Claims:1. A method for treating wastewater, said method comprising the steps of:
treating an influent wastewater stream by an ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process in at least one electrocoagulation reactor to produce a floc-containing wastewater stream, wherein the method includes reducing the process time by 30 – 35% by selectively controlling said ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process through real-time monitoring of the influent wastewater characteristics and consequent adjustment of at least one process parameter selected from influent flow rate, ozone flow rate, electrical loading of electrodes, process time and reaction contact time;
filtering said floc-containing wastewater stream through a filtration unit comprising at least one filter selected from a cross-flow filter and a media filter, to obtain a filtered wastewater stream and sludge; and
disinfecting and defouling said filtered wastewater stream by an ozone-assisted UV process in a UV treatment chamber to obtain treated water.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of pre-filtering the influent wastewater stream in a multi-phase prefilter to remove suspended solids therefrom.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein influent wastewater characteristics include a plurality of characteristics selected from inline inflow rate, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, BOD, COD, TDS, TSS, viscosity, alkalinity, total nitrogen, VOC, and electrical impedance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein ozone gas is passed at a flow rate in the range of about 30 - 40 grams per 3.5 - 4 m3 of influent wastewater into said at least one electrocoagulation reactor during the electrocoagulation process.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of receiving the floc-containing wastewater stream from said at least one electrocoagulation reactor in a flow flocculation unit to aid formation of large, stable, easy-to-filter flocs.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, which comprises the step of receiving the floc-containing wastewater stream in a flow loading clarifier to aid separation of flocs and clarified wastewater by hydraulic loading.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of receiving the influent wastewater stream and ozone at the operative bottom of said at least one electrocoagulation reactor, wherein turbulence-aided mixing is achieved by means of a natural vortex flow pattern generated in said electrocoagulation reactor by plurality of electrode sets rotatably arranged at varying angles about a central axis such that at least two electrode sets are arranged at multilevel.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, which comprises the step of automatically switching polarity of said plurality of electrode sets by monitoring input current in different electrodes.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electrocoagulation reactors are arranged in a sequence selected from series, parallel and series-parallel.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, which comprises the step of passing the influent wastewater stream continuously from a first electrocoagulation reactor to a second electrocoagulation reactor, and so on, while receiving ionic dosing in each reactor.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, which comprises the step of passing the influent wastewater stream simultaneously to each of the electrocoagulation reactors with ionic dosing in each reactor.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of aiding flocculation by providing a laminar flow path with natural vortex formations.

13. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which comprises the step of backwashing the pre-filter, the cross-flow filter and the media filter.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of dosing the sludge into the influent wastewater before treatment by ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process to catalyze floc formation.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the step of leaving at least a portion of said electrocoagulation reactor volume empty at the operative top to allow accumulation of gases.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises the steps of:
analyzing the influent wastewater characteristics in at least one location along the flow path prior to treatment by electrocoagulation process;
monitoring current intensity across electrodes of said at least one electrocoagulation reactors to predict the treated water quality; and
regulating dynamically said method for treating wastewater so as to improve process efficiency by 25 – 30% and reduce energy consumption by 40 – 45%.
, Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system thereof for treatment of water. Particularly, the invention relates to a method and system thereof for treatment of domestic sewage, industrial effluents, wastewater, brackish water and saline water.

BACKGROUND
Wastewaters such as raw sewage, industrial effluents, brackish water, gray water, etc., may contain suspended solid particles, human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps, chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens, bacteria, entrained gas and other hazardous inorganic and organic substances. These contaminants are generally categorized into particulates, dissolved organic and inorganic matter and microbes.

Stringent environmental guidelines require wastewaters to be treated before disposal. However, with an increase in the consumption of water and its corresponding shortage, as well as the need for a cleaner environment, it has now become pertinent to treat the water so as to render it suitable for re-use. Studies have indicated that by 2030, water will become scarcer than oil, with the water demand outstripping its supply by over 40%. Erratic rainfall, depleting fresh water and ground water reserves and extensive pollution has led to the unavailability of usable water resulting in acute water shortage in many regions around the world.

In the past, there have been numerous attempts to treat the varying forms of wastewater, typically by exposing the wastewater to air and introducing biological supplements therein to digest the waste constituents.

US Patent No. 9868656 discloses a traditional wastewater treatment system comprising a biological treatment unit that decomposes and eliminates organic matter in wastewater by means of microorganisms, and a desalinization unit that is provided downstream of the biological treatment unit to eliminate salt-forming ionic components from within the wastewater. A pretreatment unit including a fluoride concentration reduction unit is provided upstream of the biological treatment unit to remove components such as heavy metals or oil.

US Patent No. 8197689 discloses another traditional wastewater treatment method which includes flowing the wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and to facilitate nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.

US Patent No. 7402247 discloses yet another traditional method for treating and digesting organic wastes in a wastewater stream, the method comprising mixing wastewater influent stream with activated sludge biomass in an aerobic digestion zone, so that least a portion of the organic wastes in the wastewater influent stream are digested by activated sludge biomass, the wastewater influent stream is then separated from the activated sludge biomass to recover activated sludge biomass and to provide a wastewater effluent stream; and at least a portion of the activated sludge biomass is digested under substantially anaerobic conditions so as to recover a combustible gas stream.

The traditional wastewater treatment systems and methods thereof are directed towards achieving common set of goals, which include:
• degradation or neutralization of chemical and biological matter,
• reduction of sludge/by-product,
• reduction of gaseous odors from methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, and
• reduction in capital investment and operational cost.

The afore-mentioned goals are highly interrelated and the achievement of one goal often means the sacrifice of one or more other goals. Further, the traditional wastewater treatment approach has major operational drawbacks which affect its performance and results in inconsistent treatment efficiency. Some of the drawbacks of the traditional systems are listed here below -
• High energy consumption: The conventional technologies are commonly batch processes which exhibit inherent inefficiencies such as pumping work losses, poor primary treatment, and inefficient aeration or mixing resulting in inconsistent treatment efficiency and higher process time.
• Manpower: The known wastewater treatment systems are manually operated and require continuous monitoring and control. Monitoring and control of such systems can be demanding during inflow variations and seasonal changes. Further, operator management can account for up to 30% of the total operational costs.
• Sludge production: Sludge is the residue generated during physical, chemical and biological treatment of waste water. A major environmental challenge for wastewater treatment is the disposal of excess sludge produced during the treatment process.
• Footprint: Other major problem faced by conventional wastewater treatment systems is the large footprint they demand. They are costly to construct, and the settling tanks and aeration basins occupy substantial areas. Due to this the treatment facilities may have to be situated away from the cities, thereby increasing operation costs due to transportation. Also, with the space constraint in all major cities, space availability is a major concern.
• Failing downstream equipment: Varying influent load and nature of pollutants in the influent adversely affect the treatment process resulting in inconsistent treatment and constant equipment failure.
• Failure to meet norms: Incomplete treatment, varying effluent water quality, organic overloading, physical short-circuiting, high chemical dosing, overdependence on chemicals in primary treatment results in poor water quality and inability to meet norms.

Further, the large amount of wastewater generated from the different sources has made it impossible to bridge the gap between wastewater generation and its efficient treatment using the traditional systems. There is, thus, a surprising lack of wastewater treatment technology that provides highly effective treatment for a wide range of wastewater constituents. Moreover, few devices are suitable for use in environments which require ease of use, transportability and a small work volume for the system.

Further, in current implementations, the capacity of a wastewater treatment system is not scalable and its components are custom-made for its source. As a result, a wastewater treatment system has to be designed to not only accommodate current demand, but any foreseeable increased demand. This increases the cost required to design, construct and maintain the wastewater treatment system.

Efficient management and control of the wastewater treatment system requires a quick and accurate assessment of the operational status of the system, requiring significant operator effort, which significantly increases operating and maintenance costs. Furthermore, management of a wastewater treatment system has proven to be a difficult task in view of the unpredictable volume of materials and contaminants that enter into treatment systems. Variations in the quantity of wastewater being treated, such as daily, weekly or seasonal changes, can necessitate changes to a plurality of factors in the treatment process—improper alteration of which can adversely affect the function of the wastewater treatment. Improperly treated wastewater discharged from a wastewater treatment system is a serious health hazard.

There is therefore felt need for a wastewater treatment method and system that overcomes one or more of the afore-noted drawbacks in traditional wastewater treatment methods and that can be dynamically adjusted based on real-time system demands and real-time operational status of system components.

OBJECTS
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system thereof for wastewater treatment which aims to meet the increasing water demands and overcome water scarcity by reclaiming the water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system thereof for wastewater treatment which will reduce energy consumption by 35 – 40%, reduce the maintenance frequency by 30 – 35%, increase the operational efficiency by 25 – 30%, and reduce sludge production by 30 – 40%.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and system thereof for wastewater treatment which reduces the system footprint by 35 – 45%, operating costs by 30 – 35% and capital investment by 25 – 30%.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and system thereof for wastewater treatment which gives consistent performance with no human interference, limited downtown and easy maintenance.

Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and system thereof for wastewater treatment which is conveniently scalable.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY
Accordingly, the present invention discloses a method for treating wastewater, said method comprising the steps of:
treating an influent wastewater stream by an ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process in at least one electrocoagulation reactor to produce a floc-containing wastewater stream, wherein the method includes reducing the process time by 30 – 35% by selectively controlling said ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process through real-time monitoring of the influent wastewater characteristics and consequent adjustment of at least one process parameter selected from influent flow rate, ozone flow rate, electrical loading of electrodes, process time and reaction contact time;
filtering said floc-containing wastewater stream through a filtration unit comprising at least one filter selected from a cross-flow filter and a media filter, to obtain a filtered wastewater stream and sludge; and
disinfecting and defouling said filtered wastewater stream by an ozone-assisted UV process in a UV treatment chamber to obtain treated water.

The method may further comprise the step of pre-filtering the influent wastewater stream in a multi-phase prefilter to remove suspended solids therefrom.

The method according to the invention includes real-time monitoring of the influent wastewater characteristics selected from inline inflow rate, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, BOD, COD, TDS, TSS, viscosity, alkalinity, total nitrogen, VOC, and/or electrical impedance.

Preferably, the method comprises passing ozone gas at a flow rate in the range of about 30 - 40 grams per 3.5 - 4 m3 of influent wastewater into said at least one electrocoagulation reactor during the electrocoagulation process.

According to the present invention, the method may comprise the step of receiving the floc-containing wastewater stream from said at least one electrocoagulation reactor in a flow flocculation unit to aid formation of large, stable, easy-to-filter flocs. Additionally, the method may comprise the step of receiving the floc-containing wastewater stream from the flow flocculation unit in a flow loading clarifier to aid separation of flocs and clarified wastewater by hydraulic loading.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of receiving the influent wastewater stream and ozone at the operative bottom of said at least one electrocoagulation reactor, wherein turbulence-aided mixing is achieved by means of a natural vortex flow pattern generated in said electrocoagulation reactor by plurality of electrode sets rotatably arranged at varying angles about a central axis such that at least two electrode sets are arranged at multilevel. The polarity of said plurality of electrode sets may be automatically switched by monitoring input current in different electrodes.

According to the present invention, said electrocoagulation reactors are arranged in a sequence selected from series, parallel and series-parallel. In a series arrangement, the method comprises the step of passing the influent wastewater stream continuously from a first electrocoagulation reactor to a second electrocoagulation reactor, and so on, while receiving ionic dosing in each reactor. In a parallel arrangement, the method comprises the step of passing the influent wastewater stream simultaneously to each of the electrocoagulation reactors with ionic dosing in each reactor.

The method according to the present invention further comprises the step of aiding flocculation by providing a laminar flow path with natural vortex formations.

The method may comprise the step of backwashing the pre-filter, the cross-flow filter and the media filter. The method may comprise the additional step of dosing the sludge into the influent wastewater before treatment by ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process to catalyze floc formation.

According to the method at least a portion of said electrocoagulation reactor volume is left empty at the operative top to allow accumulation of gases.

The present invention further discloses a method comprising the steps of:
analyzing the influent wastewater characteristics in at least one location along the flow path prior to treatment by electrocoagulation process;
monitoring current intensity across electrodes of said at least one electrocoagulation reactors to predict the treated water quality; and
regulating dynamically said method for treating wastewater so as to improve process efficiency by 25 – 30% and reduce energy consumption by 40 – 45%.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 illustrates a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the dynamic wastewater treatment system in accordance to the present invention;

FIGURES 2A & 2B illustrate a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the electrocoagulation reactors arranged in parallel and series, respectively;

FIGURES 3 & 4 illustrate a schematic of a preferred embodiment of arrangement of the electrode sets in accordance to the present invention;

FIGURE 5 illustrates a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the cross-flow filter in accordance to the present invention; and

FIGURES 6A & 6B illustrate a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the flow loading clarifier in accordance to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting examples in the following description. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of the ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The present invention discloses a method for treating wastewater. The method comprises the steps of treating an influent wastewater stream by an ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process in at least one electrocoagulation reactor. The method includes reducing the process time by 30 – 35% by selectively controlling said ozone-assisted electrocoagulation process through real-time monitoring of the influent wastewater characteristics such as inline inflow rate, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, BOD, COD, TDS, TSS, viscosity, alkalinity, total nitrogen, VOC, and/or electrical impedance. Depending on the influent wastewater characteristics at least one process parameter selected from influent flow rate, ozone flow rate, electrical loading of electrodes, process time and reaction contact time can be adjusted in real-time. The electrocoagulation process produces a floc-containing wastewater stream which is further flocculated, clarified and then filtered through a filtration unit comprising at least one filter selected from a cross-flow filter and a media filter to obtain a filtered wastewater stream and sludge. The filtered wastewater stream is then disinfected and defouled by an ozone-assisted UV process in a UV treatment chamber to obtain treated water.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a schematic of the system according to the present invention. The system is a compact, automated and dynamic system for the treatment of water and wastewater. The system can be used to treat domestic sewage, industrial effluents, brackish water, gray water, saline water and wastewater from other sources. The system provides treated water which complies with regulatory requirements and can be reused. The system has a modular construction which is conveniently scalable depending on inflow rate and influent characteristics. The system of present invention has about 35 – 45% lesser footprint as compared to the traditional wastewater treatment systems, and significantly reduces capital investment, operational costs, energy consumption and system down-time.

FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings discloses a preferred embodiment of the dynamic wastewater treatment system in accordance to the present invention, said system being generally referenced in the FIG. 1 by numeral 100. The system 100 comprises a primary treatment unit for coagulating and flocculating contaminants in an influent wastewater stream. The primary treatment unit includes a pre-filtration unit 102, an electrocoagulation unit 104, a flow flocculation unit 112 and a flow loading clarifier 113. The system comprises a secondary treatment unit including a cross-flow filter 114 and a media filter 116. The system further comprises a tertiary treatment unit including a UV treatment chamber 118.

The influent wastewater is received through the influent wastewater inlet “A”. The flow path of the influent wastewater stream is denoted by “X” in the FIG. 1. The influent wastewater stream is received at the pre-filtration unit 102 through a first multiport valve 124a. The pre-filtration unit 102 removes suspended solids from the influent wastewater stream. The pre-filtration includes a multi-phase separation stage to remove large suspended contaminants from the influent wastewater stream by means of an advanced flow filter. The flow filter can be a graded flow filter having concentrically arranged plurality of graded mesh filters having varying sizes in the range of about 10 – 400 microns arranged in a single cartridge.

The pre-filtered influent wastewater stream is then received in the electrocoagulation unit. The influent wastewater characteristics including inline inflow rate, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, BOD, COD, TDS, TSS, viscosity, alkalinity, total nitrogen, VOC and electrical impedance are monitored in real-time for dynamic treatment adjustments by varying electrical load on the electrocoagulation unit. Further, the system 100 can dynamically control at least one process parameter selected from influent flow rates, reaction speed, ionic contact time, floc formation, current density, electrode life, settling time, residence time of ozone, and treated water quality parameters including TSS, COD, BOD and electrical conductivity. This allows monitoring of the resource consumption and prediction of the maintenance cycles of the system 100. Also, the dynamic system 100 gives minimal deviations in output water quality.

The electrocoagulation unit includes multiple electrocoagulation reactors 104 arranged in series, parallel or series-parallel configuration subject to required ionic dosing in the influent waste water. The required ionic dosing is determined by inflow rate and wastewater characteristics. The electrocoagulation reactors 104 receive the influent wastewater stream to be treated at the operative bottom.

FIGS. 2A & 2B illustrate the parallel and series arrangement of the electrocoagulation reactors, respectively. In the parallel arrangement 200A, each of the reactors simultaneously receives the influent wastewater stream with the ionic dosing for a decided ionic contact time and process time. In the series arrangement 200B, the influent wastewater stream flows continuously from a first reactor to a second reactor, and so on, while receiving ionic dosing in each reactor for a decided ionic contact time and process time. In a series-parallel arrangement (not shown in fig.), at least two of the electrocoagulation reactors can be arranged in series to receive the flow of the influent wastewater stream from a first reactor to a second reactor, and at least two of the electrocoagulation reactors can be arranged in parallel to simultaneously receives the influent wastewater stream. The series-parallel arrangement may be suitable when the electrocoagulation reactors are of different sizes, contain electrodes of different materials or the system has been scaled up or down. The reactor design and sizing help increase the current density per unit volume. This allows precise control over reaction speed, ionic contact time and floc formation.

The electrocoagulation reactors comprise a reactor body having an influent inlet, an overflow exit and a plurality of electrode sets. In the parallel arrangement 200A, the configuration of the reactor bodies 202A, the inlets 204A, the exits 206A and plurality of electrode sets 208A is shown. The influent inlets 204A are provided at the operative bottom of the reactor bodies 202A, and the overflow exits 206A are provided proximal to the operative top of the reactor bodies 202A.

The influent flow rates are automatically adjusted based on required reaction time. The plurality of electrode sets are arranged at least slightly more towards the operative bottom of the reactor body for providing a larger cross-sectional area at the operative top. This arrangement prevents breakage of flocs formed in the outgoing wastewater stream. The outgoing wastewater stream from the electrocoagulation unit is discharged from the reactors post-dosing through the overflow exit. This overflow mechanism is unique and prevents excessive turbulence which can break flocs, thereby reducing downstream filtration complexity. This arrangement also reduces the head on the pumps.

The overflow exit is located in a manner to allow a reactor volume of about 10 - 15% above the exit for accumulation of gases during the electrocoagulation process. A pressure release valve (not shown in fig.) at the top of the reactor allows periodic release of the accumulated gases. This unique arrangement prevents excess pressure build-up or drop within the continuous flow system. It also provides the added advantage of unique harnessing points for gases like hydrogen, oxygen from the process.

The system 100 can run directly on DC or AC power supply 106. In case of AC power, the supply is rectified to operate at an optimal voltage. The system 100 is adapted to automatically switch polarity of the electrode sets by monitoring input current in the different electrodes to optimize electrode life. The polarity switching is done by a smart software and control platform which monitors the inflow current through each electrode cell.

The system 100 is adapted to provide variable electrical loading through the plurality of electrode sets. The plurality of electrode sets 208A include multiple plates rotatably arranged along the vertical central axis at varying angles. As seen in the FIGS. 3 & 4, at least two sets of multiple plates are provided which sets are arranged at a multilevel. These sets of multiple plates are adapted to generate turbulence aided mixing by creating a natural vortex flow pattern. The electrode sets can be made of a material selected from iron, steel, aluminum, copper and carbon. Each of the electrode sets are conveniently removable and replaceable. The dynamic electrical loading and variations help to control the treatment quality, and also monitor the water quality and resource utilization by analyzing subtle electrical load variations.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the arrangement of the electrode sets 308. The two sets of multiple plates 310 are arranged about the vertical central axis. The level (indicated by numeral 312) of the multiple plates 310 in each set is same. The two sets are arranged at multilevel. FIG. 4 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the arrangement of the electrode sets 408. The two sets of multiple plates 410 are arranged about the vertical central axis. The multiple plates 410 in each set are offset as indicated by numeral 412. The two sets are arranged at multilevel.

This arrangement assists in better ionic infusion and higher ionic density per unit volume. The ionic infusion and ionic density per unit volume is increased by more than about 10%. The arrangement also gives greater turbulence aided mixing by controlling natural flow patterns (adding swirls) in the influent waste water. This helps in reducing the energy consumption by at least about 30%, as compared to conventional electrocoagulation units. This further improves process efficacy per unit volume by aiding faster flocculation and thereby quicker and efficient separation of contaminants as flocs. The arrangement 408 is specifically suited for wastewater with higher TDS, TSS and viscosity. It arrangement allows for better ionic infusion and mixing through natural vortex formations and turbulence. The specific electrode arrangement significantly improves its manufacturability, assembly and replacement during maintenance.

The physiochemical ionic reactions of the electrocoagulation process are assisted by ozone infusion. Ozone treatment is not a separate step. Instead, ozone is used to aid the ionic reactions like a catalyst. Ozone works in tandem with the electrocoagulation, thereby amplifying results of the ionic reactions by about 20-25% and reducing the electrocoagulation process time by about 30 – 35%. A first ozone generation unit 108a passes precisely controlled volume of ozone gas into the electrocoagulation reactors 104 during the electrocoagulation process at a flow rate in the range of about 30 - 40 grams per 3.5 - 4 m3 of influent waste water. The ozone gas is injected into the electrocoagulation reactors 104 at a location proximal to the operative bottom of the reactor body. The flow rate of the ozone gas can be selectively controlled depending upon the required dosing in the influent waste water. The first ozone generation unit 108a is operatively connected to a first air compressor 110a to receive the air.

Ozone is utilized in a novel method to mimic the benefits of dissolved air floatation without use of additional bulky and costly equipment. Ozone and hydrogen gas (at cathodes) are controlled in the present process such that they aid in naturally lifting flocs and helping them bond. This provides all the benefits of DAF (dissolved air floatation) to move the sludge upwards and helps in quicker separation of contaminants from the influent wastewater stream. Ozone also removes a wide variety of inorganic, organic and microbiological contaminants from the wastewater, and controls foul smell and odor.

The outgoing floc-containing wastewater stream from the electrocoagulation unit is received at a flow flocculation unit 112. The flow flocculation unit 112 aids in the formation of structures (flocs) which encapsulate the contaminants, without the use of any external chemicals. These flocs are stable and can be easily separated from the water. The system 100 is designed to aid flocculation throughout the flow path. The flocculation starts in the electrocoagulation reactors 104 and continues up to the flow flocculation unit 112. The flow flocculation unit 112 is designed to aid mixing and formation of large flocs. The flow is kept fairly laminar with vortex formations at specific points to amplify mixing. The unique approach reduces flocculation time and results in reduced size of the flow flocculation unit 112. Natural flow paths are designed to aid flocculation and mixing with turbulence without the need for added chemicals, process steps and additional equipment. The inflow flocculation unit 112 reduces settling and mixing time of influent after electrocoagulation treatment by about 30-35%.

The floc-containing wastewater stream generated in the flow flocculation unit 112 is then received in a flow loading clarifier 113. FIGS. 6A & 6B illustrate the flow loading clarifier 113. The flow loading clarifier 113 is positioned immediately after the flocculation unit 112 in the process flow. The flow loading clarifier 113 aids in 2-phase separation of flocs and clarified wastewater along the natural flow stream through hydraulic loading. The flow loading clarifier 113 includes a clarifier body 602 comprising a plurality of inclined baffles 604 positioned at an angle of about 55° to 60° sandwiched between a pair of vertical baffles 606 for providing optimum flow path resistance to the flocs. The unique arrangement of vertical baffles 606 and the inclined baffles 604 together ensures a fluid flow resembling a sinusoidal wave. This leads to rise and fall of potential energy of the fluid stream along the path aiding in settling down of the flocs by distributed hydraulic loading along the flow path, thereby, accelerating the inflow floc separation by almost about 25%.

The clarified wastewater is then passed through the secondary treatment unit comprising the filtration unit including the cross-flow filter 114 and the media filter 116. The filtration unit filters the clarified wastewater to give filtered wastewater stream and sludge.

FIG. 5 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the cross-flow filter. The cross-flow filter is a graded flow filter 502 comprising concentrically arranged plurality of graded mesh filters (as shown in FIG. 5) having varying sizes in the range of about 10 – 400 microns arranged in a single cartridge. The unique concentric arrangement of the graded mesh filters is used to distribute filtration work load in a single cartridge. This prevents clogging and prevents drastic pressure drops across the filter mesh. Larger particles are captured outside the meshes as water moves inwards across the graded mesh filters. This also allows a simple backwash and removal of sludge across the filter mesh. The clarified wastewater is received tangentially through a multiport valve 124b which leads to natural vortexes and eddies in the flow path. This forces heavier particles to move downward or outward which can be removed through backwash. The cross-flow filter mimics the effect of a cyclone separator and reduces clogging along the filter mesh walls. The filtration mechanism eliminates the need for numerous stages of filtration. A single filter cartridge is able to remove fine, intermediate and large particles of varying micron sizes without clogging. Built in self-cleaning mechanism further boosts performance. This novel design reduces filter size by about 30 - 35% and reduces backwash cleaning requirements by about 30 - 35% due to distributed work load.

The filtered water from the cross-flow filter 114 is then received in a media filter 116 through a multiport valve 124c. The media filter 116 comprises one or more activated media selected from sand, zeolite, anthracite, fine/coarse glass, and combinations thereof. The media filter 116 further filters the water to provide a further filtered water stream.

The filtered water stream is then disinfected and defouled in the tertiary treatment unit to obtain the treated water. The tertiary treatment unit comprises a UV treatment chamber 118. The UV treatment uses electromagnetic radiation to decontaminate the water by eliminating/inactivating parasites, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. The UV treatment is assisted with ozonation. Ozone is infused into the system at multiple points during the process flow to assist the treatment.

A second ozone generation unit 108b is provided to pass ozone gas into the UV treatment chamber 118 during the disinfection process. The second ozone generation unit 108b is operatively connected to a second air compressor 110b to receive the air. Tangential infusion of ozone in the flow path during or before UV treatment gives about 30 - 35% better defouling and disinfection. The ozone-assisted ultraviolet treatment increases ozone residence time in the system to significantly increase the BOD reduction by more than about 20 - 25% for the same process time. Lack of dependence on a separate treatment step of ozonation makes the system 100 compact and scalable.

The treated water is collected in a buffer tank 120. The treated water from the buffer tank 120 is pumped by means of a reverse cleaning pump 122 to backwash the pre-filtration unit 102, the cross-flow filter 114 and the media filter 116 through multiport valves 124a, 124b and 124c, respectively. The treated water is discharged from the buffer tank 120 through the treated water outlet “C” via flow path “Z”. The sludge is removed from the pre-filtration unit 102, the cross-flow filter 114, the media filter 116 and the flow loading clarifier 113 through multiport valves 124a, 124b, 124c & 124d via the sludge removal outlet “B” via flow path “Y”.

At least a portion of the flocs removed in the form of sludge are reused in the process to achieve sludge activated flocculation. The sludge dosing is done in the influent wastewater collection tank, before pre-filtration. The sludge dosing initiates flocculation process even before the wastewater enters the electrocoagulation unit. This process step assists in breaking down tough contaminants, and also increases the overall efficacy of the process. Sludge activated flocculation helps the entire process run at a lower current density by taking some work load off the electrocoagulation reactors, thereby resulting in lower operating expenses and reduced sludge generation (as the sludge is reused). The problem of sludge disposal is significantly minimized.

The process is automated by a dynamic methodology that monitors water quality and resource consumption by monitoring current density at different points in the electrocoagulation reaction chambers. By monitoring current intensity across electrodes, outlet water quality can be predicted, and the treatment process can be dynamically regulated. This novel approach yields extremely efficient treatment at the lowest cost possible. This also eliminates the requirement of multiple sensors for monitoring various parameters. Use of few basic sensors coupled with current intensity data and pH of water yields all possible data points required to dynamically decide treatment type and to predict resource consumption and subsequent maintenance cycles.

Automation features include - variable electrical loading for wastewater treatment, automatic quality monitoring, data analytics with pollutant mapping, water load monitoring and system stress real-time monitoring, automatic maintenance cycle predictions and replacement of parts, optimal electricity consumption by adjusting to peak hour loading and power costs, automatic backwash and cleaning to reduce downtime, automatic ionic reaction control to manage water quality for different purposes, and remote troubleshooting, monitoring and system reset.

The dynamic methodology according to the present invention is explained herewith with the help of following empirical equations which are meant to exemplify the invention and in no way should be construed to limit its scope and ambit.
? TSS = f (T)
where, TSS = Total Suspended Solids;
T = Turbidity in FNU or NTU; and f(T) is a linear function.

? F(COD) = f(F(T), ?? )
where, COD = Chemical oxygen demand;
T = Turbidity in FNU or NTU;
?? = Electrical conductivity in ????/????;
F() is a logarithmic function to the base 10 and f() is a quadratic function with the best fit r2 value.

? BOD = f(b, COD)
where, BOD = Biological oxygen demand;
COD = Chemical oxygen demand;
‘b’ is a linear coefficient and b = [0,1] and the value of ‘b’ depends on the type of source water obtained by cross-referencing values from our empirical data sheets.

? E.L = f(DVLi, M, m, z, I, F)
where, E.L = Electrode life in seconds;
DVLi = Dynamic Variable Loading index;
M = Mass of electrode in grams;
m = Molar mass of electrode material in gram/mol;
z = Valency of the electrode material;
I = Current in Amperes;
F = Faradays constant = 96485 C/mol;
COD = Chemical oxygen demand.
Here, f() is a linear equation. Type of electrode material is extremely dependent on the DVL index.

Dynamic Variable Loading (DVL) index:

where, ?? = Electrical conductivity in ????/????;
?? ¯ = Arithmetic mean of electrical conductivity in ????/????
The DVL index is used to express and understand the relative quality of water. Water quality is generally expressed over a range of variables like TDS, TSS, COD, BOD, pH, TKN, MPN, etc. It is tedious and time consuming to analyze all these factors separately and compare them to establish the usability of a water source. In the present approach, electrical conductivity is used as a benchmark parameter to establish quality of treated or untreated water. Every fluid has its own unique conductivity and impedance. This holds true for different types of wastewater or treated water as well. Extensive and conclusive test results have helped build data sheets which can be easily referenced to understand water quality through the DVL index. This will help normalize standards associated with water quality monitoring. This factor has been extensively used in the system of present invention for water quality monitoring and system performance analysis by establishing relationships with a host of other variables.

Technical advancements of the present invention:
Complete smart automation aided by machine learning eliminates the need for human interference and reduces breakdown probability. This results in optimal performance and better economic returns.
? Cycle time is reduced by about 25 - 30%, thereby providing a faster throughput;
? Operating expenses are reduced by about 30 - 40%;
? Capital investment is reduced by is more than 30%;
? Process efficiency improvement over standard electrocoagulation systems by about 25-30%;
? Overall system efficiency increased by about 40-50% compared to conventional wastewater treatment systems;
? System size reduction by about 50-55%;
? 30-40% lesser downtime and clogging of filters;
? At least 35% lesser sludge generation for disposal;
? 40-45% lower energy consumption;
? Adaptable to the widest spectrum of contaminants (addresses an extremely wide range of contaminants which include suspended solids, dissolved heavy metals, emulsified oils, oxygen demanding substances [COD & BOD), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous), viral and bacterial pathogens and petroleum]; and
? Less than 5% water wastage in the entire process

Embodiments of the present invention are applicable over a wide number of uses and other embodiments may be developed beyond the embodiments discussed heretofore. Only the most preferred embodiments and their uses have been described herein for purpose of example, illustrating the advantages over the prior art obtained through the present invention; the invention is not limited to these specific embodiments or their specified uses. Thus, the forms of the invention described herein are to be taken as illustrative only and other embodiments may be selected without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that additional changes and modifications, within the scope of the invention, will be apparent to one skilled in the art and that various modifications to the composition described herein may fall within the scope of the invention.