About Septic Tanks

Archive for the ‘Filters’ Category

There are many wastewater filtration equipment options.

There are many wastewater filtration equipment options are available to communities who wish to employ centralized wastewater treatment. Community-specific characteristics, such as land cost, availability, wastewater characteristics and flow rates, as well as desired treated wastewater effluent concentration, and solids disposal costs will affect whether a particular community can utilize a wastewater treatment facility effectively.

For the hypothetical fringe and rural communities, different treatment trains are valued based on their expected community characteristics. Due to their small wastewater flow and the relatively large amount of land available, the treatment train cost for rural community may included: a facultative oxidation pond, which requires a large amount of land but is economical and relatively maintenance free, and a chlorination/dechlorination disinfect ion unit.

For the fringe community, the treatment train consists of a grit chamber, comminutor, sequencing batch reactor, and chlorination/dechlorination disinfect ion unit. The SBR was selected for the fringe community because it is capable of handling small wastewater flows, and requires a small amount of land, which may not be readily available in a fringe area.

If removal of additional nitrogen is required for the wastewater filtration, the facultative oxidation pond in the rural community is then replaced with a SBR.
This provides nitrification and denitrification. The SBR in the fringe community is modified to provide such a treatment. Waste solids from the SBR unit are valued
for disposal of wastes via land application.

Since the 1950s, biofilters have been used for odor control.

Methane is a colorless, odorless, and flammable gas. It is created when bacteria breaks down organic materials. Methane is the main component of marsh gas, firedamp of coal mines, as well as the gas our bodies and septic tanks produce. The odor associated with swamps, coal mines and even our bodies comes from the break down of organic material, not from methane. To prevent methane gas from entering your home, filters are available for purchase online. They are very effective and easy to install.

Sometimes septic gases will seep out around our home. They’re odor is very unpleasant, but you do not have to suffer from them. The gases are created in the septic tank when waste is naturally broken down. The treated material is then redistributed into the ground under the tank.

To prevent the sewage gases from backing into your home when you flush your toilet or put water down the drain, the gases exit through vent pipes to your roof. Usually, the gases are dispersed by the outside air. However, do to certain environmental conditions, such as temperature or humidity, the gases may linger. Methane filters can aid in the elimination of these gases.

You can purchase methane filters online and easily attach them to the vents located on your roof.  Some septic systems have vents on top the septic tank. You’ll find that methane filters fit just as easily on these vent pipes as well. These carbon-based filters absorb the methane and hydrogen sulfide gases as they exit the vents, ending the odorous gas smells as soon as they exit.

Since the 1950s, biofilters have been used for odor control, primarily at industrial wastewater treatment centers. Biofilters were developed for industrial centers for the removal of odors caused by gases. Gases such as hydrogen sulfide and methane are flammable when not properly vented. If you have a septic system, you might find these gases in your home. Because of this, biofilters are available for home use.

Biofilters contain microorganisms that metabolize the gases. As the contaminated air flows through the biofilters, the air is treated by microorganisms. The microbes convert the air into carbon dioxide and water, destroying the odors. The filters last as long as the microorganisms live.

Your septic system works in a similar way. As organic material drains into your septic tank, microorganisms like bacteria metabolize the waste, breaking it down. The waste eventually exit out the bottom of your septic tank through small holes, having been naturally treated.

Bio-waste treatment naturally occurs in your septic tank does not solve the problem of the foul smelling gases. You can purchase filters that absorb the gas fumes, similar to the ones used in industrial centers. These filters are installed on vent pipes normally located on your roof. In some cases, vent pipes are located directly on the septic tank.