Patent · US Expired

Activated sludge wastewater treatment process

US4961854A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
12References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 1988
Grant dateOct 9, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S210/906
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Wastewater and recycled activated sludge are homogeneously mixed in a first aeration zone by injecting an oxygen-containing gas such as air into the lower portion of the zone under conditions which produce a complete mix reaction and sufficient oxygen is supplied to meet the biological oxygen demands of the mixed liquor. The gas is introduced, preferably by a plurality of fine bubble membrane diffusers, in the form of fine bubbles having a diameter less than about 4 mm. The bubbles provide both the mixing to keep solids in suspension and the oxygen required to maintain the overall dissolved oxygen content in the first aeration zone as close to 0 as possible. The mixed liquor is sequentially contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in second and third aeration zones under conditions which produce a complete mix reaction, preferably by fine bubble membrane diffusers, clarified and a portion of the settled sludge is recycled to the first aeration zone.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.