Orbital wastewater treatment system and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9896361-B2
Application number	US-201514863678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

An orbital wastewater treatment system includes a tank assembly, at least one impeller, at least one flow-diversion mechanism, at least one actuator, optionally at least one sensor disposed in the tank assembly, and a control unit. The tank assembly has three treatment zones and pairs of passages between the first zone and the second zone and between the second zone and the third zone. The impeller disposed in the tank assembly moves mixed liquor under process about the tank assembly. Multiple flow-diversion mechanisms disposed at the passages between the zones of each pair control process conditions pursuant to a predetermined schedule and/or at least partially in accordance with input from the one or more sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An orbital wastewater treatment system comprising:
a tank assembly having at least a first treatment zone, a second treatment zone and a third treatment zone, said tank assembly having at least two first passages between said first treatment zone and said second treatment zone and at least two second passages between said second treatment zone and said third treatment zone; and
at least one impeller in said tank assembly for moving mixed liquor under process about said tank assembly and through said passages;
a first flow-diversion mechanism disposed at at least one of said first passages;
a second flow-diversion mechanism disposed at at least one of said second passages;
a first actuator operatively connected to said first flow-diversion mechanism;
a second actuator operatively connected to said second flow-diversion mechanism; and
a control unit operatively connected to said first actuator and said second actuator for regulating or adjusting a flow state or configuration of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism.

2. The system defined in claim 1 , further comprising a third flow-diversion mechanism disposed at another of said second passages, also comprising a third actuator operatively connected to said third flow-diversion mechanism, said control unit being operatively connected to said first actuator, said second actuator and said third actuator for regulating or adjusting a flow state or configuration of said first flow-diversion mechanism, said second flow-diversion mechanism and said third flow-diversion mechanism.

3. The system defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least two air diffusers or aeration elements each disposed in one of said first treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

4. The system defined in claim 3 , wherein said control unit is operatively connected to said impeller and said air diffusers or aeration elements and configured to operate said impeller and said air diffuser or aeration elements.

5. The system defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least two mixers each disposed in a respective one of said first treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

6. The system defined in claim 5 , also comprising at least one air diffuser or aeration element disposed in said one of said first treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

7. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one weir disposed adjacent to and communicating with said third treatment zone.

8. The system defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor in said tank assembly, said control unit being configured for regulating or adjusting a flow state or configuration of at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism at least partially in accordance with input from said sensor.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said control unit is programmed to adjust said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism to one of two states or configurations upon an earlier to occur of (i) a lapse of a predetermined time period after adjusting of said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism from said one of said two states or configurations and (ii) a detection by said sensor of a predetermined magnitude of a preselected control parameter in one of said treatment zone, said second treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

10. The system defined in claim 9 wherein said control unit is further programmed to maintain said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism in said one of said two states or configurations for a predetermined additional time period and to adjust said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism from said one of said two states or configurations after termination of said additional time period.

11. The system defined in claim 10 wherein said control unit is further programmed to adjust said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism from said one of said two states or configurations upon an earlier to occur of (i) a lapse of said predetermined additional time period after moving of said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism to said one of said two states or configurations and (ii) an automated detection of a predetermined magnitude of a preselected control parameter in one of said first treatment zone, said second treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

12. The system defined in claim 9 wherein said first treatment zone is an anoxic zone convertible into an anaerobic zone, said second treatment zone is an aerobic zone convertible at least partially into an anoxic zone, and said third treatment zone is convertible between an aerobic zone and an at least partially anoxic zone, said one of said two states or configurations being a closed position inhibiting or preventing flow between said second treatment zone and at least one of said first treatment zone and said third treatment zone.

13. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said control unit is further programmed to periodically and incrementally adjust said at least one of and said second flow-diversion mechanism said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism.

14. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said first treatment zone is an anoxic zone convertible into an anaerobic zone, said second treatment zone is an aerobic zone convertible at least partially into an anoxic zone, said third treatment zone is convertible between an aerobic zone and an at least partially anoxic zone, said at least one of said first flow-diversion mechanism and said second flow-diversion mechanism being operable to regulate or adjust flow from said second treatment zone to said first treatment zone or from said third treatment zone to said second treatment zone.

15. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said sensor is taken from the group consisting of a phosphorus (P) sensor, an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensor, a dihydride nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) sensor, an NO 3 —N sensor, an ammonia (NH 3 —N) sensor, a dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor, and a velocity sensor.

16. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said sensor is disposed in one of said first treatment zone and said second treatment zone, further comprising an additional sensor disposed in one of said first treatment zone, said second treatment zone and said third treatment zone, said additional sensor also being connected to said control unit for informing control operations thereof, said additional sensor being taken from the group consisting of a phosphorus (P) sensor, an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensor, a dihydride nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) sensor, an NO 3 —N sensor, an ammonia (NH 3 —N) sensor, a dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor, and a velocity sensor.

17. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said first treatment zone is an anoxic zone convertible into an anaerobic zone, said second treatment zone is an aerobic zone convertible at least partially into an anoxic zone, said third treatment zone is convertible between an aerobic zone and an at least partially anoxic zone, further comprising a dissolved oxygen sensor disposed in said second treatment zone.

18. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said impeller is disposed in said second treatment zone, furt

Assignees

• Ovivo Inc
• Ovivo Inc

Inventors

• Leland Thomas
• Emory Joy
• Myers Steve

Classifications

• C02F3/1257

  Oxidation ditches · CPC title

• C02F2209/15

  N03-N · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F3/301

  Aerobic and anaerobic treatment in the same reactor · CPC title

• C02F3/206

  with helical screw impellers · CPC title