# US 8,540,877 B2 · Ballasted sequencing batch reactor system and method for treating wastewater > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,877 B2 - Document ID: US8540877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/627,757 - Filed: 2012-09-26 - Published: 2013-01-24 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-01-09 - Assignees: Siemens Water Technologies Corp. - Applicants: Siemens Industry, Inc. - Inventors: Steven E. Woodard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540877B2 ## CPC - C02F 3/1284: {Mixing devices} - C02F 3/1263: {Sequencing batch reactors [SBR]} - C02F 1/36: ultrasonic vibrations - C02F 1/38: by centrifugal separation - C02F 1/488: {for separation of magnetic materials, e.g. magnetic flocculation} - C02F 1/5236: {using inorganic agents} - C02F 1/56: Macromolecular compounds - C02F 2305/12: Inert solids used as ballast for improving sedimentation (C02F3/1226 takes precedence) - Y02W 10/10: Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A ballasted sequencing batch reactor system for treating wastewater including one or more sequencing batch reactors. A weighting agent impregnation subsystem is configured to mix biological flocs and weighting agent to form weighted biological flocs. A weighting agent recovery subsystem is configured to recover weighting agent from the weighted biological flocs and reintroduce the recovered weighting agent to the weighting agent impregnation subsystem. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ballasted sequencing batch reactor system for treating wastewater comprising: one or more sequencing batch reactors fluidly connected to a source of wastewater, the one or more sequencing batch reactors comprising a treated effluent outlet and a waste activated sludge outlet; a weighting agent impregnation subsystem fluidly connected to a biological flocs outlet of the one or more sequencing batch reactors and comprising a weighted biological flocs outlet fluidly connected to the one or more sequencing batch reactors, the weighting agent impregnation subsystem configured to mix suspended biological flocs and weighting agent to form weighted biological flocs; a weighting agent recovery subsystem fluidly connected to the waste activated sludge outlet of the one or more sequencing batch reactors and an inlet of the weighting agent impregnation subsystem, the weighting agent recovery subsystem configured to recover weighting agent from the weighted biological flocs of a waste activated sludge and reintroduce the recovered weighting agent to the weighting agent impregnation subsystem. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a sludge storage tank configured to receive settled sludge comprising settled weighted biological flocs from the waste activated sludge outlet of the one or more sequencing batch reactors, store the settled sludge therein, and regulate the flow of the settled sludge to the weighting agent recovery subsystem. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the weighting agent recovery subsystem comprises a separator subsystem for separating the weighting agent from the settled weighted biological flocs, the separator subsystem comprising at least one of a shear mill, a centrifugal separator, an ultrasonic separator and a wet drum magnetic separator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sequencing batch reactors are configured to decant effluent from settled sludge comprising settled weighted biological flocs to provide a treated effluent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a wasting subsystem for wasting settled sludge comprising settled weighted biological flocs from the weighting agent recovery subsystem to control a population of microorganisms in a mixed liquor in the one or more sequencing batch reactors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the weighting agent has a particle size less than about 40 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the weighting agent comprises magnetite. ### Claim 8 A method for treating wastewater using one or more sequencing batch reactors, the method comprising: introducing influent wastewater to the one or more sequencing batch reactors to form suspended biological flocs; introducing a portion of the suspended biological flocs into a weighting agent impregnation subsystem to impregnate the weighting agent into the suspended biological flocs and to form weighted biological flocs; introducing the weighted biological flocs from the weighting agent impregnation subsystem to the one or more sequencing batch reactors; and introducing at least a portion of a settled sludge comprising settled weighted biological flocs to a weighting agent recovery system to recover weighting agent from the settled weighted biological flocs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising introducing a recovered weighting agent from the weighting agent recovery system to the weighting agent impregnation subsystem. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the weighting agent has a particle size less than about 40 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising introducing dissolved oxygen to a population of microorganisms to promote growth of suspended biological flocs in a mixed liquor defined by a concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising introducing a flocculant to the mixed liquor in the one or more sequencing batch reactors to enhance settling and thickening of the weighted biological flocs and to establish agglomeration of non-impregnated biological flocs and/or partially impregnated biological flocs with the weighted biological flocs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising separating and collecting the weighted biological flocs from the mixed liquor in the one or more sequencing batch reactors to provide a secondary effluent and the settled sludge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising recycling the settled sludge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising decanting the effluent from the settled sludge in the one or more sequencing batch reactors to provide a treated effluent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising wasting a portion of the settled sludge using a wasting subsystem to control the population of the microorganisms in the mixed liquor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising wasting settled sludge from the weighting agent recovery subsystem to control a population of microorganisms in a mixed liquor in the one or more sequencing batch reactors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising increasing the capacity of the system by increasing the concentration of the mixed liquor in the one or more sequencing batch reactors by reducing the amount of settled sludge wasted by a wasting subsystem. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising reducing the amount of settled sludge wasted by the wasting subsystem to increase the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids which enhances nitrification and/or de-nitrification of ammonia in the mixed liquid.