Biofilm media, treatment system and method of wastewater treatment

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for treatment of contaminated water employing a mobile supported biofilm. The treatment systems include a bioreactor, a mobile biofilm disposed within the bioreactor, and a solid-solid separation unit attached to the bioreactor. The solid-solid separation unit is adapted to receive an effluent stream from the bioreactor, wherein the effluent contains the mobile biofilm, and separate at least a portion of the mobile biofilm from the effluent and return it to the bioreactor.

1 . A method of treating contaminated water, the method comprising:
 (a) adding a first bioreactor influent and a mobile biofilm to a first bioreactor;   (b) providing conditions suitable for the mobile biofilm to biochemically transform one or more contaminants in the first bioreactor influent to form a first bioreactor effluent comprising at least the mobile biofilm, water, and residual solid matter;   (c) separating, in a liquid-solid separation unit, water from a first portion of the first bioreactor effluent to form an underflow;   (d) isolating, in a solid-solid separation unit, 50% to 100% of the mobile biofilm from a second portion of the first bioreactor effluent to form an isolated mobile biofilm stream and a residual solids stream;   (e) adding a second bioreactor influent and a portion of the isolated mobile biofilm stream to a second bioreactor;   (f) providing conditions suitable for the portion of the isolated mobile biofilm stream added to the second bioreactor to biochemically transform one or more contaminants in the second bioreactor influent to form a second bioreactor effluent which includes the isolated mobile biofilm; and   (g) delivering the second bioreactor effluent to the first bioreactor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (a) further comprises adding suspended growth to the first bioreactor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the isolating is cyclonic isolating. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 separating, in another liquid-solid separation unit, water from the second portion of the first bioreactor effluent to form an underflow, the second portion of the first bioreactor effluent comprising the residual solids stream.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 isolating, in another solid-solid separation unit, mobile biofilm in the underflow of the liquid-solid separation unit from residual solids in the underflow of the liquid-solid separation unit.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (c) and (d) are carried out contemporaneously, and further comprising:
 disposing of the residual solids stream or subjecting the residual solids stream to further treatment; and   directing the underflow to the first bioreactor.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 directing the residual solids stream to another liquid-solid separation unit.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 directing the residual solids stream from the solid-solid separation unit to a third bioreactor; and   adding a third bioreactor influent to the third bioreactor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering underflow to the first bioreactor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the residual solids stream to a third bioreactor.