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:
Bacteri
Organic matter a
O2

CO2 + H2O

10

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.

11

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

12

Sewage Treatment Processes Contd

Tertiary Treatment
Several forms of tertiary treatment are
available for example:
1.
2.
3.

Passing the effluent over grass plots

Retaining the effluent in lagoons
Filtering through sand beds

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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
14

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

16

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 Clogging
Potential

Oxygen
Limited

Mechanical

Sand Filter

high

high

Undergravel
Filter
Plenum

high

high

yes

good

low
medium
low

medium
medium
low

yes
no
no

none
none
none

med-high

medium

yes

good

high

high

yes

good

Trickle Filter
RBC
Fluidized
Bed
Bead Filter

yes

Ability

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.