Patent Publication Number: US-2022234925-A1

Title: System and method for purifying domestic wastewater using one cycle a day

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention consists of a plant and method for treatment of domestic wastewater from an individual dwelling, preferably of up to 10 inhabitants operated under a sequential batch system or also known as SBR (Sequential Batch Reactor), with one cycle per day. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to treat wastewater from domestic or industrial sources, the organic matter it contains must be substantially reduced. This is done with the action of aerobic bacteria that in the presence of oxygen feed and reproduce themselves thanks to the consumption of organic matter which is transformed into CO2, extracellular polymers and new bacteria, which are called biological sludge. 
     The biological treatment can be carried out by several methods, but the best results are obtained with cyclic systems using sequential batch reactors (SBR), which produce an effluent of excellent quality and whose water can be used, among other things, for disposal in surface watercourses in compliance with current regulations. 
     One of the advantages of SBR treatment systems is that all treatment processes occur in the same physical space, but at different time intervals, thus reducing the size of the work and generating a more robust biology, unlike continuous flow systems where all processes occur in separate physical spaces and simultaneously in time. 
     In addition, the operation of SBR systems has very low energy consumption and can be fully automated through a Programmable Logic Controller, best known for its abbreviation in English as PLC that manages the treatment cycles. This allows wastewater treatment plants to dispense in many cases with the services of an operator. 
     Another advantage of these systems is that they can maintain a fixed sludge age, which translates into a suitable bacterial ecology and can allow for nitrogen removal. It also allows absorbing large variations in organic matter and flow rate, without affecting its operation, making them more stable and versatile. 
     On the other hand, the conditions in which the treatment is carried out do not allow the appearance and proliferation of filamentous bacteria, which in many treatment plants represents a serious operating problem. 
     An example of this type of wastewater treatment plant is disclosed in Patent CL 49,372, where an SBR system is proposed using two concentric tanks, a buffer tank and an SBR reactor, both tanks generating two volumes, an inner one corresponding to the SBR reactor and a volumetric ring outside it, corresponding to the buffer tank. The SBR reactor has in the aeration zone a duct formed by a truncated cone base, in the upper part of which a cylinder emerges, which extends up to the minimum operating height of the SBR reactor. 
     Said patent also proposes an automatic process for determining the age of the sludge in an SBR reactor, which comprises: extracting excess sludge at the beginning of a day&#39;s cycle when the clarification evacuation has been completed; aerating the liquor until reaching the characteristics of mixed liquor; lowering the level of the mixed liquor by 1/10 to 1/12 of the height of the minimum operating level, thus automatically setting the age of the sludge between 10 to 12 days. 
     A drawback of the system of Patent CL 49,372 is its configuration to operate with 4 or 6 cycles per day, by means of a buffer tank attached to the SBR reactor, where in addition said buffer tank indirectly acts as a septic tank, since every time liquid is passed from the buffer tank to the aerated SBR reactor by program, it is done by means of an air lift pump, which when bubbling the liquid that is in an anaerobic condition, produces the effect of gas stripping, releasing a large amount of hydrogen sulfide, which is very bad smelling and difficult to control, especially in home applications. 
     A second drawback of the aforementioned system is its complex construction, so its implementation is not economically viable for household applications. For example, to control overflows, the design and use an air suction pump in addition to the three air suction pumps used for loading, unloading and emergency purposes is necessary, which in turn implies designing a fifth solenoid valve (including the aeration valve) that is not available on the market, thus increasing construction and maintenance costs. 
     On the other hand, some of the blowers commonly used for house plants can work up to a water height of 2 meters, this becoming the maximum possible height to use in such cases. Under these conditions, when faced with increases in flow that exceed the design capacities, or with the need to operate the reactor with one cycle per day, settling and evacuating the excess sludge at night when there is no load and therefore, without a buffer tank, increasing the volume of the reactor is necessary, with the limitation that only the diameter can be increased. 
     Under these conditions, the situation is quickly reached in which the hourly air flow necessary for the abatement of the organic load does not meet the condition of minimum air flow supplied to ensure that there is no sedimentation of biology inside the reactor 
     
       
         
           
             
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     When this happens, increasing the air flow rate to reach this requirement is necessary, which, unfortunately, implies an increase in the energy cost. 
     It is therefore the objective of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages identified in the wastewater treatment plants of the state of the art, by means of a sequential batch system which can operate with one cycle per day, avoiding the use of a buffer tank and therefore the emission of hydrogen sulfide into the environment and at the same time being of simple construction, of low energy demand and economically profitable for single-household applications. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention operates under the SBR systems principle of operation, which is sufficiently widespread in the state of the art and consists of performing in the same reactor but at separate times, the phases of wastewater loading, aeration in the presence of biology to degrade organic matter, sedimentation of organic matter, evacuation of the clarified liquid and sludge evacuation once a day. 
     From experience and through continuous research and development by the inventor, it has been determined that the quality of the effluent obtained in single-family plants operated by SBR systems with one cycle per day is of high quality. Then, if it is assumed that between midnight and five o&#39;clock in the morning of each day the water discharges from a house are null or minimal, carrying out the stages of biology sedimentation and clarified discharge is possible in these hours in advantageous way, which ideally should be carried out without the interference of water entering the reactor, in conditions of the greatest possible quietness. 
     To achieve the above and according to a first aspect of the invention, a system is proposed for purifying domestic sewage using 1 cycle per day comprising:
         a reactor comprising at least two air diffusers located at the bottom thereof;   a sludge outlet conduit and a clarified water outlet conduit;   a feed pipe connected at one end to a submerged pump inside a pumping chamber and at the other end to a wastewater inlet located at the bottom of the reactor;   a programmable logic controller;   a valve arrangement consisting of four solenoid valves connected to a blower, each solenoid valve being connected to one of: the sludge outlet line, the clarified water outlet line and one or two diffusers;       

     Advantageously, the proposed system makes it possible to avoid the use of a buffer tank as those used in the state of the art that receives and accumulates the water during the sedimentation and discharge stages, which, although allowing settling a fraction of solids and separating oils and fats by flotation, acts disadvantageously as a septic tank and generates anaerobic conditions with the consequent production of undesirable odors due to the stripping effect at the time of loading the reactor. 
     To avoid said undesirable effect, in the present invention the reactor loading is done by means of the submerged pump located in the pumping chamber which is independent of the reactor and which may be, for example, at the outlet of a septic tank. From this chamber, the liquid is pumped into the reactor through the wastewater inlet located at the bottom of the reactor and therefore in the absence of bubbles, avoiding the phenomenon of gas stripping. Additionally, the dissolved gases that enter the reactor with the loaded water are immediately degraded when coming into contact with the biological sludge in the presence of dissolved oxygen. 
     Another advantage of the proposed system has to do with the use of the aeration equipment made up of the four solenoid valves, which is commercial equipment available on the market, such as the Bonbloc® device of the Bonnel Technologie company, and which in the present invention has been used to replace the blowers traditionally used in household plants which, in some cases, may have a work limitation. 
     With the solenoid valve arrangement of the proposed system, two of them can be advantageously assigned to feed the at least two air diffusers, with each forming a virtual semicircle inside the reactor. Thus, by aerating the reactor by alternating operation of each diffuser, the condition of complete mixing 
     
       
         
           
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     will be reached in each virtual semicircle. Then, before the suspended sludge can settle in the semicircle that is not being aerated, the programmable logic controller switches the air to the other diffuser, re-suspending the sludge on the other side and so on. 
     By means of the above, operating the entire reactor with only 1 cycle per day is possible without the disadvantages of the systems of the state of the art, where the limitation in the water height forces to increase the diameter of the reactor and therefore having to increase the air flow to reach the condition of complete mixing, thus significantly increasing the energetic cost of operation. With the system proposed here, the air used is only that necessary to abate the organic load, so that the energy demand is greatly reduced, thus lowering operating costs. According to one embodiment of the invention, the system also comprises an overflow tube having an opening located at a certain reactor fluid level, said overflow tube being preferably inclined at 60°. 
     This feature provides the improvement of allowing control in a simpler way than in the systems of the state of the art of the overflows occurring in the reactor due to sudden increases in flow rate, which generally use a suction pump in the reactor and therefore more valves, costs, constructive and operational complexities. Advantageously, by using an inclined overflow pipe such as the one proposed in the present invention, it avoids having to use a suction pump inside the reactor and also prevents the biology present in the sludge inside the reactor from coming out with the effluent, since due to the inclination of the pipe, it will quickly settle at the bottom of the pipe and then slide down the bottom face of the pipe at a higher speed than it would reach in the liquid, an effect known as lamellar settling. 
     Therefore, in the event of an emergency, the present invention provides an efficient mechanism for the evacuation of excess effluent flow, this ensuring the integrity of the biology inside the reactor. 
     The present invention further embodies the teachings of Patent CL 49,372 for automatic and accurate sludge age control by locating the inlet of the sludge outlet conduit a fraction below the minimum operating level of the reactor (preferably 120 cm), said fraction of the minimum operating level being equivalent to the age of the sludge desired to be maintained in the reactor. 
     For sludge to be removed, the sludge must be in a fully mixed condition and in this case at the minimum level. Then, the solenoid valves act by alternating the operation of the diffusers and the suction of the sludge outlet duct, so that in a certain time a fraction of sludge equivalent to the age of the sludge to be kept in the reactor is removed in a controlled manner. 
     Therefore, according to a second aspect of the invention a method is proposed for purifying domestic wastewater in a system as described above and using 1 cycle per day, wherein each cycle comprises the steps of:
         a) loading from a pumping chamber and by means of a submerged pump, wastewater into a reactor for a given time;   b) alternately actuating for a given time two solenoid valves of a valve array connected to a blower, injecting air into at least two diffusers located in the reactor. With this, an alternate aeration is induced that guarantees that the liquor is homogenized, i.e., that it has the characteristics of mixed liquor.   c) carrying out step a) until the pumping chamber is completely emptied and after a certain time, carrying out step b) in parallel;   d) turning off the submerged pump and the blower for a given time, allowing the sedimentation of the sludge to the interior of the reactor;   e) carrying out step b) for a given time to eliminate the nitrogen generated during the sedimentation;   f) carrying out step d) for a given time;   g) discharging clarified water from the reactor by activating the blower and a solenoid valve connected to a clarified water outlet pipe located in the reactor for a given time;   h) executing step b) and g) alternately for a given time;   i) discharging excess sludge from the reactor by activating a solenoid valve and a solenoid valve connected to a sludge outlet line located in the reactor for a given time;   j) carrying out in parallel and for a given time the steps a) and b);   k) carrying out step b) for a given time;   l) carrying out step c);   m) carrying out steps b) and a) alternately for given times;   n) definitively switching off the solenoid valves and the submerged pump.       

     According to a preferred mode, step i) of excess sludge discharge reduces the level of the mixed liquor by a value of 1/25 of the minimum operating level height in the reactor. This allows setting the sludge age at 10 to 12 days, according to the formula: 
     
       
         
           
             
               Q 
               w 
             
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               V 
               SRT 
             
           
         
       
     
     Q w  is the sludge flow rate evacuated from the aerated reactor; V is the volume of the aerated reactor and SRT is the Sludge Age. The value of 25 days is the value especially recommended because it allows the development of nitrifying biology and it is a digested sludge, with good flocculation and settling properties, while being the optimal sludge age to eventually dry the sludge without producing odors and attracting vectors. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises stages for evacuating liquid from the reactor without loss of biology upon an increase in flow rate above the design flow rate, wherein said stages consist of:
         (o) detecting an overflow in the pumping chamber or in the reactor;   p) suspending the current cycle;   q) discharging all the wastewater from the pumping chamber to the reactor;   r) carrying out step d);   s) discharging water from the reactor through an overflow tube that has an opening located at a certain reactor fluid level;   t) repeating steps iii) to v) until no overflow is detected in the pumping chamber;   u) restarting the cycle if it should be in progress.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       As part of the present invention, the following figures are presented which are representative of the present invention and, therefore, are not to be considered as limiting to the definition of the subject matter claimed. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a general schematic of the components of the system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a detailed schematic of the components of the sludge outlet and water outlet conduit. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a detailed schematic of the valve equipment of the system and its connection to the various components. 
         FIGS. 4 a  to 4 c    illustrate modalities of the reactor of the invention for different wastewater treatment capacities. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the system is formed by a reactor  10  consisting of a preferably cylindrical tank which inside and specifically at the bottom thereof, comprises at least two air diffusers  11 . 
     To the interior of the reactor  10  there is also arranged a sludge outlet conduit  12  which, according to an embodiment of the invention, discharges the sludge towards a septic tank (not illustrated) and a clarified water outlet conduit  13  this discharging the clarified water to for example a disinfection plant (not illustrated and optional), which according to the exemplified embodiment are opposite and arranged close to the walls of the reactor  10 . Preferably and as can be seen in more detail in  FIG. 2 , the outlet conduits each consist of PVC pipes, with a first curved portion ( 12 . 1 ,  13 . 1 ) located at the top of the reactor and connected to a first vertical portion ( 12 . 2 ,  13 . 2 ) extending to the bottom of the reactor and connected to a second curved portion ( 12 . 3 ,  13 . 3 ). Said second curved portion is connected to a second vertical portion ( 12 . 4 ,  13 . 4 ) which extends to the outside of the reactor, above a maximum water level. 
     The first curved portion ( 12 . 1 ,  13 . 1 ) has an open end ( 12 . 5 ,  13 . 5 ) which configures an inlet for the fluid flowing through each conduit. Furthermore, said curved portion is connected with a respective support ( 14 ,  15 ) configured to hold each conduit and keep it positioned inside the reactor, which preferably consists of a PVC pipe. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , it is shown that the system comprises a pumping chamber  20  consisting of a small drum which receives the domestic wastewater by means of an inlet pipe  21  and which comprises in its interior a submerged pump  22  configured to pump the stored wastewater into the reactor  10 , by means of a feed pipe  23 . The feed pipe  23  flows into the bottom of the reactor  10 , preferably into a wastewater inlet  24 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pumping chamber consists of a PVC drum with lid (sealed) and with a capacity of preferably 200 L. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the system comprises a valve arrangement  30 , consisting of 4 solenoid valves connected to a blower  40 . Furthermore as illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 2 , a first valve  31 . 1  is connected by means of a first hose  32 . 1  to the sludge outlet conduit  12 , preferably by means of a first starting collar  33 . 1 . 
     A second valve  31 . 2  is connected via a second hose  32 . 2  to the clarified water outlet conduit  13 , preferably via a second starting collar  33 . 2 . A third valve  31 . 3  is connected by means of a third hose  32 . 3  to at least one diffuser  11 , while a fourth valve  31 . 4  is connected by means of a fourth hose  32 . 4  to at least another diffuser  11 . 
     According to the embodiment of the invention where four diffusers are used (see  FIG. 4 c   ), the third valve  31 . 3  is connected to a flow divider and then by means of two hoses to each of the diffusers  11  of the first pair of diffusers. Similarly, the fourth valve  31 . 4  is connected to a flow divider and then by means of two hoses to each of the diffusers  11  of the second pair of diffusers. 
     The size of the reactor  10  and the number of diffusers  11  will depend on the treatment capacity required by the system, for example according to the number of people living in the place where the plant will be installed. Accordingly,  FIGS. 4 a  to 4 c    show three top views of the reactor  10  with preferred arrangements depending on the treatment capacity and whose characteristics are summarized in the table below: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Reactor&#39;s 
                 Reactor&#39;s 
                   
               
               
                   
                   
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                 FIG. 
                 Capacity 
                 (m) 
                 (m) 
                 diffusers 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 1a 
                 4 persons 
                 2.00 
                 1.20 
                 2 
               
               
                 1b 
                 6 persons 
                 2.00 
                 1.50 
                 2 
               
               
                 1c 
                 10 persons  
                 2.00 
                 1.95 
                 4 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , designed for a capacity of 4 and 6 persons respectively, the only thing that varies is the diameter of the reactor  10 , the spacing of the diffusers acting in each virtual semicircle ( 15 ,  16 ) of the reactor and the size of the blower feeding those diffusers. 
     In the case of  FIG. 4 c   , the diffusers  11  are distributed in pairs within each virtual semicircle ( 15 ,  16 ), so that each pair of diffusers  11  is fed by the same solenoid valve, unlike the embodiments of  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , where each diffuser  11  is fed by a separate solenoid valve. 
     The proposed system, in order to operate in safe terms having a reduced volume, is equipped with an overflow detection means that allows the evacuation of excess water from inside the reactor  10  without losing biology. To perform said evacuation and according to  FIG. 1 , the system comprises an overflow tube  50  located at a desired maximum level of fluid in the tank and which prevents a sudden increase in flow rate from exceeding said maximum level. Said overflow tube  50  projects into the reactor  50  up to the minimum operating level and with a slope preferably of 60° to prevent loss of the biology present in the reactor. Furthermore, at its end to the interior of the reactor it has an opening  51  in chamfer type cut to prevent the entry of bubbles. Preferably, the overflow tube  50  has a diameter of 75 mm. 
     To perform this emergency operation, either the pumping chamber  20  or the reactor  10  comprises an overflow sensor (not illustrated) which when activated, the programmable logic control acts by suspending the cycle in progress. A set sedimentation time is then initiated. Subsequently and through the overflow pipe  50  whose opening  51  is at a higher suction point than the open end  13 . 5  of the clarified water conduit  13 , the excess water is evacuated from inside the reactor to a disinfection plant, an operation that has very little chance of entraining biology, since the suction point is already in a zone of clarified liquid and its inclination produces the effect of lamellar settling, that is, it allows the biology to decant inside the reactor faster than it would tend to flow out of the tube towards the outside of the reactor. 
     This emergency operation could be extended for as long as necessary until the level sensor is deactivated. When the latter has happened, the scrubbing cycle is resumed if it is on schedule. 
     NUMERICAL REFERENCES 
     
         
           10  Reactor 
           11  Diffuser 
           12  Sludge outlet duct 
           12 . 1  First curved portion 
           12 . 2  First vertical portion 
           12 . 3  Second curved portion 
           12 . 4  Second vertical portion 
           12 . 5  Open end 
           13  Clarified water outlet duct 
           13 . 1  First curved portion 
           13 . 2  First vertical portion 
           13 . 3  Second curved portion 
           13 . 4  Second vertical portion 
           13 . 5  Open end 
           14  Support 
           15  First virtual semicircle 
           16  Second virtual semicircle 
           20  Pumping chamber 
           21  Inlet pipe 
           22  Submerged pump 
           23  Feed pipe 
           24  Wastewater inlet 
           30  Valve arrangement 
           31 . 1  First valve 
           31 . 2  Second valve 
           31 . 3  Third valve 
           31 . 4  Fourth valve 
           32 . 1  First hose 
           32 . 2  Second hose 
           32 . 3  Third hose 
           32 . 4  Fourth hose 
           33 . 1  First starter collar 
           33 . 2  Second starter collar 
           40  Blower 
           50  Overflow tube