Nozzle cleaning system

Abstract

A nozzle cleaning system comprising means for removing accumulation of matter and / or biofilm from distribution orifices in a conduit. A rotary distributor used for treatment of wastewater has a plural

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the provision and installation of a nozzle cleaning system and particularly to the provision of an automated and modular nozzle 5 cleaning system. The invention has particular utility in the prevention of clogging of nozzles in water treatment or conditioning installations and is, in a preferred embodiment, adapted to be carried on trickle arms of a rotary distributor of the type used for wastewater treatment. Background to the Invention 10 Is it well known to pass fluids and, for example, colloidal suspensions through conduits which have orifices along their length to provide a substantially even distribution of said fluids or material in suspension. Where the fluid or material in suspension is prone to clumping or settling, the orifices may become blocked. 15 Within the mineral processing, power, pulp and paper, and water and wastewater industries, there is often a need to maintain distribution of material through such conduits. Where clogging occurs, this may disrupt normally continuous processes or incur labour costs to clear. Taking the specific example of the wastewater treatment industry, there are a 20 number of primary treatments for sewage, including separation, before filtration and aerobic digestion typically occurs. Where rainwater and road run-off are included in the wastewater process, filtration and digestion of the influent may comprise a primary treatment. Of particular concern to the present invention is the distribution of wastewater across beds of filter media, often selected from a graded natural material such as rock and sand, through which air is a percolated to aid digestion of biological matter. Artificial media including sheets of folded plastics material (“structured sheet media”) is also used to optimise surface area and digestion. Although rectangular filter beds are used with a network of static parallel distribution conduits, it is more common to use cylindrical tanks having rotary distributors in a wastewater treatment systems, where hollow radial trickle arms extend from an axial manifold into which the wastewater influent is fed, to be directed through the arms, and onto the filter media via orifices spaced along of the length of the trickle arms. Although the present invention is not limited to rotary distributors for trickling filters or even to wastewater treatment, the exemplifying embodiment hereinbelow relates specifically to that application. Rotation of the radial arms may be effected by so-called ’’rotary reaction” where the arms are driven by the action of the wastewater as it exits the orifices or motor driven at the manifold. It is essential that the flow is such that aerobic digestion is allowed to occur. Where flow is insufficient for rotary reaction, motorised rotary distributors turn the arms at a controlled speed regardless of a flow to allow for controlled dousing of the filter media. Given that effective performance of the trickling filter is essential for achieving the required wastewater treatment, any blocking or restriction of the orifices along the trickle arms will result in inadequate dousing areas of the filter bed. Where orifices are profiled to present nozzles or slits for more even distribution of the wastewater across the filter bed, there is noted with the trickling nature of these distributors there is a greater propensity for blockages and localised biofilm growth. Additionally, with sludge buildup within trickle arms, clogging becomes problematic. Unclogging of nozzles is a menial and time-consuming task and has associated biohazard and physical risk. Additionally, often the treatment process must be stopped (preventing rotation of the trickle arms) to allow for clearing of the nozzles. Although the patent literature is replete with references to water treatment and to rotary distributors, there is a marked dearth of prior art relating to the maintenance thereof. Predominantly all of the prior art relating to the potential clogging of trickling filters relate to the maintenance of the filter media. It is an object of the present invention to seek to alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art arrangements and to provide a nozzle cleaning system for multiple applications and in particular for the conditioning and treatment of wastewater. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary distributor of the type used for wastewater treatment having means thereon for the unblocking of clogged orifices or nozzles within the trickle arms thereof. It is an additional object of the invention to provide remote unblocking of trickle arm orifices more generally and to obviate the hazards, process interruptions and labour costs association with the maintenance of rotary distributors. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of clearing blocked orifices in a feed conduit having a plurality of distributing orifices therein, thereby obviating manual intervention. It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an adaptable, modular and automated nozzle clearing system which may be integrated with modern monitoring systems. Summary of the Invention In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a rotary distributor of the type used in trickling filters for wastewater treatment having a plurality of hollow radial arms through which wastewater is passed for distribution over a filter bed via nozzles spaced along said arms, the distributor having mounted thereon a nozzle cleaning mechanism comprising: mounting brackets for securing to the radial arm; a drive shaft held parallel to the axial length of the arm by mounting brackets; actuators secured to the drive shaft and aligned with the nozzles, the actuators having nozzle engaging fingers; and a means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft so as to urge the fingers into the nozzles to dislodge or remove material accumulated in the nozzles. Preferably, the nozzle engaging fingers are constructed from a flexible, durable polymer with a tapered tip for guided insertion and notched features to allow liquid escape during operation. Advantageously, the mounting brackets have a removable top section for accommodating a bearing fixed to the drive shaft facilitating easy assembly and maintenance, the mounting bracket including a drainage channel to prevent water accumulation and an integrated access hole forbearing position adjustment laterally along the drive shaft. Conveniently, the mounting brackets are configured for varying arm diameters. In a first construction, the means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft comprises a manually operable handle or a mechanically operated spur attached to the drive shaft at the free end of the radial arm. In an alternative automated construction, the means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft comprises a drive coupling mounted on the shaft and configured for automated movement via a belt-driven or direct-drive motorized system. The automated movement is preferably controlled by any one of the following control systems: a programmable logic controller (PLC) or microcontroller; sensors detecting nozzle blockages based on pressure or flow rate variations; a force-sensing mechanism to detect operational resistance; and an adaptive control system to schedule cleaning cycles and disable operation under freezing conditions. Ideally, the control system further comprising an loT-enabled monitoring and alert system providing any one or more of the following: remote access via SCADA integration; wireless alerts for maintenance personnel; and cloud-based tracking of cleaning cycles and system diagnostics. Any one of more of the mounting brackets and actuators are formed using additive manufacturing techniques, including parameterized 3D printing, for customizable fitment across varying diameters of wastewater treatment arms. Ideally, the drive shaft is constructed from lightweight aluminium or composite material to minimize mechanical stress on treatment arms of up to 10 meters in length. The invention further presents a rotary distributor in which electrical power is provided to one or more of a control system, a drive shaft motor or a radial arm drive motor mounted at a central axial manifold of the rotary distributor. The invention additionally provides a method of clearing blocked orifices in a feed conduit having a plurality of distributing orifices therein, the method including: mounting on the conduit a plurality of brackets for securing a drive shaft; and mounting on the drive shaft a plurality of actuators adapted to be urged by rotation of the drive shaft towards the orifices; whereby profiled fingers of the actuators penetrate the orifices so as to dislodge, scrape or otherwise remove material accumulated in the orifices and attenuating flow therethrough. Conveniently, each orifice clearing finger of the actuators is profiled to engage respective orifices within the conduit a draw accumulated matter from within the conduit adjacent the orifice. Advantageously, the fingers are profiled to scrape biofilm from the periphery of the orifice. The orifices may be formed with nozzles or slits evenly spaced along the length of the conduit. In a further aspect, the present invention provides an orifice cleaning apparatus suitable for mounting to a conduit having distribution orifices provided along a length thereof, the apparatus comprising: mounting brackets: a drive shaft held parallel to the axial length of the conduit by said mounting brackets; a means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft so as to urge actuators secured to the shaft and aligned with orifices towards said orifices, so that orifice engagement portions of the actuators penetrate the orifices to dislodge or remove material accumulated therein. In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides a modular nozzle cleaning system for wastewater treatment trickling filter arms having a plurality of treatment nozzles along the length thereof, comprising: a mounting system comprising mounting brackets and bearings configured for attachment to varying arm diameters; a drive shaft on which there are fixed a series of flexible cleaning actuators having fingers aligned and configured for insertion into treatment nozzles; a drive mechanism for manual or automated movement of the drive shaft urging the fingers into the corresponding nozzles. This invention provides a modular, adaptive and optionally automated solution for unblocking distribution orifices in a feed conduit. More particularly, the invention provides for improved maintenance of wastewater treatment systems and is most advantageously applied to rotary distributors in wastewater treatment, including retrofitting to existing distributors without interference with wires supporting the trickle arms. The nozzle cleaning system presented herein improves safety, operational efficiency and maintenance requirements while ensuring compatibility with both manual and automated cleaning operations. The further combination with smart sensing, SCADA integration and lightweight modular construction makes this an ideal solution for wastewater treatment facilities, especially in remote or unstaffed locations. Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, an exemplifying embodiment of nozzle cleaning system attached to a rotary distributor for water conditioning and particularly wastewater treatment in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of nozzle cleaning apparatus mounted on a trickle arm of a rotary distributor; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective elevation of one of a number of mounting brackets for securing a drive shaft to the trickle arm; Figure 3 is a schematic perspective elevation of one of a number of actuators mounted to the drive shaft, each actuator having a nozzle-unblocking finger formed therewith; Figure 4 is a detailed sectional elevation of a trickle arm to which there is mounted a drive shaft, held for rotation by a mounting bracket, an actuator is attached to the drive shaft to rotate their width and urge a finger portion thereof into a nozzle of the trickle arm; Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of the mounting bracket and a drive shaft bearing allowing for rotation of the drive shaft with respect to the bracket; Figure 6 is an exposed perspective view of the drive shaft which comprises a hollow extrusion into which an extension extrusion is attached to allow for the attachment of additional sections of drive shaft; Figure 7 is a perspective elevation of a manually or mechanically actuable embodiment of nozzle cleaning apparatus; Figure 8 is a perspective elevation of a trickle arm mounted drive shaft of the invention to which there is attached a drive interface allowing for a driven belt to be attached thereto or for a direct motor coupling; and Figure 9 is a perspective elevation of a trickle arm for a rotary distributor in accordance with the invention to which there is attached a series of driven nozzleunblocking fingers. Detailed Description of the Drawings Referring to the drawings and initially Figure 1, there is shown a rotary distributor D, over a circulation tank or flocculation bed B defining a circular surface, through which wastewater is distributed as an influent. In a wastewater treatment plant, influent will have passed through a primary treatment phase before being passed to one or more treatment phases (secondary or tertiary treatment) where the influent is subjected to filtration and / or aerobic digestion by evenly spraying the influent over a bed of filter media M using a rotary distributor D. The distributor normally has either two or four radial trickle arms A supported by wires W (also available in 3 and 6-arm varieties) each having a plurality of spaced apart nozzles N along their length through which the influent is sprayed over the media M within the bed B. The media M is often graded rock material or folded plastics material sheets to provide large surface areas upon which aerobic digestion of biological matter within the influent. The rotation of the trickle arms may be driven directly by the action of the influent emerging from the nozzles provided evenly along the length of the arms or motor driven to endure even distribution of influent over the filter media in all conditions. Mounted to each trickle arm A of the rotary distributor D is a drive shaft 10 secured thereto by a plurality of fittings, each having mounting bracket 12 for securing the fitting to the arm and an annular bearing plate 14 within which the drive shaft 10 is operably rotated. Attached in fixed relation to the drive shaft 10, spaced along the arm and in alignment with the nozzles N, are a plurality of actuators 15 each having finger portions 16 shaped to penetrate a remove clogging material from the nozzles as will be described in more detail hereinbelow. The mounting bracket 12, as detailed in Figure 2, is secured at one end to the trickle arm A via a worm gear adjustable band 18 (typically a Jubilee® clip). The band or clip 18 allows for a range of arm diameters to be accommodated. At the upper side of the bracket 12, a circular clamp 19 (which may include an over-lever clamping mechanism) is adapted to rotatably received therewithin the bearing plate 14 mounted on the drive shaft 10. The clamp 19 may include a sighting notch along its outer periphery for alignment with respect to other mounting brackets along the arm or may include a sighting aperture 21 therethrough for laser alignment. The bearing 14 secures the relational position of the drive shaft with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the trickle arm A and allows for rotation of the shaft 10 with respect to the mounting bracket 12. It will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that a limited range of mounting brackets may be provided for a wide range of trickle arm diameters and that, where diameters reduce along the length of an arm, a fixed relationship between the drive shaft 10 and the central longitudinal axis of the arm can be maintained. A corresponding range of actuations ensure alignment with the respective nozzles on the arm sections. Spaced from the mounting brackets along the drive shaft and located to align with the nozzles N of the trickle arm A are a series of actuators 15 adapted to rotate with the drive shaft 10. Each actuator includes a profiled nozzle-unblocking finger 16. As shown in Figure 3 and subsequently in Figure 4, each actuator 15 comprises a body portion having a clamping element 25 allowing the body to slide along the drive shaft 10 for positioning the finger with a corresponding nozzle orifice and to be locked in place by a single bolt 26. This arrangement allows for ease of installation and the individual alignment of each finger without adjustment of adjacent actuators 15 or mounting brackets 12. Similarly to the above and as will be described in more detail with respect to Figure 5, the bearing 14 mounted on the drive shaft comprises a clamping element 19 whereby it may be locked along the axial length of the drive shaft by a securing bolt which is normally hidden from view by the circular clamp portion 19 of the mounting bracket 12. When the drive shaft is urged to rotate, each of the fingers 16 are carried synchronously from a normally disengaged position towards the nozzles N whereupon the profiled finger ends penetrate a nozzle orifice to dislodge any dirt or debris that may have accumulated therein to affect the distribution of the influent. It is particularly notable in treating wastewater that sludge may accumulate within the distal ends of the radial arms A and biofilm may grow within and around the nozzle orifices. The profiled finger ends are ideally shaped to correspond to the nozzle orifices or may include flexible flanges (including those formed of a rubber or silicone material) provided thereon to remove said biofilm or debris accumulation. The actuators 15, of which the fingers or “digglers” 16 are part, may be formed of a plastics material selected from, for example, nylon or PVC, however, ideally are ideally formed using TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) facilitating additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. As illustrated in Figure 3, the diggler tip can have a cruciform cross-section to both dislodge and scrape material from within the nozzle orifice without adversely affecting flow during cleaning. The diggler or nozzle-unblocking finger portion 16 of the actuator has a curved shape as shown in Figure 4. The actuator is as noted above made from a flexible plastics material and by forming notches 28 in the outer curved surface thereof the finger will straighten as it engages the nozzle and follow the central axis of the nozzle to dislodge material accumulated therein. An additional notch 29 at the transition from actuator body to finger aids alignment during cleaning. The diggler 16 is made from a flexible material and is formed just under (say 1mm tolerance) the inner diameter of the nozzle being cleared. The diggler has sufficient rigidity to allow a pushing force to be exerted on its profiled nozzle-clearing end which is shaped to automatically align with the nozzle interior. Due to the characteristics of the material from which it is formed a generous tolerance is allowable between its outer diameter and the inner diameter of the nozzle orifice. A channel is optionally cut along the length of the finger to allow liquid to escape during cleaning to avoid building back-pressure in the radial arm A. The notch 29 at the transition from actuator body to finger 16 may provide a common point of reference when fitting for ascertaining when the finger is fully inserted into the nozzle. The tip of the finger is tapered to allow it to locate itself as it is inserted, reducing the burden of precision in fitting. The form of the finger follows the arc around the centre of the drive shaft 10 at the midpoint of the entry to the nozzle for smooth and predicable engagement. The bearing clamp 19 features a removable top section that surrounds the bearing 14, making assembly on site a straightforward process. The alignment hole 21 eases assembly further facilitating rapid alignment using a laser level. A drainage channel exists under the bearing to prevent water becoming trapped and an access hole is featured under the clamp arc to allow the bearing grip to the drive shaft to be tightened without removing the assembly (allowing the bearing to be moved laterally along the drive shaft without requiring the other clamps and bearings to be repositioned). The bearing features cylindrical rollers and a profile that is matched by the inside of the clamp to minimise surface area contact as it is turned but also to provide common location around the axis of revolution and minimise lateral play. Integrated drainage channels within the mounting bracket and clamp section prevent retention of water around the bearing so that the bearing requires minimal lubrication and maintenance. Ideally, both the mounting bracket and bearing and the actuator clamping element are closed against a common face of the drive shaft so that each bracket and actuator are in the same orientation thereby aligning with respect to one another. The drive shaft 10 comprises a tubular extrusion of square cross-section. To facilitate extension of the drive shaft along longer trickle arms A, a support component 30, as illustrated in Figure 6, may be fitted into the tubular drive shaft to allow for the attachment of additional sections of drive shaft. The internal support component 30, which itself an extruded section of aluminium profile, is secured within the drive shaft by a self-tapping bolt or screw 32 retaining the orientation of the drive shaft along its extended length so that additional mounting brackets 12 and actuators 15 have consistent orientations. This allows a diggler 16 to be located where a mounting bracket might otherwise have been prevented. Extension of the drive shaft may be used to present a manual handle 40 as shown in Figure 7 to allow for occasional manual operation of the cleaning system operable by maintenance personnel. This arrangement entirely obviates the necessity to stop rotation of the radial arms for maintenance and also avoids the situation where maintenance personnel may be tempted to stand on the filter bed B which is both dangerous and potentially damaging to the filter media M. It will be appreciated that drive shafts having triangular or hexagonal cross-sections, for example, may be utilised with corresponding adaptations to the bearings 14 and actuators 15. Figure 8 illustrates a trickle arm mounted drive shaft of the invention to which there is attached a drive interface 50 allowing for a driven belt or direct motor coupling thereto. A drive point can be added to the drive shaft to allow a belt or direct drive by an externally powered motorised process. When automated or driven automatically, the solution may feature intelligence such as management of the frequency of cleaning, for example once per day, disabling when the temperature is below freezing, a maintenance mode, status indication and alerting and force sensing to determine if there are operating problems. The solution may be powered by a solar panel and batteries located on the centre core that connects the rotating arms. Automation is useful for treatment sites that are not staffed commonly.” Finally, with reference to Figure 9, the trickle arm A which may be either positioned as a static arm over a filter bed or provided as part of a rotary distributor has attached thereto a series of driven nozzle-unblocking fingers. Where splash plates are required to distribute the influent, a combined splash plate and nozzle-unblocking finger may be mounted on the drive shaft. Material considerations include the use of lightweight extruded aluminium for the drive shaft and support extension to minimise additional load on particularly radial arms. 3D printing of the mounting brackets bearing plates and actuators also adds to reduced weight and enhanced adaptability for different wastewater treatment facility requirements. Each of these materials are very durable in the harsh wastewater environments and UV protection can be added to the plastics materials used in 3D printing. Advantageously, the rotary distributor of the invention can be automated using driven actuators and the provision of pressure or flow sensors together with cloud based tracking of cleaning cycles and system diagnostics. Remote monitoring via SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) or loT (Internet of Things) connectivity facilitates remote operation or the running of a treatment facility with limited staffing. A solar power installation with battery backup may be used to provide ongoing power requirements and include a fail-safe provision whereby manual operation can be reverted to in the event of total power failure. Solar generators of the type of disclosed in International Patent Publication No. WO 2024 / 176191 provide ideal solutions. Integrated systems provide for wireless maintenance alerts, IP cameras for site monitoring and for scheduled actuation of the nozzle clearing system. The selected frequency of operation may be selected (for example, once-per-day) or when backpressure or restricted flow is detected by the sensors. Where problems not addressable remotely occur, an alert signal may be generated and relayed to the appropriate maintenance personnel. Additionally, should the operating temperature drop below freezing, potentially damaging equipment or resulting on overflow of the filter bed, the distributor may be disabled automatically or remotely pursuant to the appropriate alerts. This invention provides a modular, adaptive and optionally automated solution for unblocking distribution orifices in a feed conduit. More particularly, the invention provides for improved maintenance of wastewater treatment systems and is most advantageously applied to rotary distributors in wastewater treatment, including retrofitting to existing distributors without interference with wires supporting the trickle arms. The nozzle cleaning system presented herein improves safety, operational efficiency and maintenance requirements while ensuring compatibility with both manual and automated cleaning operations. The further combination with smart sensing, SCADA integration and lightweight modular construction makes this an ideal solution for wastewater treatment facilities, especially in remote or unstaffed locations. It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rotary distributor of the type used in trickling filters for wastewater treatment having a plurality of hollow radial arms through which wastewater is passed for distribution over a filter bed via nozzles spaced along said arms, the distributor having mounted thereon a nozzle cleaning mechanism comprising:mounting brackets for securing to the radial arm;a drive shaft held parallel to the axial length of the arm by mounting brackets;actuators secured to the drive shaft and aligned with the nozzles, the actuators having nozzle engaging fingers; anda means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft so as to urge the fingers into the nozzles to dislodge or remove material accumulated in the nozzles.

2. A rotary distributor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the nozzle engaging fingers are constructed from a flexible, durable polymer with a tapered tip for guided insertion and notched features to allow liquid escape during operation.

3. A rotary distributor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the mounting brackets have a removable top section for accommodating a bearing fixed to the drive shaft facilitating easy assembly and maintenance, the mounting bracket including a drainage channel to prevent water accumulation and an integrated access hole for bearing position adjustment laterally along the drive shaft.

4. A rotary distributor as claimed in and one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting brackets are configured for varying arm diameters.

5. A rotary distributor as claimed in and one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft comprises a manually operable handle or a mechanically operated spur attached to the drive shaft at the free end of the radial arm.

6. A rotary distributor as claimed in and one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein themeans for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft comprises a drive coupling mounted on the shaft and configured for automated movement via a belt-driven or direct-drive motorized system.

7. A rotary distributor as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the automated movement is controlled by any one of the following control systems:a programmable logic controller (PLC) or microcontroller;sensors detecting nozzle blockages based on pressure or flow rate variations;a force-sensing mechanism to detect operational resistance; andan adaptive control system to schedule cleaning cycles and disable operation under freezing conditions.

8. A rotary distributor as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the control system further comprising an loT-enabled monitoring and alert system providing any one or more of the following:remote access via SCADA integration;wireless alerts for maintenance personnel; andcloud-based tracking of cleaning cycles and system diagnostics.

9. A rotary distributor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which any one of more of the mounting brackets and actuators are formed using additive manufacturing techniques, including parameterized 3D printing, for customizable fitment across varying diameters of wastewater treatment arms.

10. A rotary distributor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the drive shaft is constructed from lightweight aluminium or composite material to minimize mechanical stress on treatment arms of up to 10 meters in length.

11. A rotary distributor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which electrical power is provided to one or more of a control system, a drive shaft motor or a radial arm drive motor mounted at a central axial manifold of the rotary distributor.

12. A method of clearing blocked orifices in a feed conduit having a plurality of distributing orifices therein, the method including:mounting on the conduit a plurality of brackets for securing a drive shaft; andmounting on the drive shaft a plurality of actuators adapted to be urged by rotation of the drive shaft towards the orifices;whereby profiled fingers of the actuators penetrate the orifices so as to dislodge, scrape or otherwise remove material accumulated in the orifices and attenuating flow therethrough.

13. A method of clearing blocked orifices as claimed in Claim 12, in which each orifice clearing finger of the actuators is profiled to engage respective orifices within the conduit a draw accumulated matter from within the conduit adjacent the orifice.

14. A method of clearing blocked orifices as claimed in Claim 13, in which the fingers are profiled to scrape biofilm from the periphery of the orifice.

15. A method of clearing blocked orifices as claimed in in any one of Claims 12 to 14, in which the orifices are formed with nozzles or slits evenly spaced along the length of the conduit.

16. An orifice cleaning apparatus suitable for mounting to a conduit having distribution orifices provided along a length thereof, the apparatus comprising:mounting brackets:a drive shaft held parallel to the axial length of the conduit by said mounting brackets;a means for rotationally deflecting the drive shaft so as to urge actuators secured to the shaft and aligned with orifices towards said orifices, so that orifice5 engagement portions of the actuators penetrate the orifices to dislodge or remove material accumulated therein.

17. A modular nozzle cleaning system for wastewater treatment trickling filter arms having a plurality of treatment nozzles along the length thereof, comprising:a mounting system comprising mounting brackets and bearings configured10 for attachment to varying arm diameters;a drive shaft on which there are fixed a series of flexible cleaning actuators having fingers aligned and configured for insertion into treatment nozzles;a drive mechanism for manual or automated movement of the drive shaft urging the fingers into the corresponding nozzles.15

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