University of Catania

Experimental plant

Real scale constructed wetland

Influent

Domestic wastewater

 

University of Catania in cooperation with the IKEA is studying and monitoring constructed wetland (CW) that acts as a tertiary treatment step for the wastewater coming from the IKEA store (Figure 1). The system consists of a horizontal flow CW (H1) and two vertical flow CWs in series (V1 and V2). This hybrid system was designed for a daily inflow of 30 m3 of secondary (sequencing batch reactor - SBR), and 15 m3 of primarily treated wastewater.

 

 

Experimental plant

Pilot scale constructed wetland

Influent

Parking runoff/domestic wastewater

 

The University of Catania is also studying a pilot scale CW (Figure 2) treating stormwater coming from the IKEA store parking lot, or, during the dry season, a part of the SBR effluent. The pilot plant consists of an accumulation pond whose effluent is conveyed to the two parallel treatment lines – horizontal flow CW (150x450x110 cm) and free water surface CW (100x350x110 cm).

 

 

Experimental plant

Laboratory scale constructed wetland

Influent

Artificial wastewater

 

Moreover, for the needs of the project Green4Water, a laboratory scale CW treating artificial wastewater was constructed. The plant consists of 8 filtering columns (100 cm high) filled with the different materials (lava stone, lava sand, organoclay, PET, biochar). The columns receive discontinuous feeding (6 cycles per day, one cycle every 4 hours) with artificial influent accumulated in a plastic tank. The first experimental phase is done with non-vegetated columns, while the second phase will be conducted outside when the columns will be planted.

  • Figure 1

    Figure 1 - The last part of the horizontal flow CW (H1)

  • Figure 2

    Figure 2 - Vertical flow CW V1

  • Figure 3

    Figure 3 - Experimental plant a few months after the vegetation was planted

  • Figure 4

    Figure 4 - Laboratory scale CW