The present invention generally relates to the field of wastewater and sewage treatment. More particularly, the invention concerns the passive removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms from wastewater and sewage.
Enviro-septic systems provide a natural way to treat wastewater while minimizing energy and maintenance costs. Representative enviro-septic systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,999,153 and 9,556,604 (Presby). These systems rely on the use of smooth or corrugated septic conduits of various forms that can be used in combination with a drainage system associated with a septic system.
Phosphorus, nitrogen and coliform removal from wastewater streams is a challenge faced by any wastewater treatment method. Wastewater sources are responsible for most of the phosphorus present in surface water environments. Among other disadvantages, an excess of phosphorus in the environment is associated with eutrophication.
Over the years, many methods have been proposed to remove phosphorus. The removal of phosphorus can be achieved through biological, chemical or physical means. In a biological method, the removal is carried out through the use of bacteria or plants, while in a chemical method, the removal is achieved by chemical agents that result in the production of a sludge. Since most treatment methods to precipitate phosphates are of a chemical nature and costly, there has been a drive over the last few years to develop efficient and lower-cost alternatives.
Lower cost treatment plants usually involve the passive removal of phosphate using physical means, such as filters. The passive removal of contaminants represents a more efficient and less energy intensive method to treat wastewater. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,879 (Dube et al.) teaches the use of activated wood chips and peat moss to remove phosphorus from wastewater streams. US Patent Publication No. US 2010/0243571 (Semiat et al.) describes the passive removal of phosphorus using particles of transition metals oxides or hydroxides, TiO2, or mixtures thereof, as well as particles of activated carbon, activated alumina, aluminium oxide, activated TiO2, mineral clay, zeolite and even an ion exchanger using nanoparticles of these materials. Another example in which the use of oxides to remove contaminants is disclosed is US Patent Publication No. US 2011/0303609 (Isovitsch Parks et al.).
Alternative methods for the removal of phosphorus include the use of zeolite in circulation adsorption columns, as described in KR 1016822907 (Seok et al.), and the use of support media containing metals, as taught by CA 2,305,014A1 (Cronitech). In yet another example of an alternative method to remove phosphorus, peat moss was used as a green filtration medium, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,484 (Wanielista et al.).
Microbial pollution is caused by the presence in water of pathogenic micro-organisms from human and animal excreta from various sources. These releases can cause microbial contamination that may compromise the safe practice of water use, such as shellfish consumption, as well as a plethora in recreational activities involving direct contact with water and indirect contact with water, not to mention that a poor quality of raw water can increase the difficulties of treatment of drinking water. For public health reasons, it is often necessary to disinfect wastewater before it is discharged into surface water. Popular disinfection techniques that do not cause adverse effects on aquatic life and do not generate undesirable by-products for public health include ozonation, ultraviolet radiation, lagooning, various filtration systems and chlorination systems.
Despite the above developments in the field of phosphorus removal from wastewater, there remains a need for an efficient and complete wastewater treatment method and system based on the passive removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms with reduced energy and maintenance costs. The present invention seeks to address this need by providing a complete method to treat wastewater originating from domestic, commercial and industrial sewage streams and septic tanks.
A solution to the shortcomings of the prior art is proposed by a novel passive wastewater treatment method and system for the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms.
The present invention comprises a novel wastewater treatment method, apparatus and system to treat wastewater streams through the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms. The invention may further comprise the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms from sewage streams.
In one aspect of the invention, a system for the removal of phosphorus of phosphorus and coliforms is provided. The system comprises an enviro-septic system, a dephosphatation system fluidly connected to the enviro-septic system and a polishing field fluidly connected to the dephosphatation system.
In another aspect of the invention, a system for the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus and coliforms may comprise an enviro-septic system, a denitrification system, a dephosphatation system and a polishing field.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method comprises primary, secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment steps. The primary treatment step comprises a septic tank with associated pumping stations and pipelines. The secondary treatment step comprises using an enviro-septic system, such as an Advanced Enviro-Septic™ (or AES) system, also described as an AES pipe, with associated distributions systems, pipelines, filtering media and collection systems. The tertiary treatment step comprises a dephosphatation system to remove phosphorus and coliforms followed by a polishing field. The method may further comprise the inclusion of a denitrification step for the removal of nitrogen either before or after the dephosphatation step, followed by a polishing step.
In another aspect of the invention a wastewater treatment method for the removal of phosphorus and coliforms is provided. The method comprises the steps of settling a wastewater stream in a septic tank, filtering the wastewater stream in an enviro-septic system, removing phosphorus from the wastewater stream with a dephosphatation system and filtering the wastewater stream using a polishing field.
In a further aspect of the invention, a wastewater treatment method for the removal of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms is provided. The method comprises the steps of settling a wastewater stream in a septic tank, filtering the wastewater stream in an enviro-septic system, removing nitrogen from the wastewater stream using a denitrification medium, filtering the wastewater stream using a polishing field; and removing phosphorus from the wastewater stream with a dephosphatation medium.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
A novel wastewater treatment method, apparatus and system for the removal of phosphorus and coliforms will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
For purposes of the present application, the following expressions have the following meanings:
Enviro-septic system: a system based on the combination of one or more corrugated and perforated pipe covered by layers of material used to treat wastewater by creating aerobic and anaerobic digestion;
Low pressure partition system (LPPS): a system that allows the effluent from an enviro-septic system to be divided between different rows of pipes;
Low pressure distribution system (LPDS): a system that allow the effluent of the enviro-septic system to pass between and through different rows of pipes;
Denitrification system: a system that allows the denitrification of the effluent of the enviro-septic system;
Dephosphatation system: a system that allows phosphorus present in the effluent of an enviro-septic system to be captured; and
Polishing field: a system (“field”) that allows polishing or infiltration of the effluent of an enviro-septic system.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a wastewater treatment method for the removal of phosphorus and coliforms 100 is illustrated in
Now referring to
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the order of certain steps of the wastewater treatment method for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus 200 may be changed without departing from the present invention. For example, the removal of phosphorus may be performed before the removal of nitrogen, and the filtering of the wastewater stream using a polishing field may be the final step in the method.
In some embodiments, the septic tank 110 comprises an outlet allowing water to flow by gravity towards the first pumping station 112. The first pumping station 112 is configured to pump, the water/liquid is pumped to feed the low-pressure distribution system. In some embodiments, the low-pressure distribution system is fed via a first low pressure partition system (LPPS 1) 114.
In some embodiments, the LPPS may comprise a plurality of input and output ports. In some of such embodiments, the LPPS may comprise five (5) ports, two of the ports being configured to feed other enviro-septic systems pipelines, also described as AES pipes 122 (shown in
The second pump station 116 may be configured to feed a second low pressure distribution system (LPDS 2) 123 (shown in
In some embodiments, the tank 166 may comprise a pipe having perforations located about the center of the tank 165. In such embodiment, after an accumulation of liquid at the bottom of the tank 166, such as approximately 200 mm of liquid, the effluent may pass through the perforations of the pipe. This pipe may further comprise a filter 164 (shown in
In such embodiments, the liquid is conveyed to the fourth pumping station 184. From the fourth pumping station 184, the water is pumped to the polishing field 180. At the outlet of the polishing field 180, the effluent is collected and then conveyed by gravity to the sampling point 184. In some embodiment, after rising water to a predetermined level in the well, such as about 50 mm, the liquid may exit the site through the outlet 199 (shown in
Now referring to
Now referring to
Referring back to
In another embodiment of the present invention, the systems involved in the wastewater treatment for the removal of phosphorus and coliforms of method 100 (
Now referring to
In some embodiments, the chamber upstream end may comprise an adapter having two openings. The first opening, typically located on top, may be adapted to receive a ventilation duct 125, such as a ventilation duct having a diameter of 100 mm. The second opening may be provided at the bottom to pass a pipe of the distribution system LPDS 123. In such an example, the opening and the pipe may each have 50 mm diameters.
Still in the present example, the chamber downstream end may comprise an adapter having two openings adapted to receive the ventilation pipe in the top hole 127 and a piezometer 128 in the bottom hole. The access point for the low-pressure pipe may be through the piezometer.
The collection drain 124 may leave from the base of the caisson on the downstream side and may arrive at the sampling point 130 where it may be directed to a pumping station 130, as shown in
Now referring to
In such an example, the layers of materials placed from the bottom of the chamber may comprise the following:
The chamber may comprise an upstream end and a downstream end. The chamber upstream end may be equipped with an adapter having two openings 125. The first opening 125 may be located on top and may be adapted to receive a ventilation duct, such as a duct having a diameter of about 100 mm. The second opening, such as an opening having a diameter of about 50 mm, may be located at the bottom of the chamber to pass the pipe of the distribution LPDS 2 123. The diameter of the pipe may be adapted to be the same as the diameter of the second opening.
the chamber downstream end may comprise an adapter having two openings adapted to receive a ventilation pipe in the top hole 127 and a piezometer in the bottom hole 128. The access point for the low-pressure pipe may be through the piezometer.
The collection drain 124 (shown more clearly in
Referring now to
In the present example, the layers of materials 183 in the polishing chamber 181 may be located on the bottom of the box and may further comprise the following materials from the bottom of the box:
The polishing field 180 may comprise an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end may comprise an adapter with one opening configured to receive a pipe 184 from the dephosphatation system. In some embodiments, the pipe may have a diameter of 100 mm.
The downstream end of the polishing field 180 may be comprise two openings configured to receive the vent pipe 186 in the top port and a piezometer 187 in the bottom port. The access tube of the pipe under low pressure typically passes through the piezometer.
The polishing field 180 may further be fluidly connected to a collection drain 185. In such an embodiment, the effluent is collected at the bottom of the chamber of the polishing field 180 by the collection drain 185. The collection drain 185 may further be connected to a sampling point 184. Such sampling point 184 where it may be directed to another treatment step which may be a dephosphatation system 160 or to the exit 199 of the treatment system, as shown in
In another example, the dephosphatation system 160 (shown in
In another example, the denitrification system 140 (shown in
In yet another example, the enviro-septic system may comprise an outlet fluidly connected to a pumping station 130 (shown in
The dephosphatation system 160 may comprise an outlet fluidly connected to a pumping station 170 (shown in
The enviro-septic system may further comprise an outlet fluidly connected to a pumping station 130, the outlet being adapted to direct the effluent. The pumping station 130 may further comprise a well. In some embodiments, the well has a cylindrical shape. In yet other embodiments, the well has a diameter of about 60 cm and a depth of about 183 cm. The pumping station 130 may further comprise a submersible pump. The submersible pump may be a Little Giant® ½ hp, 115 volts with an hourly cycle.
The polishing field 180 may further comprise an outlet connected to or a fluid connection to a pumping station 184 (shown in
The dephosphatation system 160 may further comprise an outlet fluidly connected to a pumping station 170, the outlet may be adapted to direct effluent. The pumping station 170 may further comprise a well. In some embodiments, the well has a cylindrical shape. In yet other embodiments, the well has a diameter of about 38 cm and a depth of about 183 cm. The pumping station 170 may further comprise a submersible pump, such as but not limited to a Little Giant® ½ hp, 115 volts operating on demand following a high-water level float. The pumping system 170 may further comprise an outlet adapted to direct the resulting effluent from the dephosphatation system 160 to the next treatment step, which may be denitrification 140, the polishing step 180 and/or the exit 199.
Referring to
The methods apparatus and systems of the present invention may be used to treat wastewater streams as well as sewage wastewater streams originating from septic tanks.
While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/725,752 filed on Aug. 31, 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CA2019/051229 | 9/3/2019 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62725752 | Aug 2018 | US |