The Stages Undertaken In Sewage Treatment Process
Sewage contains about 90% water. This means that there is a lot that can be obtained from recycling. The source of waste water comprises both commercial and residential premises with residential sources bringing in the larger proportion of solid waste. Before being recycled and reused, the waste water has to be taken through a thorough treatment process. A number of stages are involved in this sewage treatment process.
The stages that are involved in this process are divided into four. The first among them is what is referred to as pre-treatment, this is the stage at which removal of large foreign bodies (such as pieces of cloth, rocks and wood) is done. The effluent is taken through a series of meshes with a grate size of 1.5 millimeters to 5 cm for the separation to occur.
Apart from the foreign bodies, sand and grit also have to be removed during the pre-treatment stage. Most of the grit found in sewage is runoff from the street created after rainfall. The force of gravity plays a vital role here by helping separate the grit and the water; the grit sinks to the bottom and the rest of the waste remains at the top as the effluent flows down a gentle slope.
One of the main features of the second stage, the primary stage, is the presence of large tanks. These tanks are used for sedimentation. One channel brings in effluent rich in solid waste and another leaves the tanks after most of the solids have undergone sedimentation. This is a process that occurs continuously. The solid that forms at the bottom is also called sludge. It is an important source of methane gas.
The secondary stage follows the primary stage. The main activity here is the digestion of biologic materials in the waste water. This is facilitated by aerobic and anaerobic organisms (both protozoa and bacterial). When the materials are digested, energy and carbon dioxide gas are produced. Over time, the nutritional content of waste water is reduced markedly and the organisms die a natural death. Some sedimentation also takes place during this stage.
A different approach can be adopted at this stage to achieve results that are not very different from those obtained with the conventional method. Instead of using live microorganisms in the biological filtration process, enzymes may be used. The enzymes are combined in a manner that will target as much of the material as possible. The disadvantage is that a significant amount of the material goes undigested.
The last step is the tertiary stage. The steps undertaken here are meant to optimize on the effects of the other three stages. Some of these stages include the removal of elements such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Both of these elements have the potential to cause an effect known as eutrophication. Other treatments carried out include improvement of odor, chlorination and the use of biologic filters to get rid of residual organic matter.
The management of waste water has traditionally been conducted by local governments. The difficulty in setting up the required infrastructure has been the main barrier for potential investors. This is changing with time as better technologies to carry out the process are developed. Individuals who create their own treatment plants usually adopt two stages instead of four.
The stages that are involved in this process are divided into four. The first among them is what is referred to as pre-treatment, this is the stage at which removal of large foreign bodies (such as pieces of cloth, rocks and wood) is done. The effluent is taken through a series of meshes with a grate size of 1.5 millimeters to 5 cm for the separation to occur.
Apart from the foreign bodies, sand and grit also have to be removed during the pre-treatment stage. Most of the grit found in sewage is runoff from the street created after rainfall. The force of gravity plays a vital role here by helping separate the grit and the water; the grit sinks to the bottom and the rest of the waste remains at the top as the effluent flows down a gentle slope.
One of the main features of the second stage, the primary stage, is the presence of large tanks. These tanks are used for sedimentation. One channel brings in effluent rich in solid waste and another leaves the tanks after most of the solids have undergone sedimentation. This is a process that occurs continuously. The solid that forms at the bottom is also called sludge. It is an important source of methane gas.
The secondary stage follows the primary stage. The main activity here is the digestion of biologic materials in the waste water. This is facilitated by aerobic and anaerobic organisms (both protozoa and bacterial). When the materials are digested, energy and carbon dioxide gas are produced. Over time, the nutritional content of waste water is reduced markedly and the organisms die a natural death. Some sedimentation also takes place during this stage.
A different approach can be adopted at this stage to achieve results that are not very different from those obtained with the conventional method. Instead of using live microorganisms in the biological filtration process, enzymes may be used. The enzymes are combined in a manner that will target as much of the material as possible. The disadvantage is that a significant amount of the material goes undigested.
The last step is the tertiary stage. The steps undertaken here are meant to optimize on the effects of the other three stages. Some of these stages include the removal of elements such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Both of these elements have the potential to cause an effect known as eutrophication. Other treatments carried out include improvement of odor, chlorination and the use of biologic filters to get rid of residual organic matter.
The management of waste water has traditionally been conducted by local governments. The difficulty in setting up the required infrastructure has been the main barrier for potential investors. This is changing with time as better technologies to carry out the process are developed. Individuals who create their own treatment plants usually adopt two stages instead of four.
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