Towards a reduction in excess sludge production in activated sludge processes: biomass physicochemical treatment and biodegradation

1999 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 883-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Rocher ◽  
G. Goma ◽  
A. Pilas Begue ◽  
L. Louvel ◽  
J. L. Rols
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Physicochemical Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge Processes ◽  
Sludge Production

Minimization of activated sludge production by chemically stimulated energy spilling

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 189-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.-H. Chen ◽  
H.-K. Mo ◽  
S. Saby ◽  
W.-k. Yip ◽  
Y. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Staining Technique ◽  
Microbial Culture ◽  
Dapi Staining ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Energy Spilling ◽  
Activated Sludge Processes ◽  
Sludge Production

Minimization of excess sludge production in activated sludge processes has been pursued around the world in order to meet stringent environmental regulations on sludge treatment and disposal. To achieve this goal, physical, chemical, and biological approaches have been proposed. In this paper, a chemical compound, 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS) was tested for enhancing microbial energy spilling of the sludgeso as to minimize its growth. In order to examine this, an exploratory study was conducted using both batch and continuous activated sludge cultures. Batch experiments with these two cultures were carried out at different initial concentrations of TCS. It has been confirmed that an addition of TCS is effective in reducing the production of both the sludge cultures, particularly the continuous culture where the observed growth yield was reduced by around 70%, when the initial TCS concentration was 0.8 ppm. Meanwhile, the substrate removal activity of this culture was found not to be affected at this TCS concentration. To further evaluate the TCS effect, a pure microbial culture of E. coli was employed. Batch experiment results with this culture implied that TCS might be able to reduce the cell density of E. coli drastically when an initial TCS concentration was greater than 0.12 ppm. It was also found that TCS was not toxic to this type of bacteria. Microscopic examinations with a 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining technique revealed that TCS neither affected the cell division nor altered the cell size of E. coli. However, both the cell ATP content and the cell dry weight were reduced significantly with the addition of TCS.

Partial ozonation of activated sludge to reduce excess sludge, improve denitrification and control scumming and bulking

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 41-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Böhler ◽  
H. Siegrist
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Cost Evaluation ◽  
Anoxic Zone ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Solid Retention Time ◽  
Operation Stability ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
Sludge Ash ◽  
And Control ◽  
Sludge Production

Disposal of sewage sludge is forbidden and agricultural use of stabilized sludge will be banned in 2005 in Switzerland. The sludge has to be dewatered, dried, incinerated and the ashes disposed in landfills. These processes are cost intensive and lead also to the loss of valuable phosphate resources incorporated in the sludge ash. The implementation of processes that could reduce excess sludge production and recycle phosphate is therefore recommended. Partial ozonation of the return sludge of an activated sludge system reduces significantly excess sludge production, improves settling properties of the sludge and reduces bulking and scumming. The solubilized COD will also improve denitrification if the treated sludge is recycled to the anoxic zone. But ozonation will partly inhibit and kill nitrifiers and might therefore lead to a decrease of the effective solid retention time of the nitrifier, which reduces the safety of the nitrification. This paper discusses the effect of ozonation on sludge reduction, the operation stability of nitrification, improvement of denitrification and gives also an energy and cost evaluation.

New approaches to minimize excess sludge in activated sludge systems

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.-H. Chen ◽  
S. Saby ◽  
M. Djafer ◽  
H.-K. Mo
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Conventional System ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Active Sludge ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Conventional Activated Sludge ◽  
Sludge Settleability ◽  
Activated Sludge Systems ◽  
Sludge Production

This paper presents three new approaches to reduce excess sludge production in activated sludge systems: 1) modification of conventional activated sludge process with insertion of a sludge holding tank in the sludge return line; 2) chlorination of excess sludge so as to minimize excess sludge production; and 3) utilization of a metabolic uncoupler, 3, 3′, 4′, 5-Tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS) to maximize futile activity of sludge microorganisms thereby leading to a reduction of sludge growth. Pilot study was carried out to evaluate this modified activated sludge process (OSA). It has been confirmed that the OSA process is effective in reducing excess sludge; particularly when the ORP level in the sludge holding tank was kept at -250 mV, more than 50% of the excess sludge was reduced. This process can maintain the effluent quality and even perform with a better sludge settleability than a conventional system. Experimental work on the second approach showed that chlorination treatment of excess sludge at a chlorine dose of 0.066 g Cl2/g MLSS reduced the excess sludge by 60%, while concentration of THMS was found below 200 ppb in the treated sludge. However, such sludge chlorination treatment sacrificed sludge settleability. Thus, it is not feasible to introduce the chlorination step to a conventional system. The third approach confirmed that addition of TCS could reduce sludge growth effectively if the TCS concentration is greater than 0.4 ppm. A 0.8-ppm concentration of TCS actually reduced excess sludge by 45%. It was also experimentally demonstrated that presence of TCS increases the portion of active sludge microorganisms over the entire microbial population.

scholarly journals Optimization of Ozonation Process for the Reduction of Excess Sludge Production from Activated Sludge Process of Sago Industry Wastewater Using Central Composite Design

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Subha ◽  
M. Muthukumar
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Central Composite Design ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Acidic Ph ◽  
Activated Sludge Process ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Cod Reduction ◽  
Ozonation Time ◽  
Central Composite ◽  
Sludge Production

Sago industries effluent containing large amounts of organic content produced excess sludge which is a serious problem in wastewater treatment. In this study ozonation has been employed for the reduction of excess sludge production in activated sludge process. Central composite design is used to study the effect of ozone treatment for the reduction of excess sludge production in sago effluent and to optimise the variables such as pH, ozonation time, and retention time. ANOVA showed that the coefficient determination value (R2) of VSS and COD reduction were 0.9689 and 0.8838, respectively. VSS reduction (81%) was achieved at acidic pH 6.9, 12 minutes ozonation, and retention time of 10 days. COD reduction (87%) was achieved at acidic pH 6.7, 8 minutes of ozonation time, and retention time of 6 days. Low ozonation time and high retention time influence maximum sludge reduction, whereas low ozonation time with low retention time was effective for COD reduction.

Potential of activated sludge ozonation

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 181-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Boehler ◽  
H. Siegrist
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Cost Evaluation ◽  
Anoxic Zone ◽  
Excess Sludge ◽  
Solid Retention Time ◽  
Operating Stability ◽  
Agricultural Use ◽  
Sludge Ash ◽  
Sludge Production

The disposal of sewage sludge and the agricultural use of stabilised sludge are decreasing due to more stringent regulations in Europe. An increasing fraction of sewage sludge must therefore be dewatered, dried, incinerated and the ashes disposed of in landfills. These processes are cost-intensive and also lead to the loss of the valuable phosphate resources incorporated in the sludge ash. The implementation of processes that could reduce excess sludge production and recycle phosphate is therefore recommended. Partial ozonation of the return sludge of an activated sludge system significantly reduces excess sludge production, improves the settling properties of the sludge and reduces bulking and scumming. The solubilised COD will also improve denitrification if the treated sludge is recycled to the anoxic zone. However, ozonation partly kills nitrifiers and could therefore lead to a decrease of the effective solid retention time of the nitrifier, thus reducing the safety of the nitrification. This paper discusses the effect of ozonation on sludge reduction, the operating stability of nitrification, the improvement of denitrification and also presents an energy and cost evaluation.

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