Advanced Wastewater

Treatment
• Filtration
• Carbon Adsorption
• Phosphorus Removal
• Nitrogen Control
 Advanced Wastewater Treatment
• Also called Tertiary Wastewater Treatment
• Processes capable of removing pollutants that
are not adequately removed by secondary
treatment
• Improves the effluent quality to a point
adequate for reuse
• Converts wastewater into a valuable resource
 FILTRATION
• Removes residual suspended solids including
the unsettled microorganisms
• Removing the microorganisms also reduces
the residual BOD5
• 80% suspended solid reduction on activated
sludge
• 70% reduction for trickling filter effluent
 FILTRATION

The largest particles are removed by the coal,

the medium particles by the sand,
and the smallest particles by the garnet.

Image and subtext : “Depth Filter.” filter. Water/Wastewater Distance Learning Website,
http://water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/filtermedia.html
 CARBON ADSORPTION
• Adsorption – accumulation of materials at an
interface
• Refractory Organics – materials that are
resistant to biological breakdown even after
secondary treatment, coagulation,
sedimentation, and filtration. They can be
detected in the effluent as soluble COD.
 CARBON ADSORPTION
PROCESS:
1. Carbon is activated by heating in the absence
of oxygen
2. Pores are formed at the surface of the carbon
3. Carbon particles adsorbs the organics
4. When the adsorption capacity is exhausted,
it is heated at a high temperature to drive off
the organics and restore its capacity
 CARBON ADSORPTION

Image: “How Activated Carbon Works.” activated carbon. Drinking Water Resources,
http://www.cyber-nook.com/water/p-filters-ac.htm
 PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
PURPOSE:
• To prevent or reduce Eutrophication

• High phosphorus concentrations may lead to

fouling of downstream equipment [1]

[1]
Sewage treatment. (2011, January 12). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:31, January 13,
2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sewage_treatment&oldid=407513663
 PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
EUTROPHICATION
 Great increase of nutrients in a water body
 Negative environmental effects include
anoxia, or loss of oxygen in the water with
severe reductions in fish and other animal
populations[2]
 Causes severe reduction in water quality

[1]Eutrophication. (2011, January 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:47, January 13, 2011,
from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eutrophication&oldid=407092112
 PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
Can be done using:
• Ferric Chloride

• Alum

• Lime
 Sample Problem
If a wastewater has a soluble orthophosphate
concentration of 4.00 mg/L as P, what
theoretical amount of ferric chloride will be
required to remove it completely?
FeCl3 = 162.21g
P=30.97g
Solution:
 NITROGEN CONTROL
• Helps control algal growth

• Can be accomplished biologically:

Nitrification/Denitrification

• Can be accomplished chemically:

Ammonia Stripping
NITROGEN CONTROL
 Nitrification/Denitrification

Image: “Nitrogen Cycle.” nitrogen cycle. Paques: Added Value Through Renewable Energy,
http://www.paques.nl/en/anammox_nitrogen_removal
 LAND TREATMENT
• The application of effluents on land through
irrigation methods
• Uses wastewater and the nutrients it contains
as a resource rather than a disposal problem
• Water eventually returns to the surface water
system
 SLOW RATE
PURPOSES:
1. Avoidance of surface discharge of nutrients
2. Economic return from use of water and
nutrients to produce marketable crops
3. Water conservation by exchange when lawns,
parks, and golf courses are irrigated
4. Preservation and enlargement of greenbelts
and open space
 Slow Rate

Image: “Slow Rate”. land treatment. United States Environmental Protection Agency,
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/sloratre.pdf
 OVERLAND FLOW
• Wastewater is applied over the upper reaches
of slopped terraces and allowed to flow across
the vegetated surface to runoff collection
ditches.
 OVERLAND FLOW

Image: “Overland Flow”. land treatment. United States Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r06016/625r06016whole.pdf
 RAPID INFILTRATION
• Effluent is applied to the soil at higher rates by
spreading in basins or by sprinkling.

OBJECTIVES INCLUDE:
1. Groundwater recharge
2. Natural Treatment followed by pump
withdrawal or underdrains
3. Water moves vertically and laterally
Image: “Rapid Infiltration”. land treatment. United States Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r06016/625r06016whole.pdf
SLUDGE TREATMENT
 SLUDGE TREATMENT

Image: “Sludge pond”. sludge. The World Topics, http://theworldtopics.com/sludge/

 SLUDGE
• Made of materials settled from the raw
wastewater and of solids generated in the
wastewater treatment processes

Image: “Sludge”. sludge. The World Topics, http://theworldtopics.com/sludge/

 Various Sludges

1. Grit – sand, broken glass, nuts, bolts and

other dense material

2. Primary or raw sludge – 3-8% solids.

Approximately 70% of this is organic. Rapidly
becomes odiferous.
3. Secondary sludge – consists of
microorganisms. 90% organic.

4. Tertiary Sludges – remains from secondary

sludges. Depends on the nature of the
process.
Ex. Phosphorus removal produces a sludge
that is difficult to treat.
 Processes for Sludge Treatment
1. Thickening – separating as much water as
possible by gravity or flotation
2. Stabilization – converting the organic solids
to more refractory forms
3. Conditioning – treating the sludge with
chemicals or heat so that the water can be
readily separated
4. Dewatering – separating the water by
subjecting the sludge to vacuum, pressure or
drying

5. Reduction – Converting the solids to a stable

form by wet oxidation or incineration.
 Thickening

Image: “Thickening”. sludge treatment. Water/Wastewater Distance Learning Website,

http://water.me.vccs.edu/courses/env110/lesson14_3.htm
Sludge Conditioning and Dewatering

Image: “Conditioning and Dewatering”. sludge treatment. Seepex.com

http://water.me.vccs.edu/courses/env110/lesson14_3.htm
 SLUDGE DISPOSAL
• Ultimate Disposal
1. Air
2. Ocean
3. Outer Space
4. Land
5. Marketplace
 Land Disposal
• Land Spreading
- Applying WWTP residuals for the purposes of
recovering nutrients.
- It is land-use intensive.
- Application rates are governed by the
character of the soil and the ability of the
crops or forests to accommodate it
Landfilling
- Burial of processed sludge at a designated site

Dedicated Land Disposal

- Application of heavy sludge loadings to some
finite land area with limited public access and
has been set aside for all time to the disposal
of waterwaste sludge.
 Utilization
• Using sludge other than as a soil nutrient.

• Recovery of lime

• Use of sludge to form activated carbon