Troubleshooting the Causes of

Bulking Sludge
NC AWWA-WEA - Spring Conference
New Bern, NC
Presented by:
David Wagoner, PE
HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas
April 19, 2010

Presentation Takeaways
Bulking Sludge
What it is
Why does it happen - Causes
How do you control it Troubleshooting the Root
Causes

What is Bulking Sludge?

Fundamental Goals of Activated Sludge process
Grow a biomass to remove pollutants that will properly
settle

Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) wont

properly settle in the secondary clarifier
Impaired Settleability Why?
Mechanical issues?
Biological issues process, operations?

Early detection is important preventive approach

Bulking Early Detection

30-minute settleability: provides warning of poor settleability
in clarifier
% settleability =
30 min settled MLSS, mL X 100
ml of settleometer

Sludge Volume Index (SVI): used to observe/measure

settleability changes that can occur over time; can indicate
onset of sludge bulking episode
SVI = % settleability X 10,000
MLSS, mg/L

Causes of Bulking
Mechanical are there mechanics/design
issues?
Floc shearing
Over aeration
Flow transfer

Clarifier mechanics

Weir level
Short circuiting
Sludge removal mechanism
Clarifier capacity

More mechanical issues = lower threshold for bulking

conditions

Causes of Bulking
Biological condition of the activated sludge
Resulting conditions are dependent upon operating
profile relative to the loadings and plant design
Get back to basics
Are my operating conditions promoting the right mix of
microorganisms

Am I providing the essentials?

Is my system under stress?

Have my flows and loads changed?

Magnitude and/or character?

Process criteria/data trending is critical

TABLE 7-4: TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE FOR SECONDARY CLARIFICATION

Indicators/Observations
1.

Sludge floating or
billowing in clarifier.
Solids lost in effluent.

Possible Cause
1a.

1b.

1c.

Bulking sludge caused by

filamentous organisms in the
mixed liquor.

Rising sludge due to denitrification

occurring in clarifiers. Nitrogen gas
given off attaches to sludge particles.

Sludge not removed often enough

(septic sludge).

Check or Monitor
1a.

1b.

1c.

Check Sludge Volume Index

(SVI). If less than 100 then
filaments are not the cause. SVI
over 100 indicates filaments.

Check nitrate concentration in clarifier

influent. Presence of NO3 will cause
denitrification.

Check sludge collection and removal rates.

Possible Solution

1a1.

Increase D.O. in aeration tanks to

greater than 1.0 mg/L.

1a2.

Increase pH to 7.0.

1a3.

Adjust nutrient balance so that

BOD to nutrients is no more than
100 mg/L BOD to 5 mg/L total
nitrogen, to 1 mg/L phosphorous,
and 0.5 mg/L iron.

1a4.

Add 10 to 50 mg/L chlorine or 50 to

200 mg/L hydrogen peroxide until
SVI drops below 150.

1a5.

Adjust solids retention time (SRT).

1a6.

Increase sludge return rate.

.
1b1.

Increase sludge return rate.

1b2.

Increase D.O. in aeration tank.

1b3.

Reduce SRT.

1c.

Increase speed of collection and frequency of

removal.

Key general cause of Bulking

Overabundance of Filamentous Bacteria
Different filaments have different causes
Causes normally include

low DO
High MCRT/low F/M
Low pH
Nutrient imbalance
Septicity/organic acids
Readily available substrates
Slow to degrade substrates

Stressful conditions to Floc

formers..
Filaments have advantage

Identifying problem filament(s) and correlating to

operational conditions can lead to causative
conditions

Viscous Bulking
Over abundance of zoogloeal bacteria growth
Elevated polysaccharides
High F/M conditions with readily available substrates
Sugars, volatile acids, simple carbohydrates

Nutrient deficiency

Troubleshooting = Understanding Root Causes

Look at the basics
Am I providing the essentials for growing a good biomass?
DO levels throughout the aeration basin
Complete mix vs plug flow; step feed
How is the biomass seeing the food?

pH throughout the aeration basin

Nutrient levels N and P
Industrial waste impacts

Mixing promote flocculation

Troubleshooting = Understanding Root Causes

Flows and Loads to Treatment
Change in waste character
Industrial dischargers degradability of organic
materials
Sidestream conditions BOD, NH3, P, alkalinity
Collection system changes

Seasonal changes temperature impacts

Proper MCRT and F/M targeted/maintained
Waste Activated Sludge

Troubleshooting = Understanding Root Causes

Biological Nutrient Removal Systems
Anaerobic, anoxic, oxic
Balanced, consistent operations?
Too high/too low Volatile Fatty Acids or P levels at
times
Load fluctuations sidestreams?
Adequate BOD?

Anaerobic/anoxic reactors (selectors) used in BNR can

help control certain filaments
Maintain operating ranges
Improper control leads to poor settling performance

Readily available organics such as organic acids in oxic

conditions can lead to filamentous or viscous bulking

Microscopic Examination MLSS

We have the data
We have reviewed the process, flows and loads.
We have some good ideas on what might be causing
settling problems.
.what other tools can we use to put the full picture
together?

type 0041/0675

type 1851

N. limicola

M. parvicella

Table3.8
SummaryofConditionsAssociatedwithFilamentousOrganism
GrowthinActivatedSludge

Cause

Filamentous
Organism

LowDOConcentration

S.natans
Type1702
H.hydrossis

LowF/M

Type0041
Type0675
Type1851
Type0803

Elevatedlowmolecularweight
organicacidconcentration

Type021N
Thiothrix IandII
N.limicolaI,IIandIII
Type0914
Type0411
Type0961
Type0581
Type0092

HydrogenSulfide

Thiothrix IandII
Type021N
Type0914
Beggiatoa spp.

NutrientDeficiency
Nitrogen
Phosphorus

Type021N
Thiothrix IandII
N.limicola III
H.hydrossis
S.natans

Other

ViscousBulking
(WithhighF/M)

Reference:
Manual on the Causes and Control of Activated Sludge Bulking and Foaming, 3rd Edition, 2004
David Jenkins, Michael G. Richard, Glen T. Daigger

Summary
Reliable and routine operating data is critical for
process control decision making
Understand conditions where your plant operates
most effectively
Watch trends in key process parameters
Cause and effect relationships
Microscopic examination of MLSS
Preventive approach

Thank you!
Questions Discussion
Acknowledgement:
Helene Hilger and James Amburgey
Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering
UNC Charlotte
(Use of micrographs from NC AWWA-WEA
Microscopic Examination - Techniques and Interpretation
Seminar Presentation)