The Rhizopur process ten years on: a green solution for sewage treatment in small communities

摘要

Ten years ago the Rhizopurs process was conceived in order to treat sewage from small towns.nSince 1999 when the first Rhizopurs plant was commissioned, the number of facilities has beenngrowing steadily and today there are more than fifty Rhizopurs facilities in France. This processncombines three existing technologies, i.e. biofilm, infiltration/percolation and mineralisation innconstructed wetlands, to conduct both wastewater and sludge treatment in a very cost-effectivenfashion. A trickling filter or a rotating biological contactor is combined with constructed wetlandsnto produce a high quality effluent, i.e. BOD5o20 mg/l, CODo100 mg/l and TSSo30 mg/l, and tonachieve high removal efficiencies, i.e. BOD5 removal 490%, COD removal 480% and TSSnremoval 490%. Nitrification can also be achieved by increasing the size of the trickling filter.nPart of the success of this process has been its modularity and compactness that havenresulted in its easiness for extension, as well as its capacity to blend with the environment.nThe characteristics of this process make of it an appropriate solution for sewage treatmentnin the developing countries. The objective of this work is to give an overview of thenperformance and features of this process according to the operational experience gainednduring the last 10 years.