Biological wastewater treatment and reuse utilizing sulfur compounds as electron carrier to minimize sludge production
AssigneeThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
InventorsGuanghao Chen, Ho Kwong Chui, Hui Lu, Di Wu, Tianwei Hao, Feng Jiang, Marinus Cornelis Maria Van Loosdrecht
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Abstract
Biological wastewater treatment of wastewater is performed by oxidizing organic carbon with sulfur or a sulfur compound as an electron carrier, and reducing the sulfur or sulfur compound to sulfide. The sulfide is oxidized with nitrate or oxygen. If necessary, ammonia is oxidized to nitrate and then reduced to nitrogen gas. The process is effective for saline waste water facilities, as well as non-saline waste water facilities.
Claims21
1-34. (canceled)
A method of biological wastewater treatment of influent containing organic carbon, the method comprising:
- oxidizing the organic carbon to carbon dioxide with sulfur or a sulfur compound, and
- reducing the sulfur or sulfur compound to sulfide;
- and
- oxidizing the sulfide to sulfate by oxygen or nitrate.
A method of biological wastewater treatment of influent containing organic carbon, the method comprising:
- providing a parallel stream for biological treatment, integrated as follows:
- in a first stream, oxidizing the organic carbon to carbon dioxide by oxygen or nitrate, and reclaiming the treated effluent of this stream by means of additional treatment steps selected from the group consisting of filtration and disinfection;
- and
- in a second stream, oxidizing the organic carbon to carbon dioxide by using a sulfur or sulfur compounds selected from sulfates, sulfites and thiosulfates or obtained from substantial saline component, and reducing said sulfur or sulfur compounds to sulfide through sulfur reducing bacteria, and followed by oxidizing said sulfide to sulfate by oxygen or nitrate.
A biological wastewater treatment plant for treatment of influent containing organic carbon, comprising:
- a reactor configured to oxidize the organic carbon to carbon dioxide with sulfur or a sulfur compound, and to reduce said sulfur or sulfur compound to sulfide;
- and
- a reactor configured to oxidize said sulfide to sulfate with oxygen or nitrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.