A PRESENTATION ON ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS AND KINETICS OF ASP

Activated Sludge Process

Activated Sludge Process is the suspended-growth biological treatment process, based on providing intimate contact between the sewage and activated sludge. The Activated Sludge is the sludge obtained by settling sewage in presence of abundant O2 so as to enrich with aerobic micro-organisms.

Activated sludge in sewage in presence of oxygen results into: Oxidation of organic matter present. Coagulation and flocculation of suspended and colloidal matter Under the activated sludge Process basically three processes occurs:-

Oxidation The organisms oxidize a portion of organic Matter present in sewage into CO2,water and energy. Organic matter + O2+ Bacteria CO2+ H2O+ NH3 +Energy + other end products

Synthesis
In second phase the other microbes get converted into new bacterial cells using a part of energy released in oxidation

Organic Matter+O2+Bacteria+Energy New microbial cells

Endogenous Respiration
Finally the new microbial cells begin to consume their own cell tissue to obtain energy for cell maintenance.

New microbial cell tissue + 5O2 5CO2+NH3+2H2O+Energy

Description of Activated sludge processes:Conventional plug flow:- Settled water and recycled activated sludge enter the head end of the aeration tank and are mixed by diffused air or mechanical aeration. During the aeration period adsorption, flocculation and oxidation of organic matter occurs. Modified aeration:- It is similar to conven-tional plug flow except that shorter aeration time and higher F/M ratio are used.

Tapered aeration:- Varying aeration rates are applied over the tank length depending on the oxygen demand. Greater amounts of air are supplied to the head end of the aeration tank, and the amount diminish as the mixed liquor approaches the effluent end.

Compressed air Secondary Effluent clarifier

Reactor Primary effluent

SLUDGE RETURN

SLUDGE WASTE

Tapered aeration

Step feed aeration Generally three or more parallel channels are used. The settled waste water is introduced at several point in the aeration tank to equalize the F/M ratio, thus lowering peak oxygen demand.

Compressed air Secondary Effluent clarifier

Reactor

SLUDGE RETURN Primary effluent

SLUDGE WASTE

STEP FEED AREATION

Extended aeration :It operate in the endogenous respiration phase of the growth curve, which requires a low organic loading and long aeration time.

Primary effluent Reactor

Secondary Effluent clarifier

SLUDGE RETURN

SLUDGE WASTE

Extended Aeration

Raw water

screens

Grit chamber

Primary Settling tank

aeration

Secondary Settling tank

chlorination

Reareation Activated Sludge Pump

Activated Sludge return

Effluent to disposal Sludge Thickener Sludge Digestion

To Sludge Drying

Flow Diagram of ASP

Growth And Food Utilization

1)Assimilation:The microorganisms must first become assimilated to their surroundings and food provided also called Lag Phase. 2)Log Growth Phase:In this phase the growth is rapid. Here bacterial cells reproduce binary fission.

3)Stationary Phase:In this phase the production of new cells is roughly offset by death and endogenous respiration.

4)Endogenous Phase:In final phase, the cells are unable to obtain food from external sources and result into decrease in biomass concentrations.

Cell Growth
The new cell produced undergoes an auto oxidation which involves the breakdown of organics in cell itself to produce energy for the maintenance of remaining cell mass. Thus, there is continuously a fractional decrease in cell mass with time. dX/dt = X
dX/dt = the growth rate of biomass, mg/L t X = the concentration of biomass, mg/L = the growth rate constant,1/t

Factors effecting the rate of biomass production and food utilization:1) Temperature 2) pH 3) Toxicants

Kinetics of activated Sludge process

Assumptions: Complete mixing in aeration tank. Influent substrate concentration is constant. No microbial solids in raw water. All reactions occur in reactor. No microbial activity in clarifier. No Sludge accumulation. Steady state conditions prevails.

ACTIVATED SLUDGE KINETIC MODEL

Q(1+R) X, Se
(Q-Qw),

A,T,
Va, X,Se

Xe, Se
Secondary Clarifier

Q, So

RQ, Xr, Se

Qw, Xr, Se

Microorganism and Substrate Mass Balance

Rate of accumulation = Biomass in + Biomass of biomass in system growth - biomass out

(dX/dt)V = QXo + V [rg- kdX ] QX rg = mXS /(Ks+S) (dX/dt)V = QXo + V[ mXS/(Ks+S) - kdX ] - QX
rg = Growth rate of biomass Kd= Endogenous decay coefficient.

Hydraulic retention time

(dX/dt)V = Zero QX = VX [mS/(Ks+S) - kd ]

Q/V = mS/(Ks+S) - kd =1/

= Hydraulic retention time

Mean Cell Retention Time

The time for which the cells remain in the system. It is given asc = Mass of solids Mass of solids in system leaving system/day c = VX/(QwXw+ QeXe)

Substrate Balance Equation

(dS/dt)V = QSo QS V[ mXS/ Y(Ks+S)] Y=Decimal fraction of Food mass converted to biomass For Steady State dS/dt = Zero (So S) = [ mXS/Y(Ks+S)]

Effluent concentration
X = m(So - S)/K(1+kd)

X = Y(So - S)/(1+kd) Effluent substrate concentration S = Ks(1+kd)/(Yk - kd)-1