energy used, and manage viscosity characteristics of the solids.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to nitrogen removal with carbon addition, including for wastewater treatment. The denitrification reaction may be terminated at an intermediate nitrite product which is supplied to the anammox reaction. Nitrogen may be removed by use of an electron donor source including, but not limited to, acetate or glycerol at a specific zone. The electron donor may be used to convert nitrate to nitrite through appropriate dosing, anoxic SRT and/or maintenance of a nitrate residual in isolation or in combination. The subsequent supply of nitrite and ammonia for anammox reactions is also proposed. The slower growing anammox may be selectively retained on media or using other physical approaches. The overall intent of the present disclosure is to minimize the use of electron donor by maximizing denitratation and anammox reactions. Test results for selective retention of anammox in biofilm, granular or suspended growth system or nitrate residual control are provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for overcoming biofilm diffusion in water treatment by the addition of the substrate flux within biofilm by advection or convection in order to overcome diffusional limitations.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for biological wastewater treatment that includes a biological selector and a physical selector. The apparatus comprises an internal biological reactor where wastewater and recycled biomass are combined to provide a high substrate and high electron acceptor gradient for generating morphological biomass features that favor granule formation over floc and filament formation, and an external gravimetric or external screen selector operating on the biomass waste stream for collecting and retaining densified biomass aggregates including dense granule selection and for wasting lighter filaments and flocs. In the method and apparatus, particles may be added to provide cores to promote the formation of aggregates encapsulating the seeded particles. The particles may be added as various materials, for example, in the bioreactor, to initiate or seed the formation of a granule, that could then be separated by or integrated with either the external gravimetric or external screen selector.