Apparatus and methods for control of waste treatment processes

Abstract

Waste-treatment processes are enhanced through generation and introduction of specific biological populations customized to perform or favor specific tasks either during the main process, for the formation or precipitation of certain biological nutrients, or to accomplish solids formation reduction in a post-treatment process. These bacteria may be grown from specialized mixes of activated sludge and waste influent by exposing these materials to controlled environments (e.g., in an off-line treatment area). They may then be returned to the main process to perform certain tasks such as converting particulate cBOD into soluble cBOD for utilization, to reduce high solids yield organisms by supplementing the population characteristics with low yield organism characteristics, to provide biological nutrients or oxygenation assistance, to improve nitrification/denitrification efficiency, or to disfavor filamentous biology such as Norcardia sp.

1 . A method of treating a waste stream, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. conducting at least a portion of the waste stream to a first treatment vessel for treatment comprising contact with a first biological population having a first population profile;   b. drawing off a portion of the waste stream to an off-line treatment vessel;   c. isolating the drawn-off portion of the waste stream; and   d. controlling the drawn-off portion of the waste stream in the off-line treatment vessel so as to establish, in the drawn-off portion, a second biological population having a second population profile different from the first population profile, and combining the drawn-off portion with a carbon source and maintaining low-oxygen conditions until the drawn-off portion exhibits an increased carbon uptake capacity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carbon source comprises a carbon-containing influent from the waste stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the controlling step includes acclimating the second biological population having the second population profile in the influent under low ORP conditions to facilitate increased carbon uptake when under anoxic or anaerobic conditions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the controlling step includes
 a. mixing the drawn-off portion having the second biological population established therein with a carbon-containing influent from the waste stream; 
 b. mixing at least a portion of the resulting mixture in at least one influent pretreatment structure, and 
 c. stressing the resulting mixture through at least one mechanical treatment structure. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the at least one mechanical treatment structure is not designed to aerate or oxygenate the waste stream. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the at least one mechanical treatment structure is selected from the group consisting of: influent wet well, pumping system, influent mechanical screening channel, grit removal system, and flow equalization vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein during the controlling step there is no flow between the off-line treatment vessel and the first treatment vessel.