Patent ID: 7422688

Claim:
A process for effecting a continuously or intermittently aerated treatment of water in a loop reactor system, said process comprising the steps of: providing a loop reactor comprising: a propulsive means for driving the circulation of water, sludge, and bubbles through a reactor loop; at least one small-bubble aerator capable of producing bubbles small enough to be essentially entrained in said sludge; and means for growing or supplying activated sludge in an amount leading to a concentration of activated sludge in said water in said loop reactor greater than 4 kg of activated sludge per cubic meter of water being treated and high enough to facilitate entrainment of said bubbles from said small-bubble aerator in said sludge; and growing or supplying said activated sludge in an amount leading to a higher concentration of activated sludge in said water in said loop reactor greater than 4 kg of activated sludge per cubic meter of water being treated and high enough to facilitate entrainment of bubbles from said small-bubble aerator, said bubbles thereby becoming essentially entrained in said activated sludge in said water in said loop reactor.