To take care of growing challenges of sewage management due to urbanization, industrialization, and population growth, there is extensive need of advanced Sewage and Effluent treatment (STP and ETP) technologies. These help in treating wastewater in an effective way and conserving water resources and minimize environmental pollution.

What is the best technology for Sewage Treatment Plant?

For modern wastewater management, innovative Sewage Treatment Plant with numerous advantages are required. Advantages of STP Plant lies in effectively removal of pathogens and contaminants. Here are some of the latest sewage treatment technologies comparison to get implemented or explored in India:

1. Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Sewage Treatment Plant Technology

MBR STP Plant technology work on conventional biological treatment method using membrane filtration and help in removing suspended solids, bacteria, and viruses. This technology is highly effective in producing high-quality effluent.

• Advantages: Compact design and occupy less area, produce high-quality water post treatment, and produce low sludge. It is one of the best technology to use in urban areas with limited space.
• Application: Delhi and other metropolitan areas are using this Urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

2. Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) STP Technology

An advanced mechanism for Sewage and effluent treatment which is based on single tank filtration process. SBR technology use single batch reactor for aeration, settling, and decanting where all process takes place in same tank. It operates in different batches and provides biological treatment for removing organic material and nitrogen.

• Advantages: Requires minimum maintenance cost and leads to a Cost-effective way for waste water treatment. It has flexible operation with stringent discharge standard for nitrogen and phosphorus impurities. It is ideal for small to medium-sized plants yet high quality product output.
• Application: Industries of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh state in India are major users of this technology.

3. Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) STP Technology

MBBR STP technology is a convenient and flexible wastewater treatment process which uses modern methods to filter out activated sludge. It is a biological process which uses small organisms as bacteria to decompose waste. Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor technology uses floating plastic carriers and provide a large surface area for microbial growth. After growth of microorganisms, they turn them into simpler substances and make the filtration process easy. Components of MBBR technology involves Basin, Media, Aeration Grid and Sieve.

• Advantages: Compact system with low energy consumption and easy operation. MBBR process handles fluctuating loads and make it suitable for industrial effluents.
• Application: MBBR system is widely used in industrial applications as Pulp and paper manufacturing, chemical industry, textile factories, Dairy processing and Beverage manufacturing industries.

4. Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactor

UASB is a wastewater treatment system using biological methods for removing organic pollutants as slurries, sludge without using air or oxygen. In this biological process, wastewater flows upwards through a blanket of sludge that breaks down organic pollutants. After reacting with anaerobic microorganisms, it produces biogas as a byproduct- a useful product.

• Advantages: Compact and cheaper designs which need Low energy and generate biogas. Cost-effective for treating industrial wastewater for big scale industries.
• Application: Widely used in sugar, paper, beverages and distillery industries. This technology is increasing across textile industry, chemical and petrochemical industry and municipal sewage treatment plants.

5. Phytoremediation and Constructed Wetlands

Phytoremediation process is based on use of wetlands and plants to treat wastewater. Plants are self-sustaining and biologically productive which acts as an attractive option compared to conventional system. It uses various types of plants to remove, transfer, stabilize and destroy contaminants.

• Advantages: Simple operation and Low-cost, eco-friendly, and good for climate changing conditions. Low or no energy consumption with minimum impact on landscape.
• Application: Constructed wetlands are good to use in rural and semi-urban areas for sustainable wastewater treatment solution.

6. Electrocoagulation (EC)

EC STP method works with principle of flowing electrical currents in affected area to destabilize and aggregate contaminants which makes easy to remove suspended particles, heavy metals, and organic matter from wastewater. It is effective for removal of heavy metals, dissolved solids, fat, oil and grease, complex organic compounds.

• Advantages: Very less usage of chemicals, low sludge production, colourless and odourless treatment, Low energy consumption.
• Application: EC Effluent Treatment System is used across various industries as textile, automotive, pharmaceuticals, Airports, and metal processing industries.

7. Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS)

DEWATS is technical approach used for sewage treatment on small scale level. It has a technology with combination of physical and biological treatment mechanisms as sedimentation, anaerobic digestion, and constructed wetlands to treat sewage close to its source.

• Advantages: Affordable, Low maintenance cost, easy to maintain, and requires low energy. It is suitable for rural and peri-urban areas and complete needs of small and medium sized enterprises.
• Application: DEWATS mechanism is popular in rural India and urban slum areas as communities, schools, municipalities, agro industry, hospitals, hotels and prisons.

8. Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)

Zero Liquid Discharge is an advanced Sewage Treatment Process in which wastewater is treated followed by recovery process of contaminants as solid wastage. It is effective in improving environmental performance as it leaves no or zero discharge. Multiple stages involved in ZLD process are filtration, evaporation, and crystallization which helps to recover around 95% of liquid waste for reuse.

• Advantages: Water conservation, recovery of valuable byproducts, and leave minimum wastage.
• Application: Textiles, power plants, and chemical industries. Many states like Tamil Nadu had made Zero Liquid Discharge Process mandatory for several industries.

9. Hybrid Anoxic-Aerobic (A2O) System

A2O system is an advanced STP process which works on principle of combining anoxic and aerobic zones and help is removing nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater using activated sludge methods. The anoxic zone helps in denitrification, while the aerobic zone aids in biological oxygen demand (BOD) removal.

• Advantages: Nitrogen and phosphorus removal from Sludge very effectively, Low operational cost.
• Application: It is used in municipal sewage treatment plants, especially in nutrient-sensitive regions like the Ganga basin.

10. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)

AOP is one of the advanced STP process in which chemical treatment helps in removing organic materials in water. The process involves the generation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals using Ozone, hydrogen peroxide and UV light. It oxidizes and break down organic pollutants.

• Advantages: Easy operation process, absence of secondary wastage, unattended operation. Effective for removing refractory organic pollutants in pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. It can also treat toxic and non-biodegradable compounds.
• Application: AOPs are used in high-end industrial wastewater treatment across various industries as petrochemical & plastic, chemical, food processing, Textile and dying, pharmaceutical.

Conclusion:

Advancements in STP and effluent treatment technologies from above mentioned methods as MBBR, SBR biological process offers unique and several benefits suitable for sewage treatment across various industries and applications. It is good to choose right sewage treatment plant suitable as per your industry, focused on efficiency, sustainability, and budget allocated. These Sewage treatment technologies help communities and industries to achieve best wastewater treatment results, make ways for sustainable water resources, reduce environmental pollution, and provide clean water for reuse in various sectors and build cleaner and healthier future for our planet.