Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Flow Control
by
R. Dale Richwine, P.E.
Richwine Environmental, Inc.
RAS Q
Return Sludge
Whats in it?
Water and solids
Settled material
Bacteria and other microorganisms
Viable organisms
Secondary Clarifiers
Three functions:
Clarify secondary effluent
Thicken the solids
Remove floatable material
Return Sludge
Why do we return sludge?
Remove sludge from the clarifier
Seed the aeration tank
Al West Study
RAS concentration changed rapidly.
RAS concentration changed inversely to flow
changes.
RAS Conc. decreased as flow increased.
RAS Conc. increased as flow decreased.
Al West Study
The RAS Q increased from 15% to 127% with only
a small increase in MLSS concentration, 1,230
mg/L to 1,470 mg/L.
The RAS Q was reduced from 127% to 37%;
MLSS continued to rise to 2,400 mg/L.
Al West Study
Conclusion:
F/M, Sludge Age, MCRT, MLSS concentration are
not normally affected greatly by RAS Q
adjustments unless the system is badly out of
balance.
Optimize concentration
Optimize detention time
Mass Balance
Example:
Influent flow: 2.4 mgd
Current RAS Q: 1.4 mgd
Current RAS %: 58%
MLSS: 2,400 mg/L
RAS Conc.: 8,000 mg/L
10
RAS Q =
RAS Q =
RAS Q =
11
12
RSF Tune Up
SSC curve:
Optimum: reduce
RAS Q to lowest rate
Save money on
energy
Increase detention
time in aeration tank
RAS Q Tune Up
SSC curve:
Return sludge when
it is finished
concentrating.
Save volume pumped
Save volume in
digesters
13
RAS Q Balance
Balancing two opposing pressures:
Biological time sludge is in the clarifier: anoxic
Hydraulic detention time:
Aeration tank
Clarifier
RAS Q Control
As long as the MLSS stays constant (you are
wasting properly), proper adjustments in the RAS
Q will decrease the sludge blanket.
Better effluent
14
General Guidelines
There is a limit to how low you can reduce the
RAS Q and still keep the sludge moving.
Always keep the sludge moving
General Guidelines
If large changes in RAS Q rate are required, make
smaller adjustments over time.
1 2 hours apart
1 2 sludge cycles
15
General Guidelines
RAS Q has been reduced too low if the RAS Conc
remains constant while the clarifier sludge flow
and/or the wastewater flow rate changes
significantly.
General Guidelines
RAS Q has been reduced too low if the MLSS is
lowered substantially after the RAS Q has been
reduced.
16
17