Design of an activated sludge plant with recycle

Definitions

Q: flow C: concentration X: particulates S: soluble M: mass Sludge recycle rate: R = Q4/Q1

Fractionation of COD

Fractionation of nitrogen

Treatment efficiency
E = (C1-C3)/C1 or better: E = (M1-M3)/M1

Volumetric loading
BV = Q1*C1/V2 or better BV = M1/V2

Sludge concentration
Measured as SS (same as TSS), VSS, TS, VS

Sludge Mass
MX = V*X

Sludge loading
BX = Q1*C1/(V2*X2) or better BX = M1/(V2*X2)

Sludge production
FSP = Q3*X3 + Q5*X5 or better FSP = M3 + M5

Excess (surplus) sludge production

FOSP = Q5*X5 or better FOSP = M5

Observed yield
FSP = Yobs (C1-C3)*Q1
or better FSP = Yobs (M1-M3)

Sludge age / sludge retention time

X = MX/FSP

Typical sludge retention times

Aerobic sludge age

X, aerobic = MX, aerobic/FSP

MX, aerobic = Vaerobic*X

C/N ratio and C/P ratio

For both denitrification and biological phosphorous removal enough organic matter is needed. The ratios are used as an estimation of if enough organic matter is present.

Sludge Volume Index, SVI

Take 1000 ml MLSS from an activated sludge tank and let it settle in a cylindrical glass for 30 minutes. SVI = (ml sluge after settling) / (g SS/l before settling)

Diluted Sludge Volume Index, DSVI

Take 1000 ml MLSS from an activated sludge tank, dillute it e.g. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and let it settle in a cylindrical glass for 30 minutes. DSVI = (ml sludge after settling) / (g SS/l before settling but after dilution)

SVI determines the MLSS concentration in the tanks when the tank size is given

Treatment plants can be designed by:

Volumetric loading: BV = M1/V2 Sludge loading: BX = M1/(V2*X2) Sludge age (nitrification) and denitrification rate (organic matter quality) Computer aided design
Should only be used for plant optimization not for basic design. Here rule of thumbs are safer!

Design of activated sludge treatment plants for nitrogen removal and phosphorous removal
A manual

Key data for design

Chose the lowest temperature at which nitrogen removal must take place. Find the flow and the loadings of, COD, BOD, N, and P that the plant must be design to treat. Find the expected discharges of SS, COD, BOD, N, and P. Note that this is not the same as the outlet standards. Estimate the degradability of the wastewater. Is it easily or not so easily degradable?

Design of nitrification and denitrification

1 4 5 2 3

Estimate the necessary aerobic sludge age (

X,aerobic)

 Estimate the observed yield (Yobs) without chemical sludge production in either the unit of kgSS/kgBOD or kgCOD/kgCOD. In general it is better to use the later unit as the yield chosen hence is independent on chemical additions to the plant.

The same graph from another book

 Estimate the chemical sludge production CP,chem.

The chemical sludge production can be calculated based on the assumption that MePO4 and Me(OH)3 are the end products of the process. I.e. First all PO4 is precipitated by Me and then the rest of the metal goes into the side reaction producing metal hydroxide. This is not entirely true, but good enough for estimating the chemical sludge mass produced. The molar ratio needed to obtain good P-removal depends on whether chemical P-removal is the only process applied or if there is also biological P-removal. In the first case, the needed molar ratio is 1.2-1.6 (mole Me) / (mole Pinlet). In the second case, the needed molar ratio is 0.2-0.4 (mole Me) / (mole Pinlet). These values are based on experiences in full-scale treatment plants.

 Estimate the outlet concentrations from the treatment plant (C3). Typical values are BOD: 2-3 g m-3; SS: 5-15 g m-3; N: 4-6 g m-3; P: 0.3-1.0 g m-3.

 Determine the sludge production (FSP) and the excess sludge production (FESP):
FSP = Yobs (MBOD1 MBOD3) when the unit of Yobs is kgSS/kgBOD If the unit of Yobs is kgCOD/kgCOD then FSP = Yobs (MCOD1 - MCOD3). But now the unit of FSP becomes kgCOD/d and one must convert from kgCOD/d to kgSS/d. This is done by multiplying with a conversion factor between COD and VSS in the sludge, typically 1,4-1,5 kgCOD/kgVSS and then multiplying with the ratio of VSS to SS in the sludge. The later is around 0,8 kgVSS/kgSS when no chemicals are added to the plant. The exact value can be found from the analysis of the actual excess sludge of the plant in question. NOTE that the ratio of kgVSS/kgSS decreases when chemicals are added for P-precipitation! For systems without biological P-removal the ratio is roughly 0.6-0.7 gVSS/gSS. If there is chemical sludge production: FSP = Yobs (MCOD1 - MCOD3) + MP,chem FESP = M5 = FSP X3

 Determine the necessary aerobic sludge mass.

MX,aerobic =
X,aerobic

FSP

 Find the nitrogen that is to be denitrified (MN,denit). Estimate the nitrogen concentration in the excess sludge. This is done either based on the actual analysis of the sludge or, if these values are not available, on a theoretic estimate of the N-content of sludge.

 Estimate the denitrification rate (rX,S(NO3)) based on the biodegradability of the wastewater.

Determine anoxic sludge mass. MX,anoxic = MN,denit / rX,S(NO3)

 Estimate the suspended solids (SS) concentration in the process tanks (X2). Typical values are 4-6 kg SS/m3.

 For plants with recycle determine the aerobic and anoxic reactor volume. For alternating plants determine the total reactor volume and the fractions of time where the plant must operate in each phase. tanoxic = MX,anoxic / (MX,anoxic + MX,aerobic) taerobic = MX,aerobic / (MX,anoxic + MX,aerobic)

 Check that ratio between CBOD and CN,denit at the inlet to the denitrification reactor is > 4 kgBOD/kgN

Design of biological phosphorous removal

Estimate the volume of the anaerobic tank (1 3 hours retention time) Check that the ratio between soluble COD and soluble P is > 10 gCODsol/gPsol. If nitrate is present at the inlet to the anaerobic tank then this ratio must be increased.