An Ozonizer will Help Purify Wastewater in Oil Fields
It automatically stimulates bioprocesses in sewer systems.
Scientists from the Tomsk University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, together with the Tomskneft company, have developed a unique technology for dynamic ozone stimulation of biological processes. The Devon News Agency learned about this from a message from the university.
Next year it will be introduced during the reconstruction of sewage treatment facilities (STP) of the Pionerny rotational camp (Kargasoksky district of the Tomsk region). The WWTP is operated by Tomskneft JSC of the Eastern Oil Company (Strezhevoy, a joint venture of NNK Oil and Gazprom Neft PJSC).
Tomskneft’s environmental program involves the development of design and technological documentation for the reconstruction of treatment plants at five oil fields. Research work will allow us to optimize technological processes at minimal cost.
“We have developed a technology and device for stimulating activated sludge in aeration tanks of wastewater treatment plants with ozone,” said Alexander Tskhe, associate professor of the Department of Heat and Gas Supply and Engineering Systems in Construction at TSUSU.
“Ozone is one of the strongest oxidizing agents,” he added. – And if its concentration in the bioreactor is exceeded, the bacteria will die. The uniqueness of the method is that we supply ozone in small doses, creating a favorable redox environment for aerobic microorganisms.”
The difficulty is how to control and administer the necessary microdoses of ozone. The equipment consists of an ozonizer complete with a control unit, an ozone input device, redox potential and oxygen sensors.
The control unit provides feedback depending on the concentrations of contaminants at the WWTP inlet, in aeration tanks and in purified water. Based on the signal from sensors measuring wastewater parameters, the control unit automatically regulates the optimal operating modes of the aeration tank. This will increase the efficiency of all types of treatment facilities.
Aerotanks are flow-through tanks for biological wastewater treatment. In them, the flow is saturated with oxygen, which is necessary for the growth of bacteria. They neutralize dangerous pollutants. In this case, microorganisms unite into colonies visible to the naked eye (activated sludge).
The technology, which has no analogues in Russia, was created by scientists from the Tomsk University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The high-voltage switching power supply for the device was developed at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU). The equipment was tested at Energoneft Tomsk (one of the largest electric grid companies in the Tomsk region – note by Devon News Agency).
In turn, TomskNIPIneft coordinated work with scientific and operating organizations, and also assessed the development results. The Rosneft head institute for design in exploration and production has developed a technological scheme with the introduction of new equipment. After testing, the device was modified for real oil field conditions.
Currently, scientists are developing similar solutions for the subtropical and arctic regions of Russia.
