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Activated Sludge Process Control Guide

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36 views41 pages

Activated Sludge Process Control Guide

Uploaded by

ahmad nawajha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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Biological Wastewater Treatment

Training Series
Click To Edit
Presentation #7:Master Title
Activated Style
Sludge
Process Control
Larry W. Moore, Ph.D., P.E.,
WEF Fellow
June 2021
OUTLINE

• Introduction
• Activated Sludge Process Control
Waste Mass
Dissolved Oxygen
Return Mass
Point of Influent Application
Activated Sludge Pressures

References: Metcalf & Eddy, 4th edition


Water Environment Federation: Activated Sludge Process Control
Introduction: Operational Challenges

 Know the plant capacity


 Hydraulic - average and peak
 Organic - BOD, CBOD
 Solids - TSS, VSS
 Inorganic - Ammonia, Inorganic Phosphorus, other
 Nutrients - Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus
 Know the plant loading
 Influent levels that may cause overload, violations, interferences, added costs
Introduction: Know Plant Operations

 What are basin capacities?


 What are the possible flow
patterns?
 What are the process control
tools?
 What process control tests
should be performed?
Introduction: Basin Capacities & Flow

 EQ Basins
 Primary Clarifiers
 Aeration Basins
 Final Clarifiers
 RAS/WAS pumping

 Flow Possibilities
 Mode of Operation
 Recycle options
Introduction: Process Control Tools

 Biomass wasting
 Biomass return rate
 Aeration
 Dissolved oxygen level
 Aeration time/schedule
 Basins in use - HDT
 Mode of operation/ feed
location
 Internal recycle
 Influent control
Introduction: Process Monitoring Methods

 Human senses
 Visual appearance, odors, noise
 SCADA
 Process tests
 Flow, D.O., pH, temperature, alkalinity, ORP, turbidity
 Settleometer, sludge judge
 MLSS, MLVSS
 Centrifuge spins
 Microscopic evaluation
 Oxygen Uptake Rate (OUR), Specific Oxygen Uptake Rate (SOUR)

7
Introduction: Biomass Settleability

 Settleometer
 Use settleometer … not graduated
cylinder
 Indicator of clarifier performance
 How well the biomass settles,
compacts, and clears
 May give mixed signals
 Part of the SVI test
 Diluted settleometer test

8
Introduction: Settleability Test Results
Introduction: Microscopic Evaluation

 Floc analysis, Jenkins’ Book


 General shape, size, dispersed cells
 Protozoan/ Metazoan counts
 General indicator of sludge age
 Filaments
 Abundance, inside/outside flock, bridging
 Non-Phase microscope, ID - Nocardia, Beggiatoa
 Slime Bulking
 India ink test

10
Activated Sludge Process Control
Control Methods

Waste Mass
Dissolved Oxygen
Return Mass
Point of Influent Application
Step Feed Activated Sludge
Waste Sludge

 Large effect
 Relatively fast effect on sludge quality
 Controls the entire system
 Pressure applied

Increase waste mass = Treatment


Decrease waste mass = Oxidative
Biomass Inventory

 Inventory of Biomass should answer three questions


 How much sludge is in the system?
 Where is it located?
 How long has it been there?

 MLSS alone does not consider Clarifier Solids


 Measure blanket depth at minimum.

15
Important Definitions for Biomass Calculations

WB – waste biomass, lb/day


ABI – aeration basin inventory, lb
MCRT – mean cell residence time, days
IWB – intentional waste biomass, lb/day
UWB – unintentional waste biomass, lb/day
WSF – waste sludge flow rate, mgd
CUC – clarifier underflow (TSS) concentration, mg/L
Waste Sludge Flow Determination

Choose MCRT Based on Pressure to be Applied


ABI
WB =
MCRT
IWB = WB - UWB

WSF = IWB ÷ (CUC x 8.34)


Dissolved Oxygen

 Relatively fast effect on sludge quality


 Does not have to be 2.0 mg/L
 High DO increases oxidation and nitrification
 DO desired depends on F/M ratio
Low-DO Filamentous Organisms

Type 1701
Sphaerotilus natans
Haliscomenobacter hydrossis
Microthrix parvicella
Low-DO Filamentous Organisms

Curved/bent filament, sheath, “sausage shaped” cells


Low-DO Filamentous Organisms

1000x phase contrast


Return Sludge Flow

 Slow effect on sludge quality


 Return Sludge Flow (RSF) should be proportional to Q
 Control between units
 Pressure
 Higher RSF = Treatment
 Lower RSF = Oxidative
 RSF usually too high
Point of Application

 Controls the system


 Affects sludge quality very quickly
 Very flexible

Quickly reduce clarifier solids loading (application down the tank)


Quickly increase SDTA (application down the tank)
Step Feed Activated Sludge
Application at Head of Aeration Tank

Applies Treatment Pressure


Normally Provides Best Effluent Quality
Application at Head of Aeration Tank

Possible Problems
 Poor effluent quality with:
 High hydraulic loading
 Severe bulking sludge
 Produces high clarifier solids loading
Application Down the Aeration Tank

 Applies oxidative pressure


 Normally poorer effluent quality on routine basis
 Better effluent quality with:
 High hydraulic loading
 Severe bulking sludge
 Reduces clarifier solids loading
Pressures

 Sludge
 Treatment
 Oxidation
 Miscellaneous
 Oxygen
 Selector
More on Pressures

 Pressures applied externally by “Mother Nature”


 Apply pressure to equalize “Mother Nature”
 Apply pressure to maintain existing sludge quality
 Apply pressure to change sludge quality
Sludge Treatment Pressure

Makes Microorganisms Grow Faster


Tends to Make Sludge “Younger”
Sludge Oxidation Pressure

Makes Microorganisms Grow Slower


Tends to Make Sludge “Older”
Control Methods to Apply Pressure

Control Treatment Oxidation


Method Pressure Pressure
Waste Increase Decrease

Return Rate Increase Decrease

Point of Head of “A” Down the “A”


Application Tank Tank
32
DO Pressure

High DO Assists Nitrification


Low DO May Grow Low-DO Filaments
0.0 mg/L DO Provides for Denitrification
Definition of a Selector

A selector in the activated sludge system is a small separate


initial mixing zone(s) for RAS and influent wastewater. The
term “selector” refers to the role of such a tank in “selecting”
activated sludge microbes with desirable settling
characteristics. These initial contact zones need to be
compartmentalized (3 compartments are recommended).
Use of a Selector in Activated Sludge
Selector Pressure

Aerated

Provides High F/M


Helps in Completely-Mixed Systems
Selector Pressure

Anoxic

Reduces Nitrate Concentration


Selects Denitrifying Microorganisms
Selector Pressure

Anaerobic

Selects Non-aerobic Microorganisms


Provides Biological Phosphorus Removal
Results of Applied Pressure

Parameter Result of Pressure


Treatment Oxidation
MCRT Younger Older

ABI Lower Higher

SOUR Higher Lower


How to Control Using Pressure

Visual Inspection
Record Flow Rates
Complete Field Tests
Collect Samples
Test and Record Sample Data
Make Decisions on Pressures Required
Implement Decisions
Thank you!

For Questions or Comments please reach out to the following:

Dr. Larry Moore Thomas Wenning


[email protected] Oak Ridge National Lab
[email protected]

41

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