Activated Sludge Processes _ Part 2

CE - 370

Food to Microorganism Ratio (F/M)

F/M ratio is the food to microorganisms ratio and is

equal to the specific rate of substrate utilization
(1/X)(dS/dt)

F S
=
M Xt
The units of F/M ratio are (mass substrate) / (mass
microbes) (time)
(kg BOD5/kg MLVSS-
MLVSS-day)
2

1
 Mean Cell Residence Time (c)
Cell residence time (C) is defined as:
mass of organisms in the reactor
C =
mass of organisms removed form the system each day

X
c =
Xw
X = active biological solids in the reactor
X = active biological solids in the waste activated sludge flow
flow

Units of c is days
Mean cell residence time is sometimes referred to as
sludge age
3

Q, So, Xo Qe, S, Xe

X, V, S

Qr, Xr, S

Qw
4

2
 F/M Ratio and c
Both parameters are used to characterize the
performance of the activated sludge process
A high F/M ratio and a low c produce filamentous growth that have
poor settling characteristics
A low F/M ratio and a high c can cause the biological solids to
undergo excessive endogenous degradation and cell dispersion

For municipal wastewater

c should be at least 3 to 4 days
If nitrification is required, c should be at least 10 days

F/M Ratio and c

Relationship between c and F/M ratio can be derived
by starting with the equation of cell production, as
follows:

X S
=Y ke X
t t
(X/
X/t) = rate of cell production, mass/time
Y = cell yield coefficient, mass cell created/mass substrate removed
removed
ke = endogenous decay, mass cells/(total mass cells) (time)
X = average cell concentration, mass

3
 F/M Ratio and c
Divide by X

X / t S / t
=Y ke
X X
c is the average time a cell remains in the system,
thus

X
c =
X / t
7

F/M Ratio and c

The F/M ratio is the rate of substrate removal per unit

mass of the cells, thus

F S / t
=
M X

Thus 1 F
=Y ke
c M
8

4
 F/M Ratio and c

Since F/M was also expressed as:

F S
=
M X t

Then,
1 S
=Y ke
c X t
9

Types of Reactors

Plug-flow reactors
Dispersed plug-flow reactors
Completely-mixed reactors

10

5
 Plug-flow and Dispersed-flow Reactors

In plug-flow reactors, there is negligible

diffusion along the flow path through the
reactor
In dispersed-flow reactors, there is significant
diffusion along the flow path through the
reactor
Both types of reactors are used in conventional
and tapered aeration activated sludge

11

12

6
 13

14

7
 Conventional Activated Sludge
Rectangular aeration tank
F/M = 0.2 to 0.4 (kg BOD5/kg MLSS-day)
Space loading = 0.3 to 0.6 (kg BOD5/day-m3)
c = 5 to 15 (days)
Retention time (aeration tank) = 4 to 8 (hours)
MLSS = 1500 to 3000 (mg/l)
Recycle ratio (R/Q) = 0.25 to 1.0
Plug-flow and Dispersed-flow
BOD removal = 85 to 95 (%)
15

16

8
 Tapered Aeration
It is a modification of the conventional process
F/M = 0.2 to 0.4 (kg BOD5/kg MLSS-day)
Space loading = 0.3 to 0.6 (kg BOD5/day-m3)
c = 5 to 15 (days)
Retention time (aeration tank) = 4 to 8 (hours)
MLSS = 1500 to 3000 (mg/l)
Recycle ratio (R/Q) = 0.25 to 1.0
Plug-flow and Dispersed-flow
BOD removal = 85 to 95 (%)
17

18

9
 Oxygen Demand versus Reactor Length for
Municipal Wastewater
Quarter of Reactor O2 Demand/total O2 for
entire reactor (%)
1st 35

2nd 26

3rd 20

4th 19

19

Performance

St
= e K X
S0

is the detention time for the plug-

plug-flow reactor

The volume of the plug-flow or dispersed-flow

reactor is given by:

V = (Q + R)
20

10
 Completely Mixed Reactors

Usually circular and square aeration tanks

F/M = 0.1 to 0.6 (kg BOD5/kg MLSS-day)
Space loading = 0.8 to 2.0 (kg BOD5/day-m3)
c = 5 to 30 (days)
Retention time (aeration tank) = 3 to 6 (hours)
MLSS = 2500 to 4000 (mg/l)
Recycle ratio (R/Q) = 0.25 to 1.5
Completely mixed
BOD removal = 85 to 95 (%)
21

22

11
 Design Parameters
The retention time and reactor volume for completely
mixed reactors can be determined by:

Si St
=
K X St

V = Q

23

Extended Aeration
Designed to minimize waste activated sludge
production by providing a large endogenous
decay of the sludge mass
It uses plug-flow and dispersed plug-flow reactors
Rectangular tank or racetrack layout (Oxidation
ditch)
Design Parameters
= 18-
18-36 hrs; c = 20-
20-30 days; R/Q = 75-
75-150%; MLSS = 3000-
3000-
6000 mg/l; BOD5 and SS removal = 75- 75-95%; F/M = 0.05-
0.05-0.15
kg/kg-
kg/kg-day; space loading = 0.16- /day-m3
0.16-0.4 kg BOD5/day-

24

12
 Extended Aeration
To make net sludge production zero, it is necessary
that cell production is equal to cell decay:
__
X w = Yb S r ke f X = 0
Where:
Yb = Biodegradable yield coefficient,
Sr = Substrate removal per day,
f= fraction of biodegradable solids usually between 0.7-0.8,
Rearranging above equation gives:
__
Yb Sr
X=
ke f

25

26

13
 Pure Oxygen Process
Designed to reduce retention time, decrease
the amount of waste activated sludge, increase
sludge settling characteristics and reduce land
requirement
It uses completely mixed reactors
Design Parameters
= 1-
1-3 hrs; c = 8-
8-20 days; R/Q = 25-
25-50%; MLSS = 3000-
3000-8000
mg/l; BOD5 and SS removal = 85-
85-95%; F/M = 0.25-
0.25-1.0 kg/kg-
kg/kg-day;
space loading = 1.6- /day-m3
1.6-3.2 kg BOD5/day-

27

28

14
 Effect of Temperature on Growth Rate

Arrhenius relationship
K2
= T2 T1
K1
K1 = reaction rate constant at temperature T1
K2 = reaction rate constant at temperature T2
= temperature correction coefficient
T1 = temperature of MLSS for K1
T2 = temperature of MLSS for K2

29

Effect of Temperature on Endogenous

Degradation Rate Constant (ke)

The relationship
k e2
= T2 T1
k e1
ke1 = endogenous degradation rate constant at temperature T1
ke2 = endogenous degradation rate constant at temperature T2
= temperature correction coefficient
T1 = temperature of MLSS for ke1
T2 = temperature of MLSS for ke2

30

15
 31

32

16
 33

34

17