An efficient and economical wastewater treatment system is disclosed. The wastewater treatment system may comprise a first sump for receiving wastewater to be treated. The first sump includes a ring that acts a first focal point to gather the waste and remove solids. Suspended solids are transported from the first sump, through one or more filters, and sent to a second sump. The second sump is preferably in communication with one or more protein skimmers. The second sump preferably includes one or more secondary focal points for gathering suspended solids to be further treated by the one or more protein skimmers. The second sump may include a partition wall that separates the second sump into a main tank and a gathering tank. One or more collecting chambers may be disposed in the gathering tank. Inlet conduits disposed within the main tank create a cross-flow or horizontal vortex that forces water to cascade over the partition wall into the one or more collecting chambers. Each collecting chamber preferably includes a suction line in communication with a protein skimmer. The suction line is positioned within the collecting chamber to divert and reverse the flow of water from the cascading flow over the partition wall to separate and retain suspended solids around the suction line to be transported to a protein skimmer. The first and secondary focal points advantageously do not use chemicals to gather the wastewater. The second sump may be in communication with a third sump, which may be in communication with one or more additional protein skimmers and an outlet pipe for sending treated water out the third sump. The resulting treated water has no smell and is potable. The wastewater treatment system is also significantly less costly in terms of start-up costs compared to conventional systems.

The present invention provides a method for the removal of noxious taste or odor compounds (TOCs) from water of an aquaculture system, the method comprising contacting the water with a carrier comprising: a hydrophobic agent being configured to adsorb said TOCs; and a hydrocolloid, wherein the carrier is adapted for the colonization of microorganisms which are capable of degrading said TOCs. Further provided is a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for maintaining aquaculture species, comprising, inter alia, a reactor comprising a plurality of carriers comprising a hydrophobic agent configured to adsorb TOCs, and a hydrocolloid.

A food processing system includes at least one receptacle containing a composition of water and insoluble solids, a centripetal force-based solid/liquid separator having an inlet, a solids outlet, and a liquid outlet, and a pump able to direct the composition from the receptacle to the inlet of the separator. The separator is configured to separate the composition into a solids stream including the insoluble solids and a liquid stream including water and to direct the solids stream through the solids outlet and the liquid stream through the liquid outlet.

A method is provided for recovering fractions from an animal rendering process wastewater stream, wherein the fractions include one or more of fat, oil, grease, and protein derived from an animal source. To recover the fractions, the wastewater stream is processed to separate insoluble or immiscible contaminants as collected skimmings, and treating the collected skimmings with an effective amount of a nonionic demulsifying surfactant.

A substance is treated using a device having: (a) a volute or cyclone head, (b) a throat connected to the volute or cyclone head, (c) a parabolic reflector connected to the throat, (d) a first wave energy source comprising a first electrode within the volute or cyclone head that extends through the outlet into the opening of the throat along the central axis, and a second electrode extending into the parabolic reflector and spaced apart and axially aligned with first electrode, and (e) a second wave energy source disposed inside the throat, embedded within the throat or disposed around the throat. The substance is directed to the inlet of the volute or cyclone head and irradiated with one or more wave energies produced by the first and second wave energy sources as the substance passes through the device.

A system for recovery of animal byproducts and providing water reuse from an animal processing plant waste stream. In one embodiment of the invention there is an equalization tank forming part of an animal processing plant that is mechanically filtered to recover animal byproducts from a water mixture in the equalization tank. In another aspect of the invention there is a skimmer tank that contains a skimmer mixture with water and animal byproducts. The system mechanically separates the animal byproducts from the skimmer mixture in a manner that is suitable for human consumption. The system also allows the separated water to be reused in the animal processing plant.

A method for purifying contaminated liquids, especially waste water with high TKN/BOD concentrations, by first introducing, into the contaminated liquid, an acidic coagulant such as a metal salt and then introducing a second alkaline coagulant, into the contaminated liquid which dramatically increases the speed and effectiveness of subsequent coagulation and flocculation and thereby removal of TKN/BOD. By comparing the total (molar amount of acidic coagulant cation+alkaline coagulant cation) with an equal molar amount of the acidic cation, superior removal of TKN/BOD are achieved due to a synergy between the acidic and alkaline coagulant versus using just an acidic metal coagulant.

A method for the efficient operation of a waste treatment apparatus comprising an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBR). The method comprises the synchronized transfer of waste between the reactors, for preventing unsafe buildup of pressure in the anaerobic reactor and reaching unsafe levels.

A treatment process for municipal, commercial, industrial, and institutional fluids containing one or more substances at a first concentration includes a contactor, an aerator, and a separator. The fluid is mixed with a powdered natural lignocellulosic material (PNLM), a microbial growth inoculum, and at least a portion of the fluid in the contactor to provide a mixture that includes an established, acclimated microbial growth in the fluid. The mixture is introduced to an aerator where physical binding and chemical bonding of at least some of the one or more substances to the PNLM additionally physiological uptake by microbial growth in a biosludge reduces the concentration of at least some of the one or more substances in the fluid discharged from the aerator to a second concentration. The biosludge is separated to recover at least a portion of the PNLM that is recycled to the contactor.

A method for pretreatment of wastewater or recreational water with substantial reduction of total suspended solids and turbidity in a very short time is provided comprising treatment with nanocomposites and a bridging agent.