Biological Treatment Of Waste Water

Shaswati Saha
CSIR-JRF
WWT Division
Biological treatment process
Aerobic Completely mixed
Anaerobic Plug-flow

Suspended Continuous
FixedFilm Batch
Hybrid
 Biological reactors

Suspended Fixed Film

(Plug
flow)
• Granular-UASB
Completely mixed Plug flow
• Biofilm-FFB, PBR, RBC

Baffled • Immobilized-Enz
Continuous Batch Reactors
• Membrane bioreactors
CSTR SBR
ASP
Activated sludge
Trickling filter
 Fixed bed biological filter.
 Filter bed - uniform rocks
gravels, crushed PVC bottle( 1-3
m deep).

 Wastewater is ‘trickled’ or
sprayed over the filter by
rotating sprinkler.

 Wastewater flows downward and Maintenance

causes a layer of biofilm to • Should be washed
grow. periodically to
clogging. prevent
 A perforated slab -the effluent • High hydraulic
and excess sludge to be rate can be used to wash
loading
collected supports the the filter
bottom of the filter.
Advantages
Operated at various organic
and hydraulic loading rate.

Disadvantages
Highoperation and maintenance cost.
Need expert design and construction.
Odor and insects.
 Fluidized Bed Reactor
(Fluidized Bed Biofilm Reactor)
 Combination of attached
growth
and suspended growth.

 Reactor is cylindrical
with
perforated distribution plates and
conical entry sections.

 Biological slime film is

developed
and maintained on a solid support
medium.

 Support media-maintained
in
suspension by upward flow
of influent.
Types of Fluidized Bed Reactor
(FBR)
1. Captor
• Biomass is inside polyester foam
grown pads

• Pads can be periodically removed

and biomass can be squeezed

• Simple sparger is used

2. Oxitron:
Sand particles
overflow/clean recycled.
High purity oxygen is used.
Advantages
 Low biomass sludge production.
 High biomass concentration.
 High strength waste water treatment.
 Low Sludge transport and disposal.
 High exposed liquid/biofilm surface area.
 Low operation cost.

Application
 Aerobic FBR used for nitrate removal in
petroleum industry , coke plant , explosive
factory, nuclear plant.
 Anoxic FBR used for de-nitrification .
 Inverse Fluidized Bed Biofilm
Reactor
 Reactor bed is consistin g
of biofilm attached to lo w
density polypropylen e
particles
 It expands downward
s
during fluidization
 Allows the control o
biomass loading
an
provides the high f
d
oxyge n
concentration in
th reacting liquid media .e
 Fluidization can b
conducted by an upwar e
co-current flow of ga d
and liquid through bed. s
Advantages

Large specific
support
surface area

Fast
biofilm
formatio
n

Effective and
simple
control of
biofilm
thickness
Expanded bed reactor

Itconsists of cylindrical structure packed

with inert support particle to about 10% of its
volume.
Sand ,Gravel, PVC ,Resin are used as
support medium
The biofilm grows attached to the particle.
The particles are expanded by upward
velocity of the liquid.
Upward velocity is increased by recirculation of
the effluent.
Advantages
 High COD removal
 Velocity to delicate attached
maintain biofilm
 Separation, Retardation and
Bio- coagulation of fine suspended solids
 Achievement of high conc. Biomass

Application
It is efficient in treating very low
concentration of sewage (150-600 mg / L
COD) in low hydraulic retention time (30-60
min)
Rotating biological contractor
Used to consume
organic matter (BOD)
from wastewater.
Disks - covered with a
biofilm(2-4
m diameter).
As rotates the biofilm
is exposed to the
wastewater only part
of the time.

The rotation (1-2 rpm)

Advantages
High
loading
rate

Nitrificati
Odorless on/denitri
fication

Durable Low o& M

constructi cost
on
Packed bed/ Column Reactor
Gas

Treate
d
effluen
Media
t
bed

Raw waste Treated

water
effluent

Advantage recycled
Easy construction/Easy O & M/Organisms do not form slime on
packing.

Application
Column packed with anthracite ,coal particle are used for de
nitrification of uranium recovery waste water.
 Contact digestor
Gas

Settling
tank
Raw
waste

water
Recycled sludge Stabilized
sludge
Advantages
 Not affected by suspended solids
.  High COD removal
 Long sludge retention time
Application
Wastes from sugar processing, distilleries, farm
slurries are treated by contact digestor.
 Upflow Anerobic Sludge Blacket
Reactor
 Granular sludge bed.

 Fluidized Zone.

 Gas-solid separator
Features
Disadvantages

Low pathogen removal.

Low nutrient removal

Need post treatment of

effluent.
Thank you