Biological nutrient removal (BNR) in municipal wastewater treatment to
remove carbonaceous substrates, nutrients and phosphorus, has recently
become increasingly popular worldwide due to increasingly stringent
regulations. Biological fluidized bed (BFB) technology, which could be
potentially used for BNR processes, can provide some advantages such as
high efficiency and compact structure. This present invention
incorporates the fixed-film biological fluidized bed technology with the
biological nutrient removal in a liquid-solid circulating fluidized bed,
which has achieved the simultaneous elimination of organic carbon,
nitrogen and phosphorus, in a very efficient manner and with very compact
space requirements. The BNR-LSCFB has two fluidized beds, running as
anoxic/anaerobic and aerobic processes to accomplish simultaneous
nitrification and denitrification and to remove carbonaceous substrates,
nutrients and phosphorus, with continuous liquid and solids recirculation
through the anoxic/anaerobic bed and the aerobic bed. The new BNR-LSCFB
system is not only an excellent alternative for conventional activated
sludge type BNR technologies but is also capable of processing much
higher loadings and suitable for industrial applications.