Contact Zone: French Practice with Low F/M Bulking Control

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 221-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pujol ◽  
J. P. Canler

A study of twelve wastewater treatment plants in France confirms the effectiveness of the contact zone technique in controlling sludge bulking (with a reduction in the Sludge Volume Index in 91% of cases) and foaming (improvement of the situation in 75% of the cases). The study focused on low-F/M activated sludge units in which organisms such as Microthrix p. or type 0041 (characteristic of these plants) were identified. Contact zones do not entail any major limitations, a fact which advocates their use in this type of treatment facility. Rational operation of the plant (in terms of aeration and sludge production) and compliance with a few simple rules will ensure effective use of this technology.

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 366-372
Author(s):  
Y. K. Zhang ◽  
H. C. Wang ◽  
L. Qi ◽  
G. H. Liu ◽  
Z. J. He ◽  
...  

In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), activated sludge is thickened in secondary settling tanks and recycled into the biological reactor to maintain enough biomass for wastewater treatment. Accurately estimating the activated sludge concentration in the lower portion of the secondary clarifiers is of great importance for evaluating and controlling the sludge recycled ratio, ensuring smooth and efficient operation of the WWTP. By dividing the overall activated sludge-thickening curve into a hindered zone and a compression zone, an empirical model describing activated sludge thickening in the compression zone was obtained by empirical regression. This empirical model was developed through experiments conducted using sludge from five WWTPs, and validated by the measured data from a sixth WWTP, which fit the model well (R2 = 0.98, p < 0.001). The model requires application of only one parameter, the sludge volume index (SVI), which is readily incorporated into routine analysis. By combining this model with the conservation of mass equation, an empirical model for compression settling was also developed. Finally, the effects of denitrification and addition of a polymer were also analysed because of their effect on sludge thickening, which can be useful for WWTP operation, e.g., improving wastewater treatment or the proper use of the polymer.


2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Wandl ◽  
H. Kroiss ◽  
K. Svardal

Two-stage activated sludge plants succeed in stable treatment efficiency concerning carbon removal and nitrification with far less reactor tank volume than conventional single stage systems. In case of large treatment plants this fact is of great economic relevance. Because of the very small specific volume of these two-stage treatment plants in comparison with low loaded single-stage plants, internal cycles have to be applied to ensure sufficient nitrogen removal. Due to these internal cycles two stage activated sludge plants offer many possibilities in terms of process management which results in new process optimisation procedures as compared to conventional single-stage nutrient removal treatment plants. The proposed extension concept for the Main Treatment Plant of Vienna was validated with pilot plant investigations especially with regard to nitrogen removal where it proved to comply with the legal requirements. The operation of the treatment plant can easily be adapted to changes in temperature and sludge volume index occurring in full scale practice. Sludge retention time and aerobic volume in the second stage are controlled in order to secure sufficient nitrification capacity and to optimise nitrogen removal by means of the variation of the loading conditions for the two stages. The investigations confirmed that the specific two-stage activated sludge concept applied in Vienna is an economically advantageous alternative for large wastewater treatment plants with stringent requirements for nitrification and nutrient removal.


Author(s):  
J. Tauber ◽  
B. Flesch ◽  
V. Parravicini ◽  
K. Svardal ◽  
J. Krampe

Abstract Operational data over 2 years from three large Austrian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with design capacities of 4 million, 950,000 and 110,000 population equivalent (PE) were examined. Salt peaks, due to thawing road salt were detected and quantified by electrical conductivity, temperature and chloride measurement in the inflow of the WWTPs. Daily NaCl inflow loads up to 1,147 t/d and PE-specific loads of 0.26–0.5 kg NaCl/(PE · y) were found. To mimic the plants' behaviour in a controlled environment, NaCl was dosed into the inflow of a laboratory-scale activated sludge plant. The influence of salt peaks on important activated sludge parameters such as sludge volume index, settling velocity and floc size were investigated. Influent and effluent were sampled extensively to calculate removal rates. Respiration measurements were performed to quantify activated sludge activity. Particle size distributions of the activated sludge floc sizes were measured using laser diffraction particle sizing and showed a decrease of the floc size by approximately two-thirds. The floc structure was examined and documented using light microscopy. At salt concentrations below 1 g/L, increased respiration was found for autotrophic biomass, and between 1 and 3 g NaCl/L respiration was inhibited by up to 30%.


1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 303-311
Author(s):  
J. Wessberg ◽  
T. Welander ◽  
M. Jönsson

Laboratory activated sludge reactors were operated on effluent wastewater from a kraft mill. Two of the three reactors were initially preceded with a “normal” size aerated selector, 2% of the total aerated volume, with unsatisfactory sludge volume index development. When the selectors were replaced by larger ones, 13% of the aerated volume, the sludge volume index could be kept below 50 ml/g for the selector processes while continuing to be higher and more unstable in the reference process. A pilot plant, operated in situ on the same wastewater, showed a comparable improvement in sludge volume index when its selector, 7% of the total volume, was replaced by one that constituted 13% of the total volume, corresponding to a selector load of 3 g BOD / g VSS * d. According to studies of the COD balance around one bench scale selector, the COD removal mechanism in the selector was respiration/assimilation rather than uptake/storage.


2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 790-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Miłobędzka ◽  
Anna Witeska ◽  
Adam Muszyński

Filamentous population in activated sludge and key operational parameters of full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with bulking problems representative for Poland were investigated with quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization. Statistical analyses revealed few relationships between operational parameters and biovolume of filamentous bacteria. Sludge age was not only positively correlated with abundance of Chloroflexi (parametric correlation and principal component analysis (PCA)), but also differentiated Microthrix population (analysis of variance (ANOVA)). Phylum Chloroflexi and pH presented a negative relation during the study (PCA). ANOVA showed that pH of influent and sludge volume index (SVI) differentiated abundance of types 0803 and 1851 of Chloroflexi and candidate division TM7. SVI increased along with higher abundance of Microthrix (positive parametric and non-parametric correlations and positive relation in PCA). Biovolumes of morphotypes 0803 and 1851 of Chloroflexi were differentiated by organic matter in influent, also by nutrients in the case of Chloroflexi type 1851. Chemical and biological oxygen demands (COD and BOD5, respectively) were negatively correlated with Microthrix. COD also differentiated the abundance of Haliscomenobacter hydrossis. Results of the study can be used to prevent WWTPs from excessive proliferation of filamentous bacteria and operational problems caused by them – bulking and foaming of activated sludge.


1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 649-660
Author(s):  
P Balmér ◽  
S Hallquist ◽  
M Hernebring

The Rya wastewater treatment plant in Gothenburg, Sweden serves 640 000 population equivalents. It is an extremely highly loaded activated sludge plant without presetting with a mean cell residence time of about 0.5 days. Ten years experience proves that the plant is capable of removing about 70% of the BOD load. The effluent BOD is mainly caused by non settleable suspended solids due to the partly dispersed growth of the activated sludge. The low mean cell residence time and the high suspended solids concentration in the aeration basin influent gives an activated sludge with low viability and in mass balance studies it was determined that only 12% of the influent COD and about 40% of the BOD was oxidized by the activated sludge. The activated sludge has consistently had a very low sludge volume index and the settling basins could thus be very highly loaded. The surplus activated sludge could be thickened to solids concentrations over 6%. After dewatering the sludge was either lime treated or co-composted with bark. The plant is manned only eight hours five days a week. During unmanned time there are standby personnel. Data is presented on man power, energy and chemical use, and on costs.


2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. da Motta ◽  
M. N. Pons ◽  
N. Roche

An automated procedure for the characterisation by image analysis of the morphology of activated sludge has been used to monitor the biomass in a pilot wastewater treatment plant, in complement to the usual settleability (sludge volume index, settling velocity) and size distribution (by laser granulometry) measurements.


1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-312
Author(s):  
Michael R. Rasmussen ◽  
Torben Larsen

An on-line settling column for measuring the dynamic variations of settling velocity of activated sludge has been developed. The settling column is automatic and self-cleansing insuring continuous and reliable measurements. The settling column was tested on sludge from a batch reactor where sucrose was added as an impulse to activated sludge. The continuous measurement of settling velocity revealed a highly dynamic response after the sucrose was added. The results were verified with simultaneous measurement of the initial settling rate. A 200 hour experiment showed variations in settling velocity, which was not apparent in the DSVI (Diluted Sludge Volume Index).


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