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Aerobic treatment systems - LUCAS® systems for wastewater treatment

LUCAS® systems for advanced aerobic wastewater treatment solutions.

What is aerobic wastewater treatment?

Aerobic wastewater treatment is a biological process used to treat sewage and industrial wastewater by using oxygen to break down organic matter. Unlike anaerobic treatment, which operates without oxygen, aerobic treatment relies on the presence of oxygen to support the growth of microorganisms (aerobic bacteria) that consume the organic pollutants in the wastewater.

One of the most common forms of aerobic treatment is the activated sludge process, in which wastewater is mixed with a suspension of microorganisms in an aeration tank. These microbes feed on the organic matter, and the mixture is then sent to a settling tank where the biomass separates from the treated water. A portion of this biomass is recycled to maintain the microbial population.

This activated sludge process not only significantly reduces the amount of organic matter and waste but also transforms them into stable forms, such as carbon dioxide and water, making the effluent safer for discharge or further treatment. The digestion of these organic pollutants, particularly in activated sludge systems, ensures effective and reliable treatment of sewage and other wastewater types

Activated sludge-based pollution removal

Waterleau has successfully implemented biological processes using oxygen to break down the organic contaminants and other pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus almost everywhere.

From sewage treatment plants treating wastewater of millions of people, to aerobic post-treatment of brewery bio-effluent, our cyclic activated sludge-based LUCAS® aerobic solution will help you meet discharge regulations, reducing discharge costs as well as the environmental footprint of your activities.

LUCAS® Activated Sludge wastewater systems

Waterleau's LUCAS® System offers a range of innovative solutions for biological wastewater treatment, all based on the activated sludge process. Each system is tailored to meet specific industrial and municipal needs, focusing on efficiency and sustainability.

  • Sequencing Batch Reactor (LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge)
  • Granular Aerobic Sludge Reactor : LUCAS® AGS
  • Carousel oxidation system (LUCAS® Carousel)
  • Extended Aeration System (LUCAS® Extended Aeration)

LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge

The LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge is an ultra-compact and intelligent solution for the treatment of industrial and municipal wastewater. It combines the advantages of conventional technology and the Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology.

The modular system of the LUCAS® technology offers a high-performance, low-cost and compact solution for the treatment of every type of wastewater, organic concentration and nutrient load, even with strong variations in water flow.

In its most typical design, the LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge consists of 3 hydraulically interconnected tanks with common walls and identical configuration. Each tank alternates (cyclic) one of the 3 processes of biological wastewater treatment: accumulation, regeneration and sedimentation.

The optimal alternation of the 3 processes in each of the tanks depends on the wastewater characteristics during each phase and is controlled by our control & monitoring system, ensuring maximum efficiency and limiting operational costs.

Improved settling with LUCAS® AGS

Aerobic Granular Sludge or AGS is a type of microbial biomass that forms compact, dense granules rather than loose flocs like in traditional activated sludge. These granules enhance the efficiency of biological treatment processes by improving settling properties and reducing the footprint of treatment plants.

The LUCAS® AGS system is an advanced LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge system designed to increase effluent withdrawal and sludge settling based on the Waterleau AGS process. This AGS process optimizes the breakdown of organic pollutants, nitrogen, and phosphorus, ensuring efficient and sustainable treatment: by growing AGS in your system, no need to dose chemicals like FeCl3 to remove the P content. Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorous are removed biologically by these aggregates of bacteria, simultaneously.

The LUCAS® AGS system's compact design significantly reduces the footprint, making it suitable for space-constrained environments. Additionally, the advanced cyclic operation minimizes energy and chemical usage, leading to a lower total cost of ownership. The embedded AGS process in the compact and cost-effective LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge technology of makes it a sustainable solution for modern wastewater management.

Advantages LUCAS® AGS

  • High Settling Velocity & Surface Loading Rate

    Densified sludge enables compact plant design with efficient solids-liquid separation.

  • Energy-Efficient Nutrient Removal
    Simultaneous removal of organic pollutants, nitrogen, and phosphorus with lower energy consumption.

  • Reduced Footprint & Civil Costs
    Smaller tank volumes translate into lower construction and infrastructure expenses.

  • Chemical-Free Operation
    No need for coagulant dosing, minimizing operational complexity and chemical costs.

  • No Need for Granular Seeding
    Natural granule formation eliminates the requirement for external biomass seeding.

  • Standard Start-Up Time
    Follows a conventional biological start-up timeline—no special procedures needed

LUCAS® Carousel

The LUCAS® Carousel wastewater treatment technology is our conventional and proven-concept aerobic wastewater treatment system.

Whereas in the LUCAS® Cyclic Activated Sludge systems, the 3 processes of biological treatment alternate in each of 3 hydraulically interconnected compartments, in the LUCAS® Carousel system, the activated sludge reactor tank combines accumulation and regeneration, while settling takes place in a dedicated and separated clarifier or sedimentation tank.

The bioreactor design allows nitrification-denitrification and removal of phosphorus in one single reactor. After treatment, the purified water is separated from the activated sludge in a clarification step.

LUCAS® Extended Aeration

The LUCAS® Extended Aeration is our biological treatment design in case no activated sludge from secondary treatment is fed to the sludge from primary treatment.

With a higher concentration of inert solids, longer mixing time is required for the removal of bio-degradable organic waste. Mixing must be provided by aeration or mechanical means in order to sustain the biological process.

With the longer detention time, high removal efficiency can be achieved.

More about our LUCAS® AGS aerobic wastewater treatment?

Are you looking for an advanced aerobic municipal wastewater treatment solution? Our aerobic LUCAS® AGS technology may be the answer you've been searching for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the process of aerobic wastewater treatment

What are the key advantages of Aerobic wastewater treatment?

Which types of industries are best suited for aerobic wastewater treatment?

How does aerobic wastewater treatment differ from anaerobic treatment?

What maintenance is required for aerobic wastewater treatment?

What happens to the sludge produced in the process?

Are there different configurations of activated sludge systems?

Why is oxygen important in an aerobic treatment system?

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