Abstract:
A wastewater treatment system for communities not connected to sewer infrastructure. The wastewater treatment system comprises a control unit electrically coupled to an ecologic cleaning system (i.e. phytoremediation), activated sludges and disinfection process (i.e. ultra violet light) in a re-circulation and continuous flow arrangement.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    N/A 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    N/A 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to the field of decentralized wastewater treatment for individual or clustered households sewage collection and/or septic tank for providing reusable water, more particularly to the post treatment of residential septic tanks wherein said treated water complies with the guidelines for water potable uses, such as irrigation and agricultural use. 
         [0005]    Discussion of the Background 
         [0006]    In recent years, the development of the rural areas with a rapid increase of living standards has resulted in an increase use of individual or clustered domestic sewage discharge volume, in such way that had become one of the economic factors limiting agricultural and rural environmental sustainability. Some areas are affecting potable water scarcity since it affects the potable water sources such as water wells. 
         [0007]    Currently on site wastewater systems include a wide range of individual and cluster treatment systems that malfunction due to poor maintenance practices causing pollution to the environment and creating a risk to public health. The risks included contamination of aquifers and rivers, sources of potable water. 
         [0008]    Several system are proposed to assist the process of treating the wastewater comprising biochemical processing system (anaerobic, anoxic, aerobic), ecological processing system and others. However, said system generate high nitrogen phosphorus load when not properly manage and/or are not prepared to regulated treated water PH in compliance with the government rules and laws, the quality of treated water from decentralized residential becomes unstable making the detoxification of water expensive and not reliable. 
         [0009]    Therefore there is a need to provide a wastewater treatment, wherein said waste water including but not limit to gray water, black water and/or contaminated water for decentralized domestic systems in order to overcome the shortcomings of current wastewater treatment systems in such way that treated water is in compliance with non-potable water reuse limits 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    In light of the above shortcomings the present disclosure presents a wastewater treatment system comprising a control unit electrically coupled to an ecologic cleaning system (i.e. phytoremediation), activated sludges and disinfection process (i.e. ultra violet light) in a re-circulation and continuous flow arrangement. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that provides reusable water that complies with the government guidelines for water reuse. 
         [0012]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a system minimizing the footprint that is comparable with existing standard septic tanks structure surface area. 
         [0013]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a system to control ventilation and odors from the wastewater treatment. 
         [0014]    To enable a better understanding of the objectives and features of the present invention, a brief description of the drawing below will be followed with a detailed description of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the structure of the first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the structure of the second preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a first table presenting results of the using preferred embodiment for treatment in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a second table presenting results of the using preferred embodiment for treatment in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Wastewater Treatment System Strucuture 
       [0019]    The present invention discloses several preferred embodiments wherein each embodiment can be made of different materials, wherein the material selection depends on where the wastewater system is operated, employed or used. For example, the material used includes but is not limit to heat resistant plastic, aluminum alloy or stainless steel. 
         [0020]    The first preferred embodiment of the wastewater treatment system  1 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is described and constructed as follows:
       At least a wastewater tank or septic tank  2     At least a recirculation tank  6     At least a greenhouse or phytoremediation system  5     At least a feed tank  7     At least an outflow tank  8     At least a control panel CP   At least a disinfection unit  9     At least an energy source SC       
 
         [0029]    The elements, when it is necessary, are electrically coupled by mean of cables and mechanically coupled by means of pipes, wherein the flow is regulated by valves which are explained below. Further the use of pumps is incorporated to redirect wastewater and treated water. First, as show in  FIG. 1 , a submersible pump P is installed inside the solids compartment of the septic tank  2 . The submersible pump P is coupled to a floating device F to keep the suction submerged but in-taking wastewater W near the wastewater surface inside said septic tank  2 . A wastewater level sensor L, wherein said level sensor L comprises a single sensor to identify wastewater W level inside the septic tank  2  or a first sensor measuring a high position and a second sensor measuring a lower position positioned inside the septic tank  2 . The use of sensors defines the wastewater level inside the septic tank  2  in order to avoid damages to the submersible pump P due to solid elements in the wastewater W. Several variables or factors are consider for activating the submersible pump P, however one of the factors is the signal provided by the wastewater level sensor L which may shoot down the submersible pump or to activate the submersible pump P based on a particular value. For example, it is preferred to activate the submersible pump P when the wastewater W is below the transfer pipe TP to the filtration compartment FC of said septic tank  2 . Further the wastewater W is pumped from the septic tank  2  towards the feed tank  7 . 
         [0030]    The feed tank  7  comprises a level sensor, gravel medium GM and a perforated collector pipe PP. At the feed tank  7  the wastewater W is aerated and passed through the gravel medium GM, wherein said perforated collector pipe PP is positioned at the lower part of feed tank  7  inside the gravel medium GM for water collection. The wastewater W is aerated by means of an aeration compressor unit  3  which provides air to the feed tank  7 . Further using gravity, in order to avoid the use of pump, the wastewater treated at the feed tank  7  is transmitted from the perforated collector pipe PP to the phytoremediation system, more particularly to the phytoremediation tank PT. The wastewater W is forced by a series of baffles and aeration diffusers to maximize contact with the plants inside the phytoremediation tank PT. Similar to feed tank  7  the aeration diffusers are connected to the compressor unit  3 . The plant type and quantity are defined after considering the amount of water to be reuse per day, waste water characteristics and others elements. The plant type is selected from a plant that could be both terrestrial and aquatics. Further the plant is capable of absorbing, concentrating and sequestrating contaminants from polluted wastewater in their roots. The phytoremediation tank PT is covered and sealed with a greenhouse structure to avoid odors to be released and rainwater to get into the phytoremediation system  5 . 
         [0031]    Gases from the treated water are collected by at least a ventilation pipe conventionally located at the greenhouse structure top cover, wherein said ventilation pipe redirected or released gases thru an air filter  9 , such as an activated carbon air filter. The overflow of the treated wastewater at phytoremediation tank PT is redirected to the recirculation tank  6  preferably by mean of gravity. Wastewater is aerated inside the recirculation tank  6  using an aeration compressor unit  3  which also provides air to the feed tank  7  and the phytoremediation tank PT. The recirculation process, which includes transferring the treated wastewater from the recirculation tank  6  towards the feed tank  7  and then to the phytoremediation tank PT continues for a determined retention time. The retention time may vary depending on several factors. For example some of the factors include septic tank  2  dimensions, phytoremediation tank PT characteristics, water characteristics, such as clearness over 70%, and level of water at the outflow tank  8 . 
         [0032]    After the retention time, the automatic valve V 1 , which is a 3-way valve, changes its position in such way that provides a new path for the treated wastewater from the recirculation tank  6  to the feed tank  7  to the recirculation tank  6  toward outflow tank  8 . Further system is provided with a light disinfection unit  9 , wherein said light disinfection unit  9 , such as a UV-Light disinfection unit, is located between the recirculation tank  6  and the outflow tank  8 . 
         [0033]    The control panel CP, includes an energy storage unit S, such as a battery and a control box  4 , wherein said control box  4  comprises several inputs and outputs, mainly electrical inputs to received electric signals from several sensors, such as the level sensor L at the septic tank  2 , and electrical outputs in order to provide an activation signals to the air compressor  3 , a phytoremediation enhancer including but not limit to an acid control unit PH, pumps P and automatic valves V 1 , FL of the wastewater treatment system  1 . The phytoremediation enhancer, more particularly the acid control unit PH controls the acidity and/or alkalinity of the treated water in order to optimize the plant production. In the instant case a pipe, connected between the acid control unit PH and the feed tank  7 , transfers the substance to balance the acidity and/or alkalinity from the acid control unit PH to the feed tank  6  ones the control box  4  provides the activation signal to the acid control unit PH. The amount and type of substance is selected based on the wastewater acidity at the septic tank  2 . The substance is preferably provided at the moment the wastewater W at the septic tank  2  is transferred to the feed tank  2 . The wastewater and substance mix at the feed tank  7  is preferred to have a pH higher than  7 , wherein pH is defined as numeric scale used to specify the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. 
         [0034]    Further an in-line chemical analyzer IC may be located between the recirculation tank  6  and the feed tank  7 . The in-line chemical analyzer IC provides at least a signal which is received by the control box  4 , which may be use as one of the factors to open the 3-way valve V 1 . Therefore, as mentioned before, depending on control box  4  interpretation of the factors, such as the in-line chemical analyzer IC signal, said control box  4  activates the adequate action. Also drain valves V 2 , V 3  are provided at the bottom of the feed tank  7  and the phytoremediation tank PT to redirect sediments and/or treated wastewater to the septic tank  2 . One of the objects of the present disclosure is to provide a wastewater treatment system easy to dismount due to weather condition, such as hurricanes. The drain valves assists to provide a system that can be repair without by separate modules. 
         [0035]    Further the treated water is reused in a draping irrigation system in a raised bed garden for ornamental plants or other approved reuse. Also a power source of renewable energy SC is electrically coupled to the energy storage unit S in order to provide a contamination free environment. 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  discloses a second embodiment comprising the following elements:
       At least a filtration tank  11     At least a recirculation tank  18     At least a greenhouse or phytoremediation system  14     At least a feed tank  13     At least an outflow tank  19     At least an disinfection unit   At least an air filtration unit       
 
         [0044]    The second embodiment  10  is almost similar to the first embodiment, wherein the difference between the second embodiment  10  and the first embodiment is the exchange from a septic tank  2  for a filtration tank  11 ; and the system dimension. The filtration tank  11  is a tank that receives waste water from several households or from several septic tanks. 
         [0045]    As discussed above, the elements of the second embodiment  10 , when it is necessary, are electrically coupled by mean of cables and mechanically coupled by means of pipes, wherein the flow is regulated by valves which are explained above. As show in  FIG. 2  a submersible pump P 2  is installed inside the solids compartment of the filtration tank  11 . The submersible pump P 2  is submerged inside filtration tank  11 . A wastewater level sensor L 2 , wherein said level sensor L 2  comprises a single sensor to identify wastewater W level inside the filtration tank  11  or a first sensor measuring a high position and a second sensor measuring a lower position positioned inside the filtration tank  11 . The use of sensors defines the wastewater level inside the filtration tank  11  in order to avoid damages to the submersible pump P 2  due to solid elements in the wastewater W. 
         [0046]    Several variables or factors, analyzed by a control panel (not shown for  FIG. 2 ), are consider for activating the submersible pump P 2 , however similar to the first embodiment, the signal provided by the wastewater level sensor L, after analyzed by the control panel, may shoot down the submersible pump P 2  or to activate the submersible pump P 2  based on a particular value. Further the wastewater W is pumped from the filtration tank  11  towards the feed tank  13 . 
         [0047]    The feed tank  13  is aerated by a diffuser positioned at the lower part of feed tank  13 . The wastewater W is aerated by means of an aeration compressor unit which provides air to the feed tank  7 . Further using gravity and at least a pipe the treated wastewater at the feed tank  13  is transmitted to the phytoremediation system  14 , more particularly to the phytoremediation tank. The wastewater W is forced by a series of baffles and aeration diffusers to maximize contact with the plants inside the phytoremediation tank. The plant type and quantity, as mentioned before, are defined after considering the amount of water to be reuse per day, waste water characteristics and others elements. The plant type is selected from a plant that could be both terrestrial and aquatics. The phytoremediation tank  14  is covered and sealed with a greenhouse structure to avoid odors to be released and rainwater to get into the phytoremediation system  14 . Gases from the treated water are collected by at least a ventilation pipe  16  conventionally located at the greenhouse structure top cover, wherein said ventilation pipe redirected or released gases thru an air filter  17  and a fan  15 . The treated wastewater at phytoremediation tank PT is redirected to the recirculation tank  18  preferably by mean of gravity. Wastewater is aerated inside the recirculation tank  18  using an aeration compressor unit which also provides air to the feed tank  13  and the filtration tank  11 . Further a UV-light is provided as a disinfection unit between the recirculation tank  18  and outflow tank  19 . 
       Wastewater Treatment System Process 
       [0048]    Process Sequence:
       1) A signal generated from the control panel activates a first pump P, P 2  at a Wastewater tank  2 , 11 .   2) Wastewater W is pumped to the Feed Tank.   3) Wastewater characteristics are altered for phytoremediation optimization.   4) Wastewater is treated at the Feed Tank. For example wastewater is aerated and passed through a gravel medium.   5) Treated wastewater is transferred to the phytoremediation tank by mean of gravity.   6) Wastewater is treated at the phytoremediation tank. For example, the water is forced by a series of baffles and aeration diffusers to maximize contact with the plants, such as hacynt roots inside the phytoremediation tank.   7) Gases are collected. The phytoremediation tank is covered and sealed with a greenhouse structure to avoid odors to be released and rainwater to get into the system. Gases are collected by a ventilation pipe and released thru an activated carbon filter.   8) The treated wastewater at the phytoremediation tank is transferred to the Recirculation Tank by mean of a pipe and gravity.   9) Wastewater is treated at the Recirculation Tank. For example the wastewater is aerated inside the Recirculation Tank   10) Treated wastewater is recirculated repeating steps 4 through 9 for a determined retention time.   11) A signal is generated from the control panel in order to activate an automatic 3-WAY valve. After the retention time is completed, the automatic 3-WAY change position to allow the treated water to be pumped to the Outflow Tank.   12) Treated wastewater is transferred to the outflow tank.   13) Treated wastewater is disinfected. For example, Treated wastewater is passes thru a UV-Light disinfection unit.   14) Treated wastewater is stored in the Outflow Tank.   15) Treated Water is reused in a dripping irrigation system in a raised bed garden for ornamental plants or other approved reuse.       
 
         [0064]    The process is repeated as necessary. Further, with the exception of the septic tank, the wastewater system can be disassembled for easy cleaning or removed in case of weather threats, such as hurricanes. 
         [0065]      FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  are directed to showing result of the preferred embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As shown, the water from septic tanks is treated with the preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 . Several measures are provided before the water is treated with the disclosed wastewater treatment system  1 . The results (i.e.  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 ) of the treated water after 48 hour shows water that complies with the guidelines for water potable uses, such as irrigation and agricultural use. 
         [0066]    While the invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention after considering this specification together with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by this invention as defined in the following claims and their legal equivalents. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, if any, are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 
         [0067]    All of the patents, patent applications, and publications recited herein, and in the Declaration attached hereto, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein. All, or substantially all, the components disclosed in such patents may be used in the embodiments of the present invention, as well as equivalents thereof. The details in the patents, patent applications, and publications incorporated by reference herein may be considered to be incorporable at applicant&#39;s option, into the claims during prosecution as further limitations in the claims to patentable distinguish any amended claims from any applied prior art.