Which is the most efficient technology for the secondary treatment of wastewater?

 In areas where water is scarce, human activities result in the creation of wastewater that can have disastrous effects on the ecosystem and lead to water loss (in the form of wastewater, which is 99% water by weight). Water resources become unusable when effluent contaminates rivers and groundwater levels. Therefore, it is essential that wastewater be treated before it is discharged into the environment, ideally in a way that makes it potable.

To avoid endangering the environment and human health, wastewater treatment aims to remove contaminants to levels below the maximum allowable levels. In order to accomplish this, wastewater is gathered and processed in sizable facilities before to being allowed to be discharged back into the environment.

Wastewater is the term used to describe all domestic water consumption that ends up in drains or the sewage system. Large amounts of wastewater are often added by industries and enterprises to sewage collection systems.

Let’s discuss about the most efficient technology for secondary treatment of wastewater.

Chemical, biological, or physical contaminants may be present in wastewater, which might be dangerous for human. If untreated sewage enters the public water system, it may result in serious sickness. After treatment, most wastewater is typically discharged back into the environment.

In a wastewater treatment plant, a number of processes are followed while treating wastewater. Waste water treatment entails five separate procedures, including preliminary, primary, secondary treatments, disinfection and sludge treatment.

Efficient treatment processes included in secondary treatment

1. Aerobic Treatment: This biological process for treating wastewater breaks down organic debris and removes other contaminants like nitrogen and phosphorus by using oxygen. Technologies for aerobic treatment include:

1. Extended Aeration System: The Extended Aeration process's mixing regime and organisational structure are comparable to those of the fully mixed process. It includes Low organic loading, prolonged aeration, high MLSS concentration. It leads to high elimination for BOD.

The mixed liquor solids experience significant endogenous respiration and become well stabilised as a result of their prolonged detention in the aeration tank.

1. Sequential Batch reactor: For the treatment of sewage, a sequential batch reactor uses an active sludge system. It can be defined as an aerobic suspended-growth biological method wherein bacteria extract carbonaceous materials from wastewater.

In a single batch reactor, equalisation, aeration, and clarification can all be accomplished. For big industrial effluents, the SBR system is effective. The SBR does away with the requirement for an additional clarifier. Since the process is PLC-based, SBR has required more maintenance while in operation, but it also exhibits higher efficiency and requires less space for the ETP.

Settlement and secondary treatment are combined in SBR. With a mixture of wastewater and activated sludge, oxygen is bubbled in order to remove the organic matter (BOD and COD). The water can then be dumped onto surface waters after this treatment.

• Biofilm Reactor with Moving Bed: An aeration tank, similar to an activated sludge tank, and unique plastic carriers give a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) a higher surface area where a biofilm can form.

• Bioreactor with Membrane: The Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) combines the activated sludge and ultrafiltration processes. High-quality effluent from MBR can be released into surface water for reusing. It is adaptable to existing installations.

• Anaerobic Treatment: In anaerobic treatment, microorganisms break down trash or other materials without the use of dissolved oxygen. However, anaerobic bacteria can utilize the oxygen present in the system's supplied oxides as well as the organic matter in the effluent. Technology for anaerobic treatment is up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor.

1. UASB: An anaerobic digester is a type of technology known as an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor: It is a methane-producing digester known as the UASB reactor, which uses an anaerobic process to create a layer of granular sludge, which is then broken down by anaerobic microorganisms.

UASB assists in reducing greater organic loads so that the remaining loads can be treated aerobically in the case of higher organic loads. The substrate typically goes through an enlarged sludge bed with a high concentration of biomass first during the treatment of the UASB reactor. The remaining portion of the substrate next travels through a layer of less dense biomass, known as the sludge blanket.

Through a sludge recirculation and disposal pump, the sludge is mixed and circulated. The extra granular sludge is dumped into beds for drying the sludge.

Why select Netsol Water Solutions for your needs related to wastewater treatment?

You require a business that has a strong background in treating public water systems and a wealth of experience. Since a decade, Netsol Water Solutions has offered advisory services, technical assistance, and specialised wastewater treatment systems. 

For any other support, inquiries, or product purchases, call on +91-9650608473 or email at enquiry@netsolwater.com