Secondary settling tanks and sludge mass balance

dex summer school 2011

Univ. Prof. Dr.-Ing F.W. Gnthert Universitt der Bundeswehr Mnchen Institut fr Wasserwesen Siedlungswasserwirtschaft und Abfalltechnik
Secondary Settling Tanks
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Structure

F. W. Gnthert

Structure:
Glossary of terms Tasks of secondary settling tanks Settling velocity Return activated sludge, settling behavior of biological sludge Dimensioning of SST, surface area, depth Planning aspects, inlet, outlet, sludge removal systems Sludge load balancing Conclusion, references

Secondary Settling Tanks

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Glossary of terms Rectangular secondary settling tank (SST)

F. W. Gnthert

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

Secondary Settling Tanks

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Glossary of terms

F. W. Gnthert

Centre feed, peripheral take-off, secondary settling tank (SST)

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Abbreviations and units

F. W. Gnthert

List of abbreviations and units

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Basic principles - Interactions

F. W. Gnthert

Activated sludge process

QWW SSAT SSBS QRS, SSRS SSEST

Mass balance over the process

RS = SS SS AT RS 1 + RS
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Basic principles -Tasks of secondary settling tanks

F. W. Gnthert

Separation of the activated sludge by settling dependent on: flocculation in the inlet zone hydraulic conditions in the settling tank return sludge ratio (RS) sludge removal procedure Thickening and removal of the activated sludge dependent on: sludge volume index (SVI) depth of the sludge layer thickening time (tTh) type of sludge removal system

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Basic principles -Tasks of secondary settling tanks

F. W. Gnthert

Intermediate storage at the beginning of stormwater flow periods dependent on:

hydraulic load (QWW,h) type of sludge removal system return sludge facilities

Avoidance of denitrification and resolution of phosphorous by:

limitation of thickening time sludge removal performance

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Effluent quality of SST

F. W. Gnthert

The effluent is mainly caused by SS (activated sludge) and dissolved and colloidal matter. This is dependent on the efficiency of AT and SST. A suspended solids concentration of 1 mg/l dry solids in the effluent of SST increases the concentration of:
CBOD by 0,3 to 1,0 mg/l CCOD by 0,8 to 1,4 mg/l CN by 0,08 to 0,1 mg/l CP by 0,02 to over 0,04 mg/l Secondary Settling Tanks
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Clarification

F. W. Gnthert

Settling velocity depends on:

particle volume V [m] particle size [-] density of particles [kg/m] density of fluid [kg/m] viscosity of fluid [kg/(ms)] flocculation [-] flow conditions (Reynoldsnumber) [-] flow stability (Froudenumber) [-] Gravitational acceleration [m/s] Secondary Settling Tanks
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Settling velocity

F. W. Gnthert

settling velocity v s [cm/s]

ATV, 1997
particle diameter d [cm]

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Settling velocity

F. W. Gnthert

flocculation zone hindered settling zone interim zone thickening zone

settling behavior (settling zylinder 1l)

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Velocity distribution

F. W. Gnthert

Distribution of velocities, influenced by density currents

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Settling velocity

F. W. Gnthert

Settling tanks are influenced by:

different settleable particles wind, temperature inlet and outlet density currents sludge removal procedure tank geometry (L:W; ,htot)

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Effluent concentration of SST

F. W. Gnthert

effluent concentration SSEST

specific sludge volume load

KA 11, 1997

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Return activated sludge (RAS)

F. W. Gnthert

Activated sludge process

SSAT SSBS RAS, SSRS

Mass balance over the process

RS = SS SS AT RS 1 + RS
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Return activated sludge (RAS)

F. W. Gnthert

Return activated sludge is determined by:

settling behavior of MLSS (SVI) thickening time tth and thickening depth h4 of SST short circuiting flow rate between inlet to the sludge hopper (design of inlet, performance of sludge removal system) wind, temperature sludge removal system with fitted performance to the thickening time tth sludge return flow (QRS < 0,75 * QWW,h)

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Determinants of settling behaviour of biological sludge

F. W. Gnthert

Effect of filamentous organism on floc structure: (a) pinpoint floc, a non-bulking well-settling but poorly flocculating sludge.
(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Determinants of settling behaviour of biological sludge

F. W. Gnthert

Effect of filamentous organism on floc structure: (b) bulking sludge, a poorly settling but excellently flocculating sludge.
(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Determinants of settling behaviour of biological sludge

F. W. Gnthert

Effect of filamentous organism on floc structure: (c) ideal sludge, a non-bulking, well-settling and well-flocculating sludge.
(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Determinants of settling behavior of biological sludge

F. W. Gnthert

Typical particle size distribution of activated sludge.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Determinants of settling behaviour of biological sludge

F. W. Gnthert

Percentage particle removal plotted against particle size distribution, showing that it is mainly a significant proportion of the smaller particles that escape with the effluent and that virtually all of the larger particles are retained and recirculated in the activated sludge system.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Short circuiting flow

F. W. Gnthert

The influence of underflow recycle ratio (R) on the short circuiting.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Dimensioning of the secondary settling tank

F. W. Gnthert

Suspended solids concentration in the bottom sludge dependent on the sludge volume index and the thickening time.

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Dimensioning of the secondary settling tank

F. W. Gnthert

Recommended thickening time dependent on the degree of wastewater treatment, to avoid denitrification and phosphorus resolution.

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - Return sludge concentration

F. W. Gnthert

Bottom sludge concentration

SSBS

1000 3 = t TH SVI
tTH = 1.5 - 2 h tTH = 1.0 - 1.5 h tTH = 2 - (2.5 h)

Thickening time
without nitrification: with nitrification: with denitrification:

Return sludge concentration

SSRS 0.7 SSBS with scrapers SSRS 0.5 to 0.7 SSBS with suction facilities

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Approximate values of the MLSS

F. W. Gnthert

Approximate values for the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration in the biological reactor dependent on the sludge volume index for SSRS = 0,7 * SSBS

RS = SS SS AT RS 1 + RS

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Procedure of Dimensioning

F. W. Gnthert

design criteria
e.g. flow rates and loads, process scheme, sludge age, SVI

design of the secondary settling tank design of the biological reactor

optimum matching interactions yes

Secondary Settling Tanks

no

Variation SSAT
(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)
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Dimensioning of the secondary settling tank

F. W. Gnthert

For the design of secondary settling tanks the following are to be determined:
shape and dimensions of the secondary settling tanks permitted sludge storage and thickening time return sludge flow rate as well as its control type and method of operation of the sludge removal system arrangement and design of the inlet and outlet

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - application limits

F. W. Gnthert

Design based on peak wet weather flow QWW,h effluent suspended solids concentration XSS,EST 20 mg/L 50 L/kg SVI 200 L/kg Diluted sludge volume DSV 600 L/m3 Return sludge rates QRS 0.75 QWW,h for horizontal flow tanks QRS 1.0 QWW,h for vertical flow tanks Suspended solids concentration in the influent SSAT > 1.0 kg/m3
(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Dimensioning on the Basis of Experience

F. W. Gnthert

Standard values for the sludge volume index

The respectively lower values for the sludge volume index (SVI) can be applied, if
primary settling is dispensed a selector or an anaerobic mixing tank is placed upstream the biological reactor is designed as a cascade (plug flow)
(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - Surface area calculation

F. W. Gnthert

Surface area calculation

A ST =

Q WW ,h qA

qSV qA = SSEAT SVI

q SV = q A * DSV

Sludge volume loading rate to achieve XSS,EST 20 mg/L qSV 500 l/(m2 h) for horizontal flow tanks qSV 650 l/(m2 h) for vertical flow tanks Optimization between qsv and tank depth should be undertaken Differentiating between horizontal and vertical flow by the ratio of vertical to horizontal components

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Dimensioning of the secondary settling tank

comp. h

F. W. Gnthert

comp. v

Functional zones and depths of vertical flow (inverse cone) tanks.

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures surface area calculation

F. W. Gnthert

Permitted values for the transition area between predominantly horizontal and predominantly vertical flow secondary settling tanks.

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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SST design procedures depth calculation

F. W. Gnthert

Typical solids concentration-depth profile in SSTs showing from the top down the clear water zone (h1), the separation zone (h2), the sludge storage zone (h3), and the thickening (or compaction) and sludge removal zone (h4).This profile is accepted as standard for the depth design of SSTs with the ATV design procedures.
(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Design procedures - Depth calculation

F. W. Gnthert

h1: clear water and return flow zone h2: separation and return flow zone h3: density flow and storage zone h4: thickening and sludge removal zone

htot at 2/3 radius

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - Depth calculation of h1

F. W. Gnthert

Clear water zone

safety zone with fixed depth

h1 = 0.5 m
with submerged outlet pipes:

0.2 m

0.3 m

(Jardin, 2007)

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Design procedures - Depth calculation of h2

F. W. Gnthert

Separation and return flow zone

detention time of 0.5 h for the maximum flow related to the free water volume maximum flow:

q A (1 + RS )
free water volume:

free water volume

1 DSV / 1000
zone depth:

DSV30
(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)
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0.5 qA (1 + RS) h2 = 1 DSV / 1000

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Design procedures - Depth calculation of h3

F. W. Gnthert

Density flow and storage zone

storage of sludge expelled from the activated sludge tank in 1.5 h sludge storage concentration value of 500 L/m3 decrease of sludge concentration in the activated sludge tank of 30% is allowed

1.5 0.3 qSV (1 + RS) h3 = 500

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - Depth calculation of h4

F. W. Gnthert

Thickening and sludge removal zone

thickening of the influent sludge load to the bottom sludge concentration thickening time depending on the degree of wastewater treatment

SSEAT q A (1 + RS) t Th h4 = SSBS

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Design procedures - Depth calculation of htot

F. W. Gnthert

Total depth at 2/3 radius (htot 3 m)

h tot = h1 + h2 + h3 + h 4
Average design parameters for horizontal flow clarifiers
qSV = 400 to 500 l/(m2 h) qA = 1 to 1.2 m/h htot = 4 to 4.3 m

Influence of qSV on depth and volume (example)

qSV = 320 qSV = 500 qA = 0.8 m/h, htot = 3.0 m, D = 28 m, V = 3.600 m3 qA = 1.4 m/h, htot = 4.4 m, D = 22 m, V = 3.400 m3
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Planning aspects - Inlets

F. W. Gnthert

Separation performance of clarifiers is influenced substantially by the inlet construction

uniform distribution into the tank minimising potential and kinetic energy of the inflow
entry velocity at maximum flow (QWW,h + QRS) < 10 cm/s

discharge into the

(separation zone) density flow and storage zone (thickening and sludge removal zone) (beware of short circuiting and re-suspending thickened sludge at high SVI)

flocculation essential for low effluent solids concentration

retention time at maximum flow (QWW,h + QRS) between 3 and 5 minutes moderate G-values of 50 to 80 1/s

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Circular SSTs - Inlets

F. W. Gnthert

Typical unbaffled center feed inlet.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Circular SSTs - Inlets

F. W. Gnthert

Typical arrangements of peripheral feed inlets.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Planning aspects - Inlets

F. W. Gnthert

(Jardin, 2007)

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Planning aspects - Outlets

F. W. Gnthert

Effluent launders
outboard weirs inboard weirs overflow rate < 10 m3/(m h) overflow rate with fed on both sides < 6 m3/(m h)

Submerged tubes
radially arranged circularly arranged

(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)

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Planning aspects - Outlets

F. W. Gnthert

(Jardin, 2007)

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Design procedures Sludge removal design (circular tanks)

F. W. Gnthert

Based on a sludge balance considering

return sludge flow rate short-circuit flow rate 0.4 to 0.8 QRS

Sludge removal in circular tanks

hSR a vSR DST QSR = 4 f SR

Typical values
scraper height hSR: bridge velocity vSR: removal factor fSR: 0.4 to 0.6 m 72 to 144 m/h 1.5
(ATV - DVWK - A 131 E, 2000)
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Sludge load balancing in SST QAT * SSAT

F. W. Gnthert

QK * SSAT

QSR * SSBS

QRS * SSRS

QRS * SSRS QK * SSAT QSR > SSBS

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Dimensioning of the secondary settling tank Guidance values for the design of sludge scrapers.

F. W. Gnthert

(ATV - DVWK - A 131, 2000)

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Circular SSTs

F. W. Gnthert

Scraper configurations studied in Germany. Type A is the Nierskratzer type where 1 > 2 , Type B is a logarithmic spiral with constant at 45 , and Types C and D are windows shade type scrapers.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Rectangular SSTs

F. W. Gnthert

Sludge removal systems for rectangular SSTs: (a) blade scraper system, (b) flight scraper system.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Rectangular SSTs

F. W. Gnthert

Inlet with flocculation chamber and two paddles with horizontal axes. The sludge is withdrawn near the inlet and after one third of the tank length.

(IAWQ Report No. 6, 1997)

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Planning aspects Sludge Hoppers

F. W. Gnthert

No sludge depositing
slope of the side walls at least 1.7 : 1 walls as smooth as possible

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Conclusions

F. W. Gnthert

Sludge concentration in activated sludge tank depends on:

sludge characteristics (SVI) sludge thickening in the clarifier (SSRS) return sludge flow rate (RS)

Surface area of SST is determined by:

overflow rate (qA ,SOR) sludge volume loading (qSV, SLR)

Tank depth consists of four zones. Secondary clarifiers designed by the A 131 are relatively deep compared to other design procedures.

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Conclusions

F. W. Gnthert

Inlet construction and outlet construction influence the performance of SST. Proof of sludge removal performance by sludge load balance.

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References

F. W. Gnthert

G.A: Ekama, L. Barnhard, F.W. Gnthert, P. Krebs, J.A: McCorquodale, D. Parker, E.J. Wuhlberg: Secondary settling tanks Theory, Modelling, Design and Operation IAWQ Scientific and technical Report No.6, 1997, ISBN 1 900222 03 5 ATV DVWK Standard A 131E : Dimensioning of Single-Stage Activated Sludge Plants GFA, Hennef 2000, ISBN 3 935669-96-8

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Secondary settling tanks and sludge mass balance

dex summer school 2011
Univ. Prof. Dr.-Ing F.W. Gnthert Universitt der Bundeswehr Mnchen Institut fr Wasserwesen Siedlungswasserwirtschaft und Abfalltechnik wolfgang.guenthert@unibw.de
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