3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

ACTIVATEDSLUDGE
THESCIENCE:
Theactivatedsludgeprocessinvolvesblendingsettledprimaryeffluentwastewaterwitha
cultureofmicroorganismsintoafluidcalled"mixedliquor".Thismixedliquorispassedthrough
anaerationtankwhichprovidesanadequateoxygensourceforthetypeofactivatedsludge
process(s)selectedandtomixthe"mixedliquor".Themicrobeseat(stabilize)theorganic
wasteinthewater.Thisconversionofbiochemicaloxygendemand(BOD)intoamicrobial
cultureobviouslymeansthatwewillneedtoremovemicrobesfromtheprocess,inwhatwe
termwasteactivatedsludge(WAS).Thesolidsandmicrobesareseparatedfromthe
wastewaterbeingtreatedinaclarifier.Alargeportionofthemicrobesarereturnedtothe
aerationbasin(s)asreturnactivatedsludge(RAS),tokeepthecyclegoing.
Theprocessmodedesignisselectedtomeettheprocessgoala)carbonaceousBODremoval
andconversionandb)conversionofammoniaintonitrate(nitrification).Inordertomeetthe
goal,thehydraulic(liquid)detentiontimeintheaerationbasin(s),themicrobes/solids
detentiontime(solidsretentiontimeSRTormeancellresidencetimeMCRT)foodto
microorganismration(F/MwherethelbsofBOD/lbsofmicrobesunderaeration),andthe
clarifiersolidsloadingrateandhydraulicloadingratearedetermined.Ammonia,inhigher
concentrations,isharmfultothereceivingwaters,andmayhavetobereducedoreliminated.
(NextyearIwillhaveathreepartseriesonnitrification,andhowitaffectsyourfacility,
especiallydisinfectionbychlorination).
Oncethegoalhasbeendetermined,thedesignteamselectstheOrganicLoadingRateand
thentheaerationbasinandsecondaryclarifierdesignstoachievethegoal.

TYPES(VARIATIONS)OFTHEACTIVATEDSLUDGEPROCESS:
A)PLUGFLOW(CONVENTIONALPLANT)Longnarrowtank,oraseriesofseverallong
tanks.Primaryeffluentandreturnactivatedsludge(RAS)combinedatoneend,withresulting
lowerdissolvedoxygen(DO)atthispoint.TherewillbelowCBODattheendofthelasttank
orpass.HASNOREALMIXERPERSAY,BUTTHEBUGSANDFOODAREPASSIVELYMIXED.
Notdesignedfornitrification,usuallyCBODremovalonly.Underloadedprocessmay
successfullyoperateinthenitrificationmode.

3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

B)COMPLETEMIXISWHERETHEMICROORGANISMSANDTHEWASTESTREAMARE
MIXEDTOGETHERINSUCHAMANNERTOINSUREACOMPLETEMIXOFTHETWO
COMPONENTS.WITHCAREFULATTENTIONTOTHEDESIGNOFTHETANK,ANDFOLLOWUP
ONTHEmixedliquorsuspendedsolids(MLSS)ANDD.O.INTHEAERATIONBASIN,IT
SHOULDBEUNIFORM.MLSSISFROM2000to5000mg/l.Aerationbasinsareusuallycircular
orsquare.Bestvariationoftheactivatedprocessestohandleslugloads.Themajorproblem
seemstobeagreatertendencytogrowfilamentousmicrobeswhichcauses"bulking"
(discussedinpartthree.)
C)STEPFEED(STEPAERATION)ALLOWSFORTHEFOODTOBEINTRODUCEDTOTHE
MICROBIALPOPULATIONATSUCCESSIVEPOINTSINTHEAERATIONTANK(S).Allowsfor
betterDOcontrol,andF/Mcontrol.Reducestheoxygendemandattheinletendofthetank
wherethereturnactivatedsludgeandtheprimaryeffluentjoinandentertheaerationtank,
likeinaconventionalprocess.
D)CONTACTSTABILIZATION(sludgereaeration)ISWHERETHEBUGSAREREAERATED
AFTERTHECLARIFIERANDBEFOREBEINGINTRODUCEDINTOTHEAERATORWITHTHE
FOOD.THISALLOWSTHEMTOBRINGINTOTHEIRCELLSTHEFOODTHATISATTACHEDTO
THEOUTSIDEOFTHEIRCELLWALLS.MLSSISFROM1500to2000mg/l.Thisvariation
reducestherequireaerationbasincapacityandclarifiersolidsloadingrates.
E)EXTENDEDAERATIONMEANSTHATTHEMCRTISQUITEHIGH.MLSSAREFROM2000
to5000mg/l.DUETOTHELOWFOOD/HIGHMICROBERATIO(F/MRATIO),EVENTHE
STOREDFOODINTHEDEADMICROORGANISMSISCONSUMED,ANDTHEREFOREDOESNOT
PRODUCEASMUCHwasteactivatedsludge(WAS)ASOTHERPROCESSES.OXIDATION
DITCHESareextendedaerationmodevariants,WHICHUSEBRUSHESTOAERATETHEBUGS
ANDFOODASTHEYMOVEABOUTINACIRCULARRACETRACK.Mostallnitrify.
F)TAPEREDAERATIONUSESMOREAIRATTHEENTRYPOINTSOFTHEAERATIONTANK
WHERETHEDODEMANDISATITSHIGHESTVALUESTHANATTHEEXIT,WHERETHE
OXYGENDEMANDISLESS.TheattemptistoaddressDOproblemsintheconventional(plug
flow0variation.Tanksareusuallylongandnarrow,andinseries.
G)PUREOXYGENPLANTSUSE,ANDMAYEVENGENERATETHEIROWN,PUREOXYGENTO
USEINTHEIRAERATIONPROCESS.Theaerationtanksarecovered.Allowsforagreater
organicloading(CBOD)per1000cubicblockofaerationcapacity.
H)KRAUSPROCESSUSESDIGESTERSUPERNATANTTOCORRECTNITROGEN
DEFICIENCIESINTHEWASTEWATERSTREAMTOBETREATED.Generallynotconsidereda
truevariationormodificationoftheactivatedsludgeprocess.

NITRIFICATION:dependingonthetemperatureofthewater,theBODloading,etc.,amean
cellresidencetime(MCRT)isselectedtocultivateamicrobialpopulationthatwillcreateand
maintainapopulationofnitrifyingbacteria.
SomeselectedDESIGNPARAMETERSFORACTIVATEDSLUDGE:

3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

Food/microorganismratio(F/M)forConventionalActivatedSludge0.2to0.4
Food/microorganismratio(F/M)forextendedaerationlessthan0.05
Food/microorganismratio(F/M)fornitrification0.05to0.15
DissolvedOxygen(DO):bulkingpotentiallessthan1mg/l
DissolvedOxygen(DO)normal1to2mg/l
DissolvedOxygenfor"Nitrification"is2to3mg/l
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:pinflocpotentiallessthan50ml/g
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:goodrange50to100ml/g
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:Filamentgrowth100to150ml/g
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:Bulkingathighflows150to200ml/g
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:Bulking200to300ml/g
SludgeVolumeIndex(SVI)values:Severebulkinghigherthan300
TheseSVIvaluesareonlyapproximate,aseachclarifierandtheupstreamaerationbasin
loadingandtypewilldetermineYOURvalues.

MeanCellResidenceTime(MCRT)withNOnitrification1to3days
MeanCellResidenceTime(MCRT)nitrificationpotentialwhenitis4to7days
MeanCellResidenceTime(MCRT)completenitrification8to12days
Highoxygen12to20days
Extendedaerationmorethan20days
MCRTmeanstheaveragemicrobeslifespaninthesystem,beforebeingwastedawayorlost
overthesecondaryclarifierweirs.
BODconversionconventional0.4to0.8lbsolids/lbBODremoved
Extendedaeration0.1to0.3lbsolid/lbBODremoved
OxygenConsumption:conventional0.5to1.1lbsO2/lbBODremoved
Extendedaeration1.2to1.6lbO2/lbBODremoved

"TheOperationoftheProcess"
Theactivatedsludgeprocessisregardedbymostoperatorstobethemostdifficultofallofthe
wastewaterbiologicalsecondarytreatmentprocesses.Butiftheprocesshasbeenproperly
designed,andahasanadequatelaboratorysupport,properlytrainedoperatorsrarelyhave
majorproblemswiththeprocess.
Therearesomeexcellenttextscoveringactivatedsludge,suchasthechaptersinWater
EnvironmentsMOP11,andNo.OM9,"ActivatedSludge".Iwillcertainlynottrytowritesuch
volumes,asthesetwotexts,ofmypersonalexperiencesforthiscolumn!Rather,itismydesire
toconcentrateonsomeoperationalitemswhicharenotgenerallydiscussedalotatthistime:
selectors,primarydesignandoperatingcriteriathatareimportanttooperatetheprocesswell,
andoptimizingtheprocessinyourfacility.

3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

Firstsomedefinitions:
Thesolidsretentiontime(SRT)isusuallydefinedasthenumberofpoundsofsolidsunder
aerationdividedbythesumofthenumberofpoundsactivatedsludgewastedaddedtothe
numberofpoundsofsolidslostinthesecondaryeffluent.
Themeancellresidencetime(MCRT)ismostoftendefinedasthenumberofpoundsofsolids
intheaerationbasinaddedtothenumberofpoundsofsolidsinthesecondaryclarifierdivided
bythesumofthenumberofpoundsofactivatedsludgewastedaddedtothenumberof
poundsofsolidslostinthesecondaryclarifiereffluent.Wesamplethesolidsinthesecondary
clarifiersusingsludgejudgestoincreaseaccuracy.Ipersonallyfeelthatthisisthebest
approach.
Selectorsaresmallbasinsinwhichthemixedliquor(mixtureofReturnActivatedSludge[RAS]
andprimaryeffluent)istreated(passedthrough)priortotheactivatedsludgeprocess.The
basinsprovideabout15to30minutesofhydraulicdetentiontime.Theselectorsaredesigned
foraerobic,anaerobic,oranoxicconditions,dependingontheprocessgoal.:
Aerobicselectorsrequire2to3mg/Ldissolvedoxygenconcentrationtoreducethefilamentous
bacteriagrowthpotential
AnaerobicselectorshaveaverylowDOcontent(<0.5mg/LDO)withlowconcentrationsof
nitratesfromthesecondaryclarifier(<5mg/L)toalsoreducefilamentousmicrobes.This
occursduetothelowdissolvedoxygenconcentrations,andahighconcentrationofa
phosphorusconsumingpopulationofmicrobesthatconsumeamajorityoftheCBODinthe
selectorwhichmakesthefoodunavailabletothefilamentousmicroorganismslaterinthe
aerationbasin(s).
Anoxicselectorsarecreatedwhenarecycledflowoftreatedsecondaryeffluent,containing
highamountsofnitrates,isreturnedtotheselectortomixwiththemixedliquor.Thisselector
isusedtodenitrify(removeaportionofthenitratenitrogenintheeffluent).
(InVacavilleIhavecreatedananaerobicselectorinmyconventionalactivatedsludgeaeration
basinsbyreducingthequantityofairthatisappliedatthebeginningofthefirstaerationbasin,
therebyloweringthedissolvedoxygenconcentration.Theamountofairisverylow,only
enoughtosatisfymixingrequirements.Ithenapplyenoughairtomaintain2to3mg/LDO
throughouttherestofthebasins.Profiletestshaveshownthereleaseandsubsequentuptake
ofphosphorus,aprimarycharacteristicofanaerobicselector.Eightyearsofpersonal
experiencewiththisanaerobicselectorinmyownplanthasshownthattheselectorallowsfor
thephosphorusgroupofmicroorganismstoconsumethecarbonaceousbiochemicaloxygen
demand(CBOD)intheselector,therebyreducingtheleveloffoodquantityavailablefor
filamentousgrowthandothermicrobeslaterintheprocess.)
Theprimarydesigncriteriaforallactivatedsludgeprocessvariationsinclude:
a.theselectedfood(CBOD)tomicroorganism(F/M)ratioandthecorrespondingsolids
retentiontime(SRT)ormeanscellresidenttime(MCRT)
b.thehydraulicdetentiontimeofthewastewaterbeingtreatedintheaerationbasins
c.aerationblowercapacity,oxygenuptakerateofthemixedliquor,andtypeofdiffuser
d.thesecondaryclarifierdesigncriteriahydraulic,andsolidsloadingrates
e.wasteactivatedsludge(WAS)andreturnactivatedsludge(RAS)designparameters
f.wastewatertreatmentstreamcharacteristics

3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

Operationalcontrols:thereareseveral
1)Returnactivatedsludgemodesofoperationinclude:
a)Constantflowrate:thereturnactivatedsludgeispumpedfromthesecondaryclarifier(s)
backtotheaerationbasin(s)ataconstantflowratedisregardingallotherprocessvariables.
b)Rawwastewaterflowpaced:thereturnactivatedsludgeisreturnedaccordingtoarateto
thatisproportionaltotheincomingwastewatertobetreated.Usuallythismeansthatasthe
wastewaterflowincreases,theflowrateofthereturnactivatedsludgeisincreasedonapreset
proportionalrate.
c)Combinationflowrates:somefacilitiesutilizebothconstantflowratesandflowproportional
flowratesdependingontheseason,wastewatertemperature,changesinorganicloading
rates,andalsotimeofday.
2)Itisveryimportanttomaintaintheselectedquantityofmicroorganismsinyour
aerationbasin(s),and/orclarifier(s)(SRTorMCRT).Thisisaccomplisheddailyby
removingfromthesystem(wasting)eachdaysgrowthofmicroorganisms,inwhatwecall
wasteactivatedsludge.Thewastingoftheexcessmicrobesfromyourprocessisthemost
importantprocessvariable,asitaffectsalloftheothervariables.
Wastingofactivatedsludgeisbasicallyoneoftwomethods:
a)Constantflowrate:thewastingrateoftheactivatedsludgeisconstantovertheentireday,
baseduponthenumberofdrypoundsofactivatedsludgethatneedtobewastedtoholda
specificMCRTorSRT.
b)Batchwastingrate:treatmentprocessesthathavehighMCRTsorSRTs,suchasextended
aerationplants,maywastesolidsfromtheirsysteminsmallbatchesdaily,oronceperday.
Thisisusuallynotrecommended,buthasprovidedsatisfactoryresultsformanysmallfacilities
withsuchprocessesasextendedaerationoxidationditch.
3)Dissolvedoxygenconcentration
Themicroorganismsrequiredissolvedoxygeninthewaterinordertocarryouttheirmetabolic
processes,andtostabilizetheorganics(CBOD)inthewastewater.Theremustbesufficient
dissolvedoxygennotonlyforthefreeswimmingandsmallcoloniesofmicrobes,butalsofor
thosemicrobesthatareinthecenteroflargerflockparticles.
Mostprocesses,withoutselector's,hold2to3mg/Ldissolvedoxygenconcentration.Above3
mg/LDOconcentrationelectricalpowerisusuallywasted.Filamentousmicroorganismsare
usuallyabletooutcompetemoredesirablemicrobeswhentheDOconcentrationisbelow
1mg/L.(Filamentousmicroorganismsinhigherproportionstoothermicrobescancausepoor
sludgesettlingproblemsintheclarifier's.)Asstatedpreviously,processeswithselectorswill
havedissolvedoxygenconcentrationsthatwillvaryfromthesevalues.
Additionaloxygen,abovethatrequiredforcarbonaceousbiochemicaloxygendemand(CBOD)
removal,isrequiredifthetreatmentprocessistoconvertammoniaintonitrates
(nitrification).
Optimizingyouractivatedsludgeprocess:
UsingtheXaxis(horizontal)forthetimevalueofdays,graph(trend)yourtreatmentplants
influentandeffluentBODandsuspendedsolidsontheYaxis(vertical).Usingthesamescale
oftheXaxis,graphthecorrespondingactivatedsludgeprocessvaluesofF/Mratio,MLSSor
MLVSS,SRTorMCRT,SVIandDOconcentrations.Thegoalofthistaskistocorrelateprocess
parameterstothebestqualityofplanteffluent.Oncethebestqualityofeffluentisfound,the

3/7/2016

Activatedsludge,Part1

processparametersthatachievedthiswaterqualityareselectedforoperationaluse.
Remember,inoursmallercommunitieswegenerallyhavegreatervariationsinflowrates,
suspendedsolids,andCBODloadingsontheplant.Ourchallengetherefore,istoholdour
proportionalprocessvariablesasstableaswecan,whiletheloadingsvarysomewhat.(Those
ofuswhohavethe"thrill"ofoperatingresorts,weekendcommunityfacilities,etc.,have
learnedthisskillalltoowell!)WecanbestdothisbyselectingthebestSRTorMCRTvaluethat
thegraphsindicateandapplysufficientdissolvedoxygentomeetthecorrespondingoxygen
demand.WecalculatetheSRTorMCRTatleastdaily.Wethensetourwastingrateof
activatedsludgeonafivedayorsevendayrunningtheaverage.Thishelpstostabilizeswings
inthenumberofpoundsofmicrobesinoursystems.Generallyspeaking,foreverypoundof
BODenteringtheprocesswecreateapproximately0.4to0.6poundsofmicroorganisms.The
microbesmustthereforebewastedfromthesystem,orsoontheclarifierswillbefilledwith
solids!
Generallyspeaking,evensmallchangesintheoperatingparameterssuchastheMCRTorSRT,
F/Mratio,andmixedliquorsuspendedsolidsconcentrationrequireasmuchastwoorthree
timestheMCRTorSRTvaluetostabilizetothenewparameters.Patienceisthekeyhere!
ProcessparametersandLaboratorysamplingandanalysis
Thetypeoftestsandtheirfrequencyforlaboratorysamplingandanalysiswillbedictatedby
themagnitudeofthevariationsinthewastewaterflowstreamandtheCBODconcentrations
enteringthetreatmentplant,thedesignoftheactivatedsludgeprocess.Thefollowingshould
beconsideredforcontrolofanactivatedsludgeprocess:
aerationbasin:
dissolvedoxygenconcentration
mixedliquorsuspendedsolids
mixedliquorvolatilesuspendedsolids
sludgevolumeindex(SVI)
Secondaryclarifier:
sludgeblanketdepthsandsuspendedsolidsconcentrationintheclarifier