Aerobic Biological Treatment Of Effluent With Aerobic Reactor

Typically, a wastewater treatment plant follows three methods: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary, which utilise physical, biological, and chemical processes respectively to treat wastewater.

The biological treatment process plays a vital role in the breakdown of organic waste matter generated from households and different industries.

There are mainly two types of biological wastewater treatment which are Aerobic biological treatment and Anaerobic biological treatment of effluent.

This blog aims to discuss the former.

Aerobic Biological Treatment of Wastewater

Once the suspended solid waste is filtered out through physical processes of separation during primary treatment, the wastewater is treated biologically during the secondary stage of treatment.

A large quantity of naturally existing bacteria helps in the decomposition of contaminants and pollutants present in the wastewater.

The main difference between the aerobic biological treatment of effluent and the anaerobic is that oxygen is required in the aerobic system.

Mechanical aeration devices are used for the continuous supply of oxygen to the system, which, in turn, helps aerobic microbes to feed on organic matter through maintained dissolved oxygen levels of around 2-3 ppm.

Depending on the different wastewater characteristics, such as dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, nutrients, and the environment, different processes would be required to keep up the biomass growth for optimal levels of microbial performance.

Plus, a sufficient amount of aeration is a must to maintain dissolved oxygen levels so that microbes can effectively treat effluent always.

Aerobic biological treatment is largely used in food and beverage, chemical, oil & gas, and other industries where organic or biodegradable waste content is generated in high quantities.

It is also widely used in municipal wastewater treatment plants and industries.

The main aim is to treat wastewater efficiently so that it can be safely released into the environment as per the existing regulations and meet the standards set.

Aerobic Biological Treatment System Types

Different aerobic biological treatment systems are used in wastewater plants.

• Conventional Activated Sludge 

The conventional activated sludge process is the most popular aerobic biological treatment method carried out in aerobic reactors ( also known as bioreactors).

It is widely used to treat industrial effluents and has undergone a massive number of modifications since its inception.

In this process, an aerobic reactor is used, which is essentially a stirred tank seeded with a portion of recycled activated sludge containing microbes.

As an aerobic reactor has a large volume, air compressors are used to supply a sufficient amount of oxygen into the system so that microbes may have dissolved oxygen to perform their function.

Besides developing carbon dioxide and water as the by-products in the aerobic process, nitrification and denitrification can be carried out in the aerobic tank and a bioreactor, respectively.

• MBBR

In Moving Biofilm Bed Reactors – MBBRs, aeration tanks filled with biofilm carriers are the key component.

The plastic biofilm carriers come in different shapes and sizes and are suspended inside the aerobic reactor with the help of aeration devices.

It enables the treatment of wastewater with high BOD in a smaller area. Moreover, no sludge recycling happens.

• MBR 

Membrane Bioreactors are advanced aerobic biological treatment systems that are known to combine aspects of the activated sludge process as well as membrane filtration.

It helps in the separation and recycling of suspended solids without following the typical sedimentation process.

Thus, MBRs generate high-quality effluent by targeting BOD. Although initial investment and maintenance costs are high, efficiency is unparalleled.

To boost the performance of the aerobic wastewater treatment process using aerobic reactors, advanced microbial strains have emerged as a promising solution.

Organica Biotech’s Cleanmaxx is one such advanced solution.

The special consortia of microbes help in the degradation of organic matter present in the wastewater, minimize sludge volume, control bad odour, and boost the treatment facility’s performance.

For more details, contact us today.