Abstract: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an energy efficient and compact biological wastewater treatment process. There is only one commercially available AGS technology which utilizes sequencing batch reactors (SBR). Many existing wastewater treatment facilities consist of long, continuous flow reactors that would not be readily suitable for retrofit to SBR. Therefore, a continuous flow process is preferred for municipalities that cannot economically invest in the only commercially available SBR technology (i.e., Nere-da®). Lab- and pilot-scale experimentation has demonstrated that stable granulation can be achieved in a continuous flow configuration GT suitable for retrofit into existing infrastructure. An anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic configuration can be designed and stably operated for conversion of flocculent biomass to AGS Preliminary pilot-scale results on primary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment facility indicated that granules of 0.2-0.

Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.

Abstract: Mainstream partial nitritation was studied at 10° C. in a moving bed biofilm reactor treating synthetic wastewater containing both nitrogen (?40 mg L-1) and organic carbon at COD/N ratio ranging from 1.3 to 2.2. Three different control strategies were investigated to achieve partial nitritation. Initially, biofilm age was controlled by incorporating a media replacement strategy. Next, separately from the media replacement, oxygen limited conditions were investigated and finally pH control was incorporated together with oxygen limitation. Successful partial nitritation was achieved only by combining oxygen limitation with pH control. The average NH4-N concentration was equal to 16.0±1.6 mg L-1 and average NO2-N concentration was equal to 15.7±2.4 mg L-1 during steady state partial nitritation. The average residual NO3-N concentration was equal to 2.6±2.2 mg L-1.

Abstract: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is an energy efficient and compact biological wastewater treatment process. There is only one commercially available AGS technology which utilizes sequencing batch reactors (SBR). Many existing wastewater treatment facilities consist of long, continuous flow reactors that would not be readily suitable for retrofit to SBR. Therefore, a continuous flow process is preferred for municipalities that cannot economically invest in the only commercially available SBR technology (i.e., Nere-da®). Lab- and pilot-scale experimentation has demonstrated that stable granulation can be achieved in a continuous flow configuration GT suitable for retrofit into existing infrastructure. An anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic configuration can be designed and stably operated for conversion of flocculent biomass to AGS Preliminary pilot-scale results on primary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment facility indicated that granules of 0.2-0.

Abstract: Mainstream partial nitritation was studied at 10° C. in a moving bed biofilm reactor treating synthetic wastewater containing both nitrogen (?40 mg L-1) and organic carbon at COD/N ratio ranging from 1.3 to 2.2. Three different control strategies were investigated to achieve partial nitritation. Initially, biofilm age was controlled by incorporating a media replacement strategy. Next, separately from the media replacement, oxygen limited conditions were investigated and finally pH control was incorporated together with oxygen limitation. Successful partial nitritation was achieved only by combining oxygen limitation with pH control. The average NH4-N concentration was equal to 16.0±1.6 mg L-1 and average NO2-N concentration was equal to 15.7±2.4 mg L-1 during steady state partial nitritation. The average residual NO3-N concentration was equal to 2.6±2.2 mg L-1.

Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving wastewater having a first total organic carbon (TOC) at a wastewater treatment system comprising a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises an anaerobic moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and an aerobic MBBR. The method further includes treating the wastewater in the anaerobic MBBR, wherein the anaerobic MBBR comprises first bio-carriers configured to degrade at least a portion of the first TOC in the wastewater to generate a first treated wastewater and biogas, wherein the first treated wastewater has a second TOC that is less than the first TOC. The method also includes providing the biogas to an external system.

Abstract: There are provided processes for treating wastewater. The processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the wastewater and an activated sludge, in a single reactor, with an electric current having a density of less than about 55 A/m2, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrical zone for treating the mixture; exposing the mixture to an intermittent ON/OFF electrical exposure mode to the electric current in which an OFF period of time is about 1 to about 10 times longer than an ON period of time; and maintaining an adequate oxidation-reduction potential in the single reactor. Such processes allow for substantial removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater in the single reactor of various forms and for obtaining another mixture comprising a treated wastewater and solids.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving wastewater having a first total organic carbon (TOC) at a wastewater treatment system comprising a reactor system, wherein the reactor system comprises an anaerobic moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and an aerobic MBBR. The method further includes treating the wastewater in the anaerobic MBBR, wherein the anaerobic MBBR comprises first bio-carriers configured to degrade at least a portion of the first TOC in the wastewater to generate a first treated wastewater and biogas, wherein the first treated wastewater has a second TOC that is less than the first TOC. The method also includes providing the biogas to an external system.

Abstract: There are provided processes for treating a residual. For example, such processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the residual, a peracid or source thereof and an ammonium salt in a reactor, with an electric field, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrokinetic zone for treating the mixture. Such processes allow for inactivation of at least one type of pathogen in the residual so as to obtain a treated residual.

Abstract: There are provided processes for treating wastewater. The processes can comprise treating a mixture comprising the wastewater and an activated sludge, in a single reactor, with an electric current having a density of less than about 55 A/m2, by means of at least one anode and at least one cathode that define therebetween an electrical zone for treating the mixture; exposing the mixture to an intermittent ON/OFF electrical exposure mode to the electric current in which an OFF period of time is about 1 to about 10 times longer than an ON period of time; and maintaining an adequate oxidation-reduction potential in the single reactor. Such processes allow for substantial removal of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater in the single reactor of various forms and for obtaining another mixture comprising a treated wastewater and solids.

Abstract: A method precipitating struvite in wastewater uses a magnesium sacrificial anode as the only source of magnesium. A high-purity magnesium alloy cast anode was found to be very effective in recovery of high-quality struvite from water solutions and from supernatant of fermented waste activated sludge (WAS) from a high-purity oxygen wastewater treatment plant. Struvite purity was strongly dependent on the pH and the electric current density. Optimum pH of the solution was in the broad range between 7.5 and 9.3, with struvite purities exceeding 90%. The precipitated struvite accumulated in bulk liquid with significant portions attached to the anode surface from which regular detachment occurred.

Abstract: Sludge is treated in a treatment chamber by providing a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber and applying an electrical current between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode in proximity to the outlet. A flow of water is induced from the sludge towards the outlet by the electrical current. An ion exchange textile comprising exchangeable functional groups grafted thereon is located in proximity to at least one of the electrodes such that the ionic forms of the metals are exchanged with the functional groups on the ion exchange textile. Accordingly the sludge is dewatered and metals in the sludge are captured commonly in the treatment chamber while the electrical current simultaneously inactivates pathogens in the treatment chamber.

Abstract: A system for saturating a liquid with a gas followed by bubble-less delivery and mixing of the gas-saturated liquid into a gas-unsaturated liquid wherein a biological process is occurring. The system comprises a gas-saturation unit which controllably communicates with a bioreactor unit containing a gas-unsaturated liquid wherein a biological process is occurring. The gas saturation unit comprises a sealable pressure-resistant vessel for receiving therein an unsaturated liquid and wherein the liquid is saturated with a gas under pressure. The rate of introduction of gas-saturated liquid into the bioreactor unit is controllable to make it equivalent to the rate of gas consumption by the biological process occurring in gas-unsaturated liquid contained within the bioreactor unit. The invention is particularly useful for bubble-less gas delivery to open and closed bioreactor configurations for wastewater treatment processes.

Abstract: Sludge is treated in a treatment chamber by providing a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber and applying an electrical current between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode in proximity to the outlet. A flow of water is induced from the sludge towards the outlet by the electrical current. An ion exchange textile comprising exchangeable functional groups grafted thereon is located in proximity to at least one of the electrodes such that the ionic forms of the metals are exchanged with the functional groups on the ion exchange textile. Accordingly the sludge is dewatered and metals in the sludge are captured commonly in the treatment chamber while the electrical current simultaneously inactivates pathogens in the treatment chamber.

Abstract: A wastewater treatment system and method comprises a treatment chamber having a filtration membrane spanning an effluent outlet of the chamber and a pair of electrodes in the treatment chamber so as to be in communication with the wastewater. An electrical potential difference is applied between the electrodes such that one of the electrodes functions as an anode and one of the electrodes functions as a cathode. A flow of fluid is induced out of the treatment chamber through the filtration membrane to the effluent outlet. Accordingly the treatment chamber is arranged to biologically treat the wastewater, electrochemically treat the wastewater and mechanically filter the wastewater through the filtration membrane commonly therein.