Sewage treatment plant

What Are the Stages of Sewage Treatment?

As the wastewater is collected, it is pumped into the sewage treatment plant,

however, when at sea the waste water doesn’t go to the tank but directly to the
STP.
The first stage or primary chamber is the beginning of the wastewater treatment
on an STP. Here we can find a macerator pump that comminutes of breaks up
the solid waste on the wastewater. In some arrangements, a filter is used to
separate solids from the wastewater. The first chamber is overflowed to the
second chamber or the aeration tank.
 The aeration tank is assisted by an air compressor/ blower, the aeration
process helps the bacteria to on stabilizing the wastewater by providing oxygen.
The bacteria break down any organic matter in the wastewater.
The overflow from the aeration chamber is caught by the third chamber also
known as the settling tank where the comminuted solids and biologically treated
wastewater is separated. Waste water goes to the last chamber where chlorine
is introduced.
The chlorine kills any biological component of the wastewater that could hurt
marine life. The last chamber is also where the discharge pump sucks out to the
sea, but, before it is pumped out dechlorination is induced to remove chlorine
from the wastewater which could also hurt marine life when the treated
wastewater is discharged.
Usually, the last chamber is fully automated by such level sensors are installed
to automatically start the discharge pump when the chamber is full and stop the
pump when it is empty.
Sewage treatment plant components

Screen Filter – A screen filter is often installed on the first chamber to prevent
solid waste such as tissues, napkins, cigarette butts and etc, which people
usually dump on urinals, toilets, and shower drains.
Macerator pump – The macerator pump physically breaks the solid entering
the first chamber into smaller pieces so the biological bacteria could easily
decompose the organic components of the wastewater.
Chlorinator – The chlorinator pumps chlorine to the final chamber at a preset
volume and chlorine percentage.
Discharge pump – The discharge pump sucks the treated water and releases
it to the sea.
Blower/air compressor – The blower usually a rotary vane pump provides
oxygen to the second chamber to help the organic bacteria to do its job of
breaking carbon components into water and carbon dioxide
Primary chamber – The foremost tank on a sewage treatment plant where it
collects the raw wastewater and comminuted solid wastes
Aeration chamber – The tank where decomposition takes place by the
reaction caused by the organic eating bacteria and oxygen introduction
Settling chamber – Is where the separation of comminuted solid waste is
separated from the partially treated wastewater
Collection chamber – The final stage of treatment where wastewater is
chlorinated and dechlorinated before flushing into the ocean
 Grey water is wastewater coming from shower drains, lavatory spaces,
and even galley spaces. Meanwhile, black water is wastewater that came
from the heads – the toilet bowls.
On board, the grey water has a separate piping arrangement from the black
water. The grey water goes to the grey water holding tank while the black
water goes to the black water holding tank. Both are processed by the
sewage treatment plant before pumping out to the sea.
 Mainly, the discharge of sewage shall be;
Comminuted and disinfected sewage: at least 3 nautical miles from the nearest
land, or
Sewage not comminuted or disinfected: at least 12 nautical miles from the
nearest land. Sewage that has been stored in holding tanks shall be discharged
at a moderate rate when the ship is en route and proceeding at not less than 4
knots (the discharge rate shall be approved by the Administration based upon
standards developed by the Organization).
The ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant which has been
certified by the Administration