An induced sludge bed anaerobic reactor includes a vessel in which a septum is positioned to maintain solids in wastewater being treated toward a lower portion of the reactor. The septum is configured to prevent or minimize rising bacteria from exiting the vessel and to minimize clogging of the vessel. A first example septum is disclosed that is based on a linear vane design. A second example septum is disclosed that is based on a concentric vane design. A third example septum is disclosed that is based on a radial vane design that may include one or more sections. Further, septums may be layered one atop another to further minimize rising bacteria from exiting the vessel and to further minimize clogging of the vessel. Finally, a septum is attached to the inside of the vessel so as to allow it to move allowing any clogging waste floating under the septum to exit the vessel.

The invention relates to a process for reducing the amount of sulphur compounds in a sulphur compounds contaminated wastewater stream, using a granular sludge treatment system (10) comprising anaerobic microorganisms, wherein the process comprises the steps of adding an aqueous nitrate solution to the wastewater stream, contacting the wastewater stream with the anaerobic microorganisms, and anoxic oxidation of at least part of the sulphur compounds in the sulphur compounds contaminated wastewater stream by the anaerobic microorganisms, resulting in a sulphur compounds depleted wastewater stream. The invention furthermore relates to such a granular sludge treatment system (10).

A process for the treatment of wastewater is disclosed, which comprises (a) contacting the wastewater with fast settling sludge from step (c) in an anaerobic zone, obtaining a mixture of wastewater and sludge; (b) subjecting the mixture from step (a) and slow settling sludge from step (c) to an aerobic zone, obtaining a water and sludge mixture; (c) subjecting a first part of the mixture from step (b) to a sludge selection step, wherein sludge is selected based on settling velocity and a first portion containing slow settling sludge and a second portion containing fast settling sludge are collected, wherein average settling velocity of the fast settling sludge is greater than that of the slow settling sludge, and wherein the first portion is returned to step (b) and the second portion is returned to step (a); and (d) separating sludge from a second part of the mixture from step (b).

The invention relates to a bioreactor for treating water fluid(s), and/or for producing a desired end product by biomass and/or for producing biomass. The invention relates also to methods for manufacturing and using such a bioreactor. The bioreactor (BR) includes at least a first processing unit (Z.sub.F), a second processing unit (Z.sub.2), a last processing unit (Z.sub.L), and, optionally, additional processing unit(s) (Z.sub.3, Z.sub.4) between the second processing unit (Z.sub.2) and the last processing unit (Z.sub.L) in a plug flow configuration; at least one forward circulation system (FCS, FCS1, FCS2) for circulating biomass (BM) from the first processing unit (Z.sub.F), to the last processing unit (Z.sub.L) and/or to additional processing unit(s) (Z.sub.3, Z.sub.4); and at least one reverse circulation system (RCS, RCS1, RCS2) for circulating biomass (BM) from the last processing unit (Z.sub.L) and/or from the additional processing unit(s) (Z.sub.3, Z.sub.4) to the first processing unit (Z.sub.F).

The device (100) for purifying wastewater comprises: a vacuum anaerobic digester (105) comprising:
in the lower part (110), an inlet (115) for wastewater,
in the upper part (120): a weir (125) for treated water comprising a water outlet (130) positioned at a first height (131) starting from the lower part and a biogas outlet (135) positioned at a second height (136) higher than the first height,
a riser column (140) for raising water by suction of the biogas from the lower part to the upper part,
a downer column (141) for bringing down untreated wastewater from the upper part to the lower part and
a vacuum pump (145) connected to the biogas outlet, and
a buffer column (190) configured to receive wastewater.

The present invention relates to methods for water treatment. in particular using a novel Thauera species that is capable of removing nitrogen via simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. The novel Thauera species may be further capable of phosphate accumulation in the cells. The invention also relates to an isolated Thauera sp. strain SND5 (accession number: CGMCC 21549). The invention further relates to reactors for use in carrying out the methods as described herein and bioprocesses that are carried out using said reactor.

Embodiments of the invention include water treatment systems and components for water treatment systems that possess a collapsed and an expanded configuration, that can be easily transported in the collapsed configuration and expeditiously set up in the field into their expanded configuration. The embodiments include trickle filter/clarifier combinations, upflow anaerobic digester reactors, recirculating anaerobic digesters and their components. In preferred embodiments the volume of the expanded configurations is at least four times the volume of the collapsed configurations.

Methods and equipment of this invention enable small scale animal farming operations to substantially all or nearly all the recoverable value from their manure streams at a cost suitable for such smaller scale operations. The invention gives small scale animal farming operations the opportunity to obtain manure recovery benefits typically obtainable only in animal farming operations having high animal populations. The recovery is in forms that are both useable, readily monetized, environmentally sustainable, and cost effective. Much of the recovered material can find use back within the processing steps of invention thereby increasing the value of the recovered residual materials.

An induced sludge bed anaerobic reactor includes a vessel in which a septum is positioned to maintain solids in wastewater being treated toward a lower portion of the reactor. The septum is configured to prevent or minimize rising bacteria from exiting the vessel and to minimize clogging of the vessel. A first example septum is disclosed that is based on a linear vane design. A second example septum is disclosed that is based on a concentric vane design. A third example septum is disclosed that is based on a radial vane design that may include one or more sections. Further, septums may be layered one atop another to further minimize rising bacteria from exiting the vessel and to further minimize clogging of the vessel. Finally, a septum is attached to the inside of the vessel so as to allow it to move allowing any clogging waste floating under the septum to exit the vessel.

A process to treat a gas comprising hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans is described. The following steps are part of this process: (a) contacting the hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans comprising gas (1) with an aqueous solution (3) comprising sulphide-oxidising bacteria thereby obtaining a loaded aqueous solution (5) and a gas (4) having a lower content of hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans, (b) contacting the loaded aqueous solution with mercaptan reducing microorganisms immobilized on a carrier under anaerobic conditions, (c) separating the aqueous solution obtained in step (b) from the mercaptan reducing microorganisms to obtain a first liquid effluent (7), and (d) contacting the first liquid effluent (7) with an oxidant (9) to regenerate the sulphide-oxidising bacteria to obtain a second liquid effluent (11) comprising regenerated sulphide-oxidising bacteria. The sulphide-oxidising bacteria as present in step (a) are comprised of regenerated sulphide-oxidising bacteria obtained in step (d).