초록 ▼

A system for the treatment of waste water including hydrocarbons and of a high biological oxygen demand. Preferably, the system includes a portable platform suitable for transport from site to site. A reaction vessel defining a substantially vertically oriented flow path therethrough for flowable wa

A system for the treatment of waste water including hydrocarbons and of a high biological oxygen demand. Preferably, the system includes a portable platform suitable for transport from site to site. A reaction vessel defining a substantially vertically oriented flow path therethrough for flowable waste water is mounted with its lower portion within and surrounded by a collection basin which receives waste water for treatment and recycling via trickling down through a biomass disposed on packing material within the reaction vessel. Simultaneously with the trickle down of the waste water, ambient air is forced upwardly countercurrent to the flow of the waste water to provide oxygen to the biomass, to enhance the flow of waste water over the biomass, and to sweep gaseous products from the reaction vessel. Optionally, oxygen is introduced into the collection basin to enhance biodegradation reactions within the collection basin. The system may be operated in either batch mode or continuously. A method is disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed:] [16.] A process for the treatment of waste water containing hydrocarbons of a high level of biological oxygen demand for the removal of hydrocarbons from the waste water including the steps ofmounting a reaction vessel including an upper portion having a top end, a lower portion

[ What is claimed:] [16.] A process for the treatment of waste water containing hydrocarbons of a high level of biological oxygen demand for the removal of hydrocarbons from the waste water including the steps ofmounting a reaction vessel including an upper portion having a top end, a lower portion having a bottom end, and an intermediate portion, a biofilm-bearing packaging material disposed within at least said intermediate portion, in a substantially vertical attitude and with its bottom end disposed within a surrounding collection basin containing a quantity of waste water from a source of waste water containing hydrocarbons of a high level of biological oxygen demand, and defining a substantially vertically oriented path of travel for a plurality of flowable reactants countercurrently therethrough, on a platform for transport of the reaction vessel from site to site,transporting a quantity of said waste water from said collection basin to said top end of said upper portion of said reaction vessel and introducing said quantity of waste water into said upper portion in a dispersed pattern so that said waste water trickles down through said packing material, is exposed to said biofilm so that hydrocarbons within said waste water are decomposed by said biofilm, and thereafter flows from the lower portion of said reaction vessel and reenters said collection basin,admitting ambient air into said lower portion of said reaction vessel at a pressure sufficient to cause said air to flow upwardly through said packing material and out of said reaction vessel at the upper portion thereof, countercurrent to the flow of said waste water so as to supply oxygen to said biofilm, to retard the flow of said waste water through said packing material, and to sweep gaseous materials from said waste water and/or gaseous byproducts of the decomposition of said hydrocarbons, from said reaction vessel,monitoring the biological oxygen demand level of the waste water within said collection basin, and recycling said waste water through said reaction vessel until said biological oxygen demand of the waste water is reduced to a preselected level.