Methods, apparatus and systems for polishing wastewater utilizing natural media filtration

Abstract

Wastewater treatment systems, methods and apparatus for polishing a wastewater stream comprising a plurality of contaminants are provided. One system includes a vessel containing a plurality of natural media filtration agents selected to remove selected ones of the plurality of contaminants from the wastewater stream. In one embodiment, the vessel includes a bed of bauxite residue and at least one other natural media filtration agent. In another embodiment, the vessel includes a bed of compost and at least one other natural media filtration agent. The vessel includes a wastewater inlet that is in fluid communication with one or more of the natural media filtration agents. The vessel includes a wastewater outlet that is in fluid communication with one or more of the natural media filtration agents.

1 . A wastewater treatment system comprising a single bed for polishing a wastewater stream comprising a plurality of contaminants, the treatment system comprising:
 a vessel comprising a bed of compost and at least one other natural media filtration agent;   a wastewater inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the compost material and the at least one other natural media filtration agent; and   a wastewater outlet in fluid communication with at least one of the compost material and the at least one other natural media filtration agent.   
     
     
         2 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is one of an in-ground pit, an above-ground tank and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other natural media filtration agent is one or more of bauxite residue, iron filings, granular activated carbon, and bone char. 
     
     
         4 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other natural media filtration agent is two or more of bauxite residue, iron filings, granular activated carbon, and bone char. 
     
     
         5 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other natural media filtration agent is three or more of bauxite residue, iron filings, granular activated carbon, and bone char. 
     
     
         6 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other natural media filtration agent is all of bauxite residue, iron filings, granular activated carbon, and bone char. 
     
     
         7 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the compost and the at least one other natural media filtration agent are commingled within the vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a first filtration layer and a second filtration layer, wherein the second :filtration layer is separate from the first filtration layer, and wherein the first filtration layer comprises the compost and wherein the second filtration layer comprises the at least one other natural media filtration agent. 
     
     
         9 . A wastewater treatment system comprising a single bed for polishing a wastewater stream comprising a plurality of contaminants, the treatment system comprising:
 a vessel comprising a bed of aggregate and bauxite residue;   a wastewater inlet of the vessel in fluid communication with at least one of the aggregate and the bauxite residue; and   a wastewater outlet of the vessel in fluid communication with at least one of the aggregate and the bauxite residue.   
     
     
         10 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the aggregate and bauxite residue are commingled within the vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the bed comprises a first filtration layer contained within the vessel and a second filtration layer contained within the vessel, wherein the second filtration layer is separate from the first filtration layer, and wherein the first filtration layer comprises the bauxite residue and wherein the second filtration layer comprises the aggregate. 
     
     
         12 . The wastewater treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the vessel further comprises at least one other natural media filtration agent selected from the group consisting of compost, granular activated carbon, iron filings and bone char. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a wastewater polishing bed adapted to polish wastewater comprising a plurality of contaminants, the method comprising:
 determining a wastewater stream profile for a wastewater stream that comprises a plurality of contaminants, the wastewater stream profile comprising a wastewater contaminant profile and at least one of a wastewater flow profile and a wastewater effluent goal;   selecting a plurality of natural media filtration agents for use in the wastewater polishing bed, wherein the selecting step is based at least in part on the wastewater contaminant profile, wherein a first one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is bauxite residue and wherein a second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is one of compost, granular activated carbon, iron filings, bone char and aggregate;   selecting a single bed configuration based in part on the first and second natural media filtration agents, and further based at in part on at least one of the wastewater flow profile and the wastewater effluent goal; and   producing a single treatment bed comprising the plurality of natural media filtration agents based at least in part on the single bed configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wastewater contaminant profile indicates the presence of one at least one of aluminum, chlorine, atrazine, and bioaccumulative organics, and wherein the second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is compost. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wastewater contaminant profile indicates the presence of at least one of arsenic, cyanide, chromium, pathogens, and selenium, and wherein the second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is iron filings. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wastewater contaminant profile indicates the presence of at least one of chlorine, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and wherein the second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is granular activated carbon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wastewater contaminant profile indicates the presence of at least one of arsenic, fluoride and lead, and wherein the second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is bone char. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selecting a plurality of natural media filtration agents step comprises selecting at least three natural media filtration agents for use in the wastewater polishing bed, wherein the first one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is bauxite residue, wherein the second one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is aggregate, and wherein a third one of the plurality of natural media filtration agents is one of compost, granular activated carbon, iron filings and bone char. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 flowing the wastewater stream through the single treatment bed comprising the first and second natural media filtration agents;   removing at least a portion of a first contaminant of the wastewater stream via the first one of the natural media filtration agents; and   removing at least a portion of a second contaminant of the wastewater stream via the second one of the natural media filtration agents.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 discharging, after the flowing step, a discharge water stream from the single treatment bed, wherein the discharge water stream comprises not greater than legally allowed limits of the first and second contaminants.