During filling (1 step), the liquor is pumped to the reactor,
where it is mixed with the residual biomass from the previous cycle. The
initial volume assessment, that is the liquor volume present in the
vessel at the beginning of filling, depends on different factors, among
which sludge settling sedimentation, biomass concentration and hydraulic
retention times. The initial liquor filled volume can vary up to 40-50%
of the total volume. Thus the liquor is diluted or consists of an
initial mixed liquor volume accounting for at least 50-60% of the total
volume.
During filling, it is possible to forecast different operations,
alternating or in series. The filling can be forecast under normal
conditions or from simple mixing to aeration at different rates.
When the scheduled maximum level is reached, the mixing-aeration started
during filled comes to an end during the Reaction step (step 2).
As during filling, during reaction as well, there are different
anaerobic, anorexic and aerated steps, at the aeration system level: two
different degradation steps are therefore possible, affecting
microorganisms and different enzymes, mutually interfering thus leading
to a more effective treatment, with no side effects such as bulking,
which generally often appear under specific conditions in the
traditional treatment units.
The batch process leads to a constituent concentration within the
reactor, which on average is higher than in the continuous stirred tank
reactors (CSTR) and as a consequence the average speed of the
constituent removal is higher.
In other words, the higher the constituent (pollutant) concentration in
the reactor, the higher the constituent degradation speeds.
The decanting/settling starts (step 3), when suspended solids are
settled disabling the aeration-mixing units, therefore the newly
recovered calm inside the oxidation vessel leads to the activated sludge
build-up on the vessel bottom, leaving the surface cleaned.
After settling, the clarified liquor is removed (step 4).
The vessels are emptied through one of the installation dedicated
outlets, as it is necessary to provide for the effluent good quality,
thus avoiding removing the biomass or the suspended solid
dragging.
The excess sludge is removed during settling, even though sometimes the
entire process is delayed during the waiting period.
The system is entirely automated, through an automation and control
panel managing the different treatment step durations according to the
tank level and the electro-mechanical unit operations (compressors,
mixers, feeding pumps, bleeding pumps of the cleaned effluent).