Focsani Waste Water Treatment Plant

The Biological Treatment

Table of Content
1. General Overview of the Biology 2. Process Design
1. Pollution Parameters 2. Processes used 3. Process Parameters

3. Plant Control 4. Plant Layout

General overview

Primary clarifiers Total volume 3.700 m3

Activated sludge tanks Total volume 14.192 m 2x8 chambers

Secondary clarifiers
Total surface 3.180 m2

2 Process Design

2.1 Pollution Parameters

2.1 Pollution Parameters

SS BOD5 Suspended solids Biological oxygen demand
O2 consumption by bacteria during 5 days

COD

Chemical oxygen demand

O2 consumption by strong oxidant

2.1 Pollution Parameters

Total Nitrogen = Norg + NH4-N + NO3-N
organic N + ammonia + nitrate

Total Phosphorus
= PO4-P
Phosphate (dissolved) + P in suspended solids

+ Ppart

2.2 Processes Used

2.2 Processes Used

Several processes used BOD removal Nitrification Denitrification Phosphorus removal Removal of SS

For each process, adapted conditions are used

2.2 Processes Used

BOD removal
By heterothropic bacteria CxHyOzNvPw + O2 BOD + O2 Bacteria + CO2 Bacteria + CO2

Many bacteria can do this

Removal rate depends on BOD load to plant, but not very much on temperature

2.2 Processes Used

Nitrification
By nitrifying bacteria NH4-N + O2 Bacteria + NO3

Only Nitrifyers can do this. They grow slowly.

Growth and removal rate depend on temperature

2.2 Processes Used

Denitrification
NO3 instead of O2 By heterothropic bacteria (same as remove BOD)

NO3

+ BOD

Bacteria + N2 (gas)

Many bacteria can do this

NO3 is only removed after all O2 has been consumed (O2 gives more energy)

2.2 Processes Used

Nitrification and Denitrification together
BOD ?????

Nitrification
NH4 + O2 NO3

Denitrification BOD + NO3 N2

BOD from raw sewage

Denitrification Nitrification NH4 + O2 NO3

BOD + NO3 N2

Recirculation of NO3

2.2 Processes Used

Nitrification and Denitrification together

2.2 Processes Used

P removal
By bacteria which can store P (BioP) By precipitation as FePO4 (dose iron salt)

BioP is done by specialised bacteria Use easily biodegradable BOD

Requires high BOD/N and BOD/P ratio in wastewater

2.2 Processes Used

P removal by BioP
Specialised bacteria store energy in the form of P during times, when life is difficult
= when no O2 or NO3 is present = anaerobic zone with low redox potential (-50 to +50 mV) = when easily biodegradable BOD is available

2.2 Processes Used

P removal by BioP
Some BOD to denitrify

ISAH Process
Some BOD for BioP

Used in summer at high temperature (not much volume required for N/DN)

2.2 Processes Used

P removal by BioP ISAH Process

2.2

Processes Used

P removal by precipitation PO4

3-

+ Fe

3+

FePO4 (precipitates as floc)

Dose normally 0,8 1,3 mole Fe per mole PO4-P Flocs removed with excess sludge Used in winter at low water temperature, when a large tank volume is required for N/DN

2.2 Processes Used

P removal by precipitation
Used in winter at low water temperature, when a large tank volume is required for N/DN

2.3 Process Parameters

2.3 Process Parameters

MLSS mixed liquor suspended solids (g/l) = concentration of bacteria in system Important design parameter Selected such that - as much biomass in system as possible - but do not overload the second. clarifier
Focsani activated sludge tanks 14.192 m3 x 3,3 =47 tons of bacteria

3 3.5 g dry solids/l

2.3 Process Parameters

F/M ratio food to microorganism ratio (kg BOD per kg MLSS and day) = how much food do the bacteria get each day (as BOD) Design parameter 0,12 kg/kg d Results automatically from

- biomass in system selected

- BOD load to plant influent

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
(days) = time the bacteria need to double in number Important design parameter for nitrification, because nitrifying bacteria grow slowly BOD removing bacteria only grow slowly, if low BOD load arrives at biology (low Food/Microorganism ratio)

Nitrification only possible at low F/M ratio

F/M ratio Focsani 0,12 kg BOD/Kg MLSS d

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
(days)
BOD bacteria
100 bacteria

Example low food as BOD (low F/M)

Start

6 days later Extract 50% when total number bacteria has doubled 6 days later Extract

200 100

Nitrif. Bacteria Sludge age 6 days 100 bacteria 200 100

200 100

200 100

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
(days) If BOD removing bacteria get too much food, they overgrow the nitrifying bacteria
Example high food as BOD (high F/M) Start BOD bacteria 100 bacteria Nitrif. Bacteria Sludge age 6 days 100 bacteria

3 days later
Extract 50% when total number bacteria has doubled 3 days later Extract

250
100

150
75

250 100

100 50

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
example calculation

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
for nitrifiers at 12C 10 days at 20 C 4,5 days

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
(days) depends on temperature but is very easy to control
Focsani activated sludge tanks 14.192 m3 x 3,3 kg/m3 =47 tons of bacteria as dry solids Sludge age 10 days = 47 t new bacteria every 10 days

Remove excess sludge 47 t in 10 days or 4,7 t each day

Excess sludge 7 kg/m3

Remove excess sludge 4,7 t each day or 670 m3 per day

2.3 Process Parameters

Sludge age
Example WWTP Rostock

2.3 Process Parameters

SVI
sludge volume index (ml per g dry sludge) = characterises density of sludge floc

Defined by the bacteria as a function of the process

Also called Mohlman index
Let 1 l of sample from activated sludge tank settle for 30 min Measure volume settled sludge Vsludge Measure SS Vsl Css SVI = Vsludge / Css

2.3 Process Parameters

SVI
60 -80 80 - 150 150 - 200 > 300 sludge volume index (ml per g dry sludge)

Value (ml/g) Evaluation

Very good settleability, never problems on sec. clarifier Good settleability, no problems on sec. clarifier Poor settleability, some problems at high flow rates Very poor settleability, problems on sec. clarifier

2.3 Process Parameters

SVI
sludge volume index (ml per g dry sludge) Normally, on plants with low load, using nitrification and denitrification, SVI is no problem

2.3 Process Parameters

Oxygen content
For mixing

<0,3 mg/l

> 2 mg/l

>> 2 mg/l

2.3 Process Parameters

Redox potential
(normalised vs. H2 electrode)

+100 to +200 mV

-50 to +50 mV But attention: Redox potential difficult to measure

2.3 Process Parameters

Recirculation ratio NO3
80 200% raw water flow to bring NO3 to Deni zone Depends on removal rate desired of NO3

Reci

2.3 Process Parameters

Return sludge flow
to bring settled sludge back from secondary clarifier to biological tanks (about 70 120 % of raw water flow)

Return sludge

2.3 Process Parameters

Plant Control

3 Plant Control
By Scada system
Most functions are done automatically, such as
Adjustment of flow of raw water pumps NO3 reci and return sludge pumps

Adjustment of air flow

as function of oxygen need

Some are decided by operator Such as extraction of excess sludge

4 Plant Layout

4 Plant Layout

4 Plant Layout

Thank you!!!