Living Machines

Background, Technical and Non

Technical Considerations, Case Studies
and Design for Outdoor Lab Facility

Emily Amaya Evans

Scott Leach
Jay Shah
Brianna Shanklin
 Introduction
™Living Machine: Patented system that uses a biological
sequence of nitrifying, denitrifying and aerobic bacteria to transform
organic wastes, ammonia, and pathogens into desired nutrients
supporting plant life downstream

™Natural Wetlands and Conventional Wastewater

Treatment
™Case Studies
™Technical and Non Technical Aspects of Living
Machines
™Design
 Natural Wetlands and Water
Purification
™Natural wetlands have provided a
mechanism for natural water purification
for centuries.

™This process capitalizes on

the symbiotic interaction of
several different natural
components.
 Conventional Wastewater
Treatment: Why?
™Though nature has an incredible ability to purify
polluted water its ability to effectively thrive
under such conditions has been taxed:
• Increasingly concentrated pollutants
• Increasing volume of wastewater
™Conventional wastewater treatment goal:
produce contaminant free effluent
• Primary Treatment
• Secondary Treatment
• Disinfection
• Tertiary Treatment
 Use of Natural Systems for Water
Treatment
™ Recognizing the simplicity and effectiveness of nature's processes,
the blending of technology with natural systems may indeed create
more efficient wastewater management.

• Ultimately, the communities of microbes that transform waste in the

wastewater systems are the same as those used in nature
• Designed ecosystems can remove a wide range of potential pollutants
with processes similar or identical to mechanically sophisticated
systems, but using simpler components

™ Mimicking natural environments to treat wastewater is especially

important where conventional treatment is not possible

• In many parts of the world, water is scarce and often polluted

• Population density and the location and size of reservoirs create water
distribution problems
• Inadequate wastewater facilities pour excess untreated sewage into
rivers, lakes and oceans
 Case Study
Adam Joseph Lewis Center for
Environmental Studies

“Is it possible to design buildings so well and

so carefully that they do not cast a long
ecological shadow over the future that our
students will inherit?”
--David Orr, Oberlin professor
 Case Study
Adam Joseph Lewis Center for
Environmental Studies
™The building was designed to:
• Be powered by sunlight
• To mitigate the concept of waste
• To preserve biological diversity
• To restore damaged ecosystem

™Living Machine
•capable of treating 2,470
gallons/day
 Case Study
Environmental Center Living Machine
 Non-Technical Aspects of a LM
Biomimicry and Systems Thinking
™Process mimics nature
• Recycles and reuses waste: Waste Food
• Integrates natural methods with human devices
• Decreases output of harmful and wasteful
material to the environment (little true “waste)

Wastewater

Nutrient-enriched Purified non-potable

LM water
 Non-Technical Aspects of a LM

Advantages Disadvantages
™Chemical-, odor-, and ™Can attract
noise-free insects/rodents
™Small ecological ™Need to tailor to site
footprint* location
™Aesthetically pleasing • Flow rate
™Relatively low costs* • Climate
• Flora and fauna
™Little maintenance*
™Micro-finance options
for developing
communties
*Compared to traditional wastewater treatment, including operation and maintenance
Non-Technical Aspects of a LM

Supplemental Uses

™Researchers currently studying

remediation of various contaminants of
concern (COC)
• MTBE (fuel additive)
 Technical Considerations and Design
Procedure
™ LM capitalizes on natural abilities of organisms to break down
macromolecules and metabolize organic nutrients typical of
wastewater
Design Principles
‰ Mineral Diversity – Ex: rainforest
‰ Nutrient Reservoirs – Nutrients in available form. Ex: nitrifying
bacteria require appropriate inorganic carbon source to degrade
nitrogenous waste.
‰ Steep Gradients – varying redox potentials, pH, oxygen regimes,
temperature, and humic and ligand states
‰ Incorporation of Earth Processes/ Whole Systems Thinking
‰ Maximize Surface Area of Living Material in Contact with Waste
Stream - floating aquatic plants, upwelling through aeration
 Design Principles Continued
‰ Animal and Plant Diversity –
¾ Four Types of Plants -
Floating
Oxygenating-restrict algal growth, add DO, consume
CO2
Marginal or “Emergents” – need pruning
Deep Water- found in last and most deep aerobic
tank
¾ No more than 70% plant coverage
 Surface Area Requirements for
Different Types of Aquatic Plants
Surface Area (square feet) to be covered by plants

Total Surface Area 15 25 40 60 90 120 150

Oxygenators 5 8 13 12 15 24 30

Floating 2 4 6 8 10 12 18

Marginal 4 8 10 12 14 16 18

Deep Water 1 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Design Principles Continued
¾Types of Animals
¾ Snails – aid in sludge reduction, tank maintenance, and
ecological fluidized bed and marsh cleaning. Control
filamentous algae.
¾ Filter Feeders – include bivalves, algivorous fish,
zooplankton, protest, rotifers, sponges, clams. Remove
particles from 0.1 to 50 micrometers. Clams filter up to
40 L/day.
¾ Fish – Require little O2, feed on algae, control mosquitos
and pest larvae and fertilize plants.
‰ SUNLIGHT – may require greenhouse
Present Worth Comparison of LM’s and
Conventional Systems
Process 40000 GPD 80000 GPD 1 million GPD
Living Machine
with $1,077,777 $1,710,280 $10,457,542

Greenhouse
Living Machine
without 985,391 $1,570,246 $9,232,257

Greenhouse

Conventional System 1,207,036 $1,903,751 $8,579,978

Cost Difference Less Than Twenty
Percent
Cost Difference Greater Than Twenty
Percent
 Influent and Effluent Characteristics for
Domestic Wastewater
Contaminant Influent Conc., mg/L Effluent Conc., (mg/L)
Total Solids, TS 720

Total Dissolved Solids 500

Total Suspended Solids 210 5 to 20

Settleable Solids 10

BOD5 190 5 to 20
TOC 140 10 to 20
COD 430

Total Nitrogen 40 2 to 12
Organic N 15

Free Ammonia 25 0.1-1

Nitrites 0 0.001-0.01
Nitrates 0 1 to 10
Phosphorus 7 0.1-0.5
Volatile Organic Compounds 100-400
7 9
Total Coliforms 10 -10 /100mL
4 6 4 5
Fecal Coliforms 10 -10 /100mL 10 -10 /100mL
 Reed Bed
Holding/Overflow (for wasted sludge Water from
Clarifier
CU Living
Tank and option for Anoxic
(10 Gallons) methane re-capture) Tank
(12
Machine
Water dishcharged
Gallons) to surface water
and/or holding tank

Water Closed
Closed Water from
Open
In-Flow Aerobic
Clarifier
Anaerobic Aerobic
Tank
Tank Tank
(48
(30 Gallons)
Solids pumped
Gallons) Water dishcharged
Primary Anaerobic Reactor
back toScreen
closed
to surface water
and/or holding tank
Closed Aerobic
Screen anoxic
Opentank Tank
Aerobic Tank

Clarifier
Ecological Ecological (36
Fluid Bed #2 Fluid Bed #1 Gallons)

Water Out-Flow
(for gray water use)
 Flora and Fauna
™Biodegradation of waste depends on a variety of
microorganisms and plants
• Bacteria, protozoa, snails, macroinvertebrates

™Microorganisms can be taken from local sources

• Nearby, mucky pond
• Biofilms from pipes

™Period of “natural selection”

™Plants from another working LM will thrive more

quickly in a new LM
 Flora and Fauna

™Each biological process requires a specific type of

microorganism

Anaerobic process Æ Anaerobic bacteria

Anoxic process Æ Facultative bacteria
Aerobic process Æ Aerobic bacteria
Denitrifying/Nitrifying process Æ Denitrifying/Nitrifying bacteria
 Flora and Fauna

™Biofilters are required for anoxic zone (odor-

control) and closed aerobic tank (moisture
control)

™Open aerobic tank requires vegetation

™Clarifiers need duckweed (prevents algae)

™EFB needs growth medium to support

microbial growth