Disclosed are methods and systems for minimizing downtime for waste processing plants by serially processing a potentially mixed waste stream including a solid fraction, low-strength wastewater, and/or high-strength wastewater in a plurality of anaerobic digesters (e.g., plug flow, upflow and fixed-film), and treating the processed liquid output with a plurality of tertiary wastewater treatments (e.g., ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, precipitation), to produce a low suspended solids liquid and a high suspended solids liquid, and returning at least a portion of the high suspended solids liquid to the plurality of anaerobic digesters.

Process for treating solid waste containing an organic fraction, comprising an initial step of extrusion pressing the waste with production of a solid fraction and a liquor. The solid fraction is subjected to a milling treatment at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure in a rotary mill that produces a sanitized dry solid and water. The liquor is subjected to a treatment of anaerobic digestion in three subsequent steps, with production of biogas and of a digestate that is subjected to evaporation under vacuum to obtain a concentrated compost and steam, re-used in other steps of the process. The sanitized dry solid and the biogas can be used as fuel to produce thermal and electric energy to be used in the process, which also allows surplus energy to be obtained.

A plant for the anaerobic purification of waste and/or process water comprising: i) a reactor tank with at least one feed line for supplying waste and/or process water into tank and with at least one outflow line for draining a mixture of microorganisms, waste and/or process water and gas from the tank, ii) a first separation apparatus outside and downstream of the tank for separating at least a part of the microorganisms from the mixture from the tank, wherein the first separation apparatus comprises at least one separation stage, an inlet line connected with at least one of the outflow line(s), at least one discharge line and at least one outlet line, and iii) a return line for returning the separated sludge separated into the reactor tank, wherein the return line connects with at least one of the at least one outlet line of the first separation apparatus.

A septic system, including a septic tank and a pipe positioned within the septic tank, is provided. The pipe receives sewage and provides a flooded, anaerobic environment for sewage passing therethrough. The outlet of the pipe is positioned inside the septic tank and is optionally spaced from the outlet of the septic tank. In operation, the sewage introduced into the pipe generally separates into a solid portion comprising sludge, which remains in the pipe, and a liquid portion, which passes through and around the sludge. In one embodiment, the septic system has an absence of a sump chamber upstream of the septic tank.

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).

A method of operating a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) having at least one of an aerobic digester (AD) and a membrane bioreactor (MBR) is described. The method of operating AD is comprised of monitoring and controlling AD in real-time using an online extended Kalman filter (EKF) having a online dynamic model of AD. The EKF uses real-time AD measured data, and online dynamic model of AD to update adapted model parameters and estimate model based inferred variables for AD, which are used for AD control by AD control system having supervisory and low-level control layers. The method of operating MBR is similar to that of AD. The supervisory control ensures the WWTP satisfying the effluent quality requirement while minimize the operation cost. A WWTP having at least one of AD or MBR is disclosed. The method of operating a WWTP can be implemented using a computer.

A multistage residential wastewater treatment system. The preferred system has three chambers. Wastewater flows into the first chamber via an inflow line. Primarily anaerobic treatment occurs in the first chamber. From the first chamber, wastewater flows into a second chamber. The second chamber is aerated, and primarily aerobic treatment occurs there. Substantially fully treated wastewater flows from the second chamber to the third chamber. The third chamber is substantially quiescent and anaerobic. Most remaining solids settle out in the third chamber. A bactericide pump is configured to introduce batch doses of bactericide in the desired volume to the third chamber at set intervals. After sufficient delay following introduction of the bactericide to allow for substantially complete toxicity to the bacteria in third chamber, effluent is pumped out of the tank by an effluent pump via an effluent line. The effluent pump preferably powers the bactericide pump.

A system may include a reactor, in which an anaerobic environment exists, that includes a slurry of at least contaminated water and a mixed bacterial culture of facultative bacteria and anaerobic bacteria. The mixed bacterial culture may be suspended within the slurry. The contaminated water may include contaminants associated with a non-metal, a metal, or a metalloid. The mixed bacterial culture may react with the contaminated water to reduce or remove the contaminants from the contaminated water to create a treated slurry. The reactor may output the treated slurry. The system may also include a filtration device to receive the treated slurry; remove, from the treated slurry, the mixed bacterial culture and the contaminants, reduced or removed from the contaminated water, to create treated water; and output the treated water. The system may also include an aeration device to add dissolved oxygen to the treated water, and output the treated water. The system may also include a reaction device where iron or aluminum salts are added to remove phosphorous, selenite, arsenate, or other contaminants which adsorb onto iron or aluminum oxyhydroxide solids. The system may also include a filtration device to remove the solids from the water, and output the treated water.

In general, the present invention is directed to systems for treating water or wastewater. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the system may utilize a vessel with a plurality of filter beds, at least one inlet, and at least one outlet, and the system may include: a first filtration bed comprising a first granular and/or angular media, the first media having a high surface area and configured for biological and physical treatment of the water or wastewater; a second filtration bed including a second granular and/or angular media, the second media having a lower surface area than the first media; wherein the water or wastewater enters the vessel via the at least one inlet, flows through the first filtration bed and the second filtration bed, and exits the vessel through the at least one outlet.

A system may include a reactor, in which an anaerobic environment exists, that includes a slurry of at least contaminated water and a mixed bacterial culture of facultative bacteria and anaerobic bacteria. The mixed bacterial culture may be suspended within the slurry. The contaminated water may include contaminants associated with a non-metal, a metal, or a metalloid. The mixed bacterial culture may react with the contaminated water to reduce or remove the contaminants from the contaminated water to create a treated slurry. The reactor may output the treated slurry. The system may also include a filtration device to receive the treated slurry; remove, from the treated slurry, the mixed bacterial culture and the contaminants, reduced or removed from the contaminated water, to create treated water; and output the treated water. The system may also include an aeration device to add dissolved oxygen to the treated water, and output the treated water. The system may also include a reaction device where iron or aluminum salts are added to remove phosphorous, selenite, arsenate, or other contaminants which adsorb onto iron or aluminum oxyhydroxide solids. The system may also include a filtration device to remove the solids from the water, and output the treated water.