A treatment system of the present invention generally includes a plurality of high surface area sheets anchored to a fixed base. The sheets are generally vertically oriented although able to flex and sway independently. Substantially all regions of substantially all sheets are aerated. The sheets are constructed of an open weave substrate that allows the diffusion of gas, nutrients and food, while protecting and serving as an attachment site for a variety of microbial colonies in both anoxic and aerobic zones. In use a system of the present invention is inserted into a wastewater reservoir, and aerated, for treatment of the wastewater.

Pond filter unit and a method for operating a pond filter unit (1). A control unit (12) controls the operation of the pond filter unit (1), including the cleaning cycle of the filter (2′, 2″, 2′″). The pond filter unit (1) further comprises one or more plugs (14) for connecting one or more auxiliary devices, such as a separate pump, one or more additional pond filter units, illumination devices/lamps, air pumps, and/or feed automats. The control unit (12) of the pond filter further controls the one or more auxiliary devices connected to the plugs (14), such as pumps, air pumps, automatic feeding devices based on input settings for each of the one or more auxiliary devices. The control unit (12) further controls the cleaning cycle for cleaning of the filter (2) in the vessel (3). The cleaning cycle comprises a sequence of backwash and/or a mechanical filter cleaning sequence where a filter cleaning motor unit (6) rotates the filter cleaning device (7) in the vessel. During backwash, the valve (8) directs the water to the waste water outlet (11). The filter unit allows to control the one or more auxiliary devices by the pond filter control unit (12), and to coordinate the control of the additional devices in relation to the control of the filter.

A biofilm process is disclosed for treating wastewater containing readily biodegradable dissolved organic matter GP (measured as chemical oxygen demand or COD) and producing surplus biomass from the biofilm process that includes an enhanced polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) content. The process comprises directing a wastewater influent containing the readily biodegradable COD (RBCOD) into a biofilm unit process. The PHA content of surplus biomass is enhanced by controlling for a decreased biofilm process specific organic loading rate in combination with controlling phosphorus loading rates relative to the process RBCOD loading rates: (1) controlling the wastewater influent phosphorus loading rate to the biofilm unit process includes maintaining an average RBCOD/P ratio of the influent that is between 200 and 800 g/g; (2) decreasing the process specific organic loading rate includes producing a biofilm unit process effluent having readily separable mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (RS-MLVSS); and (3) separating a portion of the RS-MLVSS from the biofilm unit process effluent and recycling at least a portion of the separated RS-MLVSS back to the biofilm unit process. The combination of the RBCOD/P control and specific loading rate control maintains, on average, the surplus biomass with a PHA content that is greater than 30% gPHA/g VSS.

A spiral wound filtration assembly including: i) a pressure vessel comprising a feed port, concentrate port and permeate port; ii) at least one spiral wound membrane module comprising at least one membrane envelop wound around a permeate tube which forms a permeate pathway to the permeate port; and iii) a bioreactor having a cylindrical outer periphery extending along an axis (Y) from a first end to a second end, an inlet located near the first end, and an outlet located near the second end; wherein the spiral wound membrane module and bioreactor are serially arranged within the pressure vessel.

A modular liquid waste treatment system is disclosed. In accordance with some embodiments, the system includes a central distribution unit and one or more treatment fins in flow communication therewith. The distribution unit may be configured to receive liquid waste from a given source and distribute that waste, at least in part, to one or more treatment fins. In turn, bacteria present in a given treatment fin treat the liquid waste, and the resultant treated liquid may drain from the fin to the surrounding environment. In some embodiments, a given treatment fin may include porous media providing a large surface area on which bacteria may grow to facilitate treatment. The system may be installed in and/or above the ground, and in some cases may be surrounded, at least in part, with treatment sand and/or other treatment media. The system may be used in aerobic and/or anaerobic processing of liquid waste.

A fiber bundle for bearing microorganisms. Fiber filaments are wound into a ring shape or have two ends bound into a bundle, or wires, ropes or bands made of staple fibers or fiber filaments are wound into a ring shape or have two ends bound into a bundle or are woven into a strip. A filter layer formed by fiber bundles for bearing microorganisms is characterized in large specific surface area and high porosity, and the unit capacity of bearing the microorganisms may be several times that of a granular filter material.

The present invention provides solid bacterial growth support for wastewater treatment comprising microparticles coupled to and partly inserted on at least one surface thereof and having a microparticle coverage of about 20% to 100% of total surface of the solid bacterial growth support, and providing a biomass development surface at least about 1.57 times larger than the contact surface of a solid bacterial growth support without microparticles. The present invention also provides methods of using the solid bacterial growth support for wastewater treatment.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and treating wastewater (1) based on biodegradation-recombination-biodegradation process, comprising: a shell (1.1), the space inside the shell is divided into a first chamber (1.2) and a second chamber (1.3) by a divider wall (1.4), wherein: the first chamber (1.2) contains biological medium suitable for heterotrophic microorganisms growth; the second chamber (1.3) contains biological medium suitable for autotrophic microorganisms and heterotrophic microorganisms growth. The present invention also relates to a system for collecting and treating wastewater combining rainwater drainage used for building, comprising: at least one wastewater treatment apparatus (1) above; a indoor pipe system for collecting and transferring wastewater, rainwater comprising a main vertical pipe (2), substantially horizontal branch pipes; and a outdoor pipe system for transferring wastewater combining rainwater drainage comprising a horizontal pipe (3) for connecting the indoor pipe system for collecting and transferring wastewater, rainwater to at least one wastewater treatment apparatus (1) above.

A wastewater or sludge treatment fixed film cross-flow distribution media corrugated sheet (84, 84′, 84″) and assemblies (118, 118′, 118″) thereof include corrugations (98, 98′, 98″), angled of about 10° to about 80° to the top and the bottom of the sheet and the assemblies. The sheet has a unitarily formed baffle (100, 100′, 100″) along at least a top portion of an exposed side of the sheet (96, 96′, 96″) or assemblies (130, 130′, 130″) exposed to denser wastewater or sludge outside of the assemblies than within the assemblies that is sufficient, when joined with either a like baffle (100, 100′, 100″) on a like sheet (84, 84′, 84″) or optional substantially planar interstitial sheets (132, 132′, 132″) adjacent the corrugated sheets, to substantially block air used in a sparging system from exiting or the denser wastewater or sludge being treated from entering the exposed side (96, 96′, 96″) of the sheet or the exposed side (130, 130′, 130″) of the assemblies. Beneficial biomass forming biofilm on the surfaces within the assemblies is controlled, effectively treating the wastewater or sludge.

A process for forming a biofilm carrier suitable for use in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is presented. A blowing agent is mixed with a plastic material to form a blended material. The blended material is then heated to a temperature where the blowing agent liberates gas by decomposition. The heated blended material is extruded through a die to provide the extrudate with a profile of the biofilm carrier. Advantageously, biofilm carriers produced in this manner have increased effectiveness when compared to conventional biofilm carriers.