What Are the Three Stages of Wastewater Treatment?
In this context, we will discuss contents about major stages of wastewater treatment processes, main stages of wastewater treatment usually known as primary, secondary and then tertiary wastewater treatment. Each and every of stage is set to tackle different contaminants, and there will be quaternary wastewater treatment followed by these major three stages, as there are some scenarios requires further treatments such as extra filtrations and oxidation, waste streams could be treated and ready for reusing or direct discharging once it moves through these phases.
What is primary wastewater treatment as the very first out of three stages of wastewater treatment?
During primary treatment, wastewater is temporarily held in a settling tank where heavier solids sink to the bottom while lighter solids float to the surface, to remove large and easily settleable solids and floating debris from wastewater, that is to remove objects might clogging piping, pumping, and other equipments within downstream stages, conventional primary wastewater treatment methods are mainly physical ones, those physical treatment methods ranges from sedimentation, screening, to grit removal, and then comminution, this stage is designed to protect downstream treatment processes, that is secondary treatment.
These large tanks are also often equipped with mechanical scrapers that continually drive collected sludge in the base of the tank to a hopper which pumps it to sludge treatment facilities.
Wastewater Treatment Methods In Primary Wastewater Treatment Stage
Screening: Removes large debris using screens to prevent clogs and damage.
What is secondary wastewater treatment?
Secondary wastewater treatment aims to further reduce pollutants in wastewater after primary treatment by using biological processes like aerobic bacteria to decompose organic matter. This process primarily involves techniques like trickling filters and activated sludge, which utilize microorganisms to consume pollutants like organic compounds, phosphorus, and nitrites.
Secondary wastewater treatment aims to further purify wastewater by removing biodegradable organic matter, like sugars and fats, that remains after primary treatment. It uses biological processes, primarily aerobic bacteria, to break down these organics. The main purpose is to reduce the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), ensuring the treated water won’t deplete too much dissolved oxygen in receiving water bodies.
to remove dissolved and suspended biological matter, removing biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), removing pollutants, secondary treatment enhances water quality and makes it suitable for discharge or reuse, tertiary treatment if further polishing is required. Completing secondary wastewater treatment allows for safer release into the local environment, reducing common biodegradable contaminants down to safe levels.
It is done in one of three ways:
Biofiltration
Aeration
Oxidation ponds
Activated Sludge Process:
Membrane Bioreactor (MBR):
Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR):
Rotating Biological Contactors (RBC):
Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR):
It’s critical to adopting advanced control systems to conduct real-time monitoring and control of key parameters such as oxygen levels, pH, and temperature to optimize overall performance of secondary treatment stage.
What is tertiary wastewater treatment?
Tertiary wastewater treatment, the final stage in wastewater treatment, aims to remove remaining pollutants not fully addressed by primary and secondary treatment. This process enhances the quality of treated water for reuse or discharge, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and making it suitable for various applications. Common methods include advanced filtration, nutrient removal, and disinfection.
The aim of tertiary wastewater treatment is to raise the quality of the water to domestic and industrial standards, or to meet specific requirements around the safe discharge of water. In the case of water treated by municipalities, tertiary treatment also involves the removal of pathogens, which ensures that water is safe for drinking purposes.
Here at Boromond, we specialise in tertiary wastewater treatment of industrial wastewater , with our specialist solution targeting the hardest-to-treat contaminants to ensure regulations are met for safe discharge or reuse of water.
We work across various industries ranges from life sciences and pharmaceuticals, special chemicals, agrochemicals, petrochemicals and lithium-ion battery manufacturing and recycling and etc, that is aiming to treat complex industrial effluents with high level of traceable organic compounds, high concentration level, high salinity, and refractory to biological treatment.
Simply utilizing electrochemical oxidation wastewater treatment technologies which output the maximum treatment efficiency over recalcitrant organic pollutants that are refractory to conventional treatment methods, and an environmental friendly approach as electrochemical oxidation treatment of wastewater does not require additions of toxic chemicals.
The electrochemical oxidation wastewater treatment systems can be used as a standalone treatment or be integrated int some existing treatment plants to provide more advanced, targeted treatment whereever and whenever required.
Boromond team is dedicated to combine different water and wastewater treatment methods with advanced electrochemical oxidation wastewater treatment technologies to treat a wide range of complex wastewater from different industries, and business sectors, and what is more, our wastewater treatment experts are ready to help with everything from instrument selection, installation to data management, not to mention we offer water profile analyze, free of charge.
Discover advanced electrochemical oxidation wastewater treatment technologies to enhance transform your ongoing projects and upcoming advantures, reaching out to Boromond team by writing an email to enquiry@boromond.com to simply send a request via our contact page here .
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