Wastewater Treatment and its Process Explained

Wastewater is nothing but the used water which originates from domestic, industrial, agricultural, medical and transport activities. Wastewater can be differentiated upon the change of its quality, composition and/or temperature.

Industrial wastewater typically originates from the production, industrial and commercial activities and has a different chemical composition compared to sewage water. Industrial wastewater treatment is the process used to separate various contaminants or undesirable by-products produced by the industries from wastewater or sewage. It is then converted into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle with minimum impact on the environment or can be directly reused.

Various treatment processes (e.g., physical, chemical and biological) take place in a facility in order to treat industrial wastewater and remove pollutants. These facilities are known as wastewater treatment plants.

Wastewater Treatment Process:

1. Wastewater CollectionThis is the first step where all the wastewater is collected and directed to a central point after which it is directed to a treatment plant using underground drainage systems or by exhauster tracks.
2. Odour ControlWastewater carries substances that cause a foul smell, hence, odor treatment processes are initiated as a second step. Chemicals are utilized to neutralize the foul smell producing elements. This is also known as chemical coagulation.
3. ScreeningScreening involves the removal of large objects that may damage the wastewater equipment. The solid wastes that are removed in this step from the wastewater are then discarded.
4. Primary TreatmentSeparation of macrobiotic solid matter from the wastewater by extracting the sludge created is the central focus in this step. Water that remains is then pumped for secondary treatment.
5. Secondary TreatmentThis process is also known as the activated sludge process, it involves adding seed sludge to the wastewater where the production of large particles settles down at the bottom of the huge tanks.
6. Bio-solids handlingDuring this process in the digesters, methane gases (source of energy) is produced which in turn forms nutrient-rich bio-solids.
7. Tertiary treatmentThis stage has the potential to remove up to 99 percent of the impurities from the wastewater. Special equipment, well trained and highly skilled equipment operators, chemicals and steady energy supply is mandatory in this step.
8. DisinfectionThe wastewater in this stage needs to be disinfected for at least 20-25 minutes in tanks comprising a mixture of chlorine and sodium hypochlorite.
9. Sludge TreatmentThe sludge that is created and collected is put into thickening tanks where it settles down and separates from the water. The whole process can take up to 24 hours.

There are various strategies to remove the contamination depending upon the type of contamination. The type of contamination is subjective to the type of industries.

A.T.E. Pvt. Ltd. has built strong capabilities and expertise in the fields of wastewater management, serving a wide range of industries such as textiles, petrochemicals, chemicals, healthcare, food processing, and buildings.

It offers state-of-the-art, comprehensive solutions for wastewater treatment and recycling, including zero liquid discharge (ZLD). It includes value-added products such as enzymes, micronutrients, and microbial cultures.

A.T.E. Pvt. Ltd. also has well-proven treatment technologies such as AAA® (Textile Effluents), AVR® (Sugar and Distillery Effluents), AVR®-AF (Food and Dairy Effluents), AHR (Chemical and Petrochemical Effluents), RDRO for optimizing process performance and enhancing operating efficiency.

K V Gopalakrishnan is a writer who has very good experience in writing articles & blogs. The writer has a flair for writing and he keeps on writing various articles and blogs related to the industry.