Presented herein is a voltaic cell containing a biofilm for facilitating energy conversion in a bioelectrochemical energy conversion cell where the biofilm includes one or more microbial populations.

Mainstream partial nitritation was studied at 10° C. in a moving bed biofilm reactor treating synthetic wastewater containing both nitrogen (≈40 mg L-1) and organic carbon at COD/N ratio ranging from 1.3 to 2.2. Three different control strategies were investigated to achieve partial nitritation. Initially, biofilm age was controlled by incorporating a media replacement strategy. Next, separately from the media replacement, oxygen limited conditions were investigated and finally pH control was incorporated together with oxygen limitation. Successful partial nitritation was achieved only by combining oxygen limitation with pH control. The average NH4-N concentration was equal to 16.0±1.6 mg L-1 and average NO2-N concentration was equal to 15.7±2.4 mg L-1 during steady state partial nitritation. The average residual NO3-N concentration was equal to 2.6±2.2 mg L-1. The results obtained from this study prove for the first time that partial nitritation can be successfully controlled in a biofilm reactor treating wastewater with low nitrogen concentration, relatively high COD/N ratio and at low temperature. An algorithm for dynamic process control of partial nitritation has been also developed.

A device and method for treating urban domestic sewage based on a two-stage combined process of partial denitrification-anammox belong to the field of biological sewage treatment. The device includes a raw water tank, a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR), an intermediate water tank, an up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) and a water outlet tank. A part of urban domestic sewage enters the SBBR and is mixed with residual sewage in the last cycle, a partial denitrification-anammox reaction is carried out under a stirring condition to remove nitrate nitrogen and a part of ammonia nitrogen, followed by a nitrification under an aeration condition to completely convert ammonia nitrogen into nitrate nitrogen, and effluent enters the intermediate water tank; and the other part of the urban domestic sewage is mixed with the effluent of the SBBR and continuously enters the UASB, and nitrite nitrogen, which is generated by nitrate nitrogen reduction, and ammonia nitrogen, are removed by means of anammox. According to the present invention, with no need of adding an external carbon source, organic matters in sewage can be effectively removed, the nitrogen removal efficiency of urban domestic sewage is improved, and efficient and low-consumption nitrogen removal is realized.

Systems and methods for enabling dynamic volumetric transitioning and segmentation of treatment conditions are disclosed. Such treatment conditions may include, by way of example, systems and methods for dynamically transitioning treatment environments within a reactor for activated sludge treatment processes. Such environments may include anaerobic, anoxic, fermentation, suboxic, and aerobic environments.

A detection system and method for simultaneously determining the concentration of ammonium and nitrate/nitrite in samples such as surface water and wastewater. The detection system and method herein can further comprise a cleaning loop and a calibration loop and can be used in situ and over long periods of time without replacement or frequent maintenance and upkeep.

A method of processing waste water to produce a filtrate is provided. The method includes the steps of: introducing untreated wastewater to an inlet zone of a bioreactor; introducing a concentrate of treated waste water with at least 10,000 mg/L of total suspended solids into the inlet zone of the bioreactor to form a biological active mixture; aerating the biological active mixture in an aeration zone of the bioreactor to produce treated waste water; filtering the treated waste water to produce a filtrate and the concentrate, wherein the filtrate created by the filtering has total suspended solids of less than 10 mg/L; transferring at least a portion of the concentrate to the inlet zone of the bioreactor; and transferring the filtrate external to the bioreactor as clean water.

A system separates and in-situ analyzes a discrete sample of multiphase fluid. The system includes a separation vessel having a first inner chamber for separating a discrete sample of multiphase fluid into liquid phases including an aqueous liquid phase and a nonporous liquid phase, and a built-in water analysis unit. The built-in water analysis unit includes an analytical cell disposed inside the first inner chamber of the separation vessel, the analytical cell having a second inner chamber, and at least one probe having a sensing area disposed in the second inner chamber for in-situ analysis of a sample of the aqueous liquid phase that is separated from the discrete sample of multiphase fluid in the first inner chamber and that is channeled to the second inner chamber from the first inner chamber for the in-situ analysis. The second inner chamber is defined inside the first inner chamber.

A method for optimizing filtration in an aquaculture system. The method for optimizing filtration includes, taking at least one sample of matter from an aquaculture system, defining at least one predetermined characteristic to test the sample of matter for, testing the at least one sample of matter, determining if the at least one predetermined characteristic is present within the sample, modifying resource distribution within the aquaculture system, taking at least two samples of matter within the aquaculture system, re-defining at least one predetermined characteristic to test the at least two samples of matter for, testing the at least two samples of matter, determining if the re-defined at least one predetermined characteristic is present within the at least two samples of matter and ensuring the filtration system will retain a state of optimization.

The present invention relates to a process and plant for treating feed water containing nitrate. The process includes, sorbing nitrate from the feed water onto an ion exchange resin to form a loaded resin and produce a treated water stream depleted in nitrate, regenerating the loaded resin so that the resin can be reused and produce a brine stream high in nitrate; and converting nitrate in the brine stream into molecular nitrogen gas with the assistance of a bioactive agent.

A wastewater treatment system includes a plurality of reaction tanks, a blowing pipe, a blower unit, and an air supply amount controller. The air supply amount controller includes: a water quality measurement unit configured to measure a state of wastewater; a necessary air amount acquisition unit configured to acquire, a necessary air amount for achieving a predetermined target water quality of wastewater; a target in-pipe pressure calculation unit configured to calculate a blowing pipe loss pressure when the necessary amount of air is supplied into the blowing pipe, calculate a target in-pipe pressure based on the blowing pipe loss pressure, and change the calculated target in-pipe pressure in accordance with change of the necessary air amount; and a blowing control unit configured to control air supply from the blower unit so that the pressure in the blowing pipe becomes equal to the target in-pipe pressure.