Method and apparatus for biological wastewater treatment

A method for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin comprising:

• installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• loading each of said plurality of treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
• supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• and
• operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said at least one air lift comprises a series of air lifts arranged in multiple process stages,
• and wherein said series of air lifts includes an initial air lift assembly and at least one intermediate air lift assembly at each of said multiple process stages,
• and wherein said initial air lift assembly includes an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin,
• and wherein said upstream partition is attached to a deflector which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at said water level.

A method for retrofitting existing waste water treatment facilities having at least one existing basin comprising:

• installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• loading each of said plurality of treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
• supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• and
• operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said at least one air lift comprises a series of air lifts arranged in multiple process stages,
• and wherein said series of air lifts includes an initial air lift assembly and at least one intermediate air lift assembly at each of said multiple process stages,
• and wherein said at least one intermediate air lift assembly comprises an upstream partition separated from a deflector plate which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at a water level in said basin.

A method for waste water treatment employing at least one basin comprising:

• installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• loading each of said plurality of treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
• supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions below at least one of said generally vertical partitions;
• and
• operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• wherein:
• said at least one air lift comprises a series of air lifts arranged in multiple process stages;
• said series of air lifts includes an initial air lift assembly and at least one intermediate air lift assembly at each of said multiple process stages;
• said initial air lift assembly includes an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin;
• said supplying comprises providing a continuous flow of water from an upstream side of said basin from a waste water inlet to a treated water outlet;
• and
• said flow is an undulating flow and includes passage under said upstream partitions which is of relatively low volume and generally does not carry said floatable particles into said series of air lifts, thereby constraining said particles to reside outside of and between said series of air lifts.

A method for waste water treatment employing at least one basin comprising:

• installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• loading each of said plurality of treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
• supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• and
• operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said at least one air lift comprises a series of air lifts arranged in multiple process stages,
• and wherein said series of air lifts includes an initial air lift assembly and at least one intermediate air lift assembly at each of said multiple process stages,
• and wherein said initial air lift assembly includes an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin,
• and wherein said upstream partition is attached to a deflector which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at said water level.

A method for waste water treatment employing at least one basin comprising:

• installing generally vertical partitions at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• installing at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• loading each of said plurality of treatment stage regions with a quantity of floatable porous particles;
• supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions;
• and
• operating aid at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions to provide aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said at least one air lift comprises a series of air lifts arranged in multiple process stages,
• and wherein said series of air lifts includes an initial air lift assembly and at least one intermediate air lift assembly at each of said multiple process stages,
• and wherein said at least one intermediate air lift assembly comprises an upstream partition separated from a deflector plate which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at a water level in said basin.

Retrofitted waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one existing basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts, arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly including an upstream partition which extends downwardly from top location above a water level in said existing basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said existing basin;
• and
• at least on intermediate air lift assembly;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water from an upstream side of said existing basin, by providing a continuous flow of water from a waste water inlet to a treated water outlet, to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions below at leas one of said generally vertical partitions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• wherein said flow is an undulating flow and includes passage under said upstream partitions which is of relatively low volume and generally does not carry said floatable particles into said series of air lifts, thereby constraining said particles to reside outside of and between said series of air lifts.

Retrofitted waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one existing basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly including an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin;
• and
• at least one intermediate air lift assembly;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said upstream partition is attached to a deflector which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at said water level.

Retrofitted waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one existing basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one existing basin in order to divide said at least one existing basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts, arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly;
• and
• at least one intermediate air lift assembly including an upstream partition separated from a deflector plate which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at a water level in said basin;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles.

Waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one/air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts, arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly including an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin;
• and
• at least one intermediate air lift assembly;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water from an upstream side of said basin, by providing continuous flow of water from a waste water inlet to a treated water outlet, to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions below at least one of said generally vertical partitions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality oft treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• wherein said flow is an undulating flow and includes passage under said upstream partitions which is of relatively low volume and generally does not carry said floatable particles into said series of air lifts, thereby constraining said particles to reside outside of and between said series of air lifts.

Waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly including an upstream partition which extends downwardly from a top location above a water level in said basin to a bottom location spaced from a bottom of said basin;
• and
• at least one intermediate air lift assembly;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles,
• and wherein said upstream partition is attached to a deflector which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at said water level.

Waste water treatment apparatus comprising:

• at least one basin;
• generally vertical partitions located at spaced locations in said at least one basin in order to divide said at least one basin into a plurality of treatment stage regions;
• at least one air lift, located in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, comprising a series of air lifts, arranged in each of multiple process stages, including:
• an initial air lift assembly;
• and
• at least one intermediate air lift assembly including an upstream partition separated from a deflector plate which extends in a downstream direction from said upstream partition at a wafer level in said basin;
• and
• a quantity of floatable porous particles loaded into each of said plurality of treatment stage regions, whereby supplying waste water to at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions and allowing said waste water, but generally not said particles, to flow from at least one of said plurality of treatment stage regions to at least another of said plurality of treatment stage regions and operating said at least one air lift in each of said plurality of treatment stage regions provides aerobic waste water flow therein in operative engagement with said floatable porous particles.