Operating Experiences at Low Solids Retention Time

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 661-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
T E Wilson ◽  
W A Ambrose ◽  
H O Buhr

Five full scale activated sludge plants have been operated at low solids retention time (SRT, monthly averages as low as 0.8 days) and mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS, monthly averages as low as 500 mg/l) values for 2 to 3 years. Operating results for this period are compared to 3 to 3-1/2 years of operation at conventional, higher, SRT and MLSS values. The data show that the lower SRT operation provided better effluent quality, typically achieving less than 15 mg/l of BOD5 or suspended solids, while not significantly increasing either the total (dry) sludge production or the sludge volume index (SVI). These data indicate that plants can be built and operated using significantly smaller tankage than conventionally accepted.

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. H. Abdurahman ◽  
Y. M. Rosli ◽  
N. H. Azhari ◽  
Hayder A. Bari

Direct discharge of slaughterhouse wastewater causes serious environmental pollution due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand. In this study, an ultrasonic-assisted membrane anaerobic system was used as a novel method for treating slaughterhouse wastewater. Six steady states were achieved, using concentrations of 7,800–13,620 mg/l for mixed liquor suspended solids and 5,359–11,424 mg/l for mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS). Kinetic equations were used to describe the kinetics of treatment at organic loading rates of 3–11 kg COD/m3/d. The removal efficiency of COD was 94.8–96.5% with hydraulic retention times of 308.6–8.7 days. The growth yield coefficient was found to be 0.52 g VSS/g. COD was 0.21 d−1 and methane gas production rate was 0.24–0.56 l/g COD/d. Steady-state influent COD concentrations increased from 8,000 mg/l in the first steady state to 25,400 mg/l in the sixth steady state. The minimum solids retention time, θcmin obtained from the three kinetic models was 6–14.4 days. The k values were 0.35–0.519 g COD/g VSS.d and μmax values were between 0.26 and 0.379 d−1. The solids retention time decreased from 600 to 14.3 days. The complete treatment reduced the COD content and its removal efficiency reached 94.8%.


1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 101-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Siegrist ◽  
W. Gujer

Denitrification in the secondary clarifier can contribute substantially to the nitrogen removal of activated sludge systems. This is illustrated on two treatment plants with different secondary clarifier systems. A model to estimate denitrification capacity and to design activated sludge systems for nitrogen removal is developed and verified with data from two treatment plants. The model includes denitrification in the secondary clarifier, wastewater composition (soluble readily biodegradable COD, particulate degradable COD), oxygen input into the anoxic volume, temperature, and solids retention time (SRT). The influence of aerated grit chambers and primary sedimentation on denitrification is discussed.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 127-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngchul Kim ◽  
Wesley O. Pipes ◽  
Paul-Gene Chung

This is a report of a field study based on data from an activated sludge process in a wastewater treatment plant in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. The objective was to develop an accurate method for estimation of the average suspended solids concentration (SSB) of the layer of sludge in the settling tanks (the “sludge blanket”). Plant operators estimated SSB by averaging the mixed liquor suspended solids (Sm) and the return sludge suspended solids (Su) concentrations. Measurement of SSB showed that averaging Sm and Su frequently overestimated SSB by a large amount. A different relationship between SSB and parameters which are normally measured for operational purposes was developed. The parameters are Su, the overflow rates and data from the sludge volume index (SVI) measurement. It was found that an increasing overflow rate will result in an exponential decrease in the ratio of SSB to Su. Also, the SVI has a marked effect on the ratio of SSB to Su and thus on the amount of suspended solids which can be stored in the settling tanks. The proposed estimation equation was found to be statistically superior to estimation by averaging the Sm and Su.


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