INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Lecture 56: Aerobic effluent treatment process

PROF. DEBABRATA DAS

DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
IIT KHARAGPUR

1
 Carbon and energy analysis of aerobic and anaerobic microbial
degradation processes
Aerobic condition Anaerobic condition

Carbon balance About 50% converted to About 95% decomposed into

biomass and 50% into CO2 biogas and 5% incorporated
into biomass

Energy balance Approx. 60% stored in the Almost 90% of the energy in
form of new cells and 40% the organic material can be
is lost as process heat recovered in biogas, 5-7% is
used for the growth of the cell

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

and 3-5% is wastes as heat

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 MINAS* of water polluting industries
Industry MINAS

Brewery BOD5 – 30 mg/L

TSS – 100 mg/L

Distillery BOD5 3000 mg/L to be achieved by 1982 after anaerobic treatment effluent to be diluted with
water or low BOD5 effluents to bring BOD5 to 500 and used on land for irrigation
Secondary- two stage aerobic treatment to be provided by 1984 to bring down BOD5 to 100
mg/L for the application on land and to 30 mg/L for discharge into water courses

Nitrogeneous pH: 6.5-8.0

Ammonical nitrogen – 50 mg/L
T.K.N. (Kjeldahal nitrogen) – 100 mg/L (thermal Urea stripper to be installed)

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

*MINAS: Minimum National Standard

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Industry
MINAS of water polluting industries
MINAS
Free ammonia-> 4 mg/L
Nitrate nitrogen -> 10 mg/L
Vanadium -> 0.2 mg/L
Arsenic -> 0.02 mg/L
Total chromium -> 2 mg/L
Hexavalant Cu -> 0.1 mg/L
Complex fertilisers T.S.S -100 mg/L
pH- 6 to 8.5
Rest as in (4)
Woolen industry T.S.S –>100 mg/L
BOD5 -> 100 mg/L (for application on land)
> 30 mg/L (discharge into water course)
Oil and Grease -> 10 mg/L
Bio-assay test – 96% survival of test animals after 96 hrs
Total Chromium -> 2 mg/L
Sulphides -> 2 mg/L

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 MINAS of water polluting industries
Industry MINAS
Phenolic compound -> 5 mg/L into sewers by thermal treatment
> 1 mg/L for discharge into water course
Synthetic fibre pH- 6.5 to 8.0
T.S.S – 100 mg/L
BOD5 – 30 mg/L for discharge into water courses
Semi-synthetic fibre pH- 5.5 to 9.0
Zinc -> 1 mg/L
Rest as in (7)
Sugar pH- 6.5 to 8.0
T.S.S. – 100 mg/L
BOD5 – 100 mg/L for land application 30 mg/L for discharge into water courses

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Raw water quality for drinking and bathing
Parameters W.H.O. standard I.S. standard
pH 6.9 6.9
T.D.S ≤1500 mg/L -
Iron ≤50 mg/L -
Nitrate as NO3 ≤45 mg/L -
Fluoride ≤1.5 mg/L ≤1.5 mg/L
B.O.D. ≤6 mg/L ≤3 mg/L
C.O.D. ≤10 mg/L -
D.O. - % solubility 40
Phenolic substances ≤0.002 mg/L ≤0.001 mg/L
Cyanide ≤0.2 mg/L ≤0.1 mg/L

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Raw water quality for drinking and bathing
Parameters W.H.O. standard I.S. standard
Chromium ≤0.05 mg/L ≤0.05 mg/L
Lead ≤0.05 mg/L ≤0.1 mg/L
Arsenic ≤0.05 mg/L ≤0.2 mg/L
Chlorides - ≤600 mg/L
M.P.N. Count ≤500-1000/100 ml drinking source Max permissible 2000
Normal 500/100 ml for bathing

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Aerobic wastewater treatment processes
Lagooning process
The lagooning technique is a natural treatment technique which is consisted of the

accumulation of wastewater in ponds or basins, known as biological or stabilization

ponds, where a series of biological, biochemical and physical processes take place

Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/lagooning.htm#ixzz4lXliURvr

Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
Lagooning process

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Overview of wastewater treatment plant

http://www.processonline.com.au/content/instrumentation/article/optimising-wastewater-treatment-670620590

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Microorganism used in activated sludge process

Zoogloea ramigera has long been considered the typical activated sludge
bacterium responsible for the formation of activated sludge flocs. The
generic name Zoogloea has its origin in the Greek language and
translates as “living glue.” Zoogloea ramigera is an aerobic,
chemoorganotrophic, gram-negative, straight to slightly curved rod
shaped, nonspore forming bacteria.

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Activated sludge process

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Activated sludge process

ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Activated sludge process

http://www.europages.co.uk/Biological-wastewater-treatment/ENVIROCHEMIE-GMBH/cpid-5322317.html

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Activated sludge working mechanism
The activated-sludge contains numerous bacteria and other microorganisms,
when it is mixed with raw sewage saturated with oxygen, the bacteria perform
the following function.

❑ Oxidize the organic solids.

❑ Promote coagulation and flocculation and convert dissolved, colloid and

suspended solids into settle able solids. In practice the following operations
are carried out in an activated - sludge process.

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Activated sludge working mechanism
❑ The sewage is given treatment in the primary sedimentation tank. The
detention time is kept as short as 1-1/2 hours.

❑ The settled sewage form the Primary Sedimentation Tank is the mixed with
the required quantity of activated-sludge in the aeration tank. The mixture of
activated-sludge and wastewater in the aeration tank is called ‘mixed liquor
or mixed liquor suspended solids MLSS or MLVSS mixed liquor volatile
suspended solids’.

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Activated sludge working mechanism
❑ The Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids is aerated for 6-8 h in the aeration tank,
called the hydraulic detention time according to the degree of purification.
About 8 m3 of air is provided from each m3 of wastewater treated. The
volumes of sludge returned to the aeration basin is typically 20 to 30% of
wastewater flow air supply 8-10 m3 of sewage

❑ The aerated Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids resulting in the formation of floc
particles, ranging in size from 50 to 200 ppm. which is then removed in the
secondary sedimentation tank by gravity settling, leaching a relatively clear
liquid as the treated effluent Typically greater than 99% of suspend solids can
be removed in the clarification step.
Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
 Activated sludge working mechanism

❑ Most of the settled sludge is returned to the aeration tank (and is called return
sludge) to maintain the high population of microbes that permits rapid
breakdown of the organic compounds. Because more activated-sludge is
produced tan is desirable in the process, some of the return sludge is diverted
or wasted to the sludge handling system for treatment and disposal.

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Activated sludge process parameters
Coefficient (at 200 C) Range Typical
μmax(d-1) 1.5-4 1.6
qmax (d-1) 3-5 4
Ks(g m-3) 10-50 25
Y(g biomass g-1 BODu) 0.3-0.8 0.4
θ(d) 1.02-1.15 1.05
D(d-1) 1-20 4
θc(d) 3-20 5
F/M(d-1) 0.05-0.5 0.3
Overflaw rate (m.d-1) 4-40 12
Qr/Q0 0.2-1.0 0.4
MLVSS/MLSS 0.75-0.95 0.85
ISTE SUMMER SCHOOL. BIOTECCHNOLOGY IN COMBATING POLLUTION. 1990

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Sludge volume index

The sludge volume index (SVI) is the volume in milliliters occupied by 1 g of a

suspension after 30 min settling. SVI typically is used to monitor settling

characteristics of activated sludge and other biological suspensions.

Desirable SVI for activated sludge process: 100 – 200 mL/g

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Problem:
Design a continuous flow stirred tank ASP to treat 0.25 m3/s of settled wastewater having 250 mg/L
of BOD5. The effluent is to have 20 mg/L of BOD5 or less. Assume that the temperature is 20 0C and
that the following conditions are applicable.
Influent volatile suspended solids to reactor are negligible.
MLVSS/MLSS = 0.8
xu = 10,000 mg/L of suspended solids
MLVSS = 3500 mg/L
θc = 10 d
Hydraulic regime of reactor = continuous flow stirred-tank
Effluent contains 22 mg/L of biological solids, of which 65% is biodegradable.
The value of the BOD5 can be obtained by multiplying the value of BODu by a factor of 0.68
Waste contains adequate nitrogen, phosphorous, and other trace nutrients for biological growth.
μd = 0.06 d-1 and Yx/s = 0.5
The 1-day sustained peak flow rate is 2.5 times the average flow rate.

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
Solution:
1. Estimation of soluble BOD5 of the effluent.
Effluent BOD5 = BOD5 of the soluble effluent + BOD5 of effluent suspended solids
Determination of BOD5 of effluent S.S
(i) Biodegradable portion of effluent S.S = 0.65 (22 mg/L) = 14.3 mg/L
(ii) BODu of effluent S.S = (14.3 mg/L) x (1.42 mg/mg) = 20.3 mg/L
(iii) BOD5 of effluent S.S = 20.3 mg/L x 0.68 = 13.8 mg/L
Therefore, BOD5 of soluble effluent = (20-13.8) mg/L = 6.2 mg/L

2. Determination of the treatment efficiency of the process

a). Biological conversion efficiency of the process =[(250-6.2)/250 ]x 100 = 97.5%

b). The overall plant efficiency = [(250-20)/250 ]x 100 = 92%

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
4. Determination of quantity of sludge bleeding per day
a. Observed yield,
Yobs = YX/S/(1+μdθc)
= 0.5/[1+0.06d-1(10d)]
= 0.3125

b. Rate of MLVSS formation

= YobsQo(S0-S)
= [0.3125(21,600 m3/d)(250-6.2) g/m3]/103 g/kg
= 1645.7 kg/d

c. Rate of MLSS formation

= 1645.7/0.8 kg/d
= amount of sludge to be wasted per day
Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
5. Determination of volumetric sludge-wasting rate
Qw = Vx/θcXu
= (4702m3)(3500 mg/L)/[(10d)(1,000 mg/1x0.8)]
= 205.7 m3/d

6. Computation of recirculation ratio

Bioreactor VSS concentration = 3500 mg/L
Return VSS concentration = 8,000 mg/L
Therefore, 3500 (Q0+Qr) = 8000 Qr
Qr/Qo=0.78

7. Hydraulic retention time (HRT)

= θ = V/Q0 = 4702 m3/[(0.25 m3/S)(3600 S/hr)]
= 5.2 h
= 0.217 d
Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
8. Determination of oxygen requirement
Assumption: Nitrification is neglected
a. Mass of BODu utilized
= Q(S0-S)/0.68 [since BOD5 = 0.68 x BODu]
= [(21,600 m3/d)(250-6.2) g/m3(103 g/Kg)-1]/0.68
= 7744 kg/d

b. Oxygen required = 7744 - 1.42 ×(1645.7 kg/day)

= 5407.1 kg/d

9. F/M ratio and volumetric loading factor

a. F/M = S0/ θ x = (250 mg/L)/[(0.217 d)(3500 mg/L)]
= 0.33 d-1
b. Volumetric loading = SoQo/V
= [(250 g/m3)(21,600 m3/d)(103 g/Kg)-1]/4702 m3 = 1.15 kg BOD5/m3. d
Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
10. Computation of air requirement
a. Theoretical air requirement
= (5407.1 kg/d)/[(1.201 Kg/m3)(0.232)]
= 19, 406 m3/d
(Assuming density of air = 1.201 kg/m3)

b. Actual air requirement

= 19,406/0.08 = 242,575 m3/d = 168 m3/min
(Assuming Oxygen-transfer efficiency = 8%)

c. Design air requirement

= 2(168 m3/min) = 336 m3/min
Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology
11. a. Air required per unit volume of effluent
= (242,575 m3/d)/(21,600 m3/day)
= 11.2 (m3/m3)

b. Air required per kg. of BOD5 removal

= [(242,575 m3/d)/{(250-6.2)g/m3(21,600 m3/d)}](103 g/kg)-1
= 46.1 m3/kg of BOD5 removed

Prof. Debabrata Das

Department of Biotechnology
 Prof. Debabrata Das
Department of Biotechnology 29