Hybrid biological nutrient removal system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention provides a hybrid system comprising a single-sludge reactor, clarifier unit, and an aquaculture pond, together useful for accomplishing the process described herein.
The activated sludge system (including both the single sludge reactor and clarifier unit) can be provided in any suitable form, including as tanks constructed above-ground level.
In turn, the invention provides the ability to retrofit an existing activated sludge system in order to provide a new hybrid system.
Such a retrofit would generally involve the construction of a suitable aquaculture pond, and flowably connecting that pond to the existing system.
Often, a clarifier unit of the type described herein will need to be provided in order to complete the hybrid system.
Such a hybrid system would provide substantial savings, in terms of cost and materials, while providing improved performance over the original system.
In a preferred embodiment, the system is constructed as an integral system by establishing the zones and chambers of the sludge reactor and the clarifier unit in apposition to the aquaculture pond and integrated into the overall pond geometry.
An integral system provides an optimal combination of benefits, in terms of the ease and cost of construction and operation.
The components of the system are connected by respective piping and flow control systems, i.
e.
, series of control valves and associated piping, which together can be selectively operated, e.
g.
, opened or closed, to perform single or multiple pumping mechanisms.
The word "connect", and inflections thereof (including the term "flowably connected"), will be used in this respect to refer to a functional relationship between such components.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the manner in which such flow control systems can be constructed as direct or indirect flow paths, and can include optional and ancillary flow paths and processes.
As an initial component, the system comprises a single-sludge reactor, preferably in the form of a continuous flow, multistage single-sludge reactor, for the initial biological oxidation of organic matter to produce a mixed liquor