Nutrient balancing for enhanced activated sludge reactor performance: UK perspective

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (12) ◽  
pp. 223-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Burgess ◽  
J. Harkness ◽  
P. J. Longhurst ◽  
T. Stephenson

Trace metals (K, Fe, Mg, Cu, Ca, Mn, Al, Zn, Mo, Co) and vitamins (biotin, niacin, pyridoxine, lactoflavin, thiamine, pantothenic acid) were tested for enhancing chemical oxygen demand (COD) and toxicity removal in activated sludge treating trade effluent. Rapid respirometry screening indicated that micronutrient addition could not ameliorate macronutrient deficiencies, but could significantly improve the degradation of hard COD in the wastewater (up to 4.24 kg COD/kg MLSS/d, i.e. 320% of the control) with no significant effect on the air requirement of the sludge. Several positive effects led to the conclusion that micronutrients have the potential to optimise the process performance of activated sludge plants treating industrial wastewater. Porous pots were used to further trial eight of the micronutrients. The retention of biomass in the pots was increased in all cases. Improvements in the degradation of COD (up to 260% of the control) were observed while biological oxygen demand (BOD) degradation was not affected. This implied the use of recalcitrant substrate components as a food source. Toxicity tests showed that the effluents from the experimental porous pots were less toxic than the control effluents. The effects of niacin addition in activated sludge treatment of industrial waste at pilot-scale were: improved sludge handling, increased COD, ammonia, suspended solids and phosphorus removal. Several industrialists saw micronutrient addition as a route to successful adaptation of processes to accommodate toxicity– based legislation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3073-3081
Author(s):  
Mohamed Nabil Ali ◽  
Hanan A Fouad ◽  
Mohamed M Meky ◽  
Rehab M Elhefny

Due to the lack of freshwater resources in Egypt, cement wastewater treatment was performed to widen the range of the water used in irrigation to face the massive future water scarcity. In this study, integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) was used as a biological treatment method. A laboratory pilot was established as a simulation of the IFAS process. The scale-pilot consists of a primary sedimentation tank, an IFAS tank equipped with an air blower, and a final settling tank. Three experimental attempts were performed using 3 different bio-carriers. In the first trial, Luffa sponges were used as natural bio-carriers and polyurethane sponges (PU) as artificial bio-carriers in the second trial, in addition to a combination between Luffa and PU sponges as a hybrid bio-carrier in the third trial. After analyzing the physicochemical properties of wastewater at the national research center in Cairo, the removal efficiency of TSS (total suspended solids), COD (chemical oxygen demand) , BOD(biological oxygen demand), TN (total nitrogen), and TP (total phosphorous) was 94.5%, 87.8%, 90.8%, 75.9%, and 69.4%, respectively in case of using the combination between Luffa and PU sponges. It can be concluded that using IFAS process was effective for cement wastewater treatment and the effluent wastewater met the Egyptian code limitations for reuse in agriculture purposes.


Author(s):  
Mimma Pernetti ◽  
Luca Di Palma ◽  
Carlo Merli

Activated sludge reactor is commonly employed for the secondary treatment of industrial wastewater, showing a high purification yield, operating simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, industrial wastewater generally contain numerous organic and inorganic compounds which are not biodegradable; heavy metals are often found in effluents from electroplating and metal-processing industries, manufacturing of paints, plastics, scientific instruments, salts are found in wastewater from production of pesticides, pharmaceutical and food industry, waste-dump percolating water. Primary treatments are often designed to reduce heavy metal and salt contents in wastewater, nevertheless trace concentrations persist and may reach the biological reactor, resulting in biomass inhibition and dramatic loss in purification efficiency. Respirometry through Oxygen Uptake Rate measurement is one of the most rapid and reliable methods to assess the inhibition of activated sludge. In previous studies toxicity tests for specific compounds have been performed following different procedures and attaining heterogeneous results. In this work a simple modification of the configuration is proposed, in order to assess in real time the toxicity and the inhibiting effect of the incoming wastewater before it reaches the reactor. A sample is drawn from the influent and a respirometric test is performed on mixed liquor collected from the reactor itself. If the inhibition exceeds the limit, the influent is sent to storage and to an alternative treatment. Preliminary experiments were carried out with bench-scale CSTR, supplied with synthetic wastewater. Copper sulphate and sodium chloride were chosen as inhibiting compounds, supplied separately to batch samples of activated sludge in shock load at different concentrations. Copper concentration in the mixed liquor was measured by atomic absorption and salt concentration was determined through conductance measures. Inhibition up to 90% was evaluated by OUR test with short response time, demonstrating the suitability of this tool to a real time toxicity bioassay for activated sludge reactor.


2017 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanjun Mao ◽  
Xie Quan ◽  
Huimin Zhao ◽  
Yaobin Zhang ◽  
Shuo Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract The activated sludge (AS) process is widely applied in dyestuff wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs); however, the nitrogen removal efficiency is relatively low and the effluent does not meet the indirect discharge standards before being discharged into the industrial park's WWTP. Hence it is necessary to upgrade the WWTP with more advanced technologies. Moving bed biofilm processes with suspended carriers in an aerobic tank are promising methods due to enhanced nitrification and denitrification. Herein, a pilot-scale integrated free-floating biofilm and activated sludge (IFFAS) process was employed to investigate the feasibility of enhancing nitrogen removal efficiency at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs). The results showed that the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrate (NH4+-N) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations of the IFFAS process were significantly lower than those of the AS process, and could meet the indirect discharge standards. PCR-DGGE and FISH results indicated that more nitrifiers and denitrifiers co-existed in the IFFAS system, promoting simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Based on the pilot results, the IFFAS process was used to upgrade the full-scale AS process, and the effluent COD, NH4+-N and TN of the IFFAS process were 91–291 mg/L, 10.6–28.7 mg/L and 18.9–48.6 mg/L, stably meeting the indirect discharge standards and demonstrating the advantages of IFFAS in dyestuff wastewater treatment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 740-745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Dries

On-line control of the biological treatment process is an innovative tool to cope with variable concentrations of chemical oxygen demand and nutrients in industrial wastewater. In the present study we implemented a simple dynamic control strategy for nutrient-removal in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating variable tank truck cleaning wastewater. The control system was based on derived signals from two low-cost and robust sensors that are very common in activated sludge plants, i.e. oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and dissolved oxygen. The amount of wastewater fed during anoxic filling phases, and the number of filling phases in the SBR cycle, were determined by the appearance of the ‘nitrate knee’ in the profile of the ORP. The phase length of the subsequent aerobic phases was controlled by the oxygen uptake rate measured online in the reactor. As a result, the sludge loading rate (F/M ratio), the volume exchange rate and the SBR cycle length adapted dynamically to the activity of the activated sludge and the actual characteristics of the wastewater, without affecting the final effluent quality.


2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Da Ros ◽  
C. Cavinato ◽  
F. Cecchi ◽  
D. Bolzonella

In this study the anaerobic co-digestion of wine lees together with waste activated sludge in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions was tested at pilot scale. Three organic loading rates (OLRs 2.8, 3.3 and 4.5 kgCOD/m3d) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs 21, 19 and 16 days) were applied to the reactors, in order to evaluate the best operational conditions for the maximization of the biogas yields. The addition of lee to sludge determined a higher biogas production: the best yield obtained was 0.40 Nm3biogas/kgCODfed. Because of the high presence of soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) and polyphenols in wine lees, the best results in terms of yields and process stability were obtained when applying the lowest of the three organic loading rates tested together with mesophilic conditions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 2513-2519 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Garcia-Orozco ◽  
A. Vargas-Martinez ◽  
M. A. Ayala-Arnez

The objective of this research was to include ozonation prior to an activated sludge treatment and investigate the effect on the nitrogen species, their fate and the consequences of this oxidation upon the biomass. Three parallel treatment systems were used: the base system, where feed went directly to the activated sludge reactor, and two others, where the influent was ozonated at two different dosages, 15 and 25 mg/L of influent, prior to the biological reactors. The results from the ozonation chamber show a high oxidation capacity of the entering ammonia and organic nitrogen, proportional to the ozone dose. The oxidation product was nitrate. No de-nitrification was expected because a high oxygen concentration (4 mg/L) was maintained in the reactors. The reactors receiving ozonated influent showed a lower assimilation of nitrogen by the biomass. The sludge nitrogen content resulted in 11, 9.3 and 7.4% dry-weight corresponding to no-ozone, low ozone and high ozone dosages, respectively. In spite of the lower ammonia available in the ozonated flows, the corresponding reactors showed a higher specific nitrification rate. The ozonated system also performed better in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) removals, besides showing a higher true biomass yield coefficient.


2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 1840-1850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Kumar Singh ◽  
Absar Ahmad Kazmi ◽  
Markus Starkl

The present study summarizes the start-up performance and lessons learned during the start-up and optimization of a pilot-scale plant employing integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) process treating actual municipal wastewater. A comprehensive start-up was tailored and implemented to cater for all the challenges and problems associated with start-up. After attaining desired suspended biomass (2,000–3,000 mg/L) and sludge age (∼7 days), the average biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals were observed as 77.3 and 70.9%, respectively, at optimized conditions, i.e. hydraulic retention time (HRT), 6.9 h; return sludge rate, 160%. The influent concentrations of COD, BOD, total suspended solids, NH3-N, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were found to be in the range of 157–476 mg/L, 115–283 mg/L, 152–428 mg/L, 23.2–49.3 mg/L, 30.1–52 mg/L and 3.6–7.8 mg/L, respectively, and the minimum effluent concentrations were achieved as ∼49 mg/L, 23 mg/L, 35 mg/L, 2.2 mg/L, 3.4 mg/L and 2.8 mg/L, respectively, at optimum state. The present system was found effective in the removal of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, 79%; Salmonella spp., 97.5%; Shigella spp., 92.9%) as well as coliforms (total coliforms, 97.65%; faecal coliforms, 80.35%) without any disinfection unit. Moreover it was observed that the time required for the stabilization of the plant was approximately 3 weeks if other parameters (sludge age, HRT and dissolved oxygen) are set to optimized values.


2011 ◽  
Vol 183-185 ◽  
pp. 1476-1480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing Sheng Kang ◽  
Chang Qing Liu ◽  
Li Zhu Huang ◽  
Gong Fa Chang ◽  
Zhong Qiao ◽  
...  

The metabolic activity of sludge samples taken from two pilot scale activated sludge reactor was studied. The two reactors were of the same size and structure. One was operated according to the reversed A2/O process (R-reactor) and another was operated according to conventional A2/O process (C-reactor). The activities of dehydrogenase (DHA) and electron transport system (ETS) and the specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) of sludge taken from R-reactor were 34.98%, 22.44% and 12.70% higher than those of the sludge taken from C-reactor. As for the R-reactor, the sludge undergoes aerobic condition right after anaerobic experience. Compared to entering aerobic stage from anoxic stage (C-reactor), entering aerobic stage from anaerobic stage can significantly enhance the activity of microbes, accelerate the decomposition of organics and improve the SOUR of the sludge.


2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1793-1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Sabzali ◽  
Mahnaz Nikaeen ◽  
Bijan Bina

Bio-carriers are an important component of integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) processes. In this study, the capability of cigarette filter rods (CFRs) as a bio-carrier in IFAS processes was evaluated. Two similar laboratory-scale IFAS systems were operated over a 4-month period using Kaldnes-K3 and CFRs as IFAS media. The process performance was studied by using chemical oxygen demand (COD). The organic loading rate was in the range 0.5–2.8 kgCOD/(m3·d). The COD average removal efficiencies were 89.3 and 93.9% for Kaldnes-K3 (reactor A) and cigarette filters (reactor B), respectively. The results demonstrate that the performance of the IFAS reactor containing CFRs was comparable to the reactor using Kaldnes. The CFRs, which have a high porous surface area and entrapment ability for microbial cells, could be successfully used in biofilm reactors as a bio-carrier.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andri Taufick Rizaluddin ◽  
Sri Purwati

As the effluent quality standards for industrial wastewater are becoming more stringent, it is important for the industry to improve their wastewater treatment efficiency. The research about potential of cellulase application in the activated sludge process has been done. Theoritically, the addition of cellulase was required to support the activity of microorganism on the activated sludge. Since cellulose is the major organic pollutant component in the wastewater, it was expected that cellulase addition could improve the performance of activated sludge process. The experiments were conducted in a continuous process and consisted of two treatments which were with and without activated sludge at about 2400 mg MLVSS/L. The variations in each treatment were the enzyme dosages of 0; 0.2; 0.5; and 0.7 unit/g COD, and the residence time of 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours. The experiment result showed that the addition of cellulase can increase COD and BOD reduction compared to the treatment without enzymes. The highest COD reduction increment was 7.9% at the enzyme dosage of 0.2 unit/g COD and the residence time of 4 hours, while the highest BOD reduction increment was 14.6% at the same enzyme dosage and residence time. In conclusion, celullase application can be combined with the activated sludge process which will be effective in the high load organic wastewater. ABSTRAKDengan semakin ketatnya baku mutu air limbah, peningkatan efisiensi dalam pengolahan limbah menjadi sangat penting bagi industri. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui potensi selulase dan pengaruh laju pembebanan pada efektifitas pengolahan air limbah kertas sistem lumpur aktif. Secara teori, penambahan selulase diperlukan untuk membantu aktivitas mikroorganisme lumpur aktif. Dengan adanya kandungan selulosa sebagai komponen utama pencemar organik dalam air limbah, penambahan selulase diharapkan dapat meningkatkan kinerja proses lumpur aktif. Percobaan dilakukan dengan proses kontinyu yang terdiri dari dua perlakuan, yaitu tanpa dan dengan lumpur aktif pada MLVSS sekitar 2400 mg/L. Variasi pada setiap perlakuan berupa variasi dosis selulase (0; 0,2; 0,5; dan 0,7 unit/g COD) dan variasi laju pembebanan dengan mengatur waktu tinggal 4, 8, 12, dan 24 jam. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan lumpur aktif dengan penambahan selulase dapat menghasilkan peningkatan reduksi COD dan BOD bila dibandingkan perlakuan tanpa menggunakan selulase. Peningkatan reduksi COD tertinggi mencapai 7,9% dengan perlakuan selulase dosis 0,2 unit/g COD dan waktu tinggal 4 jam, sedangkan peningkatan reduksi BOD tertinggi mencapai 14,6%. Perlakuan selulase dapat dikombinasikan dengan proses lumpur aktif yang berjalan efektif pada waktu tinggal yang lebih singkat atau pada beban tinggi.Kata kunci: selulase, lumpur aktif, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand


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