CIVE 540

Activated Sludge

Sybil Sharvelle
Review

Plug Flow
Tapered Aeration
Step Aeration (Flow)
Extended Aeration
Complete Mixed
Conventional
High Rate
Pure Oxygen
Thinking Question

What are some parameters that are typically

estimated for design of an activated sludge
system?
Design

Steps 1 8
Define Influent
Define kinetic and stoichiometric loads
Identify Treatment Goals
Compute Delimiting Values
Choose SRT Design
Compute Effluent Substrate Concentration
Choose MLVSS, calculate hydraulic detention time
Compute Volume, Xa and Xa/Xv
Design

Reactor volume
Sludge production (mass dry weight
solids/day)
Oxygen Requirements (mass/day)
Recycle Activated Sludge (volume/day)
Secondary Clarifier Design
Step 12

Estimate the Sludge Wasting Rate

Mass balance on solids leaving the system
SC
Qe
Aeration Tank
(Biological Reactor)

QR

QW
Step 13

Estimate Nutrient Requirements

Use (DXv/Dt)biol
N 12.4% VSS
P 2.5% VSS

Nutrient Concentration = % Nutrient in VSS *

(DXv/Dt)biol * Q-1
 Step 14

Estimate Effluent SMP Concentrations

(qUAP X a KUAP k1rut ) (qUAP X a KUAP k1rut ) 2 4 KUAPk1rut

UAP
2 2
( K BAP (q BAP k2 ) X a ( K BAP (q BAP k 2 ) X a ) 2 4 K BAPk2 X a
BAP
2 2

Use typical values for SMP kinetics (COD units)

Step 15

Estimate Effluent Quality (COD, BODL, BOD5)

COD
Effluent Substrate COD = BODL (Se)
VSS = Xve * 1.42 mg COD/ mg VSS
SMP calculated in COD units
Effluent COD = Se + VSS + SMP
BODL
Effluent BODL = Se
Biodegradable VSS = = Xve * fd * 1.42 mg COD/ mg VSS
SMP (COD = BODL)
Step 15

Estimate Effluent Quality (COD, BODL, BOD5)

BOD5:BODL very different for original substrate, SMP,
and active biomass
BODt = BODL(1 exp(-kt))
BOD5:BODL = 1 - exp(-k*5d)
Typical Values for k
Original Substrate = 0.23/d
Active biomass = 0.1/d
SMP = 0.03/d
Step 15

Estimate Effluent Quality (COD, BODL, BOD5)

BOD5:BODL very different for original substrate, SMP,
and active biomass
Apply typical values for k
Substrate BOD5:BODL = 0.68
Active Biomass BOD5:BODL = 0.40
SMP BOD5:BODL = 0.14
Multiply BODL values by ratios above
Step 15

What might one modify if Effluent BOD5 is not

met?
Step 16

Compute Sludge Recycle Rate

SC

Q Aeration Tank
(Biological Reactor)

QR

QW
Step 16

Q Q + QR
X = 0 mg/L X

QR
XR
Step 17

Compute Oxygen Requirement

Oxygen Uptake = Input - Output
Input Demand?
S0 = Q*S0, where S0 in units of COD
Xi0 = Q*1.42* Xi0
Output Demand?
Se = Q * Se
SMP = Q * SMP
Xve = 1.42 * DXv/Dt
Step 18

Estimate Power Required for Aeration

Standard Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (SOTE)
20oC
Zero dissolved oxygen in influent
Clean water
Need field oxygen transfer efficiency (FOTE)

FOTE SOTE 1.035T 20 c*l cl / 9.2
Power = O2 uptake rate / FOTE
Board notes
Thinking Question
What are some parameters that are typically
estimated for design of an activated sludge
system?