RAPID DEPLOYABLE PACKAGED WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

The rapid deployable packaged wastewater treatment system is a low-energy demanding, portable, rapidly deployable and operational wastewater treatment system utilizing a plastic vessel including an aerobic pretreatment and screening chamber that feeds wastewater to a moving bed biological reactor (MBBR) chamber. Immediately downstream from the MBBR bioreactor is a secondary clarifier, which feeds a media polishing filtration system. The media polishing filtration system then passes the treated water to a UV disinfection system. The entire fully functional system, including the plastic vessel and control room, is self-contained in a military-approved TRICON container. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) provides automated control of the system and monitors water levels, wastewater characteristics and system components. The container has access doors to the wastewater treatment control room.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIGS. 1-5, the rapid deployable packaged wastewater treatment system10includes a cylindrical plastic wastewater treatment vessel44and is disposed so that its axis extends from bottom to top inside a TRICON container12. The TRICON container12has a pair of hinged access doors28on opposite sides of the container12for access to the control room21on one side and solar panel200storage on the other. The control room access doors have a fixed louvered vent and louvered exhaust fan installed within them to promote the movement of air within the control room21for moisture and heat control. The TRICON container12is modified to provide weather-tight, hinged hatch covers46disposed in the roof of the TRICON container12for access to the plastic wastewater treatment vessel44. A bifurcated hinged hatch246is disposed beneath the weather tight hatch covers46at the top of the plastic wastewater treatment vessel44for access to the wastewater treatment equipment and vessel treatment chambers. Access to the top of TRICON Container12is provided by fold down steps located on the side of the TRICON container12. When the TRICON container12is field deployed and leveled on the ground, the system operator will open both hatches46and246for access to the wastewater treatment vessel44and hinged access doors28for access to the control room21.

Wastewater is pumped or gravity flows through the inlet port5into the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40. The Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40separates and retains solids, trash, grit, and fats, oils, and grease from the waste stream and begins the treatment process. A plurality of submersible coarse air diffusers36is disposed in the base of the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40to provide aeration and mixing in the chamber. The aeration and mixing action work to break down organic and digestible solids such that digestion and treatment can commence immediately. An Aerated Bar Screen38located at the top water level retains inorganic solids that may be a part of the waste stream in the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40. Thus, the aerated bar screen38serves as a trash retention mechanism in the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40. The Aerated Bar Screen38is equipped with a small air diffuser that discharges air inside the bar screen continuously scouring the bar screen surface. The air scouring also agitates and breaks up any scum floating on the surface of the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40. Periodic pumping of the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40is necessary to maintain a healthy sludge balance in the system and to remove indigestible solids.

A pH probe assembly13provides real time information to a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)860regarding pH levels. The PLC860utilizes this information to provide real time information to the operator to ensure stable pH and alkalinity levels required by the microorganisms.

Pretreated Effluent from the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40is discharged via a discharge pipe61through a media retention screen20to the Moving Bed Biological Reactor chamber (MBBR Bioreactor)42, where advanced biological treatment begins.

The wastewater treatment system10reflects a combination of multiple technologies that utilize a number of different biological and mechanical wastewater treatment processes. The technology reflects a hybrid biological system that is rapidly started through the implementation of a bioseeding mechanism that is packaged and shipped as a part of the wastewater treatment system10. In this regard, once the system is deployed in the field, unpacked, and assembled for field commissioning, the operator uses a bioseed package with specifically engineered microorganisms kick starting the biological treatment process at the outset. The engineered microorganisms reflect a conventional activated sludge biomass that will provide rapid startup of biological treatment in the first several days of wastewater operations. This is followed by higher order attached growth microorganisms that bind themselves to the integral fixed film media that is a primary treatment function within the MBBR Bioreactor42. In this regard, the activated sludge treatment system transforms to a higher order fixed film treatment system that is more robust and compact and can address highly fluctuating flow rates respective of influent flows and influent wastewater strength concentrations.

Free-floating plastic media15disposed in the MBBR bioreactor42serves as the fixed film promoting a biological film (biofilm) to form and thrive thereon, wherein a fixed film biological treatment process provides advanced digestion of organics in contact with the film. The biofilm utilizes oxygen from the aeration system and organic food sources from the pretreated influent wastewater to complete the treatment process. This biofilm includes microorganisms which derive their energy from the incoming waste stream. As such, these microorganisms consume the available organic load and uptake nutrients that are part of the incoming waste stream to build cellular mass as part of the robust biofilm. In this regard, the wastewater treatment system can consume approximately ninety-nine percent of the incoming waste stream and incorporate it in the cellular biomass as part of the biofilm attached to the MBBR media. The result is the production and ultimate discharge of an extremely high quality effluent that possesses very little solids and/or residual BOD. Studies and practical experience with this technology indicates that this biofilm is the most robust and readily adaptable form of biological treatment available today. It is estimated that the waste generated from this system will be substantially less than ten percent of the overall incoming organic mass load. It is estimated that on a six-month operational cycle at a full operational capacity of 3,000 GPD, the wastewater system will only generate approximately 50 gallons of waste biomass and/or organic indigestible solids that are part of the incoming waste stream. This volume is substantially less than conventional activated sludge treatment systems. This reduction in solids will permit a substantial reduction of solid waste disposal.

Media retention screens20disposed in the MBBR bioreactor42retain the free-floating plastic media15in the MBBR bioreactor42and are specifically sized and placed in a configuration that prevents media transport to upstream or downstream treatment chambers.

A plurality of submersible coarse air diffusers36is disposed in the base of the MBBR bioreactor42to provide aeration and mixing in the chamber.

A redundant electrical linear air pump assembly22pressurizes air and injects the pressurized air via air supply line100and the coarse air diffusers36into both the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40and MBBR Bioreactor42. A PLC860controls the operation of the linear air pump assembly22and can be set to turn the linear air pump assembly22on and off at adjustable timed intervals if nitrogen reduction is required of the system10. By turning the aeration on and off to the treatment system10, the microorganisms will naturally change their metabolism to survive in an oxygen depleted environment. During the oxygen depleted cycle, the microorganisms cleave available oxygen molecules from nitrate and nitrite compounds present in the treated waste water. This biological metabolic process yields nitrogen gas, which naturally off-gasses to the atmosphere thus removing nitrogen from the waste stream.

The aerobic biological treatment processes utilize the air driven by a single linear air pump22. The redundant linear air pump serves as a backup should failure occur to the primary and as an energy dump should the power generated by the alternative energy sources be greater than the demand of the wastewater treatment system10.

The linear air pump assembly22provides the necessary air supply to a positive displacement air lift Return Activated Sludge (RAS) pump27that has no internal moving parts and is comprised completely of plastic. The RAS pump27is located in the secondary clarifier34and assists in providing secondary clarification of the highly treated wastewater. The RAS pump27returns settled biomass and any residual solids to the pretreatment and screening chamber40for continued treatment and enhanced digestion. The linear air pump assembly22also provides the necessary air supply to a scum removal assembly25that also utilizes a positive displacement air lift pump as part of the assembly and has no internal moving parts and is comprised completely of plastic. The scum removal assembly25is located in the secondary clarifier34and removes scum from the surface of the water and returns the scum to the pretreatment and screening chamber40for continued treatment and enhanced digestion. By using positive displacement air pumps, it is possible to eliminate costly and maintenance intensive submersible electric pumps. The pump rates of the RAS pump27and Scum Removal Assembly25are easily adjusted by simple independent diaphragm valves installed in the airlines to each.

An Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) probe18provides real time information to PLC860regarding dissolved oxygen levels and wastewater temperatures. PLC860utilizes this information to assist in optimizing treatment efficiency by reducing energy consumption automatically via controlling ON-OFF functionality of, for example, the linear air pump22(shown inFIG. 7).

After the MBBR treatment, the treated wastewater flows by gravity through a media retention screen20connected to port62which feeds Secondary Clarifier chamber34for continued treatment. In the secondary clarifier chamber34, sloughed biofilm discharged from the plastic fixed film media15combined with free floating biomass settles by gravity to the bottom of the Secondary Clarifier chamber34. Positive displacement air lift RAS pump27pumps concentrated sloughed biofilm and free floating biomass back to the Aerobic Pretreatment and Screening chamber40for continued treatment and enhanced digestion.

The highly treated and clarified wastewater of the secondary clarifier chamber34then gravity flows through a coarse screen Effluent Filter32(equipped with a high water alarm), where any floating scum or large biomass floc is retained in the Secondary Clarifier Chamber34. After passing through the coarse screen effluent filter32, the treated secondary effluent gravity flows through a submerged media polishing filter26disposed in the center of the treatment vessel44for final biological treatment and polishing. The media polishing filter26comprises small light weight polystyrene beads or other suitable filter material, which form the media polishing filter26. The filter media is housed in easily removable plastic netted sacks inserted into an approximately 18-inch diameter cylindrical filter housing126located in the center of the treatment unit in coaxial alignment with the treatment vessel44. The treated secondary effluent is evenly spread across the top of the media polishing filter26by way of a removable flow distribution manifold17and a perforated grate16and gravity flows to discharge at the base of the cylindrical filter housing126through the media polishing filter26, where a secondary biofilm forms on the media filter26to provide advanced secondary treatment and polishing. Once flow reaches the bottom of the media polishing filter26, the filtered water enters a bottom outlet port404that conveys the water back up and through a discharge outlet pathway204by hydraulic principles.

Post aeration of the treated effluent is achieved by a combination of cascade aeration and trickling aeration. The treated effluent cascades down from the flow distribution manifold17onto the perforated grate16which creates a splash zone where the water is exposed to the atmospheric air. This aeration action is similar to a flowing stream. The treated effluent is then further aerated as it trickles through the un-submerged portion of the media filter26.

After discharge from the discharge outlet pathway204of the media polishing filter26, the highly treated water flows by gravity through a Flow Meter35and a duplex Ultraviolet Light disinfection system30. The UV disinfection system30includes two small UV light assemblies installed in series for redundancy. Ultraviolet light from the disinfection system30sterilizes the final effluent by rupturing viral and bacteriological membranes rendering them inert and harmless. The flow meter35provides real time flow information that is continuously logged by the PLC860. The PLC860utilizes the flow information to assist in optimizing treatment efficiency by reducing energy consumption automatically via controlling ON-OFF functionality of the UV disinfection system30when there are no flows to be disinfected. After disinfection, the extremely high quality effluent gravity flows through a final discharge outlet port224by way of a camlock connection, where the effluent can be accepted by the local environment.

There are additional unique features of the wastewater system10provided in the control room21. An emergency highwater overflow51from the media polishing filter26is provided and connected to the vertical stand pipe53. In the event of a backup of the media filter26the treated secondary effluent gravity flows through the high water overflow to the UV disinfection system30. A cleanout50is provided in the vertical section of the discharge outlet pathway204in the control room21to permit access to the discharge piping in the event of an emergency backup. An air vent52is provided in the control room21to vent the wastewater treatment vessel44. The high water overflow piping additionally serves as the air ventilation piping. Electric heat tracing insulated wire57is utilized on the vertical section of the discharge outlet pathway204and UV disinfection units30to provide heat to the standing water during non-flow conditions with freezing temperatures. The heat tracing wire57is activated by a thermistor in the control room21which signals the PLC860when the temperature in the control room21reaches a preset low temperature.

The system flow process diagram700ofFIG. 8summarizes the upstream-to-downstream flow of the system processes discussed above.

Comparing the embodiment10shown inFIG. 1to the alternative embodiment610ofFIG. 6reveals that the aerobic pretreatment and screening chamber40ofFIG. 1is replaced by the primary clarifier chamber48shown inFIG. 6. The primary clarifier chamber48is utilized when there is no prescreening of the raw wastewater prior to discharge into the wastewater system10. Wastewater is pumped or gravity flows through the inlet port605into the primary clarifier chamber48. The primary clarifier chamber48separates and retains gross solids, trash, grit, and fats, oils, and grease from the waste stream and begins the treatment process anaerobically. A coarse screen Effluent Filter32(equipped with a high water alarm) serves as a trash retention mechanism and retains inorganic solids that may be a part of the waste stream in the primary clarifier chamber48. Pretreated Effluent from the primary clarifier chamber48is discharged via discharge pipe61through media retention screen20to the MBBR Bioreactor42, where advanced biological treatment begins. Periodic pumping of the primary clarifier chamber48is necessary to maintain a healthy sludge balance in the system and to remove indigestible solids and trash.

The system flow process diagram800ofFIG. 9summarizes the upstream-to-downstream flow of the system processes performed by the embodiment shown inFIG. 6.

The annular spaces between the treatment vessel44and the Tricon container12are filled solid with a flowable insulation14, such as closed-cell urethane foam. This manufacturing process provides two primary components. The first component is that the foam helps to secure and stabilize the treatment vessel44inside the TRICON container12. The second component is the fact that the thicknesses provided by the foam insulation14/reflects an approximate R-value of 70, and as such, makes the system deployable in harsh temperature climates. Based upon years of operational experience, freezing climates will reduce biological treatment efficiencies as the wastewater temperature approaches 32° F. Conversely, biological treatment performance will diminish greatly or transform to an unsustainable form of biology as wastewater temperatures climb above 110° F. The use of insulating foam around the treatment vessel44results in a well-insulated treatment unit within which microorganisms can survive in a wide range of climatic conditions.

The control room21houses, secures and provides operator access to the Control Panel24and PLC860, linear air pumps22, UV disinfection system30, flow meter35, backup battery stack230, treatment system drain valves23and wind turbine system storage crate690. Treatment system drain valves23are disposed at the floor of the control room21to permit the operator to drain each chamber of the treatment vessel44. An LED courtesy light system808is also disposed inside the control room21to visually aid the operator during dark periods.

The system10is designed to operate using power from a number of power sources. Specifically the system is designed to run remotely using solar panels200installed on one side of the Tricon container12and/or a wind turbine202placed on the top of the Tricon container12. Equipment for both alternative energy sources are shipped within the Tricon Container12and installed and made operational quickly in the field. The electrical system is designed such that it can also be operated using a local generator. A generator will provide power through a generator plug port704recessed in the side of the TRICON container12. An automatic transfer switch installed within the control panel24monitors power for the system and automatically transfers power from the alternative energy systems to a grid supply power source, such as a local generator. In addition, during times when sunshine, wind or a local generator are unavailable, the system can function using power supplied from the charged back-up battery stack230. The battery back-ups230can provide electrical operations of the system for approximately seventy-two hours without an external energy source input. The batteries are protected by a charge controller installed within the control panel24. The charge controller is a voltage and/or current regulator that keeps the batteries from overcharging. It regulates the voltage and current coming from the solar panels and/or wind turbine systems going to the battery stack230. Therefore, the system10can operate by utilizing energy from either the solar panel200and/or the wind turbine202, the back-up battery stack230, or from a grid supply power source, such as a generator. The combination of available power sources provides necessary energy redundancy that is crucial to sustained wastewater treatment operations.

The two solar panels200are strategically housed within foam padded storage spaces for protection in the solar panel storage area660on the end of the Tricon container12opposite the control room21during shipping. Hinged access doors28provide access to the storage spaces. The structural support frames702for the solar panels200are housed in the annular space between the top of the plastic wastewater treatment vessel44and the weather-tight hatch46during shipping. As most clearly shown inFIG. 2, the structural support frames702for the solar panels200are L-shaped members with terminal pivotal connections to the solar panels200. The solar panels are easily and quickly removed from the Tricon container12, installed on the structural support frame702and put into operation as shown inFIG. 7.

The structural support frame702is easily inserted and pinned in place into structural weldments706in the side of the Tricon container12similar to a standard vehicle hitch assembly. The electrical connection for each solar panel is located in the structural weldment706. Similarly the wind turbine202is housed within a foam padded storage crate690for protection in the control room21during shipment. The structural mast sections for the wind turbine are housed vertically adjacent to the solar panel storage spaces660during shipping. The wind turbine and mast sections are easily and quickly removed from the Tricon container12, the mast sections pinned connected, the wind turbine mounted to the top of the mast and the system put into operation as shown inFIG. 7. The electrical connection for the wind turbine is located in one of the structural weldments706. The solar panel storage spaces660and wind turbine masts are accessed by hinged access doors28on the opposite side of the Tricon container12from the control room21.

The control panel24and all internal components comply with current Military and UL standards and specifications. The panel enclosure reflects the correct NEMA rating as deemed appropriate for the final design. The control panel24is equipped with a safety breaker, which has an access handle that disconnects main power to the control panel24when the front panel access door is opened. A fully functional Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)860disposed in the control panel24provides automatic operation of the wastewater treatment system10. The PLC860includes a small LCD Human Machine Interface (HMI) display screen and keypad850to permit operator access to, monitoring of, and adjustment of system operational parameters. The PLC860processes and data-logs telemetry from the probes, sensors and meters to start and stop pumping, aeration and disinfection systems and to provide system alarm notification in the event of abnormal flows and wastewater characteristic or equipment failure events. The control panel24is equipped with a flashing red strobe light that illuminates during alarm conditions. The PLC860provides optional web-based Ethernet/Internet access for remote monitoring and operation of the system. The panel is also equipped with an optional autodialer. The autodialing function permits remote notification of an alarm condition. The panel is equipped with a convenience power plug that could be utilized in an emergency for communication power. When utilized the power plug switches all power to the system10off to allow the power from the alternative energy sources or backup battery stack to be used solely for communications. The control panel24also includes HOA (Manual-Off-Automatic) switches840for all equipment to permit the operator to manually control the system should a failure occur to the PLC860. The control panel is also equipped with an automatic -power inverter to permit the operation of the 120-volt power components utilizing the power generated from the 24-volt solar panels200and/or wind turbine202.

The present wastewater treatment technology described herein reflects a wastewater system design utilizing different but specific treatment processes and equipment. The design of this system is specifically engineered to reduce the amount of energy required to treat the wastewater stream. Conventional wastewater treatment processes are usually energy intensive to support treatment operations. The system10as designed minimizes electrical power requirements and reduces the number of internal mechanical components needed to process wastewater. The only significant power-consuming pieces of equipment are the linear air pump22and the UV disinfection system30. Total power consumption at full operation of the linear air pump22is approximately 250 watts, The two small robust UV disinfection systems30each only consume a maximum of 30 watts of power. The overall power consumption for continuous full-system operation of the system10is approximately only 350 watts. Moreover, the treatment vessel44is structurally designed to permit a buried installation of the system10independent of the Tricon container12.