ABSTRACT
The required amount of active surface area is the primary criterion in process equipment selection. In most cases, several different plant layouts are possible for a given surface area requirement. A plant layout should be selected based on factors, such as site dimensions available for the installation, site contours, hydraulic head loss through the plant, integration with new or existing auxiliary equipment on the site, and required component redundancy. To start up a rotating contactor plant, wastewater from the primary treatment system should be passed through the shafts of rotating media and the final settling tank. During operation of a rotating contactor treatment plant, process operating difficulties can arise if unusual waste constituents or adverse conditions are present, or if the plant is subjected to overloading conditions not anticipated in the original design. Treatment plants with anaerobic digesters must avoid irregular discharge of large volumes of supernatant back to the plant influent.
