Patent ID: 8753511

Claim:
Apparatus for integrated biological wastewater treatment and clarification comprising: a tank having a wastewater inlet for receiving wastewater to be treated and having a treated, clarified wastewater outlet for providing treated, clarified wastewater for use, said tank having an upper turbulence region, a lower solids settling region below said upper turbulence region and a sludge collection region below said lower solids settling region; a multiplicity of biomass carriers disposed in said upper turbulence region; a gas diffuser assembly arranged generally between said upper turbulence region and said lower solids settling region for providing gas bubbles which move upwardly through said wastewater and said biomass carriers in said upper turbulence region, providing turbulence and oxygen; and a sludge removal conduit communicating with said sludge collection region for removal of sludge therefrom.