Introduction:
Sewage treatment is the multi-step process that filters
wastewater before it is released into water bodies or is reused on
the land for irrigation. The wastewater treatment helps to remove
the pollutants and kill disease-causing pathogens. The sewage
treatment process involves physical, chemical, and biological
procedures to remove these contaminants and produce
environmentally safe treated wastewater.
Sewage treatment has three stages, primary (solid removal),
secondary (bacterial decomposition), and tertiary (extra filtration to
remove impurities from sewage). In this article, we will learn about
the sewage treatment process, sewage treatment plants,
and the environmental impact of sewage treatment.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
What is sewage treatment?
Sewage treatment plant
Sewage treatment processes
Energy generation
Odor control
Advantages of sewage treatment plant
Disadvantages of sewage treatment plant
Conclusion
What is Sewage Treatment?
Sewage treatment is the process of removing contaminants/
pollutants from wastewater, mainly from household sewage. Sewage
is the wastewater discharged from residences, workplaces, and
industries that contains human waste, domestic trash, and other
impurities. This wastewater treatment process helps to prevent
water pollution and protect public health and the environment.
Sewage Treatment Plant:
A sewage treatment plant is a facility designed to treat wastewater
from residential, commercial, and industrial sources. Its main
objective is to eliminate impurities and produce treated
wastewater/effluent and solid waste/sludge suitable for discharge or
recycling back into the environment. Sewage treatment process
usually contain physical, chemical, and biological processes to
remove pollutants, including solids, organic matter, nutrients, and
pathogens, before the treated water is released into waterbody or
reused for irrigation.
Sewage processes:
Almost 100 percent of the waste water is treated in sewage works
with three purification stages:
a mechanical stage,
a biological stage without elimination of nutrients such as
nitrogen and phosphates,
an additional biological purification stage with specific nutrient
elimination.
The total number of biological treatment facilities has been
constantly increasing.
More than 95 percent of the German population (79 million
inhabitants) are linked to the public sewage system (2004). Waste
water is treated in more than 10,000 sewage treatment plants. The
sewage system extends to approximately 515,000 kilo meter in
length and would be long enough to circle the planet 13 times. In
general, municipalities are responsible for waste water treatment
facilities. There are, however, also privately owned sewage
treatment plants in industry. Around 9.4 billion cubic meter of waste
water are treated annually in public waste water treatment facilities.
First purification stage (mechanical
waste water treatment):
1. First of all, the waste water passes a bar screen which holds
back larger solid objects such as paper, bottles, branches and
tins and removes them by means of an automated mechanical
rake.
2. The sewage channel broadens out into the grit chamber,
reducing the velocity of the incoming sewage and thus
allowing coarser particles such as gravel and sand, which are
heavier than water, to settle at the bottom.
3. In the primary settlement tank the water is retained for
approximately two hours. In this large rectangular or round
settlement tank suspended particles can settle as sludge at
the bottom. This raw sludge is removed, thickened and
transferred to a digestion tank. Light particles floating on the
water's surface such as fat and mineral oil are skimmed off and
discharged into a separate tank.
The first three stages make up the first purification stage. As it
involves purely mechanical treatment of the waste water it is also
referred to as the mechanical treatment stage. This stage removes
approximately 30 percent of polluting matter from the inflowing raw
waste water the plant has to process in total.
Second purification stage (biological
waste water treatment):
1. In the second or biological purification stage a natural process
is used by passing the sewage liquor into an aeration tank. In
an activated sludge process oxygen is inserted into the liquor
to create favorable conditions for microorganisms which feed
on solved organic particles in the effluent and accumulate the
ingested matter. During this process pollutants such as heavy
metals are also ingested.
2. A large number of microorganisms form colonies which
become visible as sludge flocs. These sludge flocs settle at the
bottom of the subsequent secondary settling pond or clarifier
and are either returned to the activated sludge process or
pumped into the primary settling pond for sludge disposal.
Hence, the removal of sewage sludge from the effluent
eliminates the bio-degradable pollutants. Smaller sewage
treatment plants often use trickling filters i.e. round concrete
tanks loosely filled with porous rocks which provide a large
surface area needed by the bacteria to settle. They form a
continuous film ("biofilm" – similar to the sludge flocs of the
activated sludge process) over which the discharged effluent is
passed. The mechanical and biological treatment stages clean
the effluent to a degree of approximately 90 percent.
Third purification stage (additional
waste water treatment):
Today waste water is generally polluted with chemical substances
such as nitrogen and phosphate which makes it necessary to apply
additional special processes:
1. In the example shown in the illustration liquor containing
phosphate from the secondary settling pond is first of all fed
into a flocculation tank.
2. In this stage the effluent undergoes vigorous mixing and a
dosing pump for precipitants simultaneously dispenses a
chemical solution in the liquor.
3. This precipitant reacts chemically with the phosphates and
forms a water-insoluble compound and the residual
contaminants form flocs which settle in a subsequent clarifier
as sludge. This sludge is thickened and transferred to the
digestion tank.
4. The cleaned waste water can now be discharged into the
natural environment.
Sludge treatment and disposal:
The sludge accumulating in two stages has a water content of
approximately 98 percent.
1. The addition of thickening agents helps to bring this down to
96 percent, reducing the sludge volume by 50 percent.
2. The sludge is subsequently discharged into a digestion tank. In
an anaerobic fermentation process a digester gas is formed at
a temperature of 35 degree Celsius which consist of 2/3 of
methane and 1/3 of carbon dioxide.
3. This gas is stored in a separate tank to be used as fuel for
heating.
4. After approximately 4 weeks the digestion process is
completed and the then odor-free sludge is discharged into a
sludge drying bed for dewatering.
5. As a rule, larger industrial enterprises have their own sewage
treatment works with technical processes adapted to their
specific conditions. In the western part of Germany more than
90 percent of the population is linked to the public sewage
system whereas the quota in the eastern part of Germany is
about 66 percent.
Energy Generation:
Sewage treatment plants can generate energy through various
processes such as Biogas Production, Combined Heat and Power
(CHP) system (also known as cogeneration), Heat Recovery,
Hydroelectric Generation, Solar Power and Wind Power.
Energy generation from sewage treatment plants can help offset
operational energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
associated with conventional energy sources.
Odor Control:
Odor control in sewage treatment plants is important to reduce
nuisance odors that can impact surrounding communities. Some
common methods used for odor control are:
• Chemical Scrubbers: They use a chemical solution to
neutralize odorous gases. The gases are passed through the
solution, where they react with the chemicals and are
converted into non-odorous compounds.
• Biological Filters: They use micro-organisms to break down
odorous compounds in the air. The filters contain a media that
provides a habitat for the microorganisms to grow and thrive.
• Activated Carbon Adsorption: Activated carbon is very
effective at adsorbing odorous gases. Air is passed through a
bed of activated carbon, where the odorous compounds are
adsorbed onto the surface of the carbon particles.
• Ozone Treatment: Ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent that
can effectively neutralize odorous compounds. Ozone
treatment systems generate ozone gas, which is injected into
the air stream to oxidize odorous compounds.
Advantages of a Sewage Treatment
Plant:
• Environmental protection: Sewage treatment plants remove
harmful contaminants and pathogens from wastewater,
preventing water pollution and safeguarding ecosystems.
• Public health promotion: By treating sewage, these plants
reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, protecting human
populations.
• Resource conservation: Some sewage treatment plants enable
the reuse of treated water for irrigation or industrial purposes,
conserving freshwater resources.
• Odor control: Proper treatment helps minimize foul odors
associated with untreated sewage, improving the surrounding
air quality.
• Compliance with regulations: Sewage treatment plants ensure
adherence to environmental and health regulations, avoiding
legal issues and penalties.
• Sustainable approach: Implementing sewage treatment plants
aligns with sustainable development goals by reducing
pollution and promoting responsible resource management.
Disadvantages of a Sewage Treatment
Plant:
• Financial burden: Building and operating a sewage
treatment plant can be costly, requiring substantial
investments in infrastructure and ongoing operational
expenses.
• Energy consumption: Treating sewage involves energy-
intensive processes, leading to increased energy consumption
and associated expenses.
• Maintenance demands: Sewage treatment plants require
regular maintenance and monitoring, which can be time-
consuming and expensive.
• Odor and noise concerns: Despite efforts to control odors,
sewage treatment plants may emit unpleasant smells and
noise, causing inconvenience to nearby residents.
• Land and space requirements: Sewage treatment plants
need significant land areas, limiting potential locations and
potentially encroaching on natural habitats or urban areas.
• Sludge disposal: Proper disposal or further treatment of
sewage byproducts, such as sludge, poses logistical, financial,
and environmental challenges.
• Technical complexity: Effective operation and management
of sewage treatment plants demand specialized knowledge
and expertise, necessitating a skilled workforce and continuous
training.
Conclusion:
Sewage treatment plants (STP plants) are indispensable components
of modern urban infrastructure. By effectively treating wastewater
and safeguarding the environment, these plants contribute
significantly to sustainable development and the well-being of
societies. Embracing advanced technologies and adhering to
stringent environmental regulations, STP plants continue to be the
vanguards of environmental preservation in the 21st century. In
conclusion, sewage treatment plays a crucial role in protecting
public health and the environment by removing pollutants from
wastewater before it is discharged into water bodies or reused.
Sewage treatment plants help improve water quality, protect aquatic
ecosystems, and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.