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Feature Report
?av

;igmng an V

Wastewater-
« reatment System
Meeting the wastewater-treatment demands of an integrated manufacturing complex demands
a design that can address a diverse array of contaminants and discharge requirements

Brian Arntsen
ny large, integrated chemical-man­ of the pro­ SUEZ Water

A
ufacturing complex will require the gram was Technologies &
implementation of a comprehen­ to investi­ Solutions
sive wastewater-treatment solution gate a range
to address unique wastewater challengesof options
and comply with all necessary effluent dis­ for treat­ IN BRIEF
charge requirements. This article outlines ing gas-to- INITIAL TECHNOLOGY
the process for designing and commission­ liquid (GTL) EVALUATION
ing such a wastewater-treatment facility, w a s t e w a ­
TREATMENT TRAIN
using real-life examples from Sasol’s new ters. After
DESIGN
chemical-production plant in Westlake, La., identifying
near Lake Charles. The facility produces liquid membrane WATER-TREATMENT

fuels from coal, and includes a 1.5-million-ton/ b i o r e a c ­ PLANT DESIGN

yr ethane cracker and six downstream chemi­ tor (MBR) PLANT STARTUP AND
cal plants that will produce chemicals for plas­ technology COMMISSIONING
tics and other consumer products. The down­ (Figure 1) FIGURE 2. The MBR used in this project
stream chemical-production facilities include as the most featured special hollow-fiber ultrafiltration OPERATIONAL DATA

two large polymers plants (low-density and e f f e c t i v e membrane

cassettes

linear low-density polyethylene); an ethylene solution, Sasol invested heavily in MBR pi­
oxide/ethylene glycol plant; and three smaller, loting, modeling and technology validation,
higher-value derivative plants that produce which led the company to select a spe­
specialty alcohols, ethoxylates and alumina cific ultrafiltration (UF) hollow-fiber mem­
products. For any project of this magnitude, brane (Figure 2) as the MBR technology
efficient wastewater treatment is essential in of choice for addressing GTL wastewater
supporting effective plant operation. treatment needs.

Initial technology evaluation Treatment train design

Prior to building the Lake Charles complex,
Sasol launched a technology evaluation pro­
gram that spanned five years. The purpose
FIGURE 1. Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology integrates
membrane solids separation with a suspended-growth bio­
logical process in a bioreactor
Drawing from a broad portfolio of technolo­
gies to use in conjunction with MBR, a fully
integrated multi-train wastewater treatment
system was selected (Figure 3), with the
objective to achieve a consistently treated
effluent that would meet all local, state and
federal regulations in terms of discharge
quality. Following an initial equalization stage,
to equalize the incoming waste streams, a
dissolved-nitrogen flotation (DNF) unit was
selected as a pre-treatment solution for oil
and solids separation.
It is critical to guard against free oil in the
incoming wastewater, and generally, free oil

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Coagulation and
Equalization
flocculation
FIGURE 3. This illustration shows the
chemicals complex
concentrations should not exceed
5 mg/L. For this reason, special at­
tention should be given to the pre­
treatment selection. This reasoning
was the basis for choosing DNF
technology — a highly efficient pre­
treatment step commonly used in
the hydrocarbon and chemical pro­
cess industries (CPI) to remove sus­
pended solids, grease and insoluble
oil from wastewater prior to a biologi­
cal treatment process. Composed of
flotation units that use nitrogen gas,
DNF treatment typically includes
the following:
• Online coagulation for colloidal
material
ONF
1f
MBR
Sludge
Recirculation
Oil-sludge Bio-sludge
treatment treatment
overall wastewater-treatment scheme used for the Lake Charles
• A tank is provided for solids set­
tling (floe formation) and oil coales­
cence to help form pin floe compat­
ible with the flotation process
• A flotation tank equipped with
a centrally driven surface-scraper
mechanism
• A pressurization system for nitro­
gen dissolution under pressure and
formation of micro-bubbles required
by the flotation process
• DNF sludge tanks for sludge
storage
Following the DNF, the MBR was
the adopted solution for addressing
the type of wastewaters produced at
Direct discharge
the Lake Charles Complex. This so­
lution was especially well-suited for
meeting Sasol’s needs due to its ca­
pacity for robust removal of chemical
oxygen demand (COD) and biological
oxygen demand (BOD). At the core of
the MBR system is the UF hollow-fiber
membrane, which offers an absolute
barrier to suspended solids, produc­
ing consistent high-quality effluent.
MBR technology integrates mem­
brane solids separation with a sus­
pended-growth biological process
in a bioreactor. The membranes
are immersed directly in the mixed-
liquor suspended solids with perme­
ate drawn into the fibers by a gentle
suction mechanism. Contaminants
in the wastewater are rejected by
the membrane and retained in the
process tank, providing solids-free
treated water. The solids matrix on
the membrane surface is non-pore-
fouling and easily rejected. Addition­
ally, the system can operate at low
pressures with resulting low power

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CROUP

TABLE 1. DNF DESIGN PARAMETERS

Parameter Value

Coagulation retention time 4 min

Flocculation retention time 10 min

Flotation rise velocity (excluding recycle (low) 4 m/h at maximum flow

Recirculation rate (teed flow) 30%

Maximum water temperature 40°C

Coagulant dosing 5 ppm as Fe*»

Polymer dosing 1 ppm

Floated sludge concentration 35 gal/OS

costs compared to pressure-filtration processes.

Several design parameters must be considered to en­ a
t -N
sure a reliable MBR system. These are described in the Sr-,
following sections. >•
The organic loading rate, or F/M ratio. This is mea­
sured by the amount of food provided divided by the
amount of biomass or reactor volume for a unit of time,
and is a function of COD and the amount of volatile sus­
pended solids (VSS). The value should typically range
from 0.1 to 0.3 kg of COD per kg of VSS.
MBR hydraulic retention time (HRT). This is defined as
the sum of all reactor volumes divided by influent flow. MBRs
operate effectively at a shorter time compared to conven­
tional aerobic systems. The typical HRT should range from
3 to 6 hours (2 to 4 hours in the aeration tanks, plus 1 to 2
hours in the membrane tank), compared to approximately
4 to 8 hours with conventional activated-sludge systems.
Solids retention time (SRT). This is the average time
that the activated-sludge solids are in the system. The
SRT should vary from 12 to 20 days, with consider­
ation paid to the lower end due to the higher possibil­
ity of membrane fouling associated with lower SRT
values. The average mixed-liquor suspended-solids
(MLSS) concentration should typically be between 8,000
and 10,000 mg/L.
THAT STACK
Oxygen uptake rate (OUR). This measures the oxygen
consumption rate per mixed liquor volume. It should
range from about 80 to 100 mg/L/h.

Water-treatment plant design

ANDHIGjJ
When completed, the full-scale 1,200-gal/min wastewa­
ter-treatment plant was engineered to handle a complex
THROUGHPUT^
wastewater flow resulting from multiple combined waste
streams generated at the Sasol Lake Charles complex. ARE MUTUALLY
TABLE 2. EFFLUENT QUALITY AND CHARACTERISTICS FOLLOWING
DNF TREATMENT EXCLUSIVE.
Parameter Design value average

Wastewater flow 352 gal/min

Wastewater temperature 35.6°C

Total suspended solids (TSS) 25 mg/L

Volatile suspended solids 22.5 mg/l

Chemical oxygen demand 1.275 mg/L

pH 7.0

Alkalinity 250 mg/L as CaC03

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To equalize and homogenize the
varying concentrations of different
wastewaters originating from the dif­
ferent chemical plants, an equaliza­
tion tank is used at the beginning of
the overall treatment process. After
the equalization stage, two identical
DNF treatment units (DNF Train A
and DNF Train B) were designed to
add redundancy to the wastewater
treatment system and mitigate risks
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42
45675895
associated with equipment failure.
Each unit is designed for an average
flow of 600 gal/min. a maximum flow
of 750 gal/min, and incorporates its
own in-line coagulation, flocculation
tank, flotation tank and pressuriza­
tion system. Both pressurization
systems include a pressurization
vessel and two DNF recycle pumps
(one duty and one spare) that re­
cycle recovered sludge from each
against chlorine,
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2020
TABLE 3. BIOLOGICAL SYSTEM DESIGN
Biological trains 2
Aerobic tank volume per bio train 196.500 gal
Total aerobic volume (excluding
393,000 gal
membranes)
Membrane tank aerobic volume 38.800 gal
MLSS design 8,000 mg/L
Minimum water depth 18ft
DNF unit to a respective sludge tank
for storage.
Circular DNF units were adopted
for the project to achieve better dis­
tribution through one single-inlet
distribution chamber, which ensures
even distribution of the floating ma­
terial across the entire surface area.
Use of a single mixing chamber al­
lows gas bubbles to attach to the
incoming floes.
The DNF sludge tanks were
equipped with a vertical mixer to
ensure adequate sludge homog­
enization. From the sludge tank, the
sludge is pumped to a three-phase
vertical centrifuge, which separates
water, oil and solids. The DNF de­
sign parameters are summarized in
Table 1.
Following DNF treatment, the efflu­
ent is then conveyed onward to the
MBR package for aerobic biological
treatment of an average flow of 352
gal/min in a 2 x 100% configuration
and a COD of 1,275 mg/L, as shown
in Table 2.
Like the DNF units, the MBR pack­
age also incorporates two treat­
ment train lines. At the beginning of
each treatment train, effluent from
the DNF units enters a large con­
crete basin where air bubbles are
introduced into the water from dif­
fusers mounted on the bottom of the
basin. The water flows via gravity to
the membrane tank, which houses
the membrane cassettes. A por­
tion of the wastewater is sent back
to the bioreactor by return activated
sludge (RAS).
The biological system consists of
two trains, each designed for a ca­
pacity of 196,500 gal and MLSS
concentration of 8,000 mg/L, as
shown in Table 3. The bioreactor
is designed with a sludge retention
time (SRT) of 31 days, an oxygen up­
take rate (OUR) of 44 mg/L/h, and a

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SMS
Inside
TABLE 4. ULTRAFILTRATION SYSTEM DESIGN performed for
Excellence
Number of membrane trains 2 each unit. Internal
Number of cassettes per train 4 inspections of the
Number of cassette spaces per train 4
DNF units included
the following steps:
Number of modules per train 168
• Checking the
Total number of installed cassettes 8
vessels and the
Total number of installed modules 336 pressurization
Spare space 12.5% tanks
MLSS design 10,000 mg/L • Verifying that
Dimensions per each membrane tank (W x l x H) 10 ft x 28.8 ft x 12 ft the sprayer head­
Average operating volume per each membrane tank 19.400 gal
ers and nozzles
were correctly
Total membrane tank operating volume 38.800 gal
installed
TABLE 5. EFFLUENT QUALITY • Examining the
Parameter Values
bottom-sludge
and floating-
Daily Average Daily Peak
sludge scrapers,
Biochemical oxygen demand (cBODs) (mg/L) s27 s 75
as well as the
Chemical oxygen demand (mg/L) s 190 s 520 weirs for each
food-to-mass ratio (F/M) of 0.2. train
The two UF membrane trains con­ After the coagulation and floc­
tain four cassettes per train, which culation mixers were inspected,
are installed in 316 L stainless-steel water was fed from the equaliza­
membrane tanks. Membrane filtra­ tion tanks through DNF Train A
tion is designed to treat average and to test the nitrogen pressurization
peak flows, including when one train tank and controls. The system is
is off-line (N-1 condition). The MLSS now running at 80 psi with a 150-
concentration within the membrane gal/min recycle rate (25% recycle
tank is 10,000 mg/L, as indicated in at a 600-gal/min flow design).
Table 4. Jar tests were performed to test
The MBR permeate quality param­ and optimize the chemicals needed
eters for COD and BOD, expressed for coagulation and flocculation
in daily average and peak flows, are in the de-oiling process. Subse­
SMART PROCESS
shown in Table 5. quently, Train A went into service
The waste activated sludge (WAS) and the effluent tank control was ENGINEERING.
from the MBR package is sent to changed to level control based on
a bio-sludge treatment unit for set­ the flow coming from each DNF
tling and dewatering. Further settling train, as well as the combined flow­
is achieved by a thickener, wherein meter from the DNF effluent pumps.
polymer is added to create large set­ During the acclimation period,
tled solids. This sludge is scraped off the MBR system was operated
the bottom of the tank and pumped without permeation and the MBR
to a holding tank where an aeration aeration blowers were operated
grid prevents the solids from settling continuously in manual mode.
and becoming septic. From there, The return activated-sludge (RAS) EFFICIENT DRYERS
sludge is pumped to a continuous pumps were run continuously in
belt press for dewatering and hauled manual mode while dosing with FOR HUGE CAPACITIES.
offsite for disposal. urea and phosphoric acid, as
necessary. The COD loading was
Plant startup and commissioning maintained using ethanol. Sam­
Once startup and commissioning of ples were taken daily to monitor
the wastewater treatment plant com­ COD loading, urea and phosphoric
menced in October 2018, stable oper­ demand, as well as MLSS and
ation was achieved around two months mixed-liquor volatile suspended
into the project. The initial "mechanical solids (MLVSS) concentrations.
checkout” and hydraulic guarantees Once the minimum MLSS levels
www.sms-vt.com
of the systems and equipment were were reached, wasting was initi- Buss-SMS-Canzler GmbH
Kaiserstr. 13-15 • 35510 Butzbach • Germany

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Flow
1.000 the core of the Lake Charles Complex
900
wastewater treatment solution, MBR
700
600
technology utilizing UF hollow-fiber
500 membranes provides high levels of
400
300
COD and BOD removal, combining
200 Urn a secondary and tertiary treatment in a
100
0 compact footprint. In addition to the
'"^OOfflOlO SW2019 5P 4/2019 5/21/2019 5/28/2019 6/4/2019 6/11/2019 6/18/2019 design parameters listed previously,
— Train A flow Train B flow facility owners evaluating MBR for
FIGURE 4. The MBR permeate flows (gal/min) (or Train A (orange) and Train B (yellow) are shown wastewater treatment should bear in
TMP mind the following considerations:
3 • MBR systems are designed at
lower F/M ratios than conventional
activated-sludge systems to avoid
-3
high membrane fouling rates and
-* low oxygen transfer efficiencies [f]
-5
*6 — Train A TMP —Train B TMP • MBR technology should be
•7
'8
considered where stringent effluent
4/30/2019 5/7/2019 5/21/2019 5/28/2019 6/4/2019 6/11/2019 6/18/2019
discharge levels are required, with
FIGURE 5. The trans-membrane pressure (TMP, in psi) for MBR Train A (blue) and Train B (gray) were regards to BOD and TSS, as well as
relatively stable total nitrogen (TN) and total phos­
phorus (TP)
ated via the WAS pump to main­ levels in the MBR permeate were
• UF membrane separation perfor­
tain the desired sludge age. Once slightly above 30 ppm and stable
mance is independent of the quality
stability had been achieved, Train during the first 45 days of operation,
or condition of the biological pro­
A was placed into automatic mode except for June 18 when COD levels
at 10-min cycles with back pulse. spiked to almost 200 ppm correlat­ cess fluid, and the entire treatment
Once the waste COD loading was ing with the startup of the ethylene process is simplified
sufficient, the ethanol feed system oxide-ethylene glycol plant. When • MBR is an adequate biological
was deactivated. the startup occurred, 300,000 gal wastewater treatment technology
of ethylene glycol waste from the for GTL plants, as proven with pilot
Operational data purification beds with 120,000 ppm testing and proof of concept at
Once the influent wastewater was of COD surged into the bioreactor, Sasol
relatively stable, the treatment plant overwhelming the bacteria and sig­ • At Sasol, COD removal of 86%
began operating on a continuous nificantly decreasing biodegradation. with an average below 30 ppm
basis, with an average flow of 398 But once normalized, COD returned has been achieved during the first
gal/min for Train A and 365 gal/min to normal values. months of operation ■
for Train B for the first 45 days of op­ Wastewater COD values enter­ Edited by Mary Page Bailey
eration. These results are shown in ing the DNF units have an average
Figure 4. of 1,275 ppm. At the end of the en­ Reference
The trans-membrane pressure for tire treatment train process, MBR 1, 'ton, SH.. "Mantrane Bioreactor Piooreses — Principles and
Applications.’ CfiC Press. Boca Raton. Fla. 2016,
Train A had an average of -1.35 psi permeate had a COD average of
with some peaks in the week of May 190 ppm, representing more than
14, 2019 due to higher MLSS, as 86% removal. Author
shown in Figure 5. These data demonstrate that, at Brian Arntsen (brian.amtsen®
suez.com) is the global domain
Ammonia dis­
sales leader with SUEZ Water
charge levels in the Ammonia Technologies & Solutions. Previous
first 45 days of opera­ to his work at SUEZ, Arntsen was
2.5 CEO of Lockwood & Co. from 1996
tion showed a perme­
2 to 2000 and also held roles at
ate discharge aver­ \ Zenon Environmental Inc. and GE.
1.5
age of 0.41 parts per Amlsen is active in many industry
1 . groups in the water-treatment
million (ppm). After a
slight peak of 2 ppm .05 1 / \
—Ammonia
sector, including the Water Environmental Federation

L J\ / ____________ (WEF) and the Food & Beverage Environmental Confer­

ence (FBEC|. In 2017, he was appointed Food & Bever­
age subcommittee chair of the Industrial Wastewater
6^2/2019

charge levels quickly

6/6/2019
6/4/2019

6/8/2019
5/25/2019

5/27/2019

5/29/2019

5/31/2019

6/10/2019

6/12/2019

6/14/2019

6/16/2019

6/18/2019

6/20/2019

Committee at WEF He holds an agricultural engineering

returned to average degree trom the Catholic University in Buenos Aires, Ar­

values, as shown in gentina, and a postgraduate degree in business

FIGURE 6. The MBR ammonia permeate readings, in ppm, are shown management trom the I.A.E Business School
Figure 6. in Buenos Aires.
here. Note that a reading of 0 ppm corresponds to a value < 0.015 and
Average COD a reading of 2 ppm corresponds to values > 2.0

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