Investigating the influence of elongated anaerobic feeding strategy on aerobic sludge granulation and characteristics in sequencing batch reactor

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sadri Moghaddam ◽  
M. R. Alavi Moghaddam

In this research, two sequencing batch reactors (R1 and R2) were operated with different feeding strategies to investigate the effects of elongated anaerobic feeding mode on the granulation process. For this purpose, R1 was operated in a short-feed strategy (5 min) as a reference, whereas an extended anaerobic feeding of 85 min was applied in R2. Results showed that aerobic granules formed in R1 were denser and more uniform with lower sludge volume index than those formed in R2. Investigation of tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TB-EPS) showed that aerobic granules in R1 produced lower amounts of TB-EPS than those in R2. This was due to the bigger and more compact granules cultivated in R1 in comparison with looser structure granules in R2 with higher flocculent sludge percentage. The relative hydrophobicity of granules in both reactors was increased with culture time and reached about 63 and 65% at day 70 for R1 and R2, respectively. Moreover, no significant correlation between protein/polysaccharide ratio and hydrophobicity was found, which showed that protein in loosely bound extracellular polymer substances was not the predominant hydrophobic component. Considering the outcomes of this study, it can be concluded that the elongated anaerobic feeding strategy was unfavourable for cultivating aerobic granules.

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 1984-1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lana Mallouhi ◽  
Ute Austermann-Haun

Sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) are known for high process stability and usually have a good sludge volume index (SVI). Nevertheless, in many SBRs in Germany for municipal wastewater treatment, scum and foam problems can occur, and SVI can be larger than 200 mL/g. The microscopic investigations of the activated sludge from plants with nitrogen and phosphorus removal have shown that Microthrix parvicella is dominant in the activated sludge in most of them. Studies showed that the optimum growth of M. parvicella is performed at a high sludge age (>20 d) and low sludge load in the range of 0.05–0.2 kg of biochemical oxygen demand per kg of total suspended solids per day (kg BOD5/(TSS·d)). The investigations in 13 SBRs with simultaneous aerobic sludge stabilization (most of them are operated with a system called differential internal cycle strategy sequential batch reactor (DIC-SBR)) show that M. parvicella is able to grow in sludge loads less than 0.05 kg BOD5/(kg TSS·d) as well. To optimize the operation of those SBRs, long cycle times (8–12 h) and dosing of iron salts to eliminate long-chain fatty acids are both recommended. This leads to better SVI and keeps M. parvicella at a low frequency.


2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 1722-1727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Liu ◽  
Da-Wen Gao ◽  
Hong Liang

We have investigated the effect of sludge discharge location on the steady-state aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Two SBRs were operated concurrently with the same sludge retention time using sludge discharge ports at: (a) the reactor bottom in R1; and (b) the reactor middle-lower level in R2. Results indicate that both reactors could maintain sludge granulation and stable operation, but the two different sludge discharge methods resulted in significantly different aerobic granule characteristics. Over 30 days, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of the two reactors was maintained at similar levels (above 96%), and typical bioflocs were not observed. The average aerobic granule size in R2 was twice that in R1, as settling velocity increased in proportion to size increment. Meanwhile, the production yields of polysaccharide and protein content in R2 were always higher than those in R1. However, due to mass transfer limitations and the presence of anaerobes in the aerobic granule cores, larger granules had a tendency to disintegrate in R2. Thus, we conclude that a sludge discharge port situated at the reactor bottom is beneficial for aerobic granule stability, and enhances the potential for long-term aerobic granule SBR operation.


Author(s):  
Hongwei Sun ◽  
Chenjian Cai ◽  
Jixue Chen ◽  
Chunyu Liu ◽  
Guangjie Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract In order to investigate the effect of temperatures and operating modes on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) contents, three sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were operated at temperatures of 15, 25, and 35 °C (R15 °C, R25 °C, and R35 °C, respectively), with two SBRs operated under alternating anoxic/oxic conditions (RA/O and RO/A, respectively). Results showed that higher contents of tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) and total EPS appeared in R15 °C, while loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) dominated in R35 °C. In all three kinds of EPS (LB-EPS, TB-EPS and total EPS) assessed, protein was the main component in R15 °C and R25 °C, while polysaccharides dominated in R35 °C. Moreover, compared with RO/A, RA/O was favorable for the production of the three kinds of EPS. Furthermore, three kinds of EPS and their components were augmented during the nitrification process, while they declined during the denitrification process under all conditions except for R35 °C.


2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Tay ◽  
Q.S. Liu ◽  
Y. Liu

The effect of upflow air velocity on the formation and structure of aerobic granules was studied in three column sequencing batch reactors. Upflow aeration would be the major cause of hydrodynamic shear force in the column reactor. Results showed that high upflow air velocity resulted in more compact, denser, rounder, stronger and smaller aerobic granules, while high biomass retention in the reactor was achieved. It was found that high upflow air velocity could induce granular sludge to secrete more cell polysaccharides which in turn contributed to the compact and strong structure. It appears from this study that the structure of aerobic granules could be controlled by manipulating the upflow air velocity.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Czarnota ◽  
Adam Masłoń ◽  
Monika Zdeb ◽  
Grzegorz Łagód

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the physical, chemical and biological properties of aerobic granular sludge from reactors with the addition of different powdered mineral materials. These properties have a significant impact on the efficiency of systems in which the biomass in granular form is used. Four identical granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) were adopted for the research performed on a laboratory scale (R1—control reactor; R2, R3 and R4—with materials, PK, PG and PL respectively). The results indicate that the addition of powdered mineral materials improved the properties of biomass in reactors. The SVI5/SVI30 ratio values were significantly lower in the reactors with added materials (approx. 1.3 ± 0.3). The mean values of the sludge volume index at 30 min were the lowest in the R2 (39.8 ± 8.6 mL/g) and R4 (32.8 ± 10.7 mL/g) reactors. The settling velocity of biomass was the highest in the R2 reactor (15.4 ± 6.1 m/h). In the early days of the study, the highest extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content was found in the biomass from the reactors to which the materials with higher Ca and Mg content were added (380.18–598.30 mg/g MLVSS). The rate of specific oxygen uptake (SOUR) by biomass indicated an insufficient biomass content in the R1 reactor—to 7.85 mg O2/(g MLVSS∙h)—while in the reactors with materials, the SOUR values were at the higher levels.


2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 403-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Li ◽  
K. Garny ◽  
T. Neu ◽  
M. He ◽  
C. Lindenblatt ◽  
...  

Physical, chemical and biological characteristics were investigated for aerobic granules and sludge flocs from three laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). One reactor was operated as normal SBR (N-SBR) and two reactors were operated as granular SBRs (G-SBR1 and G-SBR2). G-SBR1 was inoculated with activated sludge and G-SBR2 with granules from the municipal wastewater plant in Garching (Germany). The following major parameters and functions were measured and compared between the three reactors: morphology, settling velocity, specific gravity (SG), sludge volume index (SVI), specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR), distribution of the volume fraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and bacteria, organic carbon and nitrogen removal. Compared with sludge flocs, granular sludge had excellent settling properties, good solid–liquid separation, high biomass concentration, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Aerobic granular sludge does not have a higher microbial activity and there are some problems including higher effluent suspended solids, lower ratio of VSS/SS and no nitrification at the beginning of cultivation. Measurement with CLSM and additional image analysis showed that EPS glycoconjugates build one main fraction inside the granules. The aerobic granules from G-SBR1 prove to be heavier, smaller and have a higher microbial activity compared with G-SBR2. Furthermore, the granules were more compact, with lower SVI and less filamentous bacteria.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 984
Author(s):  
Pedro Cisterna-Osorio ◽  
Claudia Calabran-Caceres ◽  
Giannina Tiznado-Bustamante ◽  
Nataly Bastias-Toro

This research studies the incidence of the type of substrate, soluble or particulate, in the emergence, development, and inhibition of bulking in activated sludge systems. It was evaluated using the sludge volume index (SVI), mixing liquor-suspended solids (MLSS), microscopic analysis of biomass, and effluent suspended solids (ESS). In the first experiment, four sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were fed with soluble substrate at a fixed mass, while the mass of the particulate substrate varied, as those (saccharose mass/flour mass) ratios were 3:1, 3:2, 3:3 and 3:4., with a deficit ranging from 20 to 30% compared to the ratio recommended. The four SBRs have similar MLSS, IVL, and ESS. From day 30, with a deficit from 80 to 90%, the influents have ratios 1/1 and 1/2 until 48 days. The SBRs present IVL between 600 and 730 mL/g and ESS from 370 to 440 mg/L; unlike influents with ratios 1/3 and 1/4, they present IVL between 170 and 185 mL/g, and ESS from 260 to 270 mg/L. The favorable effect of particulate matter is categorical. In the second set of experiments, two SBRs were studied: SBR 1 fed with saccharose, and SBR 2 with flour; there is a lack of nutrients causing bulking in SBRs. Once the nutrient deficiency condition is changed in day 11 to excess, after 22 days, the SVI was 190 mL/g, ESS was 360 mg/L, and MLSS was 2000 mg/L for influents with saccharose; the influent with flour, with an SVI of 80 mL/g, ESS of 100 mg/L, and MLSS of 4000 mg/L, shows faster and more consistent recovery with the particulate substrate. Therefore, the proposal is to add particulate substrate-like flour to active sludge plants facing bulking. It is a clean, innocuous and sustainable alternative to processes that use chemical reagents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 389 ◽  
pp. 121905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonz Kedves ◽  
Levente Sánta ◽  
Margit Balázs ◽  
Péter Kesserű ◽  
István Kiss ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Huiru Li ◽  
Shaohua Wu ◽  
Chunping Yang

Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), as two anionic surfactants, have diffused into environments such as surface water and ground water due to extensive and improper use. The effects on the removal performance and microbial community of sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) need to be investigated in the treatment of saline wastewater containing 20 g/L NaCl. The presence of SDS and SDBS could decrease the removal efficiencies of ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus, and the effect of SDS was more significant. The effect of surfactants on the removal mainly occurred during the aeration phase. Adding SDS and SDBS can reduce the content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In addition, SDS and SDBS also can reduce the inhibition of high salinity on sludge activity. A total of 16 s of rRNA sequencing analysis showed that the addition of surfactants reduced the diversity of microbial communities; besides, the relative abundance value of the dominant population Proteobacteria increased from 91.66% to 97.12% and 93.48% when SDS and SDBS were added into the system, respectively.


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