Present invention relates to a method and apparatus for purification of water, said method comprises the steps of feeding the water into a reactor (4) through one or more inlet tubes (1) or inlet zones and feed water an substrate through carrier elements for bio film (5) which have a large protected surface (>200 m2/m3 carrier elements) and large pore volume (>60%), and that the carrier elements are fluidized for the removal of waste sludge, wherein the ratio of charge of the elements (5) by normal duty corresponds to an amount corresponding to 90%-100%, more preferred 92%-100%, and most preferred 92%-99% of the vet volume of the reactor (4), said carrier elements (5) is kept substantially at rest or hindered movement between the times surplus sludge is removed, and that the carrier elements being fluidised for removal of surplus sludge, said carrier elements (5) having a specific gravity in the area of 0.8-1.4, more preferred 0.90-1.1 and most preferred 0.93-0.97, and feed the treated water to one or more outlet zones (7) and one or more outlet tubes (2). The invention also comprises a reactor for performing the method.

The present invention relates to an anaerobic reactor (10) for the treatment of industrial and other wastewaters at psychrophilic temperatures, the reactor comprising a mixing chamber (12) in which is located, during use, a granular sludge fluidized bed, the reactor further comprising a biofilm chamber (16) fed from the mixing chamber and housing a biofilm colonized pumice-based carrier material, and a separation chamber (18) in fluid communication with the biofilm chamber and in which treated effluent and biogas produced within the reactor are separated.

A device for purifying liquid wastewater, includes: a container suitable for retaining a granulate consisting of solid particles, and for enabling the contact between the solid particles of the granulate and the liquid wastewater flowing in the container between: an inlet for the liquid wastewater to flow into the container, and an outlet for substantially decontaminated water to flow out of the container; a community of microorganisms extending so as to be in contact with the solid particles of the granulate; at least one live benthic invertebrate whose mean size is greater than 250 μm and which is distributed in the granulate; and at least one live benthic invertebrate whose mean size is from 50 μm to 250 μm and which is distributed in the granulate, characterized in that the community of macrobenthic organism and meiobenthic organism species includes a proportion of 60% to 80% of invertebrate detrivorous organisms.

A process for the biological treatment of wastewater in which the performance of a conventional activated sludge system is improved by adding an aerobic granular biomass system in a hybrid parallel process configuration. Waste biomass and suspended material from the aerobic granular biomass system is introduced into the conventional activated sludge system for this purpose. In the hybrid process configuration the advantages of both systems are combined to produce new advantages, while drawbacks of the individual systems are reduced to great extent.

A lightweight, bioplastic, mobile, floating oil spill mechanical/biological recovery system is dimensionally compact, and quick to assemble. The floating platform can be readily positioned within any waterborne oil/contaminant spill area. After assembly, this platform or apparatus can be directed by either a hand-held digital radio control transmitter or GPS directed mechanism. A lower, multi-roller slip-on belt is designed to be mounted over a circular base support aeration hub assembly with alternating/spaced slotted ring water drainage separators. The belt and aeration assemblies dip bioaugmentation product into the contaminant site thereby exposing microorganisms to both oxygen and target contaminant for treatment and metabolism. Various mechanisms for enhancing metabolic activity of the bioaugmentation product operate in tandem with the primary belt and aeration assemblies to promote effective contaminant metabolism and overall treatment regimes.

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 bio-reactor for treating wastewater effluent using microorganisms includes a tank having a first volume, a second volume, and a third volume, each volume having an outer wall; an inlet in the first volume to introduce wastewater effluent; a central channel located within the second volume; a first air supply to introduce air into wastewater effluent located in the central channel within the second volume; a packed media bed of small components, the packed media bed being located in the second volume; a second air supply to introduce air into wastewater effluent located in the third volume to assist movement of wastewater effluent upward from the third volume, through the packed media bed, to the first volume; and an outlet in the third volume to drain a portion of the wastewater effluent.

Water treatment structures may have at least a first geotextile fabric layer; a second geotextile fabric layer; a third geotextile fabric layer; a first filler layer with plastic particles, arranged between the first and second geotextile fabric layers; and a second filler layer with plastic particles, arranged between the second and third geotextile fabric layers, wherein the geotextile fabric layers and the filler layers are within a housing, and wherein the structure is configured such that contaminated water proceeds sequentially through the first geotextile fabric layer, the first filler layer, the second geotextile fabric layer, the second filler layer, and the third geotextile fabric layer. Methods of treating wastewater may involve passing wastewater, after optional oxygenating and pre-filtering, through such alternating layers of geotextile, preferably nonwoven, and polymer particles.

A system and method for collecting heat generated by the microbial action in a septic system effluent disposal area that is then transferred to a building structure where it may provide, for example, the temperature differential for a heat exchanger in a heat pump, thereby being the energy source for heating and cooling buildings.

A system and method for collecting heat generated by the microbial action in a septic system effluent disposal area that is then transferred to a building structure where it may provide, for example, the temperature differential for a heat exchanger in a heat pump, thereby being the energy source for heating and cooling buildings.