Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Decentralized Treatment Systems
DTS
seecon
international gmbh
Introduction
DTS applications are based on the principles of making maximum use of natural gifts like gravity,
microbiological activity or temperature. This result in a system which can work without technical
energy input (in fact it’s producing energy in form of methane/biogas) and needs only minimal
maintenance. DTS application provides state of the art technology at affordable prices because
material/inputs used for construction are locally available.
DTS applications:
• provide treatment for both, domestic and industrial sources
• are reliable, long lasting and tolerant towards inflow fluctuation
• do not need sophisticated maintenance
Treatment steps:
Without considering facilities for necessary chemical pre‐treatment of wastewater from industries,
the DTS core system consist of four treatment steps:
• Primary treatment and sedimentation
• Secondary treatment in Anaerobic Baffle Reactor (ABR) and Anaerobic Upflow Filter (AF)
• Tertiary treatment in aerobic/anaerobic subsurface flow filter (Plated Gravel Filter)
• Tertiary aerobic/anaerobic treatment Polishing Pond
Reuse:
DTS enables reuse of the contents of the wastewater (water, nutrients and energy) and can therefore
be considered as technical option for ecological/sustainable sanitation.
DTS applications are designed to meet requirements stipulated in environmental laws and
regulations.
Description of the treatment modules
The selected treatment modules are based on DTS principles incorporating the following attributes:
• Tolerance to inflow fluctuations
• Resource efficiency and non‐dependence on energy
• Minimal maintenance
• Reliability and longevity
• Reuse of wastewater and its contents
The modules proposed are:
• Biogas Settler
• Anaerobic Baffle Reactor (ABR)
• Anaerobic Up flow Filter (AF)
• Planted Gravel Filter (PGF)
• Polishing Pond
Biogas Settler
The settler can be considered as a gas tight septic tank with low hydraulic retention times.
Two main treatment processes take place: First, a mechanical treatment retains contaminants by
sedimentation/flotation, and the wastewater from the clarified layer flows through the outlet.
Second, biological treatment through anaerobic microorganisms which partially decompose the
organic pollutants. The digestion process ensures that the accumulated sludge is reduced and
stabilized. Storage volume for sludge is provided for 18 to 24 months, defining the desludging period.
Average reduction of organic content (BOD,COD) is between 25 and 40%. The produced methane can
get captured in form of biogas and be used as an energy source in direct application or electricity
production via gas‐generator. The settler is resistant to shock load and variable inflow.
Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR)
The ABR consists of a series of chambers, in which the wastewater flows up‐stream. Activated sludge
is located at the bottom of each chamber. The inflowing effluent is intensively mixed up with the
sludge, wherein it is inoculated with bacterial mass which decompose the contained Pollutants. The
BOD reduction rate of the baffled reactor is up to 90 %. The Baffled Reactor is resistant to shock load
and variable inflow, the operation and maintenance is simple and virtually no space.
Anaerobic Up Flow Filter (AF)
The anaerobic filter is also known as fixed bed or fixed film reactor and has a similar flow pattern like
the Anaerobic Baffle Reactor. Some filter materials such as gravel, rocks or specially formed plastic
pieces provide additional surface area for bacteria to settle. Non‐settleable and dissolved solids are
treated by bringing them in close contact with a surplus of active bacterial mass fixed on filter
material. The BOD removal rate is in the range of 70‐90%. The surplus of activated sludge produced
has to be removed in intervals of 1 to 3 years. The strength of AF lies in its ability to further stabilize
(BOD, COD, TSS reduction) low strength wastewater e.g. the effluent from the ABR.
Horizontal Flow Constructed Wetland = Planted Gravel Filter (PGF)
The Horizontal Gravel Filter (HGF) is made of reed planted filter bodies consisting of
fine gravel. Bottom slope is 1 %. The flow direction is mainly horizontal. The filter is
normally planted with helophytes like cattails or reeds. The main removal mechanisms are biological
conversion, physical filtration and chemical adsorption. Mechanisms of BOD removal are mainly
aerobic and anoxic .The function of the HGF is mainly post treatment. Reduction rate of
BOD is between 75 ‐ 90 %. Reduction of infective organisms is over 95 %. Operation and
maintenance of the system is simple (mainly garden work). The spatial requirements are
compensated by integrating it with the landscapes.
Polishing Pond
Polishing ponds are shallow artificial lakes. The removal mechanisms are sedimentation
of non‐degraded and degraded suspended particles, and aerobic oxidation by intake of
oxygen via water surface and photosynthesis of algae. The elimination of pathogens by
exposure to UV ray represents the third treatment mechanism and often the most
important one. The efficiency of polishing ponds is strongly related to their surface and
their hydraulic retention time. The BOD removal normally ranges between 20 – 30% and
the pathogen removal is 95%.
Treatment efficiency
The extent of BOD, COD complies with the client’s needs. If designed properly a DTS can reduce BOD
below 10mg/l.
Due to the fact that nitrification does not take place in under anaerobic conditions, the effluent
water of the DTS will content some nitrogen; this water has therefore fertilizing effect and should be
therefore get reused for irrigation purpose.
The pathogen reduction is in the range of 99.99% to 99.9999% (3 to 6 log); worm eggs, which have
statistically the highest health risk, get reduced 100% because of settling process in the tanks and the
good filter effect of the gravel filter (PGF, HGF).
Projects samples
DTS for People soft in Bangalore
Volume: 6m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <20mg/l, TSS <30mg/l
Challenge 1: The Building is situated in a low
lying area; therefore it is not possible to flush
the wastewater via gravity into the nearest
sewer line. Soak pit was not a solution since the
strata is clay.
Challenge 2: No space for a conventional STP.
The treatment plant had to get integrated in a
narrow space between building and outer walls.
Challenge 3: Since the treatment plant is at the
entrance it should be aesthetically pleasing and
the STP should be camouflaged. We overlaid
the plant with a plastic liner and lawn was
developed on it. To reach the manholes in case
of maintenance of the DTS (desludging of the
tanks) the lawn can easily get rolled up.
DTS for Manipal Hospital in Bangalore
Volume: 600m3/day The project commence on a PPP (Public
Discharge standard: BOD <20mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l Private Partnership) with MoEF, Govt. of India,
GTZ and Manipal Hospital.
Challenge 1: No space since the free area need
to be used as parking space. Real estate very
expensive. STP is constructed below the car
parking
Challenge 2: Wastewater comprises of
domestic sewage, laboratory washings and
disinfectives. Customized design ensured that
the requirement is met.
Challenge 3: Escalating energy costs was a
concern. The design was planned to enable
capture of the gas and produce electricity
using biogas generator.
DTS for Aishwarya Amaze Builders 100 Apartment building at Bannnerghatta Road
Volume: …50m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD < 20 mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: Very little space available between
the wall and the building. Real estate very
expensive. We designed a customized solution
given the space constraints.
Challenge 2: Since it is a new apartment which
needs to be sold it should be aesthetically
pleasing and the STP should be camouflaged.
Nearly 20 houses overlook the DTS
Challenge 3: Given the water shortage the client
wants the treated water to be recycled for
toilet flushing. We designed the Plant Gravel
Filter solution to address the need. The PGF was
planned around the narrow space circling the
building.
DTS for a cluster of houses (“Laughing Waters”) in
Bangalore
Volume: 50m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <30mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: The current Septic Tank was
overflowing and the STP implementation has to
happen along with the incoming sewage.
Challenge 2: No space was originally allocated
for STP. The proposed DTS had to be designed
within the area currently occupied by septic
tanks.
Challenge 3: There is no space to implement
the Plant Gravel Filter module. The design was
done to ensure that the system will conform to
treatment norms even without PGF.
DTS for Adarsh College of Arts & Commerce, Badlapur
Volume: 8m3/day DTS for a Day School with 2600 pupils. The
Discharge standard: BOD <20mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l campus gets used for cricket matches and
wedding ceremonies with up to 1000 people.
Challenge 1: Being a school, the water
quality used to fluctuate and cannot be
predicted. We designed a solution keeping
this variance in mind
Challenge 2: To reduce ground water
consumption there was a need to reuse the
treated water to irrigate the large campus
lawns. The STP was implemented to cater to
this requirement.
Challenge 3: Need to demonstrate to
students the recycling possibilities. The
produced biogas gets used for a gas stove
and a gas lamp (for show case) in the nearby
Ecosan Exhibition Hall.
Confident Cascade Resort
Volume: 20m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <20mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: Being a resort, the water
characteristics fluctuate and cannot be
predicted. The DTS has been designed keeping
this variance in mind. Water is a major
requirement
Challenge 2: Since the treatment plant is at
the entrance it should be aesthetically pleasing
and the STP should be camouflaged. The DTS
has been integrated with the existing garden
Challenge 3: The treatment byproducts should
be utilized and design should be scalable to
cater to future growth. The DTS allows the
biogas to be used in the kitchen while the
treated water is used for landscaping. The
modular solution allows expansion very easily.
Toyota Kirloskar
Volume: 12 KLD
Discharge standard: BOD <20mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: The client has already got a
conventional STP which was expensive to
maintain. The stakeholders doubted the DTS
solution and were worried about the efficacy.
The DTS solution surpassed the current
benchmark .
Challenge 2: Being a factory, the water quality
used to fluctuate and had constituents like
paints, caustic soda and bleaching powder. We
designed a solution keeping the effluents and
variance in mind
Challenge 3: The allocated space was next to
the canteen, which means that the system
should be odor free. The DTS solution is
odorless which satisfied the client.
Pepsico International Nelamangala, Bangalore
Volume: 17m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <30mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: Highly polluting process reject
with BOD >55000mg/l and COD > 120000mg/l.
Needs to be treated to PCB norms. Domestic
sewage also needs to be handled. DTS
designed to handle this unusually high load.
Challenge 2: Required to relieve the pollution
load on the existing conventional ETP.
Challenge 3: Gaining the trust of the client
who have already installed a DTS designed by
another agency, but is not working as
expected. The DTS implemented is working to
their satisfaction.
Reitzel India Limited Kunigal, Bangalore
Volume: 45 m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <30mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: Being a fruit processing factory
factory, the water characteristics which are
“difficult” for biological treatment since it has
constituents like preservatives, salt and
vinegar. The DTS design had to cater to this
situation
Challenge 2: The Effluent treatment Plant has
to withstand fluctuation due to variation in
process flow caused due to processing various
types of fruits depending on the orders. The
DTS implemented is able to operate under this
situation at almost twice the peak loading
without affecting the quality of treatment
Challenge 3: The plant is subjected to forced
shutdown during lean seasons or no crop
production. It should not collapse. The DTS is
able to successfully tolerate spells of low flows
extending more than a month
Karaturi Networks Ltd
Volume: 45m3/day
Discharge standard: BOD <30mg/l, TSS < 30mg/l
Challenge 1: Being a food processing centre
the water quantity fluctuates and has effluents
containing preservatives like salt and acetic
acid. DTS is designed as a solution keeping the
effluents and variance in mind
Challenge 2: The factory is located in a low
lying area subject to flooding. The treatment
plant should not be affected by the flooding of
the place. The DTS has been designed keeping
it above the flood level to ensure failsafe
operations
Challenge 3: The plant should be close to the
factory to avoid long sewer lines. The DTS is
maintained close to the factory but it should
not pose any odor problems