Wastewater treatment system
Disclosed is a system for treating wastewater. The system includes a microorganism clad structure positioned in a body of wastewater such that the microorganism clad structure is at least partially submerged in the body of wastewater. The apparatus also includes an aeration device, such as a propeller-type, surface mounted aeration device, supplying a horizontal flow of oxygenated water to the microorganisms attached to the microorganism clad structure such that the microorganisms may carry out a biological process.
1. An apparatus for treating wastewater, the apparatus comprising:
an arrangement of sheets oriented in a generally parallel direction, wherein the arrangement of sheets is at least partially submerged in a body of wastewater;
the arrangement of sheets comprising a surface including a population of microorganisms disposed on at least a portion thereof;
an aeration system for aerating the wastewater; and
a wastewater propelling system disposed proximate to the arrangement of sheets, wherein the wastewater propelling system directs a flow of the body of wastewater toward the arrangement of sheets in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the sheets and wherein the flow of the body of wastewater serves as a source of kinetic energy to facilitate a metabolic process in the metabolically active microorganisms.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of sheets further comprises one or more floatation members attached thereto.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aeration system includes one or more floatation members such that the aeration system floats on the surface of the body of wastewater.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sheets are progressively stronger.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein aeration systems supplies an atmospheric gas.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the atmospheric gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, krypton, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, xenon, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, iodine, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and combinations thereof.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the atmospheric gas is oxygen.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wastewater propelling system provides a continuous circulation of the body of wastewater through the arrangement of sheets.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the population of microorganisms are of species that metabolize the desired pollutant.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the diversity of microorganisms are of species which metabolize ammonia, nitrate, nitrates and combinations thereof.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wastewater propelling system includes the aeration system.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aeration system includes the wastewater propelling system.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the population of microorganisms are of species which metabolize a diversity of metabolites.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the population of microorganisms are of species which metabolize the diversity of metabolites simultaneously.
15. A wastewater treatment system, the system comprising:
a structure including a plurality of baffling sheets, the baffling sheets further comprising a surface;
a population of metabolically active microorganisms attached to the surface;
an aeration system directed at aerating the metabolically active microorganisms; and
a wastewater propeller disposed proximate to the baffling sheets, wherein the wastewater propeller aligns a flow of the body of wastewater in a substantially horizontal direction towards the arrangement of sheets and parallel to the sheets, and wherein the flow of the body of wastewater serves as a source of kinetic energy to facilitate a metabolic process in the metabolically active microorganisms.
16. The wastewater treatment system of claim 15 , wherein the kinetic energy elevates the wastewater temperature.
17. A method for processing wastewater, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an array of sheets oriented, the array of sheets providing a microorganism growth substrate;
at least partially floating a plurality of the array of sheets in a body of wastewater;
including a population of microorganisms disposed to at least a portion of the microorganism growing substrate;
providing an aeration system; and
propelling the body of wastewater through a plurality wastewater propellers, wherein at least one propeller is disposed proximate to each of the arrays of sheets, whereby the wastewater propeller system aligns a flow of the body of wastewater towards the array of sheets in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the sheets.
18. The method for treating wastewater of claim 17 , wherein the arrangement of sheets have a high effective surface area.