The Activated Sludge Process

Jiri Wanner
Institute of Chemical Technology
Prague, CZ
Activated sludge process - 1913
Activated sludge process 1913/1915
 Activated sludge process
configurations
• Continuous flow with gravity
clarifier
• Continuous flow with
membrane (MBR)
• Sequencing batch reactor
(SBR)
 Continuous flow with gravity
clarifier
Mixed Secondary
Influent
Liquor Secondary Effluent
Aeration
Basin Clarifier

Waste
Activated
Return Activated
Sludge,
Sludge, RAS
WAS
Completely mixed activated
sludge (CMAS)

Inf AB Eff
SC

RAS WAS
Compartmentalized plug-flow
activated sludge system
Compartmentalized plug-flow
activated sludge system
Continuous flow with membrane
(MBR)
Membrane

Eff
Inf (permeate)
AB

RAS
WAS
 Sequencing batch reactor
Inf

diffusers

Fill React React

(anoxic) (aerobic)

Settle Draw Idle

Common process flow
schemes
Contact stabilization/ AS process
with regeneration
Inf

AB Eff
SC

RAS WAS

REGENERATION ZONE
Contact stabilization/ AS process
with regeneration

REGENERATION ZONE
Contact stabilization/ AS process
with regeneration

REGENERATION ZONE
Contact stabilization/ AS process
with regeneration

REGENERATION ZONE
 Oxidation ditch
(basis for future arrangements like
Carrousel activated sludge system)

Inf Eff
AB
SC

RAS WAS
Oxidation ditch
Oxidation ditch
Carrousel activated sludge system
Nitrification/denitrification (N/DN)

ML
Inf Eff
Anox Aer SC

RAS WAS
Enhanced biological phosphorus
removal (EBPR) + D/N

ML
Eff
Anaer Anox Aer SC

RAS WAS
Enhanced biological phosphorus
removal (EBPR) + D/N
Enhanced biological phosphorus
removal (EBPR) + D/N
 More…
• Coupled processes
Biofilter/AS
Biofilter/Solids Contact
AS/Biofilter
• Hybrid processes
Fixed media in AS (Kaldness, Ringlace)
• AS with chemical addition
Ferric chloride, Alum for P removal
Activated carbon for organics removal
(PACT)
Activated Sludge Process
Control (technological)
parameters
Basic flows and concentrations

Q, So, Xo Q+R,
X1, S1 Q, X2, S1
V, X1, S1 Vc  0

R, Xr
W, Xr
 Basic terms
Flow Solids Substrate
Influent Q Xo Xo = 0
Mixed Liquor Q+R X1 S1
Effluent Q (-W) X2 S1(sol)
RAS R Xr
WAS W Xr

Aeration basin volume = V

Secondary clarifier volume = Vc = 0
Food to microorganism ratio (F/M)
(Sludge loading in terms of IWA
notation)

kg substrate applied/d
F/M 
kg sludge in system
Q  So
F/M   BX
V  X1
 Sludge age ΘX, Solids residence
time (SRT), Mean cell residence
time (MCRT)

The average time that sludge solids

(biomass) stay in the system…this
is longer that the hydraulic
residence time because sludge is
recycled from the secondary
clarifier
 MCRT (θX )
kg sludge in system
X 
kg sludge removed/d
______

kg sludge in system

kg sludge lost in effluent/d  kg sludge wasted/d
VX 1 kg
 (units   days)
(Q  W ) X 2  WX r kg/d
 The control of Sludge age ΘX
is achieved by manipulating W.

Q, So, Xo Q+R,
X1, S1 Q, X2, S1
V, X1, S1 Vc  0

R, Xr
W, Xr
 Types of activated sludge
process according to sludge age
• Long sludge age with aerobic sludge
stabilization ΘX = 25 d and more
• Long sludge age with nitrification-
denitrification ΘX = 12 – 18 d
• Conventional, medium sludge age
ΘX = 4 – 8 d
• Short sludge age, high loaded
ΘX = 3d and less