With municipal budgets tightening solutions to reduce energy, operation, disposal and pollution costs at wastewater treatment plants are paramount. The ozone / advanced oxidation wastewater treatment method is gaining popularity across the globe as an effective and efficient alternative to tradition treatment technology. Ozone applications for municipal wastewater include the following:
Wastewater Effluent Disinfection & Oxidation
Disinfection is the primary mechanism for the destruction of disease causing pathogens in wastewater. When ozone decomposes in wastewater, the free radicals that are formed have a powerful oxidizing capacity.
Ozone dosing at the point of discharge for municipal wastewater has proved effective in the destruction of pathogens & viruses; as well as the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s), pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCP’s) and constituents of emerging concern.
Ozone Treatment of Wastewater Sludge
An effective application for ozone is the stabilization and reduction of wastewater sludge in treatment plants. Sludge is often hauled and disposed of at landfills; this process is costly. Unlike oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone penetrates the cell wall (lysis), degrading bacteria that can then be consumed by other bacteria. This process can reduce wastewater sludge by 50%-60%.
Filamentous sludge is a common problem at activated sludge plants. With ozonation of the return sludge flow it is possible to reduced the amount of filamentous bacteria in the sludge and significantly increased the settling properties of the sludge. This in turn means better performance of the activated sludge process.
When a bioreactor is connected to the sludge line the removal of the damaging filamentous bacteria means higher quality sludge in the bioreactor, which leads to higher biogas production.
Additional benefits achieved by ozonation include foam reduction, oxidation of odors and improved clarity.
COD / BOD Reduction
Wastewater treatment plants are required to monitor COD and BOD levels to insure the treated water discharge meets EPA standards. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a measure of the capacity of water to consume oxygen during the decomposition of organic matter and the oxidation of inorganic chemicals.
Biological oxygen demand (BOD) represents the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to oxidize organic matter in wastewater.
Ozone treatment is an effective method of reducing COD and BOD in municipal wastewater.
Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP)
Basic AOP processes where ozone is applied simultaneously with ultra-violet radiation (UV) or hydrogen peroxide, produce an aggressive hydroxyl radical that enhances the oxidation rate of contaminants.
AOP’s attack nearly all organic complexes and have a high potential to degrade contaminants that are not affected by ozone or sodium hypochlorite. Hydroxyl radicals have shown to effectively oxidize pharmaceuticals, personal care products and 1,4-dioxane.
Pureflow Ozone Division, in conjunction with our partners, possess the ability to pilot, design and manufacture state-of-the-art advanced oxidation process for the municipal wastewater marketplace.