Extended aeration package plants are typically used
in small municipalities, suburban subdivisions,
apartment complexes, highway rest areas, trailer
parks, small institutions, and other sites where flow
rates are below 0.1 MGD. These systems are also
useful for areas requiring nitrification.
Sequencing batch reactors
Package plant SBRs are suitable for areas with little
land, stringent treatment requirements, and small
wastewater flows. More specifically, SBRs are
appropriate for RV parks or mobile homes,
campgrounds, construction sites, rural schools,
hotels, and other small applications. These systems
are also useful for treating pharmaceutical, brewery,
dairy, pulp and paper, and chemical wastes. While
constant cycles with time-fixed process phases are
sufficient in most cases, phases should be
individually adapted and optimized for each plant.
SBRs are also suited for sites that need minimal
operator attendance and that have a wide range of
inflow and/or organic loadings.
Industries with high BOD loadings, such as
chemical or food processing plants, will find SBRs
useful for treating wastewater. These systems are
also suitable for facilities requiring nitrification,
denitrification, and phosphorous removal. Most
significantly, SBRs are applicable for areas where
effluent requirements can change frequently and
become stricter, as these systems have tremendous
flexibility to change treatment options. However,
part of the economic advantage of the SBR process
is lost when advanced treatment processes must be
added downstream since intermediate equalization
is normally required.