Wastewater treatment plants
Tricel wastewater treatment
If like many houses in Ireland yours is not connected to the public sewer, you are in need of a septic tank or a wastewater treatment system.
See below information regarding our Septic Tank range as well as the Wastewater Treatment Plants available (including the type of treatment, running costs and desludging).
Wastewater treatment plants
What are the Wastewater Treatment Systems available to me for domestic use?
Overview
Septic tanks or Wastewater Treatment Plants?
Generally cheaper than wastewater treatment plants, septic tanks can represent a suitable option to treat domestic wastewater. However, there might be a case for your project to install a Wastewater Treatment Plant. The best thing to do is to contact us for advice.
You need more information from a technician ?
Wastewater Treatment Plants
A wide variety of wastewater treatment plants are available on the market, the process of how the wastewater gets treated and the quality of effluent then released vary. However, no matter which system is in use, all the wastewater treatment plants require certification to EN12566-3. & S.R. 66 A professional Site Assessor should be contacted to assess your site and recommend the best-suited treatment units for your needs.
Types of domestic wastewater treatment plants:
- Biological Aerated Filter (BAF) or Submerged Aerated Filter (SAF).
- Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR).
- Activated Sludge Plant (ASP).
- Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR).
- Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC).
- Non-electric Filters.
Types of domestic wastewater treatment plants:
- Biological Aerated Filter (BAF) or Submerged Aerated Filter (SAF)
With the BAF or SAF wastewater treatment systems, the treatment process requires three chambers: a primary settlement chamber, the aeration chamber and finally the settlement chamber. Most of the BAF systems for single dwellings are available prefabricated, with all the chambers built into one single unit. They usually commonly from GRP or concrete. The media used in these units is a fixed bed system. These are popular systems as they are easy to install, simple to use and maintain and components are easy to replace if required.
An example of a BAF system is the Tricel Novo.
- Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR)
This system type is a similar system to the BAF or SAF (in using three chambers), the difference is that it does not use a fixed, but moving, media. The format is also popular wastewater treatment solutions, they provide good treatment efficiency and are easy to maintain.
- Activated Sludge Plant (ASP)
ASP plants use a V-shaped tank, which consists of a central aeration/biological chamber and an outer clarifier/settlement chamber, aeration is continuous. This solution generally is high in energy consumption and also generates a lot of suspended solids in the effluent, increasing the risk of clogging the percolation area.
- Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR)
Sequencing batch reactors, or SBRs, generally treat wastewater in two separate chambers they use a primary/pre-treatment section to mechanically hold back solids and a reactor chamber to treat the wastewater. SBR wastewater treatment systems clean incoming sewage over cycles using pumps that transfer the wastewater between the two chambers. It is a popular option as it offers a high level of treatment efficiency. It is also low in energy consumption and the technology better supports the load’s variations. Tricel Vitae is an SBR system.
- Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC)
RBC systems use a rotating disc to treat the wastewater, the media is submerged partially in the wastewater, and a biofilm develops on the media over time. It is this biofilm that treats the wastewater. Due to the harsh nature of effluent, and the continually submerged drive shaft, they can be expensive to repair. They are a popular solution for more substantial wastewater treatment requirements, above 700 P/E, where a dedicated person does regular service and maintenance.
- Non-electric Filters
Generally used as secondary treatment (after a septic tank) or as tertiary treatment (following a wastewater treatment plant) solutions. Non-electric filters are usually simple to install, economical, easy to maintain and provide a high-level of treatment. They all require a pump to move the effluent from the septic tank or wastewater treatment plant into them from the primary unit. The effluent then percolates through the media receiving treatment by passive biofiltration processes. Media used are varied, such as coconut fibre, as in the Tricel Puraflo, coco fibre or filtration sand as in the Tricel Sandcel polishing filter.
Running costs of wastewater treatment system
- Ease of installation. A light, shallow dig tank is easier to install (less machinery, people, time) therefore saving you money during the installation stage.
- Energy consumption. Some wastewater treatment uses mechanical parts, air blowers, compressors and other elements which all use electricity to run. Comparing systems and making sure the running costs are low saves you money over the years.
- Guarantee and technical support. As with any appliances, check the manufacturer guarantees for both tank and mechanical parts.
- Servicing & maintenance requirements. Different systems require different servicing and maintenance. Read more in section three.
Maintenance and repairs: As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to make sure your system is correctly installed, operated and maintained and does not pose a risk to human health or the environment.