DESIGN AND MODELING OF POST-DENITRIFICATION

SINGLE-SLUDGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESSES

RICHARD O. MINES, JR.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of South Florida 4202 East Fowler
Avenue, ENB 118 Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
(Received 3 January 1996; accepted 8 July 1996)

Abstract. A step-by-step design approach for sizing oxic/anoxic single- sludge activated sludge
systems is presented. A computer model utilizing a Lotus 123 spreadsheet was also developed which
simulates the post- denitrification single-sludge activated sludge process. The biokinetic equations
developed by Lawrence and McCarty are utilized in the model. The model was calibrated using data
from a full-scale, modified pure oxygen activated sludge process operating in the oxic/anoxic mode.
Two- tailed, paired comparison student t-tests performed on effluent BOD5 , SS, TKN, NH3 -N,
NO3 -N, and TN indicated there was no significant difference between the actual effluent values and
that predicted by the model at a 99 percent confidence level.
Key words: nitrification, post-denitrification, single-sludge, steady-state model

1. Introduction
Various models have been proposed for simulating the activated sludge process
(McKinney, 1962; Eckenfelder and OConnor, 1955; and Lawrence and McCarty,
1970). Goodman and Englande (1974) have shown that McKinneys and Eckenfelders models are essentially the same. The most widely accepted model in the
United States is that developed by Lawrence and McCarty (1970). This model
is taught at most universities and is presented in such texts as Reynolds (1982),
McGhee (1991), Metcalf and Eddy (1991), Water Environment Federation Manual
of Practice (1992), and Viessman and Hammer (1993). With the increasing popularity of biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems, other approaches have been
proposed for sizing such systems (Mines et al., 1992; Randall et al., 1992). The
Simulation of Single-Sludge Processes (SSSP) model developed by the International Association on Water Pollution Research and Control (IAWPRC) task group was
an attempt to try to promote a world-wide accepted, user-friendly model (Dold and
Marais, 1986; Hence et al., 1987; and Bidstrup and Grady, 1988). Though this was
a notable idea, the input parameters required for running the model are numerous
and at least three of them (inert soluble organic matter -SI , readily biodegradable
substrate -SS and inert suspended organic matter -XI ) are parameters not normally
measured at domestic wastewater treatment facilities (Hence et al., 1987). This
paper presents a straight-forward, simplified step-by-step approach to designing
post-denitrification single- sludge activated sludge systems.

Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 100: 7988, 1997.

c 1997 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.

80

RICHARD O. MINES JR.

2. Design approach
The design approach presented herein, utilizes biokinetic equations developed by
Lawrence and McCarty (1970) to size the aerobic zone along with a specific
denitrification equation proposed by Burdick et al. (1982) to design the anoxic
zone. A similar approach is being promoted for designing pre-denitrification and/or
combined pre- and post-denitrification systems (Nutrient Control, in preparation).
2.1. AEROBIC ZONE CALCULATIONS
First, select minimum weekly temperature, minimum pH, and minimum dissolved
oxygen (DO) level to be maintained. Second, calculate the maximum growth rate
of Nitrosomonas using the following equation developed from data presented by
Knowles et al. (1965), corrected for pH and DO as presented in the EPA Nitrogen
Control Manual (Parker et al., 1975):
(MAX)NS
(MAX )NS

e(0:0985 T 2:25)

DO
KDO

DO

[1

0:833(7:2

pH)]

(1)

Maximum growth rate of Nitrosomonas, day 1 ;

T
Mixed liquor temperature,  C;
pH
pH of mixed liquor, standard pH units;
DO
Dissolved oxygen level in aeration basin or oxic zone, mg/L;
and
KDO
= Half-saturation constant for DO, mg/L; 1.0 mg/L (Bidstrup
and Grady, 1988).
Third, calculate the minimum solids retention time (SRT) in days required for a given temperature, DO, pH, and influent ammonia concentration using the following
equation:
1
(SRT)MIN

=
=
=
=

(MAX )NS (NH4

KNS

+ (NH4

N)o
N)o

bNS

(2)

= Minimum SRT required for nitrification, days;

(SRT)MIN
+
(NH4 -N)o = Influent ammonium nitrogen concentration, mg/L;
bNS
= Endogenous decay coefficient for Nitrosomonas, days 1;
KNS
= Half-saturation constant for ammonium nitrogen, mg/L; and
KNS
= 100:0151T 1:148 (Knowles et al., 1965).
Fourth, calculate the design SRT of the aerobic zone in days, based on a safety
factor and peaking factor as follows:
(SRT)DESIGN = (SRT)MIN (SF)(PF)

(3)

SINGLE-SLUDGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESSES

(SRT)DESIGN
SF

81

=
=

The SRT used in designing the aerobic zone, days;

Safety factor based on uncertainty of performance, usually 1.2
to 2.0; and
PF
= Peaking factor based on the peak nitrogen loading to average
loading to the treatment unit, usually 1.1 to 1.2.
Fifth, estimate the overall SRT of the biological system in days using the following
equation:
(SRT)OVERALL = (SRT)DESIGN (MF)

(4)

(SRT)OVERALL = The SRT of the oxic and anoxic zone, days.

The multiplication factor (MF) accounts for the anoxic volume which will increase
the SRT of the system. For most Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) systems, this
parameter will vary from approximately 1.4 to 2.0. The multiplication factor (MF)
is calculated as follows:
MF

1=(1

FANOXIC )

(5)

FANOXIC = Anoxic zone fraction of total reactor volume.

Sixth, for a given set of heterotrophic biokinetic constants, calculate the soluble
effluent BOD5 (Se ) in mg/L for the (SRT)OVERALL as follows:
Se

Ks [1 + b(SRT)OVERALL]
[(SRT)OVERALL(Yk
b)
1]

(6)

b
= Endogenous decay coefficient for organic removal, days 1;
Y
= Yield coefficient, g VSS/g BOD5 ;
k
= Maximum substrate (BOD5 ) utilization rate, days 1; and
KS = Half-saturation constant for BOD5 , mg/L.
Seventh, for a given set of autotrophic biokinetic constants, calculate the effluent ammonium nitrogen concentration (NH4 + -N)e in mg/L using the following
equation:
+

(NH4

N)e

KNS [1 + bNS (SRT)DESIGN]

(SRT)DESIGN [YNS kNS
bNS ] 1

(7)

Eighth, determine the amount of nitrogen to be oxidized (NO) in mg/L as follows:

NO

TKNo

(NH4 )e

NSYN

(8)

TKNo = Influent total Kjeldahl nitrogen, mg/L; and

NSYN = Influent nitrogen used in synthesis of biomass, mg/L.
The nitrogen utilized in synthesis (NSYN ) neglecting the small amount of nitrogen synthesized by the nitrifiers is calculated using the following equation:
NSYN

Y(So
S e )F N
b(SRT)OVERALL]

[1 +

+ (Xe )FN

(9)

82

RICHARD O. MINES JR.

Xe = Effluent VSS concentration, mg/L; and

FN = Fraction of nitrogen in volatile suspended solids (0.05 to 0.12).
Ninth, the volume of the aerobic zone (VOXIC ) neglecting synthesis by the nitrifiers
in cubic meters necessary to achieve nitrification for a given temperature, pH, and
DO is calculated as follows:
 Y(S

Q(SRT)DESIGN
Se
o
VOXIC =
+ XL
(10)
X
1 + b(SRT)DESIGN
So
X
Q

=
=
=

XL

Influent total BOD5 to biological treatment system, mg/L;

Mixed liquor suspended solids concentration, mg/L;
Volumetric flowrate into the biological treatment process,
m3 /day; and
Inert solids in the influent (FSS + nondegradable VSS), mg/L.

2.2. ANOXIC ZONE CALCULATIONS

Estimate the mass of nitrates to be removed in the anoxic zone. First, calculate the
nitrate equivalence of dissolved oxygen (NO3 -N)EQ in the mixed liquor from the
aerobic zone in kg/day as follows:
(NO3

N)EQ

= (DO)ML

g NO3 N
0:35
g O2

(Q +

RAS)

1 kg
(11)
1000g

(DO)ML = Dissolved oxygen concentration in aerobic zone, mg/L, and

RAS
= Return activated sludge flow, m3 /day.
Second, calculate the mass of nitrates (NOR) to be removed in the anoxic zone in
kg/day using the following equation:
NOR

Q[NO

(NO3

N)e ] (1 kg=1000 g)

(12)

(NO3 - N)e = Desired effluent nitrate-nitrogen concentration, mg/L.

Third, calculate the total mass of nitrates (TNOR) to be removed in the anoxic zone
in kg/day using the following equation:
TNOR

= [NOR + (NO3

N)EQ ] (1 kg=1000 g)

(13)

Fourth, estimate the specific denitrification rate (SDNR2 ) in days 1 corrected for
ambient temperature in the post-denitrification, anoxic zone using the following
equation (Burdick et al., 1982):
SDNR2

:706 (1:02)T
0:12(SRT)OVERALL

20

(14)

Fifth, calculate the volume of the anoxic zone (VANOXIC ) in cubic meters as
follows:
(TNOR) (1000 g=kg)
VANOXIC =
(15)
(X)(SDNR2 )

SINGLE-SLUDGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESSES

83

Sixth, the total volume (VTOTAL ) of the biological system in cubic meters can now
be calculated using the following equation:
=

VTOTAL

VOXIC

VANOXIC

(16)

Seventh, the quantity of sludge (PX ) in kg/day that must be wasted from this system
can be calculated using the following equation which neglects the small amount of
biomass synthesized by the nitrifiers:

PX

Y(So Se )
1 + b(SRT)OVERALL

XL

(Q)(1

kg=1000 g)

(17)

Eighth, calculate the overall SRT in days of the biological system as follows:
(SRT )OV ERALL =

X (VOXIC + VANOXIC )
PX (1000 g=kg )

(18)

If the calculated SRT is not within 5 percent of the assumed (SRT)OVERALL

in Step 5 of the aerobic zone calculations, the entire design procedure must be
repeated.
2.3. OXYGEN REQUIREMENTS
Oxygen is required to meet both the carbonaceous and nitrogenous oxygen demands.
The total kilograms of oxygen required daily (O2 ) can be estimated using the following equations:
O2

CBOD

NOD

DOC

CBOD = [Q[(1 1:42Y )(So

NOD
DOC
CBOD
NOD
DOC

(19)

Se )] + 1:42(b)(X )VOXIC ] (1 kg=1000 g )(20)

Q(4:57)(NO)(1 kg=1000 g)

g O2
Q 2:86
g NO3 N

=
=
=

(21)

[NO

(NO3

N)e ] (1 kg=1000 g) (22)

Carbonaceous oxygen demand, kg/day;

Nitrogenous oxygen demand, kg/day; and
Denitrification oxygen credit, kg/day.

2.4. ALKALINITY REQUIREMENTS

Sufficient alkalinity must be maintained so that the pH does not drop during
nitrification thereby, inhibiting the process. Normally, 50100 mg/L of alkalinity
as CaCO3 are maintained in the effluent from BNR systems. The effluent alkalinity

84

RICHARD O. MINES JR.

Table I
Biokinetic Constants Used in Modeling Runs

Y
k
b
Ks

Heterotrophs

Nitrosomonas

0.6 g VSS/g BOD5

5.0 days 1
0.06 days 1
60 mg/L BOD5

0.15 g VSS/g NH4 + -N

3.0 days 1
0.05 days 1
100:051T 1:148 mg/L NH4 + -N

T = temperature  C.

(ALKe ) in mg/L as CaCO3 can be calculated as follows from the anoxic/oxic

process:
ALKe
ALKo

7:14(NO)

3:57[NO

ALKo

Influent alkalinity, mg/L as CaCO3.

(NO3

N)e ]

(23)

3. Description and validation of model

A spreadsheet model using Lotus 123 was developed using the equations presented above. Data from the 75,700 m3 /day (20 mgd) Main Street Wastewater
Treatment Plant in Pensacola, Florida were used in calibrating the model to determine if the design approach presented herein was valid. The major liquid train
components include: grit removal, primary clarification, biological treatment, secondary clarification, chlorination, dechlorination, and discharge to Pensacola Bay.
The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit sets the
maximum annual average load discharged to Pensacola Bay at 606 kg/day (1,334
ppd) for both five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5 ) and suspended solids
(SS), 455 kg/day (1,000 ppd) for total nitrogen (TN), and 76.4 kg/day (168 ppd)
for total phosphorus (TP), respectively. At 75,700 m3 /day, this equates to effluent
concentrations of 8 mg/L for BOD5 and SS, 6 mg/L for TN, and 1 mg/L for TP.
In the existing configuration the back half of the aeration basin is operated as an
anoxic zone resulting in a process capacity of approximately 68,100 m3 /day (18
mgd) or 80 percent of capacity. Phosphorus removal was accomplished in the primaries through alum addition at approximately 110 mg/L to the primary influent.
Lime at 13 mg/L was added to the primary effluent to increase the alkalinity for
biological treatment. At times, methanol was added to the anoxic zone to enhance
denitrification. Nonionic polymer at approximately 0.5 mg/L was added to the
secondary influent for enhancing SS removal in the secondaries and to eliminate
the need for effluent filtration.
The equations presented under the design approach section had to be rearranged
slightly since the volume of the oxic and anoxic zones were already known. Parameters input into the model included: influent values for BOD5 , SS, TN, Q, VSS/SS,

6.4
10.5
12.5
11.5
15.0
12.3
8.3
10.3
11.4
14.0
10.0
7.6
8.3
5.4
12.0
7.2
6.6
12.4
7.7
2.9

8.3
8.7
8.6
13.8
8.4
4.7
9.3
6.7
7.5
9.7
11.8
11.3
15.2
7.5
9.6
9.0
22.8
16.8
10.2
12.6

(Table II continues on next page)

3/1
3/2
3/3
3/4
3/5
3/6
3/7
3/8
3/9
3/10
3/11
3/12
3/13
3/14
3/15
3/16
3/17
3/18
3/19
3/20

2.0
2.0
6.8
3.6
68.0
7.6
1.2
3.6
3.6
8.4
19.0
4.8
7.4
2.0
6.4
2.4
3.6
6.0
5.6
2.4

8.2
8.6
8.3
16.0
6.9
3.0
8.9
5.7
7.0
9.9
13.3
11.9
17.8
6.6
10.5
8.9
29.2
19.6
10.9
14.3

6.5
5.0
6.1
6.8
4.9
5.1
6.6
5.8
3.8
7.2
6.7
6.0
4.9
4.6
6.9
5.9
4.8
4.8
3.5
3.1

3.8
4.2
3.9
3.5
0.0
2.9
4.5
3.5
4.8
8.1
6.4
4.1
3.8
10.4
4.0
5.0
4.3
4.1
4.3
4.3

5.6
4.5
5.7
6.0
3.9
4.1
5.4
4.8
3.3
5.8
5.1
4.2
3.5
3.3
5.1
4.8
4.5
3.2
2.4
2.2

3.0
3.4
3.2
1.2
0.0
2.6
3.6
2.9
4.0
7.3
5.3
2.9
2.2
9.8
3.1
4.1
1.7
2.3
3.3
3.0

2.9
3.3
2.7
2.5
2.8
2.6
1.8
2.3
2.7
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
2.9
2.1
2.5
2.0
1.1
0.7
3.0

3.0
4.3
6.5
3.8
0.0
12.9
1.9
4.1
3.4
0.0
0.2
5.3
1.8
0.1
4.5
3.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
3.2

9.4
8.3
8.8
9.3
7.7
7.7
8.4
8.1
6.5
8.7
8.7
8.5
7.9
7.5
9.0
8.4
6.8
5.9
4.2
6.1

6.8
8.5
10.4
7.2
0.0
15.9
6.4
7.6
8.2
8.1
6.6
9.4
5.6
10.4
8.5
8.1
4.3
4.1
4.3
7.5

DATE
BOD5
TSS
TKN
NH3
NO3
TN
1992 ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL

Table II
Effluent Comparison

SINGLE-SLUDGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESSES

85

9.2
8.3
9.3
12.0
13.8
9.8
3.5
2.9
6.2
8.1

10.6
14.0
10.1
8.4
14.4
10.8
10.3
7.0
6.9
7.8

4.4
3.2
4.0
11.2
5.2
4.2
3.4
2.0
48.0
2.4

11.3
16.0
10.7
8.9
16.2
11.7
11.5
6.7
5.5
7.3

3.5
3.0
3.1
7.6
6.2
5.4
3.2
2.2
2.8
3.7

All concentrations in mg/L; incomplete data set on 3/21/92

BOD5 = 5-day biochemical oxygen demand
TSS = total suspended solids
TKN = total Kjeldahl nitrogen
NH3 = ammonia nitrogen
NO3 = nitrate nitrogen
TN = total nitrogen

3/22
3/23
3/24
3/25
3/26
3/27
3/28
3/29
3/30
3/31

4.1
4.2
3.4
3.4
4.3
4.1
3.9
2.7
11.3
4.5

2.6
1.9
2.2
5.9
4.6
3.9
1.9
1.1
1.6
2.5

3.1
2.7
2.4
2.6
2.7
3.0
2.9
2.1
10.8
3.9

2.9
1.9
3.3
1.5
2.4
2.4
4.6
5.8
5.0
7.4

3.0
2.6
4.8
3.9
0.0
2.3
3.0
7.9
0.6
5.0

6.4
4.9
6.4
9.1
8.6
7.8
7.8
8.0
7.8
7.4

7.1
6.9
8.2
7.3
4.3
6.4
6.9
10.6
11.9
9.6

DATE
BOD5
TSS
TKN
NH3
NO3
TN
1992 ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL ACTUAL MODEL

Table II
Continued.

86
RICHARD O. MINES JR.

SINGLE-SLUDGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESSES

87

and alkalinity; heterotrophic and autotrophic biokinetic constants for Y, k, Ks , and

b; mixed liquor values for VSS/SS, DO, sludge volume index (SVI), and temperature; anoxic and oxic volumes; and the overall SRT of the biological system. The
values for k and Ks were corrected for temperature variation with a temperature
correction coefficient ( ) of 1.09 whereas, the endogenous decay coefficients (b)
were corrected for temperature with a  of 1.04. Table I lists the biokinetic constants utilized in the modeling runs. SS concentrations in the secondary effluent
were estimated by assuming that 98 percent of the mixed liquor suspended solids
where removed during clarification. Total effluent BOD5 was estimated by adding
the effluent soluble BOD5 predicted from the biokinetic equation to the estimated
BOD5 of the effluent TSS assuming that the theoretical COD of the volatile portion
was 1.42 kg per kg of biomass. The five day BOD was then assumed to be approximately two thirds of the theoretical COD. The return activated sludge recycle ratio
(R) was determined from the following equation:
R=

hQ
V

h1


Q
V

Q(106 ) i
(V )(SV I )(X )
c

(24)

Primary and secondary effluent data along with SVI values for the month of March
1992 were utilized in validating the model. Methanol was not added to the anoxic
zone during March 1992. Analyses were conducted on 24-hour composite samples
in accordance to Standard Methods (1985). Table II presents the results from
the modeling runs. Two tailed, paired comparison student t-tests performed on
effluent BOD5 , SS, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3 -N),
nitrate nitrogen (NO3 -N), and total nitrogen (TN) were performed at a 99 percent
confidence level. Results indicated there was no significant difference between the
actual effluent parameters and that predicted by the model, thereby validating the
model. The design approach presented herein is a straight-forward procedure that
can be utilized by engineers to design post-denitrification single-sludge systems.
With minor modifications, the approach can be used for sizing pre-denitrification
and combined pre- and post-denitrification activated sludge systems.

4. Summary and conclusions

A step-by-step design approach for sizing post-denitrification single-sludge activated sludge systems was presented. The procedure utilizes the biokinetic equations
developed by Lawrence and McCarty (1970) for the aerobic zone and the specific denitrification rate equation developed by Burdick et al. (1982) for sizing the
anoxic zone. The model was validated using data from a full-scale modified pure
oxygen process operating in the oxic/anoxic mode. Two tailed, paired comparison
student t-tests performed on actual versus model effluent parameters for BOD5 ,
SS, TKN, NH3 -N, NO3 -N, and TN indicated there was no significant difference

88

RICHARD O. MINES JR.

between the two at a 99 percent confidence level, thereby validating the model.
The design procedure presented herein is not as complex as the SSSP model, and
therefore may be more practical and user friendly to practicing design engineers.

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