AIRR (ALTERNATING - INTERMITTENT - RECIRCULATING - REACTOR) FLOW

The SPEC Industries, Inc. Water Reclamation Technology was named the AIRR (Alternating - Intermittent - Recirculating - Reactor) because of the process flow. The AIRR technology is a biological reactor that provides a controlled environment for the colonies of bacteria to react efficiently and effectively.

First, the AIRR facility is preceded by primary treatment such as a collection/septic tank. Primary treatment removes most of the fixed solids and discharges mostly dissolved solids. Dissolved solids are usually rapidly biodegradable to carbon dioxide and water leaving only a small amount of mineral matter which is usually in soluble form.

Microorganisms multiply in the presence of a source of food, but the low loading applied to the AIRR results in operation well into the edogenous growth phase where the microorganisms themselves are part of the food supply. Therefore, organisms are mostly consumed and do not accumulate in the AIRR media. A small amount of unconsumed suspended solids are discharged with the AIRR effluent which minimizes solids accumulation in the reactor. Therefore, the fate of solids in AIRR facilities is biologically reduced to provide a clear water and solids do not appear to accumulate within the unit, which has been processing influent since 1977.

AIRR BASIC SYSTEM OPERATION
SIMPLEX (ONE PUMP PER TANK) DESIGN
DUPLEX (TWO PUMPS PER TANK) DESIGN

Septic/collection tank effluent is delivered through a PVC pipe to the dosing tank. Two submersible alternating pumps (A) and (B), set in a screened enclosure located in dosing tank accessible through tank covers, deliver effluent through a PVC pressure pipe to the sub surface low pressure equal distribution system laterals in the dosing (secondary treatment) bed located in the AIRR enclosure for initial injection. A gate valve is used to regulate the flow and pressure to the distri¬bution system, which is set at __ feet of head. A time control device is located in the control and testing box which cause the submersible alternating pumps to deliver a design quantity of effluent at one half hour intervals to the dosing bed.

A dosing tank vent pipe is provided to prevent build up of fumes in the dosing tank.

After a period of time, this dosed effluent, now partially treated, is displaced and flows through the under-drain pipe to the recirculation tank which contains submersible alter¬nating pumps (C) and (D) accessible through tank access. A time control device located in the control and testing box activate the alternating submersible pumps to deliver a designed quantity of partially treated water, through pressure pipe, at one half hour intervals to the overhead recirculation sprin¬kler network. This network distributes the partially treated water evenly over the reactor's dosing bed (secondary treatment section) and the final treatment bed (tertiary treatment section). A gate valve in the recirculation pressure line is used to regulate the flow and pressure to the sprinkler heads, which deliver a design volume of water per minute at __ psi.

The recirculation water that falls on the dosing bed returns through a drainpipe to the recirculation tank. The water that falls on the final treatment bed flows through a drain pipe to discharge.

A discharge system consisting of a tank, two alternating submersible pumps (E) and (F) accessible through tank access, a meter box, a meter, and a discharge pressure pipe are shown or use when gravity discharge is not available. The discharge pumps are activated by controls inside the discharge tank. These controls are activated by demand and not on a timed basis as are the pumps in the re¬circulation and dosing systems.

Electrical boxes are conveniently placed near the respective tanks where the pumps and controls are connected outside the tanks. The electrical box at the dosing tank has internal gas seals to prevent gas from seeping into the box and causing corrosion.

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