Upgrading Biological Filter Effluents Using the TF/SC Process

Abstract

The trickling filter/solids contact process has been shown to be an excellent means of upgrading biological filter plants in North America, and about 100 plants have been built since 1979 in both cold and warm climates, and on both large and small works. A variety of effluent requirements has been satisfied consistently, including monthly average BOD and SS concentrations of 10 mg/l and 10 mg/l respectively. Key design features are described, including the use of an aerated solids contact tank to flocculate dispersed solids. Also, a flocculatorclarifier with special design features allows the use of high overflow rates and smaller sedimentation tanks.

Rotating biological contactor-solid contact system for the treatment of wastewater from small communities

“…The biological refinement system consists of an SC tank which is placed after the attached growth unit. This solution was introduced for the first time in North America in order to improve the effectiveness of trickling fJIter plants (Parker and Matasci, 1989;Parker et al, 1993) and it was named Trickling Filter/Solid Contact (TF/SC). Recent studies have proposed using this solution for RBC plants (d' Antonio and Polese, 1993;Polese, 1994).…”

“…Nevertheless, the high mixing levels in the aeration tank do not allow bioflocculation to be completed in the SC tank itself. Thus, it is necessary that the phenomenon continues to develop in the centre well of the final settler, which has been modified to become a flocculator-clarifier (Parker and Matasci, 1989). All the TF/SC plants have shown extremely low effluent BODs and SS concentrations, both less than 20 g m-3 , thus considerably improving TF removal efficiencies.…”