Cost-effective biological wastewater treatment

The main objective is to deliver a solution capable of achieving great energy savings in WWTPs with minimum costs. A new type of aeration system based on diffusers with high endurance and reliability made from corrosion resistant metals will be developed. Several fine bubble diffusers (with 0.3 - 0.5 mm apertures) will be realised with an unconventional method (electro-erosion) and tested in laboratory conditions. After this stage, the best aeration system will be tested in situ in 4 WWTPs (in Romania and Turkey) and the efficiency of the dissolved oxygen mass transfer will be determined. The new type of diffuser will be tested in 2 Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS) WWTP and in 2 WWTP that has implemented the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technology. An ultrasound system will be mounted, on each aeration system, to prevent diffusers clogging. Is expected a reduction of aeration energy consumption by at least 40% for MBBR WWTPs and by at least 20% for CAS WWTPs. Furthermore, a new shape and material will be proposed for the realization of biofilm carriers to increase the biological treatment efficiency.