Wastewater Treatment Applications by Using Trickling Filter as a Low Energy Consumption Solution: Case Studies Worldwide

Abstract

The increasing environmental pollution because of wastewater generating in industry and municipal urban increases the need for sustainable and cost-effective treatment solutions. This helps to face many challenges in wastewater treatment applications and minimize treatment cost and energy consumption in the treatment phase. Therefore, the application of trickling filter technologies for years ago has provided valuable service in overcoming the above challenges. They have proven to be simple to operate, reliable, energy-efficient, and meet the treatment levels required for many discharge purposes. This study demonstrates several applications of the trickling filters. These technologies were designed to treat different types of wastewater under different operational applications in different climate conditions. The operating experiences generally show in detail a high rate of efficiency removal of organic content (BOD, COD), nitrogen (TN, NH4), total suspended solids TSS, etc., as a secondary treatment level. Even Trickling Filter is a simple technology, there is a lack of mathematical design and operation experience, as trickling filter mechanics are poorly understood. Therefore, some design criteria, including operation, low energy requirements, and high treatment efficiency were demonstrated and summarized in this Chapter. Besides, the trickling filter application in this study shows low energy consumption, compared with the activated sludge system solution. Therefore, the case studies in this chapter were considered as the best practice of trickling filter application especially in a hot dry climate where such experience is limited.