Method for treating wastewater using microorganisms and vascular aquatic plants
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorBilly C. Wolverton
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Abstract
A method for treating wastewater comprising the steps of subjecting the wastewater to an anaerobic settling step for at least 6 hours and passing the liquid effluent from the anaerobic settling step through a filter cell in an upflow manner, wherein the effluent is subjected first to the action of anaerobic and facultative microorganisms and then to the action of aerobic microorganisms and the roots of at least one vascular aquatic plant.
Claims17
A method for treating wastewater comprising the steps of subjecting the wastewater to an anaerobic settling step for at least 6 hours and passing the liquid effluent from the anaerobic settling step upwards through a filter bed, wherein the effluent is subjected first to the action of anaerobic and facultative microorganisms disposed on a particulate media in a lower portion of said bed and then to the action of aerobic microorganisms disposed on a particulate media in an upper portion of said bed and the roots of at least one vascular aquatic plant.
A system for the treatment of wastewater, comprising a preliminary vessel in which is carried out anaerobic settling, inlet means entering said vessel, a hybrid filter having a bed of particulate material, a lower portion of said bed being inoculated with anaerobic and facultative microorganisms and an upper portion thereof being inoculated with aerobic microorganisms and having vascular aquatic plants growing therein, fluid communication means between the preliminary vessel and said hybrid filter for conveying the effluent from the preliminary vessel to a bottom level of said hybrid filter for upflow therethrough, and outlet means from the hybrid filter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.