Interchangeable Tertiary Filtration for CSO Overflow Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wastewater treatment systems face challenges in handling overflow beyond design capacity due to storm flow or other causes, requiring significant capital and operational expenses, and often result in untreated or partially treated discharges during startup, especially for Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) and Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO).
Innovation Solution
An interchangeable treatment system that repurposes a tertiary filtration system to handle CSO/SSO overflows, allowing seamless transition between normal and overflow treatment modes, reducing capital and operational costs, and enabling higher quality water discharge or reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated CSO treatment system is provided, then overflow treatment capability is improved, but capital cost and operational expense increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a treatment system that serves dual purposes: functioning as a tertiary treatment system during normal operations and as a CSO treatment system during overflow events. The interchangeable treatment zone can be switched between modes through valve manipulation, eliminating the need for separate dedicated CSO treatment infrastructure and reducing overall capital and operational costs.
2Reliability
If a CSO treatment system is provided, then overflow treatment capability is improved, but system area requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the area contradiction by making the tertiary treatment zone interchangeable with the CSO treatment zone. The same physical infrastructure serves both functions, meaning no additional land area is required beyond what is already allocated for tertiary treatment. The system leverages existing space efficiently by switching the functional role of the treatment zone based on operational needs.
3Reliability
If a CSO treatment system is provided, then overflow treatment capability is improved, but startup time and initial effectiveness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining the interchangeable treatment zone in a continuously operational state, similar to tertiary treatment mode. This means the system is pre-conditioned and ready to handle overflow events immediately when needed, eliminating startup delays. The continuous operation ensures media are saturated and biological processes are active, providing immediate treatment effectiveness during CSO events.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate CSO and tertiary treatment systems are provided, then treatment functionality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a single treatment infrastructure that can interchange between tertiary and CSO treatment modes. The system uses valve configurations to direct flow appropriately, allowing one zone to serve multiple functions. This approach maintains full treatment functionality for both overflow events and normal operations while significantly reducing device complexity and associated costs compared to having completely separate systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces startup concerns and operational expenses, provides higher quality treated water, and allows for minimal treatment during plant downtime or stormwater events, while also enabling the use of redundant treatment trains for overflow management.
Implementation Method 1
Various forms of chemical/physical processes such as rapid sand filtration or ballasted floc systems have been used to capture small particles
Implementation Method 2
media (including but not limited to cloth, sand, anthracite, activated carbon etc.)
Implementation Method 3
Chlorination followed by dechlorination is commonly used for disinfection
Data Source
AI summary
Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) events require certain minimum treatment, before discharge, according to EPA regulations. However, these events are infrequent, and CSO treatment systems remain idle most of the time. Tertiary filtration is typically used to polish off the secondary treated water in order to remove suspended matter, phosphorous, etc. Tertiary systems are usually designed to handle design flows and remain active most of the time. These are two independent unit operations requiring major capital investment and operational expense. According to this invention an interchangeable system is able to switch a tertiary treatment reactor back and forth between two applications ensuring seamless operation, smooth transition and significant cost savings for treatment facilities.