Wastewater treatment equipment is designed to filter large or small particles from the water coming in, with the overall goal being to purify the water. In order to do this, many different pieces of equipment are needed including bar screens or fences, various types of settling tanks, and a digester. The water must go through at least some of these pieces of wastewater treatment equipment before being released into the environment, or being reused for other purposes.
The first piece of wastewater treatment equipment that water will come into contact with is the bar screen. This piece of equipment is designed specifically to remove large objects from the water system. This equipment is a simple, low tech solution to getting these objects out of the system. These objects may be removed manually or may be routed to another system that will automatically dispose of them.
After going through the bar screen, the next piece of wastewater treatment equipment water encounters is likely to be a settling tank. Depending on the facility, there may be several sets of these tanks. This equipment is responsible for helping any other solids in the water settle to the bottom. Grease and oil floats to the top. In between, is relatively clean water. This equipment completes the primary treatment of the water.
The secondary treatment involves other pieces of wastewater treatment equipment known as the aeration tank and digester. The aeration process is responsible for putting oxygen and microorganisms into the water that are responsible for consuming anything left in the water that is organic. This equipment is mainly responsible for the purification that makes sure harmful bacteria are removed from the water before it is passed on. It is known as biological wastewater treatment.
Most water is then passed on to the final phase of the process, where wastewater treatment equipment such as a chlorinator is responsible for killing any other type or microorganisms that may have survived up to that point. The water can then be released through an effluent pipe, most likely into a body of water. The chlorination must be enough to kill the other organisms in the treated water, yet be diluted to the point where it will not harm the natural environment. This is known as chemical wastewater treatment.
These parts represent the major pieces of wastewater treatment equipment needed to adequately perform the job. Pipelines, computers, and testing equipment are needed as well to monitor the process. This equipment may not be as costly as the major pieces mentioned, but it is just as necessary.
