US 12,139,427 B2
Treatment of wastewater by aerobic granular biomass in continuous flow
Olivier Henriet, Bovesse (BE); Alain Magis, Oupeye (BE); and Christophe Meunier, Floreffe (BE)
Assigned to CENTRE BELGE D'ETUDE ET DE DOCUMENTATION DE L'EAU, EN ABREGE CEBEDEAU ASBL, Liege (BE); and JOHN COCKERILL S.A., Seraing (BE)
Filed by JOHN COCKERILL S.A., Seraing (BE); and CENTRE BELGE D'ETUDE ET DE DOCUMENTATION DE L'EAU, en abrege CEBEDEAU asbl, Liege (BE)
Filed on Feb. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/444,801.
Application 18/444,801 is a continuation of application No. 18/500,202, filed on Nov. 2, 2023, abandoned.
Application 18/500,202 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/EP2022/061602, filed on Apr. 29, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 21171902 (EP), filed on May 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0208845 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. C02F 3/34 (2023.01); C02F 3/00 (2023.01); C02F 3/30 (2023.01); C02F 1/00 (2023.01)
CPC C02F 3/301 (2013.01) [C02F 3/006 (2013.01); C02F 3/34 (2013.01); C02F 2001/007 (2013.01); C02F 2003/001 (2013.01); C02F 2203/004 (2013.01); C02F 2209/22 (2013.01); C02F 2209/38 (2013.01); C02F 2209/44 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reactor for generation of aerobic granules in a continuous flow configuration for biological treatment of biomass including urban or industrial wastewater, the reactor comprising, in succession, from upstream to downstream:
an inlet for wastewater;
a first head tank operable in feast mode and under anaerobic conditions;
a second tank configured to biologically select microorganisms favorable to formation of dense structures, operable in feast mode, and subdivided into two compartments, a first compartment being configured so as to be operable successively and alternately under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and vice versa, so that the biomass is exposed in a dynamic way to alternating oxidizing and reducing conditions respectively, and so as to prolong or extend anaerobiosis of the first head tank into the first compartment of the second tank, and to effect a corresponding prolongation of a storage of at least 70%of readily biodegradable COD in a form of polymers, and a second compartment configured so as to be operable continuously under aerobic conditions;
a third tank operable in famine mode, configured so as to be controlled under aerobic or anoxic conditions, famine conditions being obtained by limiting a mass load to 0.35 kg COD kg−1VSS day−1; and
a physical or gravity selector configured to select particles with a high settling velocity of at least 2 m/h, and for carrying out a recirculation of the particles to the inlet of the reactor while also allowing for transfer of other sludge to a clarification structure, the clarification structure comprising a first outlet for an effluent and a second outlet for the recirculation of sludges to the third tank of the reactor and for wasting of excess sludge,
wherein the first compartment of the second tank are provided with aeration means, means for measuring a content of dissolved oxygen and a quantity of injected air, based on an air flow rate or an operating speed of the aeration means, and regulation-control means that enable, by controlling aeration, switching from the aerobic mode to the anaerobic mode and vice versa in the first compartment of the second tank based on a set point value for an oxygen demand, the oxygen demand being measured as a quantity of oxygen to be supplied so as to reach and maintain a determined content of dissolved oxygen as the set point value, in mgO2/L, the anaerobic mode being selected or maintained for a value greater than the set point value.