Water and wastewater treatment
In a world where water is lifegiving, sewage and water treatment form two sides of a vital coin. On the one hand, water,
this clear liquid and sometimes flowing, travels through our tableaux, starting from the heart of nature and passing through
the purification process, arriving at our homes, sewage, the blessed water journey in our life, which begins another journey of natural healing,
which helps to preserve the environment and human health. In this paper wewill discuss the sewage and water treatment with detailed explanations.
Types of wastewater treatment methods
Wastewater treatment is a complex, multistage process used to treat wastewater from different pollutants and back into nature.
This process is performed using different types of water treatment methods, which are generally divided into three groups:
physical purification methods
- Screening: separation of large particles and debris from waste water using metal grating
- sand filter: Heavy Particle Separation Such as: Sand From Wastewater
- Sedimentation: Separation of suspended particles and solid materials using gravity force
- Filtration: Passing sewage through different filters to separate fine particles
Chemical Purification Methods
- Coagulation and flocculation: Chemical use for separation of organic materials and suspended particles
- Ion exchange: Separation of metal ions and harmful chemicals from sewage
- Disinfection: Using chemicals such as chlorine to eliminate microbes and viruses
biological filtration methods
- Aerobic Treatment: Using Aerobic Microorganisms to Break Down Organic Materials In Wastewater
- Anaerobic Treatment: Using anaerobic micro-organisms to break down the organic material in the sewage system
- Active sludge: Using micro-organisms in aeration basins for wastewater treatment
Choosing an appropriate method for wastewater treatment depends on different factors such as wastewater type, the quality
of treated wastewater, environmental costs and regulations. Following the text, some of the sewage treatment methods are discussed more extensively:
activated sludge wastewater treatment
This method is one of the most common wastewater treatment methods, which uses micro-organisms to break down the organic
matter found in waste water. In this process, sewage is pumped into aeration basins where it is mixed with active micro-organisms.
Microorganisms take organic materials as food and thus waste water is treated.
MBR wastewater treatment
This method is a type of wastewater treatment using activated sludge method. Membrane filters are used to separate sludge from treated wastewater.
The use of membrane filters increases the quality of treated wastewater considerably, and therefore, it can be used for various uses, such as irrigation
and agriculture.
SBR wastewater treatment
This method is waste water treatment by activated sludge method in an intermittent pond. In this method, wastewater is conducted
periodically to different basins and in each tank,
the process of sewage treatment is performed separately.It should be mentioned that wastewater treatment plays a vital role in
environmental protection and human health.
By wastewater treatment, pollution of water resources can be avoided and help to maintain the water cycle in nature.
wastewater treatment plant
Wastewater treatment plant is a facility that purifies wastewater so it can be safely discharged into the environment or reused.
Sewage treatment is essential to the protection of public health and the environment.
Wastewater treatment plants use different processes to treat wastewater. These processes include:
- Primary treatment: This process removes large solids and particles from the sewage. This is done using occupiers, retreats and filters.
- Secondary filtration: This stage removes dissolved organic materials from the wastewater. This is done by bacteria and
other microorganisms that decompose organic matter.
- Advanced treatment: This process is used to remove excess contaminants from wastewater such as nitrogen and phosphorus.
This could be done by filtration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet sterilization.
After treatment, sewage can be safely released or reused in the environment. Reclaimed water can be used for irrigation, industrial use and even
drinking water.
Tips
- Water treatment stages may vary slightly according to the quality of raw water and the type of treatment.
- Some filters and reverse osmosis are also used to purify the water.
- The quality of drinking water must comply with national and international standards.
Water treatment process
Water treatment is a multistage process that is carried out to remove contaminants and impurities from water and convert it to clean, potable water.
The water treatment steps can vary depending on the type of water source (surface or underground) and its quality, but generally include
the following steps:
Directing water to the refinery
Water is brought to the purification plant through pipes or on-air channels.
screening
In this stage, large particles and debris such as wood, leaves, plastic and so on are separated from water. This is done by using small and large occupiers.
aeration
In this part, the water is mixed with air to remove undesirable gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Aeration also improves the
taste and smell of water.
coagulation and flocculation
At this stage, chemicals such as aluminum sulfate or polymer are added to the water. The material helps to neutralize the particles,
which are suspended, glue to each other and form large clots.
sedimentation
At this stage, the giant clots stand out of the water due to their heavier body than the water. This is being done in repositories.
Filtration
In this section, water passes through sand and carbon filters to separate the particulate matter, the unpleasant taste and smell and
micro-organisms from it. Sand filters of fine suspended particles and carbon filters remove unpleasant taste and smell and microorganisms from water.
Disinfection
At this stage, the bacteria are treated with disinfectant, such as chlorine or ozone, in order to eliminate the microbes and the viruses that remain in the
water.
Sterilization is one of the most important steps in the treatment of drinking water.
Storage
After sterilization, purified water is stored in storage tanks to be delivered regularly to the city’s drinking water distribution network.
Supplementary Steps
- In some cases, other supplementary steps may be taken, such as: Hardness, Fluorination, and Water-Flavoring.
- Hardness is applied to remove calcium and magnesium ions from water and prevent deposition in the tubes.
- Fluoridation is done to strengthen teeth and prevent their decay.
- Flavors are also done to improve the taste and smell of water.
- Water treatment process, according to the type of water source and its quality can be different.
- The quality of water filtered in the purification plants is regularly examined by the water quality control laboratories.
- Consumption of treated water is essential to human health.
Stages of Wastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment is a difficult process to treat into a filtered, reusable water.
Zero to one hundred stages of wastewater treatment are generally divided into three main categories:
Primary Filter
- screening
- aeration
- coagulation and flocculation
-
sedimentation
secondary filtration
- Filtration
- biological treatment
- aeration
- secondary settling
Advanced Filter
- Disinfection
- Final Filtration
- chemical treatment
- membrane filtration
Supplementary Steps
- Sludge dewatering: The sludge obtained from wastewater treatment is driven to sludge dewatering tanks to separate the water into dry sludge.
- Sludge Removal: Dry sludge resulting from sewage treatment is transported to hazardous landfill sites or to organic fertilizer production centers.