Patent Abstract:
A wastewater treatment system includes independent wastewater treatment facilities. Each of the facilities has a number of wastewater treatment subsystems. A wastewater collection subsystem holds wastewater to be treated. A pump subsystem moves wastewater from a wastewater collector to a filtration subsystem having a bioreacting filter. The filter has a sump and a fluidized-bed filter therein and supports the filter upright. The filter has an upwardly expanding, hollow, conical filter body with filter media. A monitoring subsystem measures wastewater process parameters. Control devices receive control commands and, dependent upon the command received, alter parameters of the wastewater treatment subsystems. A communication device connects the wastewater treatment subsystems and the control devices and sends information corresponding to the wastewater process parameters measured by the monitors, receives control messages corresponding to the control commands, and transmits control commands the control devices to, thereby, alter a wastewater process parameter.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is:
         a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/240,608, filed on Sep. 22, 2011; (which application claimed the priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/385,603 filed on Sep. 23, 2010);   is a continuation of PCT/US11/20967, filed Jan. 12, 2011; and   is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/793,444, filed on Jun. 3, 2010 (which application claimed the priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/294,521 filed on Jan. 13, 2010),
 
the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
       

    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention lies in the field of removing waste and odors from wastewater using multi-zone aerobic and/or anaerobic fluidized expansion chambers. Waste can include, but is not limited to, nitrogenous waste such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure relates to system and processes for processing wastewater arising from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The invention further includes a web-based wastewater treatment monitoring and control system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Microbial denitrification is a frequently used and inexpensive method of removing nitrogenous waste from wastewater. Two common configurations utilize either packed beds (also referred to as fixed film) or fluidized beds. Denitrifying microbial cultures have been supported on a variety of substrates including sand, ceramics, polymers, clay, and gels, to name a few. Fluidized bed denitrification systems offer a cost-effective solution to wastewater treatment, as they are self-adapting and provide a very large reactive surface area for a given volume compared to fixed film-based filtration systems. The primary disadvantage of microbial systems (or bioreactors) is that the organisms require an environment conducive to supporting their metabolic needs. While biological treatment systems can be flexible and robust, temperature, pH, oxygen content, and contaminant levels are variables to be controlled for optimum performance. Despite this requirement, microbial denitrification is still a cost effective way to treat wastewater. 
     Such systems can, and typically are, used in conjunction with other wastewater unit processes to achieve acceptable levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and/or the removal of other pollutants including, but not limited to, phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals, miscellaneous solids, and toxic organics. 
     The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgate regulations that require entities generating wastewater to confine the discharge to permissible levels. Examples of regulated materials and chemicals included in discharged wastewater are ammonia, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, and heavy metals. Typically, entities generating wastewater create holding ponds at their site. These ponds can be part of the treatment system and act as storage structures for the wastewater before, during, and after processing. Some processes allow the entities to either discharge their effluent to local waterways, others recycle the treated water by reusing it, for example, for cleaning or irrigation. Addition of wastewater treatment systems prior to these holding facilities can reduce the size required for these holding ponds. 
     Various entities spend millions of dollars annually to treat their wastewater. The cost of discharging untreated water to a municipal wastewater treatment facility can be prohibitive. In addition, every dollar spent on such discharge could have been spent on other, more beneficial, endeavors, including, for example, improvements to facilities. 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , if the filter uses standard 3-inch diameter plumbing, for example, then standard 3-inch parts can be used. At the top of the plumbing, a 3-inch DWV clean out  200  can be connected to a 3-inch cross  202 . The horizontal fill pipes  120  can comprise a pair of 3-inch by 7.25-inch sch-160 PVC fittings each on opposing sides of the cross  202  with each being connected to one of a pair of 3-inch by 20.5-inch sch-160 PVC fittings through a 3-inch compression coupling  204 . Each of the horizontal fill pipes  120  is terminated by one of the two input bulkheads  110 . The hatched areas of the pipes connected to the cross  202  illustrate the cement joints of the respective pipes. The vertical injector pipe  130  can be a 3-inch by 89-inch sch-160 PVC pipe that is terminated at the bottom thereof by a 4-inch bulkhead  206  holding a 3-inch drain gate  208 , a 4-inch by 2-inch bushing  210 , and, finally, a 2-inch plug  212 . In this exemplary embodiment, four 1.5-inch holes, 2.5-inches on center are at the lower end of the vertical injector pipe  130 . 
     Some existing denitrification filters may use a fluidized bed bioreactor having an inverted cone shape. Such a configuration optimizes the active volume of the bioreactor and reduces the volume and pumping requirements for any given throughput due to the high velocity of the liquid at the small part of the cone relative to the average liquid velocity of the entire vessel. An exemplary configuration of a fluidized bed reactor is shown in  FIG. 1 . In this filter, wastewater W is injected through the top of the filter element through a pipe that discharges at the base of the fluidized bed reactor. In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the exemplary filter  100  can receive water to be treated W from either of two input bulkheads  110 . Passing through horizontal fill pipes  120 , the water W enters a vertical injector pipe  130  and exits out ports  140  adjacent the lowermost end of the vertical injector pipe  130  into the interior  102  of the filter body. Accordingly, the high-pressure stream of water W is forced upwards through the column of bed material  150 , e.g., sand (not shown but indicated by dotted underline), which material  150  fills a lowermost portion of the filter&#39;s interior (for example, up to fill line  160  when dry). As the water W mixes with the bed material  150 , it creates a fluidized bed having an upper boundary above fill line  160 . A cone-shaped filter maximizes the efficiency of the fluidization within the column of the fluidized bed. An ideal fluidized bed reactor is one where the entire volume of the bed material becomes fluidized. Cone shaped fluidized beds (compared to straight cylinders) are more tolerant of variations in flow rates and media size uniformity that can lead to media washout in cylinders. It is beneficial if this filter system design is self-leveling and has a built-in overflow capability. To function best, however, a fluidized bed&#39;s long axis should be oriented as close to vertical as possible. 
     An exemplary diagram for a denitrification process flow that can use a fluidized bed reactor  100  is provided in  FIG. 3 . Effluent wastewater W is introduced into a set  300  of sumps and filters that are configured in series because microbial reduction of ammonia in an influent stream is a multi-stage process. In a first stage  310 , ammonia (NH 3 ) is converted to nitrate (NO 3 ) in the presence of oxygen, an aerobic process called nitrification. Oxygen can be added either as O 2  or as a constituent of air. Nitrates are as problematic as ammonia as a contaminant in waste streams. Accordingly, they must be treated as well. As such, in a second stage  320 , nitrates are converted to atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ) in an anaerobic process called denitrification. The number of aerobic and anaerobic filters in any given system is not fixed, but rather depends on the nature of the wastewater being treated and the desired characteristics of the system effluent.  FIG. 3  shows a configuration where the first aerobic stage is succeeded by two anaerobic stages. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the influent W is discharged into an aerobic sump  312  where air  330 , for example, is injected to maintain an adequate oxygen concentration sufficient for the aerobic microbes in the ammonia reduction stage of the process. This aerated water is recirculated through a first set of two fluidized bed reactors  314 . Aerobically treated water W 1  from the aerobic sump  312  then flows to the first of two series-connected anaerobic sumps  322 ,  324 . A second set of two fluidized bed reactors  326  recirculate influent water W 1  within a first anaerobic sump  322 , which discharges partially treated water W 2  to a second anaerobic sump  324 , at which a third set of two fluidized bed reactors  328  recirculate fluid therein. Denitrified water W 3  flows out of the second anaerobic sump  324  to a final sump  340 , where any number of secondary removal systems  350  can be present. For example, if another pollutant is to be removed, then a secondary removal system  350  can be used. Treated water W 4  from this final sump  340  can then either be recycled or discharged. Possible direction of the treated water W 4  can be to a storage pond, a natural water body, and/or to a wastewater treatment facility as desired. Each of the sumps  312 ,  322 ,  324  can be accommodated to fit the needs of a particular facility. 
     The basic chemical process for treatment of the liquid in the first stage  310  involves aerating a stream of ammonia-rich wastewater and introducing this wastewater to an aerobic sand filter(s) where it first contacts an aerated zone. Here, the ammonia is converted to NO 3  as set forth in the following equation:
 
NH 4 +2O 2 →NO 3   − +2H++H 2 O.
 
     Then, the nitrate-rich effluent of the first stage  310  enters at least one anoxic filter where a high density of denitrifying bacteria converts the nitrate to N 2  as set forth in the following equation:
 
NO 3     −   +Carbon Source→N 2 +CO 2 +H 2 O+Biomass.
 
     This two-step process is represented in the schematic flow diagram of  FIG. 4 , which also includes the vertical orientation of influent and effluent within the system of  FIG. 3 . First, effluent wastewater W is introduced into the aerobic sump  312 , the nitrification sump. Liquid from the nitrification sump  312  is removed from the bottom thereof and injected in the filter  314  through the lower port(s)  140 . The pressure provided by the liquid coming out of the port  140  is made sufficient to maintain fluidization of the bed material in the filter  314 . The fluid in the nitrification sump  312  is aerated, which aeration can occur directly in the nitrification sump  312  or indirectly in a separate aeration sump  312 ′, the latter of which is shown in  FIG. 4 . In this first stage  310 , ammonia converts to nitrate. 
     Ammonia-free liquid containing nitrate W 1  is, then, transferred to an anaerobic sump  322  of the second stage  320 . Liquid from the anaerobic sump  322  is injected into the filter  324  through the lower port(s)  140 . The pressure provided by the liquid coming out of the port  140  is made sufficient to maintain fluidization of the bed material in the filter  324 . The fluid in the anaerobic sump  322  is not aerated, enabling nitrate in the filter  324  to convert to N 2 . If further anaerobic filtration is needed to completely convert the nitrate, the portion of the second stage  320  shown in  FIG. 4  can be repeated as desired (indicated with the ellipses in  FIG. 4 ) and, as shown in  FIG. 3 , to transfer effluent W n  from the anaerobic sump  322  to additional repetitive filtration stages. 
     It is desirable to remove as much solids from wastewater as possible before introducing the wastewater W into the denitrification system. One way to remove such solids is to first send the wastewater W to a solids separator (e.g., a screw press or inclined screen solids separator), in which some of the suspended solids are removed. These solids can be used as a soil amendment if desired. The liquid portion that exits from the solids separator can then be treated with the denitrification system to remove other contaminants. 
     Removal of nitrogen and odor causing contaminants from wastewater can allow for the reuse of this water for process and waste flushing purposes. Such a practice lowers fresh water usage, which is more environmentally friendly and cost effective than constantly using fresh water. 
     The flow of water needed to keep the fluidized sand filter systems fluidized often exceeds the overall flow of liquid through the system. As a result, fluidized sand filter systems have traditionally needed to be coupled with additional tankage (sumps) to hold the additional water needed to keep the beds fluidized. This need for additional tankage increases the footprint of the system by as much as two times. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that reduces this extra space for sumps. 
     Residences, commercial and industrial establishments generate wastewater or sewage. Sewage includes household waste from toilets, baths, kitchens and washing machines as well as wastewater produced from industrial processes like food and chemical production. In a typical metropolitan area all of these sources of wastewater are connected by a network of underground sewers to a sewage treatment plant where the water is processed to eliminate components in the water that could harm the environment. The sewer system includes pipes and pumping stations that move the wastewater from its sources to the waste treatment plant. Some sewer systems also handle storm water runoff. Sewage systems capable of handling storm water are called combined systems. These systems are expensive to operate as they must have the capacity to process surges of storm water along with the normal volume of sewage they treat. As a result, many municipalities have separate sewage and storm water treatment facilities. 
     Conventional sewage treatment generally includes three stages, generally referred to as primary, secondary and tertiary or advanced treatment. Primary treatment is a process in which raw sewage is screened or treated in holding basins to remove solids. In the holding basin, a scum layer forms and includes, for example, oil, grease, soap, and plastics. The solids and scum are separated from the water and the remaining liquid is, then, further processed. In the secondary treatment step, nutrients, organic constituents, and suspended solids are removed by bacterial organisms in a managed environment. Tertiary or advanced treatment involves the further nutrient and suspended solids removal and disinfection before it is discharged into the environment. 
     Sewage can also be treated close to where it is generated using septic tanks, biofilters, or aerobic treatment systems. These systems process the wastewater produced from residential, commercial, or agricultural sources at or near the location where they are generated. These systems, which include septic tanks, do not require extensive sewer systems and are, generally, used in locations where access to sewage treatment plants is not practical. Septic tanks employ physical and biological removal of organics similarly to conventional sewage treatment plant but do not have the capacity to handle large surges of wastewater. Because the water in a septic tank is discharged at the same rate it enters the system, the input waste stream can exceed the capacity of the system to process the water before it is discharged. As a result, these systems can and do discharge untreated sewage into the water table. This is a deleterious condition that needs to be eliminated. 
     Subdivisions and planned urban developments that are not located near sewage treatment plants sometimes use wastewater treatment systems called package plants. Package plants are miniature sewage treatment plants that are configured to handle the needs of a subdivision or an institution, such as a school, from which bathroom and cafeteria wastewater can be processed. Like septic tanks, package plants can be hydraulically overloaded during peak loading hours, after lunch is served for example, when large volumes of wastewater enter the system, forcing contaminated water to be discharged before it can be properly processed. Preventing this condition would be desirable. 
     In municipal areas where large, centralized wastewater treatment facilities are established, sewage can be effectively processed and water discharged into the environment can be controlled and regulated. In rural areas where package plants and septic systems are employed, wastewater discharge into the environment is uncontrolled, largely unregulated and contaminants are routinely discharged into the environment. Preventing such discharge would be desirable. 
     The same is true for agricultural operations, particularly, large establishments like confined animal feeding operations and dairy farms. There are no standard agricultural wastewater treatment systems on the market. Typically each farming operator retains a wastewater treatment consultant and a custom system is designed to meet their individual needs. Due to the massive amounts of waste created by these facilities and the high cost of municipal-class treatment systems, agricultural waste processing systems often rely on large lagoons to provide secondary and tertiary processing of their waste. Unfortunately these systems are subject to failure due to overflow from heavy rains and leakage from the lagoon basin. Consequently, nutrient-rich water can be discharged into the aquifer and surrounding bodies of water. Preventing such discharge would be desirable. 
     Thus, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art systems, designs, and processes as discussed above. 
     Thus, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art systems, designs, and processes as discussed above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a multi-stage bioreactor for effluent denitrification and systems and methods for removing nitrogenous waste (e.g., ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) and odors from wastewater using multi-zone aerobic and/or anaerobic fluidized expansion chambers that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that provide such features with a reduced footprint and, in doing so, improves fluidization of the bed material. 
     The invention provides wastewater treatment systems and processes utilizing the multi-stage bioreactor that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that prevent contaminated water from being discharged and easily and routinely monitors the wastewater treatment system so that verification of non-discharge of contaminated water can be made. 
     The bioreactor portion of the invention pertains to systems and processes for treating nitrogenous pollutants and odors in wastewater through a controlled biological process. The primary element of control in the invention is a quantifiable control of wastewater velocity through the system utilizing a controlled interaction of vessel geometry with biological components of the system. Other control parameters of the systems and processes include pH, temperature, and oxygen saturation of the wastewater. Parameters of the systems and processes include some combination of the following:
         1) Reduction of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD);   2) Reduction of Odor;   3) Conversion of ammonia (NH 3 ) to nitrate (NO 3 ); and   4) Conversion of nitrate (NO 3 ) to atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ).       

     Bacteria are maintained as a biofilm on solid media within a vessel of the inventive bioreactor. The solid media is particulate and of sufficient buoyancy to be suspended with a flow of water through the vessel. The degree of buoyancy is controlled by the velocity of water, the density of the particles, and the shape of the particles and is described by the equation: 
             ɛ   =       [         18   ⁢           ⁢     N   Re       +     2.7   ⁢           ⁢     N   Re   1.687           N   Ga       ]     0.213           
where:
         ε=bed void fraction;   N Re =Particle Reynolds Number; and   N Ga =Galileo Number,
 
and is further discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,407 to Scott et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
       

     Processes of the invention involve decoupling treatment time and system flow-through using an improved sump feature. This feature optimizes the process to achieve a variety of process outcomes. For example, there is a reduction of odor while the nitrogen content of wastewater is maintained for fertilizer use by conversion of ammonia to nitrate while the conversion of nitrate to N 2  is inhibited. 
     This optimized control and monitoring system can be implemented not only for a single facility&#39;s wastewater treatment, but also can be expanded to monitor and document a community or watershed wide system of wastewater treatment facilities that permits later verification of no discharge or permissible discharge, throughout any particular time period of the facility&#39;s operatonal history. More specifically, the invention provides a solution to the problem of the verification of treating wastewater from rural and agricultural sources by creating a virtual wastewater treatment system including a network of independent treatment or filtration systems that are instrumented to measure critical process parameters such as process flows, water levels, water temperature, pH, nutrient concentration, total suspended solids, actual and potential effects of local weather conditions, and others. The data produced and recorded by these individual sub-systems are, then, transmitted electronically and captured at a central location, at which the received data is further analyzed and used to manage the systems remotely. The invention, thereby, provides oversight to the control and operation of the treatments systems being monitored. 
     On a local site level, parameters that are measured by various probes and instruments connect to a central processing unit (e.g., a personal computer), which contains and executes software that captures, processes, and records the sensed data and, then, remotely operates a number of responsive process control mechanisms such as valves, pumps, chemical dispensers, etc., to optimize the operation of a particular filtering system or to shut down one or more components or operations in the case of failure or need for repair. During times when the processed output exceeds the limits permitted for lawful or proper discharge (for example, the amount allowable under a particular permit), the invention can proactively divert output flow into a holding facility (i.e., tank or pond) for reprocessing until concentration levels at the wastewater system output achieve compliance, at which time permissible discharge can occur. This “smart” interactive process is capable of monitoring and reporting on a local or regional basis (by coordinating the monitoring of adjacent sites or sites on the same waterway) and in real-time, allowing numerous advantages in monitoring the actual and potential discharges into a natural system, not the least of which is to allow affected dischargers to trade, sell or exchange excess capacity or allowances. 
     Each of these treatment systems connects through the Internet or through other remote electronic measures to a central monitoring location, where operational parameters and maintenance of the systems can be observed and controlled. The monitoring location is able to view the data recorded by each treatment system, and, in an embodiment where a remote viewing system is used in conjunction therewith (for example, a web camera), operational problems are observed and diagnosed remotely. If any problems occur that need physical repair or service, a live technician could then be dispatched to fix the filter system or that filter could be shut down remotely or its output diverted remotely until proper operation of the filter was restored, thereby entirely preventing discharge of non-compliant water. 
     In this way, each of the treatment systems can be connected as a network to a central monitoring station where the output of all of the networked systems is monitored on a continuous basis to achieve compliance and protect against unauthorized discharge of contaminated water into the environment. The invention provides continuous water treatment capability to a large number of distributed filter systems (e.g., physically separate and, possibly, far apart from one another) at a cost that is many factors cheaper than the cost of a conventional sewer system. Where, in particular, all discharge is treated at an even more expensive regional wastewater treatment facility such as those operated by city and state governments. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a wastewater treatment system comprising a network of independent wastewater treatment facilities. Each of the wastewater treatment facilities has a number of wastewater treatment subsystems including a wastewater collection subsystem for holding wastewater to be treated, a filter pump subsystem comprising a wastewater pump fluidically connected to the wastewater collection subsystem and operable to pump wastewater out from the wastewater collection subsystem, at least one filtration subsystem comprising at least one bioreacting filter fluidically connected to the wastewater pump and operable to filter wastewater received from the wastewater pump. The at least one bioreacting filter has an external sump defining a sump cavity for receiving wastewater therein, an internal fluidized-bed filter disposed in the sump cavity and supported upright by the external sump, the filter having an upwardly expanding, hollow, conical filter body and filter media inside the filter body, and an output fluidically connected to the filter and operable to discharge filtered wastewater from the filter. Also included is a monitoring subsystem comprising monitors operable to measure wastewater process parameters of the wastewater treatment subsystems selected from at least one of the group consisting of process flow, water level, water temperature, pH, nutrient concentration, total suspended solids, actual weather condition at the wastewater treatment facility, and effects of local weather condition on the wastewater treatment facility. Also included are control devices operable to receive at least one control command and, dependent upon the at least one control command received, to alter at least one parameter of at least one of the wastewater treatment subsystems. Finally included is a communication device operatively connected to the wastewater treatment subsystems and to the control devices and operable to send information corresponding to the wastewater process parameters measured by the monitors, to receive control messages corresponding to the at least one control command, and to transmit the at least one control command to at least one of the control devices to, thereby, alter a wastewater process parameter. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a multi-stage bioreactor for effluent denitrification and systems and methods for removing nitrogenous waste and odors from wastewater using multi-zone aerobic and/or anaerobic fluidized expansion chambers and in systems and processes for wastewater treatment, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     Additional advantages and other features characteristic of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description that follows and may be apparent from the detailed description or may be learned by practice of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Still other advantages of the invention may be realized by any of the instrumentalities, methods, or combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. 
     The invention provides wastewater treatment systems and processes utilizing the multi-stage bioreactor that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in wastewater treatment systems and processes utilizing the multi-stage bioreactor, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     Additional advantages and other features characteristic of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description that follows and may be apparent from the detailed description or may be learned by practice of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Still other advantages of the invention may be realized by any of the instrumentalities, methods, or combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, which are not true to scale, and which, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to illustrate further various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention. Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical, partially cross-sectional view of a prior art fluidized bed reactor; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, side elevational view of plumbing parts of the fluidized bed reactor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic plan view of a prior art denitrification system incorporating the fluidized bed reactor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a liquid flow diagram of a portion of the denitrification system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a vertical cross-sectional view and flow diagram of a filtration system according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention where the filter is separate from the sump; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, horizontal cross-sectional view of an injection base of the filtration system of  FIG. 5  along section line  6 - 6  in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view, along section line  7 , 8 - 7 , 8  in  FIG. 6 , of the injection base of  FIG. 6  and a flow regulation device of  FIG. 5  with the float valve in an almost closed state; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view, along section line  7 , 8 - 7 , 8  in  FIG. 6 , of the injection base and flow regulation device of  FIG. 7  with the float valve in an open state; 
         FIG. 9  is a vertical cross-sectional view and flow diagram of a filtration system according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention where the filter is within the sump; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of a support plate of the flow regulation device of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic flow diagram of a wastewater treatment system according to an exemplary embodiment the invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a block circuit diagram illustrating a computing system for implementing the central monitoring system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary configuration of networked filter systems according to the invention along a particular aquifer. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view from above another exemplary embodiment of a filtration system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view from a side of a filter element of the system of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view from the side of the filtration system of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 17  is an engineering diagram of a plan view of the filtration system of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a engineering diagram of a plan view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a filtration system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 19  is a top plan view of an exemplary rectangular configuration of a filtration system according to the invention with a control panel enclosure; 
         FIG. 20  is an in-feed side elevational view of the filtration system of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 19  from a left side thereof; 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective, partially transparent view of the filtration system of  FIG. 19 ; 
         FIG. 23  is a top plan view of the filtration system of  FIG. 19  in an exemplary embodiment sized to fit through a standard doorframe; 
         FIG. 24  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 23  from a left side thereof; 
         FIG. 25  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 23  from an in-feed side thereof; 
         FIG. 26  is a top plan view of another exemplary embodiment of a filtration system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 27  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 26 ; 
         FIG. 28  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 26  inside an alternative embodiment of a filtration system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 29  is a top plan view of the filtration system of  FIG. 28 ; 
         FIG. 30  is a cross-sectional view of the filtration system of  FIG. 28  from a left side thereof; and 
         FIG. 31  is a cross-sectional side view of filtration system of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention. While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. 
     Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. 
     Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
     As used herein, the term “about” or “approximately” applies to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. 
     The terms “program,” “software,” “software application,” and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A “program,” “software,” “computer program,” or “software application” may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. 
     Herein various embodiments of the present invention are described. In many of the different embodiments, features are similar. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, repetitive description of these similar features may not be made in some circumstances. It shall be understood, however, that description of a first-appearing feature applies to the later described similar feature and each respective description, therefore, is to be incorporated therein without such repetition. 
     Described now are exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a first exemplary embodiment of a denitrification system and process  500  according to the invention. This configuration of a sump and fluidized bed reactor is the same for both the anaerobic and aerobic stages with the exception of an aeration device used in the latter.  FIG. 5 , therefore, is an example of an aerobic stage because an aeration device  590  is present in the sump  510 . With respect to the inventive features, however, they apply to both anaerobic and aerobic stages even though only the aerobic stage is illustrated here. 
     Incoming wastewater W 500  enters a filter sump  510  at a pump entry section  520 . In the invention, this effluent W 500  is directed not into the sump  510  at any location therein but, rather, at a location adjacent a filter pump inflow conduit  530 , this location is referred to herein as the pump entry section  520 . The pump entry section  520  is defined only diagrammatically (with dashed lines) because it can be implemented in a variety of ways. In one exemplary embodiment, the pump entry section  520  can be two vertical walls extending upward from the bottom of the sump  510  at a bottom corner thereof to form an open-topped box. As long as the filter pump  540  is pumping at the same time the effluent W 500  is entering the sump  510 , then virtually all of the effluent W 500  will be drawn into the pump  540  before exiting the open-topped box  520 . Another exemplary configuration of the pump entry section  520  can be formed by a similar assembly of two corner walls to form a second open-topped box but these walls extend above the water level  512  of the sump  510 . In such a configuration, therefore, all effluent W 500  is drawn into the pump  540 —so long as the effluent W 500  does not overflow this open-topped box  520 . If aeration of the fluid in an aerobic sump  510  is desired, it can be performed as shown in  FIG. 5  by aerating the sump fluid outside the pump entry section  520 . Alternatively, or additionally, the sump fluid inside the pump entry section  520  can be aerated. (Aeration can even be performed outside the sump  510  when fluidically connected to the sump  510  by input and output conduits similar to the secondary removal system  350  configuration shown in  FIG. 3 . The pump  540  transfers fluid in the pump entry section  520  to the fluidized bed reactor  550  of the invention at its injection base  560 . 
     Filtered fluid W 550  processed by the fluidized bed reactor  550  enters the sump  510  from the fluidized bed reactor  550 . As this fluid W 550  is cleaner than the fluid contained in the sump  510 , it can enter the sump  510  at or near the sump&#39;s water level  512 . This fluid W 550  can also enter the sump  510  at any other level as desired. Treated water W 502  leaves the sump  510  from the water level  512  as the fluid highest in the sump  510  is taken as being most free from the wastewater constituent filtered out by the fluidized bed reactor  550 . For removal of the treated water W 502 , in one exemplary embodiment, the wall of the sump  510  can be provided with an output port acting as a drain and, thereby, define the highest point of the water level  512  (so long as the rate of incoming treated water W 502  does not exceed the rate of drain plus the rate of any incoming wastewater W 500  if it enters the sump  510  and not only the pump entry section  520 ). In another embodiment, a flexible outlet tube can be connected to a device floating at the top of the fluidized bed and act as a skimmer to draw off the uppermost layer of liquid in the sump  510 . Such a tube can float on top of the water and, therefore, allow the water level  512  to vary as desired. 
     The invention includes a novel injector assembly  560 ,  570  that provides the water to be filtered W 542  to the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor  550  in a special way. This injector assembly is comprised of an injection base  560  and a flow regulation device  570 . The injector assembly  560 ,  570  can be best seen in  FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 . In contrast to the prior art fluid injection system  120 ,  130 ,  140  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) that forces the effluent W downwardly into the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor  550  from above, the injector assembly  560 ,  570  of the invention provides the water to be filtered W 542  into the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor  550  differently. More specifically, and with particular reference to  FIG. 6 , the injection base  560  provides the water to be filtered W 542  horizontal with respect to the Earth and tangentially with respect to the central axes  662 ,  672  of both the injection base  560  and the flow regulation device  570 .  FIG. 6  shows a cross-section of the injection base  560  along plane  6 - 6  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Multiple injection ports  664  are connected fluidically to the pump output  542  to receive the water to be filtered W 542  therethrough. As shown by the arrows  660 , the water to be filtered W 542  enters the mixing chamber  766  of the injection base  560  substantially horizontally and in a straight line. Then, as it passes a point (e.g., a mid-point, here, the cross-sectional line  7 , 8 - 7 , 8 ), the flow is caused to spiral around the central axes  662 ,  672  and form a liquid cyclone or vortex. Having nowhere downward to go, the injected liquid spirals upwards in the mixing chamber  766  and into the interior chamber  652  of the fluidized bed reactor&#39;s body  750  where the filter media is present. 
     The novel water injector of  FIGS. 6, 7, and 8  has significant advantages over the prior art. First, the new system provides three pathways for injecting fluid into the base of the filter as compared to the prior art system, which had only one. This is important if the water supply line became occluded due to a power failure, for example. Multiple inlets provide redundancy and security for restarting the fluidization. Next, in contrast to the prior art, the center inlet tube can also be used to supply wastewater (saturated with oxygen) straight to the base of the filter for maximum filtration effectiveness. The novel injector also is more robust and offers more mounting/plumbing options. The novel injector housing allows for modification to the center tube, thus allowing individual systems to be “custom tailored” to a specific system (different flow rates, media size, media density, etc.). Finally, multiple inlets in the base also allow for multiple supply pumps if such a configuration is desirable. 
     A watertight connection between the body  750  of the fluidized bed reactor  550  and the injection base  560  is created in this exemplary embodiment by a hollow lower tube  752  of the body  750  fitting snugly within an upper cavity  668  of the injection base  560 . 
     As the vortex moves upwards, it presses against a lower plug  770  of the flow regulation device  570  at a lower expansion surface  772 . Here, the lower expansion surface  772  has an annular shape increasing in diameter from bottom to top in the fluid movement direction (i.e., vertically upwards in the orientation shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). Of course, this shape can be changed as desired, for example, an inverted pear shape produces a slightly different result. This shape is not required to increase in diameter from inside to outside. Other shapes are possible. 
     The flow regulation device  570  is shown only partially in  FIGS. 7 and 8  but in its entirety in  FIG. 5 . This exemplary embodiment of the flow regulation device  570  is made up of the lower plug  770 , an upper collar  572 , a hollow body  574  connected to both the lower plug  770  and the upper collar  572 , and a central support tube  576  about which the lower plug  770  and the upper collar  572  are slidably disposed. The central support tube  576  fits into a socket  669  in the center of the injection base  560  and terminates, as shown in  FIG. 5 , above the body  750  of the fluidized bed reactor  550 . A support plate  580  supports the central support tube  576  at the top of the fluidized bed reactor  550 . The support plate  580  can be simply a strip of material spanning the entirety of the upper diameter of fluidized bed reactor  550  and having a hole in the center allowing the central support tube  576  to protrude therethrough. Alternatively, the support plate  580  can have the same central hole to fit the central support tube  576  therein but also be disk-shaped to cover the entire top opening of the body  750 , thus preventing any contaminant in the environment from entering the top of the fluidized bed reactor  550 . This upper and lower connection stabilizes the central support tube  576  and the entire float assembly  560 ,  570  within the fluidized bed reactor  550 . The support plate  580  serves to center and support the air injection/support tube  576 , to center and support the cone of the filter, and to allow over-flow water to return to the sump  510 . An alternative embodiment of the support plate  580  is shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     With the connected assembly of the upper collar  572 , the hollow body  574 , and the lower plug  770  sliding about and along (vertically) the central support tube  576 , these figures illustrate how the injection base  560  and the flow regulation device  570  cooperate to divert the flow upwards towards the sides of the fluidized bed reactor  550  and simultaneously have the flow regulation device  570  act as a float or check valve of the fluidized bed reactor  550 . More specifically shown by the transition from  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 8 , the flow regulation device  570  lifts up from the force of the water, or, alternatively, is adjusted to a fixed position, thus diverting towards the sides of the interior chamber  652 . The flow regulation device  570  falls back down when such flow is interrupted. This lift creates a flow gap  700  between the lower expansion surface  674  and the uppermost portion of the interior walls  710  of the injection base  560 . As such, when pressure exists in the mixing chamber  766 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the gap  700  is open and large, thus permitting liquid to flow into the filter media, the pressure of the liquid preventing filter media from entirely filling and, thereby clogging, the internal mixing chamber  766 . Conversely, when pressure in the mixing chamber  766  is reduced or eliminated, before the filter media has a chance to enter the mixing chamber  766 , the lower plug  770  completely enters the mixing chamber  766  (slightly lower in the mixing chamber  766  than shown in  FIG. 7 ) to close the gap  700 . When so closed, the lower plug  770  prevents filter media from settling into the internal mixing chamber  766  and plugging up the fluidized bed reactor  550 . While the pressure of liquid entering the mixing chamber  766  may be sufficient to lift the float valve, the annulus between the central support tube  576  and the hollow body  574  can be filled with air and/or water to adjust buoyancy of the flow regulation device  570  either positively or negatively. 
     In an addition to the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the central support tube  576  (as well as the lower plug  770 ) can be fitted at the bottom with one or more outlets  800  (shown diagrammatically with dashed lines in  FIG. 8 ) and at the top with a fluid supply to, for example, supply oxygen, air, water, or another fluid under pressure inside the interior mixing chamber  766 . If desired, water can be injected into the central support tube  576  to clear material or filter media that somehow has bypassed the float valve and clogged the interior mixing chamber  766 . This unclogging is referred to as “burping” the filter. While these outlets  800  are shown as discrete openings, the portion of the central support tube  576  where the openings  800  are shown can, instead, contain a porous material that would allow air or water to flow into the fluidized bed but prevent sand from clogging the openings. 
     Positioned anywhere inside the fluidized bed reactor  550  can be various sensors. One such sensor  592  (an oxygen probe for example) is shown as hanging from the support plate  580  and within the fluidized bed of filter media. Such sensors can measure temperature, dissolved solids, pH, dissolved oxygen, or other filter characteristic. If desired, data from such sensors can be used to adjust process parameters and, for example, be managed by microprocessor control. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the fluidized bed reactor  550  is separate from the sump  510 . This configuration still has the relatively large footprint described above. In an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 , in contrast, the inventive filtration system  900  places the fluidized bed reactor  910  actually inside the sump  920 . 
     Mounting the fluidized bed reactor  910  in the sump offer several distinct advantages over mounting them externally. First, it eliminates expensive and complex support structure required for a conical tank. Second, placing the fluidized bed reactor  910  inside a sump offers outstanding mounting stability and protects the filter from being accidentally knocked over. Next, the fluidized bed reactor  910  has far better temperature stability since the fluidized bed reactor  910  is insulated by the water in the sump. Also, there is less thermal loss from a second external structure and its related plumbing. Fourth, the footprint of the entire system is greatly reduced (by about 40-50 percent). A fifth advantage is a significant reduction in the likelihood of a spill because all of the related plumbing of the fluidized bed reactor  910  is contained in the sump. Finally, such a configuration simplifies construction and shipping, which is not insignificant for a large filter system. 
     The injector assembly of this embodiment also is comprised of the same injection base  560  and flow regulation device  570  of the injector assembly of  FIG. 5 . As such, this injector assembly receives wastewater to be treated W 900  from a pump  940  through a pump output  942 . This pump output  942  provides the water to be filtered W 942  into the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor  910  horizontal with respect to the Earth and tangentially with respect to the central axis of both the injection base  560  and the flow regulation device  570 . This exemplary embodiment of the flow regulation device  570  also includes the lower plug  770 , the upper collar  572 , the hollow body  574  connected to both the lower plug  770  and the upper collar  572 , and the central support tube  576  about which the lower plug  770  and the upper collar  572  are slidably disposed. 
     As the configuration and operation of the injection base  560  and the flow regulation device  770  in  FIG. 9  are the same as already described above, the features thereof are not explained again. The support plate  580  also functions similarly to support the central support tube  576  at the top of the fluidized bed reactor  910 . With the connected assembly of the upper collar  572 , the hollow body  574 , and the lower plug  770  sliding about and along (vertically) the central support tube  576 ,  FIG. 9  illustrates how the injection base  560  and the flow regulation device  570  cooperate to divert the flow upwards towards the sides of the fluidized bed reactor  910  and simultaneously have the flow regulation device  570  act as a float or check valve of the fluidized bed reactor  910 . 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 9 , however, differs with respect to the water level  912 . Here, overflow of the fluidized bed reactor  910  always enters the sump  920 —because the fluidized bed reactor  910  exists inside the sump  920 . Accordingly, the water level  912  (shown with a dashed line) can be above the support plate  580 . 
     There are significant and varied benefits by locating the fluidized bed reactor  910  inside the sump  920 . First, as mentioned above, the footprint of the filtration stage reduces by half. Second, for example, the support plate  580  (or some other support at the upper end of the fluidized bed reactor  910 ) can be fixed to the inside of the opposing walls of the sump  920 . With the injection base  560  also secured to the floor of the sump  920 , the sump  920 , itself, becomes the support structure for the fluidized bed reactor  910 , thereby eliminating all of the expensive parts and assembly costs for the separate support structure required by the prior art and by the reactor configuration shown in  FIG. 5 . This savings of cost and materials is not insignificant. Next, the water surrounding the entire fluidized bed reactor  910  provides stability and support to the entire outer surface of the fluidized bed reactor  910 . The water also serves to insulate the fluidized bed and stabilize temperature variations. 
     In an addition to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the central support tube  576  (as well as the lower plug  770 ) can be fitted at the bottom with one or more outlets  800  (like the ones shown diagrammatically with dashed lines in  FIG. 8 ) and at the top with a fluid supply to, for example, supply oxygen, air, water, or another fluid under pressure inside the interior mixing chamber  766 . If desired, water can be injected into the central support tube  576  to clear material or filter media that somehow has bypassed the float valve and clogged the interior mixing chamber  766 . In addition to or instead of injecting fluid through the central support tube  576 , oxygen or air can be injected downstream of check valve  930 , into one or both of the injection ports  664  of the injection base  560 , or into the mixing chamber  766 . This injection can be used to alter the filtration process, for cleaning clogs, and/or for reestablishing fluidization (burp), to name a few. 
     If the pump  940  is the only measure for injecting effluent into the filtration system  900 , then too much flow will cause the sump  920  to overflow, even if the treated water W 902  leaving the sump  920  is allowed to freely flow out through a skimmer tube  902  in the side wall of the sump  920 . If desired, therefore, a flowmeter  950  can reside at the skimmer tube  902  and, through a communication device  960 , provide information to the pump  940  in a feedback loop to regulate pump  940  activity. Such feedback can occur by a direct connection, wirelessly, or indirectly through a separate control system, such as a microcomputer connected to the Internet, for example. 
     Like the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , positioned anywhere inside the fluidized bed reactor  910  or the sump  920  can be various sensors. One such sensor  980 , e.g., an oxygen probe, is shown as hanging from the support plate  580  and within the fluidized bed of filter media inside the fluidized bed reactor  910 . Such sensors can measure temperature, dissolved solids, pH, oxygen, or other filter characteristics. If desired, data from such sensors can be used to adjust process parameters and, for example, be managed by microprocessor control. Examples of these alternatives are described in further detail below. 
     Various process characteristics of filtration according to the invention can be described with respect to  FIGS. 5 to 8 . The process of removing nitrogenous waste (such as ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate) and odors from wastewater using multi-zone aerobic, anaerobic (or both) fluidized expansion chambers first has incoming wastewater W 500  enter the sump  510  from external non-illustrated pump(s), siphon tube(s), overflow barrier(s) or gravitational flow, to name a few. The sump  510  acts as an “accumulator” for the wastewater W 500  being filtered, thus insuring the attached biological filter&#39;s supply pump  540  always has a steady supply of water for consistent media fluidization. If the sump  510  is oversized, it will contain water during high flow events and allow it to be properly processed by the filter system  500  over longer periods of time, i.e., there is no wash out. The turnover rate into the sump  510  partially dictates the dwell time for the water being treated. A slower intake flow allows the wastewater to be more thoroughly processed by the filtration system  500  as more wastewater passes through the media. Even under conditions of no flow, the filtration system  500  remains active and fluidized. This is significant when dealing with batch flow or fluctuating wastewater flows. The water being treated is ideally kept at a temperature of between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, at a pH of between 5 and 8, at oxygen levels greater than 2.0 mg/l for aerobic filtration and less than 1.0 mg/l for anaerobic filtration. Oxygen probes mounted or suspended in the media allows aeration to be properly set for the desired form of filtration. Oxygen can be added (if needed) to the wastewater in the sump  510 . Other probes to detect temperature, pH, etc. can be used as well. Water W 542  enters the fluidized bed reactor  550  at the bottom center. The flow rate can be highly variable, but there should be enough water entering the chamber  652  to cause the resting media to become continuously “fluidized or expanded” above the resting level. But, the flow rate should not be fast enough to wash the media out of the fluidized bed reactor  550 . “Pulsing” the inlet flow rate (periodically) above normal operation levels is helpful in insuring that the media does not have a chance to form “dead zones” where the media can de-fluidize and clump. The biological chamber  652  in the fluidized bed reactor  550  is a multi-zone, multi-diameter vessel that can be either an open-topped or pressurized container, depending upon the given circumstances. Progressively increasing the fluidized bed reactor&#39;s diameter drastically lengthens the “dwell time” of water being treated therein, allowing the water to be in contact with the bacteria for far longer periods of time than it would be in a cylinder of similar height. Depending upon the shape and flow rate, this can be an order of magnitude (or more) of additional exposure time to the media. The diameter increase also helps prevent media loss by decreasing the water velocity through the internal chamber  652 . The solid media in the fluidized portion of the fluidized bed reactor  550  needs to have negative buoyancy and to be relatively uniform in classification. Fixed media can also be installed in the top portion of the biofilter (above the fluidized media) to provide additional bacterial attachment points. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the filter housing differs from a straight-sided cone. In such an embodiment, the walls can have a variable sweep (like a soda-bottle shape, for example). A variable sweep to the sidewalls allows the flow dynamics to be optimized for different media types and applications. Also, the filter chamber  652  can be built either as pressurized systems (water enters and leaves the filter under pressure) or as non-pressurized systems (water enters under pressure but drains from sump under gravity). Both types have individual applications and benefits. There also is a benefit to coupling fluidized bed reactors with anaerobic digesters. The anaerobic digesters mineralize additional nitrogen in the process of converting organic matter in the waste to methane. The additional mineralized nitrogen becomes available for removal from the wastewater and the methane from the anaerobic digester can be used to produce energy. If the final effluent is desired to be used as a fertilizer, then the fluidized bed reactor can be configured to convert ammonia nitrogen to nitrate but without the final conversion of the nitrate to atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ). By doing this, the volatility of the nitrogen is reduced and less of the fertilizer value of the effluent will be lost during application of the effluent to the crops being fertilized. It is noted that nitrate is a preferred form of nitrogen for most crops. 
     What has been primarily described above are systems and processes for treatment of wastewater in a context independent from the overall environment, such as a singular facility. It has been discovered that the above systems/processes are not simply for stand-alone applications independent of the environment or other facilities. Rather, a single facility can be interconnected to a remote location for external control and monitoring. In this way, not only can the facility be operated to insure that no wastewater is discharged into the environment in a “micro” perspective, but the guarantee of non-discharge can be documented automatically with verifiable systems and reliable devices. Interconnection of a number of different systems in the environment or to other systems/processes provides enhanced benefits. More particularly, the invention is able to coordinate a particular wastewater system of the invention with other, separate wastewater systems so that an entire area (such as all wastewater systems along a particular waterway, for example) can be monitored and documented; this being referred to as a “macro” perspective of wastewater processing and control. Before describing the macro-system embodiment, an exemplary micro-process is described with regard to  FIG. 11 —“micro” referring to a singular bioreactor in this example and “macro” referring to the bioreactor combined with its surroundings and interconnections and its affect on the environment and other wastewater treatment facilities. To place the systems and processes of the invention in context, an exemplary embodiment is explained with regard to treatment of wastewater that would be generated from a dairy farm or other livestock-using industry location. In addition to treating wastewaters from confined animal feeding operations, the inventive fluidized bed reactor can be used to treat other wastewater streams including aquaculture, pond and lake maintenance, food processing, brewery and other fermentation and distillation processes, municipal and residential wastewaters, and other industrial wastewaters that require the removal of odors and nitrogen compounds. 
     In general, generated waste is collected in various ways, either through toilets or, in the dairy farm example, by washing manure off of the floor of a dairy barn. Though washing with water is an effective way of clearing the manure from the barn floor, the water then has to be treated/disposed of in some way. This flush water can be fresh water, which has a negative affect on the environment, or, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flush water can be recycled water processed from the wastewater treatment system of the invention itself. 
     With regard to  FIG. 11 , the wash-off manure-water mixture W 1100  is collected in a holding facility or tank  1110 . The manure-containing water W 1110  is diverted to a solids separator  1120  (diagrammatically indicated by a dashed line) and the solids are removed for use as a soil amendment or bedding, for example. A pump  1130  injects the solids-free water W 1120  into the sump of a first stage of a bioreactor  1140  according to the invention. Here, the bioreactor  1140  is shown with one aerobic and two anaerobic filter stages, in particular, sand filters. This exemplary configuration also employs the low-footprint filter configuration of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 . This configuration is only exemplary and can be expanded in any configuration as desired or as described herein. The water pump  1130  for pumping solids-free water has two inputs, the first solids-free water W 1120  arrives from the output of the solids separator  1120 , and the second W 1150  arrives from an output of a pre-filter sump  1150 , which is described in further detail below. 
     After passing through an aerobic filtration stage and at least one anaerobic filtration stage (typically two or more), the filtered water W 1140  enters a post-filter holding sump  1160 , which can be a lagoon or any other holding area that contains the filtered water W 1140  and prevents it from being discharged into the environment in any way, even when the system  1100  is not functioning or when the sump  1160  experiences a sudden influx, whether of fresh water, of wastewater, or of any other contamination. In this way, the water W 1140  in the post-filter sump  1160  can be monitored at all times to determine if the quality of the water W 1140  is at or below permissible discharge levels. The post-filter sump  1600  being large enough to handle any output volume of the bioreactor  1140  allows the system  1100  of the invention to control very precisely what is discharged. To insure that only verified effluent is discharged out from the system, only when the contents of the post-filter sump  1160  is measured as “pollutant-free” (according to desired standards that can vary from system to system) will the output pump  1170  be allowed to remove water therefrom and transfer “clean” water W 1170  into the environment, which could be a sewer system, cropland, or a local waterway, to name a few. If, in contrast, the water W 1140  in the post-filter sump  1160  has an unacceptable level of contamination, then a recirculation pump  1180  transfers the water W 1140  from the post-filter sump  1160  back into the pre-filter sump  1150  for reprocessing in the biofilter  1140 . 
     Sensor suites can be located at various locations in the inventive system. As used herein, a “sensor suite” can be one or more sensors, each measuring or detecting at least one characteristic of the water, the associated physical structure, the associated local environment of the structure, and/or the machinery associated with the structure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the water pump  1130  has a first sensor suite  1132 , the pre-filter sump  1150  has a second sensor suite  1152 , and the post-filter sump  1160  has a third sensor suite  1162 . Of course, additional or alternative sensor suites can be located at any part or stage of the systems and processes of the invention. “First,” “second,” and “third” is not used here to describe a temporal association of the components or a physical association of the components; these labels are only used as identifiers to separate the understanding of the various sensor suites from one another. In one embodiment, for example, the three sensor suites  1132 ,  1152 , and  1162  can be a single system with various parts and functions. 
     Exemplary sensors can include alarms, for example, visual (e.g., lights), aural (e.g., speakers), and/or communicative (e.g., an email or any electronic signal). The alarm signals can be sent directly, as in a monitoring booth at the location, or indirectly, e.g., transmitted through the Internet to a remote and/or automated site. Cameras can also be used as sensors. A camera can include a microphone when noise conditions are desired to be monitored. Water detection sensors can monitor water spills at any part of the systems/processes. With any of these sensors, it is beneficial to log data measured by each sensor so that past status can be verified and, possibly, future problems predicted. Data can be logged by local analog machines (e.g., paper and pen cylinders) or digital machines (e.g., electronic signals corresponding to current states) can transmit or store the data. 
     Parameters of the water including temperature, pH, oxygen (O 2 ) content, oxidation/reduction (ReDox), ammonia (NH 3 ), Nitrate (NO 3 ), flow (both presence and rate), total suspended solids (TSS), and fluidized bed level/height can each be measured with respective sensors. An example of a data table that can be kept by a respective sensor suite  1132 ,  1152 ,  1162  or set of sensor suites is set forth in the following table. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 1132 
                 1152 
                 1162 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Temp 
                 T 1   
                 T 2   
                 T 3   
               
               
                 pH 
                 pH 1   
                 pH 2   
                 pH 3   
               
               
                 O 2   
                 Ox 1   
                 Ox 2   
                 Ox 3   
               
               
                 ReDox 
                 eH 1   
                 eH 2   
                 eH 3   
               
               
                 NH 3   
                 NH 1   
                 NH 2   
                 NH 3   
               
               
                 NO 3   
                 NO 1   
                 NO 2   
                 NO 3   
               
               
                 Flow (y/n) 
                 y/n 
                 y/n 
                 y/n 
               
               
                 Flow (gpm) 
                 F 1   
                 F 2   
                 F 3   
               
               
                 TSS 
                 TS 1   
                 TS 2   
                 TS 3   
               
               
                 Bed Height 
                 BH 1   
                 BH 2   
                 BH 3   
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     As described above, many water treatment systems do not have the capacity to handle large surges of wastewater. As a result these systems routinely discharge polluted water because output water is discharged at the same rate it enters the system—when input flow exceeds processing capabilities of the system, the polluted water simply exits the system. The configuration of the inventive system  1100  described with regard to  FIG. 11 , eliminates this disadvantageous inability to process surges by sizing the holding tank  1110 , the post-filter sump  1160 , and the pre-filter sump  1150  sufficiently large enough to handle any surge that the system  1100  might experience. If the sensor  1132 ,  1152 , and  1162  can monitor any or all of process flows, containment water levels, water temperatures, pH, nutrient concentrations, total suspended solids, actual and potential effects of local weather conditions, and others, then appropriate valves, pumps, and diverters can be actuated automatically to prevent any contaminated effluent from being discharged. 
     On a local site level, parameters that are measured by various probes and instruments connect to a central monitoring system (e.g., a personal computer), which contains and executes software that captures, processes, and records the sensed data and, then, remotely operates a number of responsive process control mechanisms such as valves, pumps, chemical dispensers, etc., to optimize the operation of a particular filtering system or to shut down one or more components or operations in the case of failure or need for repair. During times when the processed output exceeds the limits permitted for lawful or proper discharge (for example, the amount allowable under a particular permit), the invention can proactively divert output flow into a holding facility (i.e., tank or pond or sump) for reprocessing until concentration levels at the wastewater system output achieve compliance, at which time permissible discharge can occur. This “smart” interactive process is capable of monitoring and reporting on a local or regional basis (by coordinating the monitoring of adjacent sites or sites on the same waterway) and in real-time, allowing numerous advantages in monitoring the actual and potential discharges into a natural system, not the least of which is to allow affected dischargers to trade, sell or exchange excess capacity or allowances. 
       FIG. 12  is a high-level, block diagram illustrating a detailed view of a computing system  1200  useful for implementing the central monitoring system according to embodiments of the present invention. The computing system  1200  is based upon a suitably configured processing device adapted to implement an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For example, a personal computer, workstation, or the like, may be used. 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the computing system  1200  includes one or more processors, such as processor  1204 . The processor  1204  is connected to a communication infrastructure  1202  (e.g., a communications bus, crossover bar, or network). The computing system  1200  can include a display interface  1208  that forwards graphics, text, and other data from the communication infrastructure  1202  (or from a frame buffer) for display on a display unit  1210 . The computing system  1200  also includes a main memory  1206 , preferably random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory  1212  as well as various caches and auxiliary memory as are normally found in computer systems. The secondary memory  1212  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  1214  and/or a removable storage drive  1216 , representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, etc. The removable storage drive  1216  reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit  1218  in a manner well known to those having ordinary skill in the art. Removable storage unit  1218 , represents a floppy disk, a compact disc, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc. which is read by and written to by removable storage drive  1216 . As will be appreciated, components of the computing system  1200  (e.g., the main memory  1206  and/or the removable storage unit  1218 ) includes a computer readable medium having stored therein computer software and/or data. The computer readable medium may include non-volatile memory, such as ROM, Flash memory, Disk drive memory, CD-ROM, and other permanent storage. Additionally, a computer medium may include, for example, volatile storage such as RAM, buffers, cache memory, and network circuits. Furthermore, the computer readable medium may comprise computer readable information in a transitory state medium such as a network link and/or a network interface, including a wired network or a wireless network, that allow a computer to read such computer-readable information. 
     In alternative embodiments, the secondary memory  1212  may include other similar measures for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the central monitoring system of the invention. Such measures may include, for example, a removable storage unit  1222  and an interface  1220 . Examples of such may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM) and associated socket, and other removable storage units  1222  and interfaces  1220  that allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit  1222  to the computing system  1200 . 
     The computing system  1200 , in this example, includes a communications interface  1224  that acts as an input and output and allows software and data to be transferred between the central monitoring system of the invention and external devices or access points via a communications path  1226 . Examples of communications interface  1224  may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred through communications interface  1224  are in the form of signals that may be, for example, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by communications interface  1224 . The signals are provided to communications interface  1224  through a communications path (i.e., channel)  1226 . The channel  1226  carries signals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link, and/or other communications channels. 
     Herein, the terms “computer program medium,” “computer usable medium,” and “computer readable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as main memory  1206  and secondary memory  1212 , removable storage drive  1216 , a hard disk installed in hard disk drive  1214 , and signals. The computer program products are measures for providing software to the computer system. The computer readable medium allows the computer system to read data, instructions, messages or message packets, and other computer readable information from the computer readable medium. 
     Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in main memory  1206  and/or secondary memory  1212 . Computer programs may also be received through communications interface  1224 . Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system to perform the features of the present invention as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable the processor  1204  to perform the features of the computer system. 
     Each of the inventive filtration systems has the ability to connect through the Internet or through other remote electronic measures to a central monitoring location, where operational parameters and maintenance of the systems can be observed and controlled. The monitoring location is able to view the data recorded by each filtration system (either periodically or in real-time), and, in an embodiment where a remote viewing system is used in conjunction (for example, a web camera), operational problems are observed and diagnosed remotely. If any problems occur that need physical repair or service, a live technician can, then, be dispatched to fix the filter system or that filter system could be shut down remotely or have its output diverted remotely or held until proper operation of the filter was restored. With the inventive connection of various dispersed filter systems, undesired diversion of wastewater into the aquifer is entirely prevented.  FIG. 13  diagrammatically illustrates an exemplary configuration of networked filter systems according to the invention along a particular aquifer. 
     In the macro-system of the invention, each of the individual filtration systems  1100  is connected as a network to a central monitoring station  1300  (i.e., a computing system) where the output of all of the networked systems  1100  is monitored on a continuous basis to achieve compliance and protect against unauthorized discharge of contaminated water into the natural environment. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 13 , three filtration systems  1100  according to the invention are disposed along an individual aquifer  1320 , such as a stream. If the only wastewater sources on the stream  1320  are these three systems  1100 , and if all effluent of these system  1100  are monitored, then the entire aquifer  1320  can be controlled simply by keeping track of the data generated by the three systems  1100 . Of course, monitoring with appropriate measuring devices  1330  at the mouth of the stream  1100  where it exits into a waterway  1340  (such as a river) can insure compliance by the three filtration systems  1100 . But, control of the three filtration systems&#39;  1100  output, whether locally or at the central monitoring station  1300 , insures that effluent is not placed into the stream  1320  when above minimum permissible tolerances. 
     Each of the filtration systems  1100  can communicate to the central monitoring station  1300  in any way. In  FIG. 13 , for example, the communication is shown as occurring wirelessly through respective communication towers  1350 . In the macro view of the river  1340 , pollution control can be carried out by monitoring not only the three filtration systems  1100  on the stream filtration systems  1320 , but also other filtration systems  1100  along the river  1340  itself. With real time monitoring and recording of data from all of the filtration systems  1100  along the various waterways  1320 ,  1340 , pollutant-free verification can occur easily. As such, the invention provides continuous water treatment capability to a large number of distributed filter systems (e.g., physically separate and, possibly, far apart from one another) at a cost that is many factors cheaper than the cost of a conventional sewer system. 
     The invention, therefore, creates a virtual wastewater treatment monitoring and control system having a network of independent treatment or filtration systems that are instrumented to measure critical process parameters such as process flows, containment water levels, water temperature, pH, nutrient concentration, total suspended solids, actual and potential effects of local weather conditions, and others. The data produced and recorded by these individual sub-systems are, then, transmitted electronically and captured at a central monitoring system of the invention, at which the received data is further analyzed and used to manage the systems remotely. The invention, thereby, provides oversight to the control and operation of the treatments systems being monitored. Not only does the inventive filter system  1100  decrease the space required at a particular wastewater generator, it turns it into a self-contained wastewater treatment plant that can be certified by any appropriate authority for having discharged no wastewater or only an exact, known, permissible quantity. 
     The filter system  500  shown in  FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary configuration according to the invention that has the filter  550  separated from the sump  510  and the pump  540  separated from both. In such a configuration, both the filter  550  and the sump  510  need their own support structure and the plumbing (e.g.,  530 ,  542 ) and pump  540 , disposed outside the filter  550  and the sump  510 , need support as well. Such supporting structure is costly and consumes valuable space. In comparison, the filter system  900  shown in  FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary configuration according to the invention that places the entirety of the filter  910  inside the sump  920 . In such a configuration, the supporting structure for the filter  910  is the sump  920  itself. Thus, a separate support structure, along with a significant amount of sump-to-filter plumbing is eliminated. While the pump  540  is shown as disposed outside the sump  920 , it can be located therein. Further, the plumbing from the pump  540  to the injection base  560  can also be run inside the sump  920 . 
     The substantially rectangular tanks shown in  FIGS. 1 to 9  are beneficial when space is at a premium or when only a small throughput needs to be filtered. For example, if the assembly is to be placed inside a structure, a rectangular tank is a desirable configuration for moving the tank through a door. But, regardless of whether the pump and sump are separated from one another or together, the rectangle configuration becomes difficult and expensive when trying to scale up the system. When piping of greater than three inches is required, the weight of that pipe, with the liquid therein, requires strong and expensive supporting structure. This disadvantage is also present when the pump size increases. Both are costly and increase the required space. Another disadvantage that arises when plumbing and pumps are outside a sump is loss of heat. Exposed pipes means that the environment has a greater affect of the temperature of the liquid in the system. Where the environment is very cold but the filter water still needs to be maintained at filtering temperatures, exposed plumbing will allow heat to escape from the pipes, requiring additional and costly temperature control. 
     To eliminate such disadvantages, the invention includes another exemplary embodiment of the filtration system that is shown in  FIGS. 14 to 17 . More specifically, the filtration system  1400  utilizes a reinforced, circular outer container  1410  that holds therein all of the filtering elements  1500  and defines therein a set of independent sumps. Each of the filtering elements  1500  (see  FIG. 15 ) can be similar to those already described, for example, in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 to 8 , but the most similar one is that shown in  FIG. 9  because the filter  910  itself rests within the sump  920  and is supported by the walls surrounding the filter  910 . 
     By selecting a particular interior baffle assembly or bulkhead system  1412 , and by placing various filters  1500  according to the present invention in at least one of the baffle chambers, the filtration system  1400  becomes self-contained as well as self-supporting. All of the features of the above-mentioned systems are provided while, at the same time, the configuration can be scaled up to very large sizes sufficient to equal or exceed the maximum size and weight requirements for conventional trucks able to haul items such as a solid, one-piece, outer container  1410  from a manufacturer to an end user. 
     Before describing the overall configuration of the exemplary filtration system  1400 , the filtering elements  1500  are described with regard to  FIG. 15 . Each filter element  1500  is modular and is configured to rest within an individual sump. The individual packing of a filter element  1500  within its own sump is described above in detail and will not be repeated here. More specifically, incoming wastewater W 1500  from the sump (the bottom of the sump in this exemplary embodiment) enters a pump entry filter  1510  on the inflow side of a filter pump  1520 . The filter pump  1520  transfers fluid from the sump through a pump output conduit  1530  and, if desired, through a one-way check valve  1540 . The output of the check valve  1540  is directed above the filter body  1550  and, like earlier mentioned filter embodiments, splits into respective injector conduits  1542 ,  1544 , which are directed into an injector assembly  1560  at a base  1552  of the filter body  1550 . The injector assembly  1560  is similar to that illustrated in  FIGS. 5 to 9  and, therefore, will not be explained again in detail. If desired, a backflow prevention device as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8  can be included and placed about a central support tube  1570  inside the filter body  1550 . A non-illustrated fluidized bed is present in a lower cone section  1554  of the filter body  1550  as described above. 
     The filter cone  1554  of the filter body  1550  in this exemplary embodiment differs from the ones in previous embodiments. More particularly, the upper portion of the taper is substantially cylindrical (this is defined as a relatively small angle of less than 10 degrees because such an angle is needed as a draft angle in the upper cylinder  1555  in order to remove the filter body  1550  out of the mold when created by injection molding or fiberglass, for example). With all fluidized beds, the height of the fluidized column is limited by several factors including flow rate of the water and characteristics of the media. In an exemplary process for using the filter elements  1500 , the fluidization height is set to fill the entire height of the cone before it becomes cylindrical. The upper cylinder  1555  of the filter body  1550  above the conical section  1554  is used as a buffer to keep the media (e.g., sand) from overflowing the filter body  1550 . By using a cylindrical section  1555  above the conical section  1554  to prevent overflow, the diameter and volume of the sump tank containing the respective filter element  1500  is reduced. Conversely stated, if the conical section  1554  were to continue all the way to the top  1556  of the filter body  1550 , then the diameter of the outer tank  1410  will have to increase accordingly. This different filter body configuration allows for a sump tank having a smaller diameter and a lower volume. 
     By routing the conduits from the pump  1520  up to the top  1556  of the filter body  1550  as shown in  FIG. 15 , access of all fluid conduits of the filter element  1500  is made easy for maintenance from above. While the filter pump  1520  and its pump output conduit  1530  seem to be located in  FIG. 15  below the top surface  1556  of the filter body  1560 , and therefore obstructed, the filter pump  1520  and pump output conduit  1530  can be placed advantageously in the respective sump to the side of the filter element  1500 —resulting in a clear, unobstructed view from above by maintenance crew. This laterally offset orientation is shown in  FIG. 14  and described in the following text. 
     The exemplary configuration of the filtration system  1400  with filtering elements  1500  is described with regard to  FIGS. 14 to 17 . The filtration system  1400  includes an in-feed conduit  1430 , a number of intermediate bulkhead conduits  1431 ,  1432 ,  1433 ,  1434 ,  1435 ,  1436 , and an out-feed conduit  1440 . By organizing the conduits  1430 ,  1431 ,  1432 ,  1433 ,  1434 ,  1435 ,  1436 , and  1436 , and  1440  from highest in elevation to lowest, in this order, the entire filtration system  1400  can be gravity fed as explained in further detail below. 
     Fluid to be filtered by the filtration system  1400  enters a first sump  1420  through the in-feed conduit  1430 . When the level of fluid in the first sump  1420  is above the bottom of the first intermediate conduit  1431 , that fluid flows from the first sump  1420  to a second sump  1440 , in which is contained a first filter  1442  of a set of the filter elements  1500 . 
     When the level of fluid in the second sump  1440  is above the bottom of the second intermediate conduit  1432 , that fluid flows from the second sump  1440  to a third sump  1450 , in which is contained a second filter  1452  of the set of filter elements  1500 . 
     When the level of fluid in the third sump  1450  is above the bottom of the third intermediate conduit  1433 , that fluid flows from the third sump  1450  to a fourth sump  1460 . Any device for measuring, altering, and/or affecting the fluid can be placed in the fourth sump  1460 , for example, an aerator, a pH sensor, or a fluid fractionator. Of course, such devices can be placed in any of the many sumps located within the filtration system  1400 . Alternatively, the fourth sump  1460  can be left empty as shown in  FIG. 14  or can be subdivided in any number of ways. 
     When the level of fluid in the fourth sump  1460  is above the bottom of the fourth intermediate conduit  1434 , that fluid flows from the fourth sump  1460  to a fifth sump  1470 , in which is contained a third filter  1472  of the set of filter elements  1500 . 
     When the level of fluid in the fifth sump  1470  is above the bottom of fifth intermediate conduit  1435 , that fluid flows from the fifth sump  1470  to a sixth sump  1480 , in which is contained a fourth filter  1482  of the set of filter elements  1500 . 
     When the level of fluid in the sixth sump  1480  is above the bottom of the last intermediate conduit  1436 , that fluid flows from the sixth sump  1480  to an output sump  1490 . Like the fourth sump  1460 , any device for measuring, altering, and/or affecting the fluid in the either of the input or output sumps  1420 ,  1490  can be placed therein, for example, an aerator, a pH sensor, or a fluid fractionators and the sump  1490  can be subdivided in any number of ways. Alternatively, the input and output sumps  1420 ,  1490  can be left empty as shown in  FIGS. 14, 16, and 17 . 
     In the above-described configuration, therefore, each of the chambers defined by the second  1440 , third  1450 , fifth  1470 , and sixth  1480  sumps forms a filter stage of a four-stage filter defined by the exemplary embodiment of the filtration system  1400 . Utilizing the examples of the filters mentioned above, the first filter stages  1440  can be an aerobic filter stage and the remaining filter stages  1450 ,  1470 , and  1480  can be anaerobic filter stages. Although the above-described configuration is illustrated herein as a set of seven sumps, any configuration of bulkheads, filters, sumps, conduits, etc. that can fit inside the tank  1410  is envisioned in the present invention. 
       FIG. 18  illustrates another variation of a four-stage filter system  1800  according to the invention. In this system  1800 , the filter elements  1500  are relatively larger in comparison to the embodiment of  FIGS. 14, 16, and 17  and take up more space in the respective sumps  1810 ,  1820 ,  1830 ,  1840 . Additionally, this configuration can be set up as two parallel filters where flow proceeds in the first filter from sump  1850  through sumps  1810  and  1820  and, finally into output sump  1860 . In parallel therewith, flow proceeds in the second filter from sump  1850  through sumps  1830  and  1840  and, finally into output sump  1860 . For example, filter elements  1500  in sumps  1810  and  1830  can be aerobic filters and filter elements  1500  in sumps  1820  and  1840  can be anaerobic filters. Any variation is possible with appropriate flow diversion through conduits connecting the respective sumps. 
     An important benefit provided by the round tank is that it lends to scaling up the systems according to the invention to very large sizes. This configuration also provides the benefit of reducing complex systems of feed-through conduits. When attempts to scale-up the embodiments of non-round tank systems described herein, the so-called “smaller” designs, plumbing becomes very complicated and the pumps need to be mounted outside the sumps because of the cramped conditions of the respective sumps. With all sections of the multi-stage filter in a single, one-piece, outer tank  1410  separated by bulkheads  1412 , the amount of plumbing required to connect each filter is reduced and any leakage problems are virtually eliminated. The round configurations illustrated optimize area for a self-contained system according to the invention. This is not an absolute. Ovular tanks can be used as well. 
     Another benefit provided by the assembly of the present invention is that the total footprint is greatly reduced. While the individual tanks in the above-mentioned configurations were kept apart to allow the plumbing fixtures to be connected, in the round-tank design, all of the various sub-systems are contained within a single housing. This configuration of the tank is self-supporting and even a large tank does not require any external supports. 
     Another factor to consider when creating the systems of the invention is regulation of temperature. Biofilters need to operate within certain temperature ranges but these systems also need to be located in, for example, dairy farms in northern states (i.e., cold climates) As such, insulation around and above the system is needed. Where the environment is cold, not only does the external round tank become the support structure, it also insulates the filters naturally by placing them in central sumps. The round, flat exterior of the tank is advantageous because it is relatively easy to add exterior insulation, especially on the closed bottom and easily accessed sides. In an exemplary embodiment, the round tank  1410  is made out of a foam-fiberglass composite the same way a surfboard is made. The composite is very strong and lightweight. The foam-fiberglass composite has an insulating factor of R-18 on the outer walls. This insulation helps to control and regulate the temperature of the filter. For the top of the tank, a non-illustrated insulated lid (e.g., having an R-12 rating) can cover the entire open top and help keep the temperature regulated and prevent both evaporative cooling and contamination from outside sources. 
     The invention, however, is not limited to round configurations.  FIGS. 19 to 30  illustrate variations of rectangular configurations. The rectangular configuration shown in  FIGS. 23 to 25  illustrate a configuration that is sized to fit within a standard door. The individual filter elements  1900  disposed within their own sumps  1920 ,  1930  of the outer tank  1910  separate by bulkheads  1912  are described above in detail and will not be repeated here. A control panel enclosure  1940  is illustrated in  FIGS. 19, 20, and 21  and encloses at least the electrical devices associated with this exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 19  is a top plan view of the rectangular configuration.  FIG. 20  is a side elevational view of the control panel enclosure  1940  and the in-feed side of the outer tank  1910 .  FIG. 20  includes the following sensor inputs:
         1) Temperature Thermocouple 1-10 Locations   2) pH Electronic Probe 4-8 Locations   3) Ammonia Concentration—Gas Probe—1 Location   4) Dissolved Oxygen—Gas Probe—1 Location   5) Nitrate Concentration—Electronic Probe—2-4 Locations   6) Total Dissolved Solids—Electronic Probe—2-4 Locations   7) Total Nitrogen—Electronic Probe—2-4 Locations   8) Vibration—Electronic Probe—2 Locations   9) Oxygen Flow Rate—Electronic Probe—1 Location   10) Oxygen Pressure—Regulator—1 Location   11) pH Chemical Balance—Liquid Flow (Acid and Base)—Electronic Probe—2 Locations   12) Fluid Level—Mechanical—4-8 Locations and includes the following control outputs   1) Valve Open/Close/Regulate—Motor Control—3 Locations   2) Oxygen Regulation Valve—Motor Control—1 Location   3) Pump on/off Switch—Circuit Breaker—2-3 Locations   4) pH Chemical Dispenser on/off Valves—2 Locations.       

       FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional view of the door-sized configuration from the left side of the outer tank  1910 .  FIG. 22  is a perspective, partially transparent view of the door-sized configuration with the two filter elements  1900 .  FIGS. 23, 24, and 25  are various side views of a particular exemplary size of this configuration that is able to pass through a standard sized doorframe. 
       FIGS. 26 to 30  are various views of a second alternative rectangular configuration that is sized larger than the configuration of  FIGS. 23 to 25 .  FIG. 31  is another view of the exemplary embodiment the round configuration where the sumps are sealed with a lid  3100 . 
     The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, exemplary embodiments, and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art and the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments, and it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 
     The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, exemplary embodiments, and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art and the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 2