D. Y.

Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

Experiment No. 5 Date:

Title: Determination of Sludge Volume Index in

a given wastewater sample

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

Aim:- To determine Sludge Volume Index in a given wastewater sample.

Introduction:-

Sludge volume index is an important parameter used for monitoring efficient operation of aeration
systems.

SVI is the volume in ml, occupied by 1gm of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) settled in 30
minutes.

Mixed liquor sample for SVI test is drawn from outlet of an aeration tank of an activated sludge process –
conventional or modified.

Importance of SVI determination:-

1. SVI is used for determining the quality of sludge produced in an aeration unit and hence its
efficiency
2. It is used for determining the recirculation ratio necessary for maintaining a specified MLSS
concentration in the aerator.
3. It is also used for estimating suspended solids concentration in recirculated sludge.

Discussion:-

An Imhoff cone is used for determining of SVI. This represents effectively, the principal and
working of a secondary settling tank in an aerobic biological system. (In the absence of an Impoff cone, a
1000 ml graduated cylinder may be used – particularly for field test).

The volume of sludge (ml), settled in 30 min/gm of MLSS varies from 25 to 200 depending on the quantity
of sludge produced.

As the purpose of the biological aeration is to convert non-settleable organic suspended solids into
settleable cell mass, low SVI values indicate high quality of sludge produced and high efficiency BOD
removal.

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

Associated operational parameters for Biological Aeration Process

BOD
Aeration Avg.
SVI MLSS F/M removal Quality of
Process time Sludge
ml/gm mg/l d-1 efficiency Sludge
(hrs) age (days)
(%)
150-
High rate 500-1000 0.5-1.0 3-4 5 60-75 Poor
200
Good, as
50-
indicated by the
100- Conventional 2000-3000 0.2-0.5 6-10 10 80-90
medium value
150
100 ml/gm
Extended 0.05-
25-50 4000-6000 24-36 25 90-98 Excellent
Aeration 0.2

Sludge produced in an aeration system is considered excellent; if it settles easily, occupies minimum
volume it is granular & highly mineralized it dewater dries easily without odour nuisance. Sludge to be
wasted from extended aeration systems, with SVI in the range of 25-50 ml/gm, can be discharged to sludge
drying beds directly, without the need of stabilization in anaerobic digesters.

Sludge from aerator of a conventional or standard rate ASP, with SVI around 100 ml/gm, is good in
quality but inferior to sludge produced by an extended aeration process. It has pollutional load and requires
stabilization in digesters before drying.

Sludge from the aerator of a high rate process with SVI in the range of 150-200 ml/gm is poor in
quality, odourless, high in volume strictly and highly pollutional. It is unit for disposal without proper
digestion.

Sludge Bulking:-

If SVI is more than 200 ml/gm, sludge produced in a biological aeration system is said to be bulked.
Bulked sludge, indicates failure of the process. Sludge bulking is a major operational problem, which
increases effluent BOD and decreases process efficiency.

Causes of Sludge bulking

a) Poor Characteristics of Influent Waste Water

1. Frequent variation in quality & quantity of influent.

2. Low pH (filamentous organisms such as Beggiatoe & Sphaerotilus grow below pH 5. These
multicellular organisms get water – entrained and remain suspended without settling down in S.S.T
3. Low temperature resulting in decreasing bacterial activity.
4. Staleness or septicity of influent.
5. Low nutrient (the common BOD : N:P weight ratio required for biological treatment is 100:5:1)
6. High carbohydrates contribute to sludge bulking.

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

b) Poor plant design and operation

1. Insufficient aeration.
2. Insufficient mixing of recirculated sludge with influent waste water.
3. Organic over loading (high F/M)
4. In sufficient hydraulic retention time or aeration time.
5. Improper recirculation of sludge resulting in fluctuating MLSS in the aerator to sludge bulking.
6. In sufficient sludge retention time.
7. Retention of sludge in SST for too long promoting an aerobic condition contributed to sludge
bulking.

c) Emergency control measures

1. Controlled chlorination of bulked sludge of to kill multicellular organism only.

2. Reaeration of return sludge on recycle line.

d) Long term control measure

1. Modification and improvement of influent characterstics.

2. Modification and improvement of plant design and operational parameters.

Recirculation Ratio and Concentration of Returns sludge

Sludge volume index is related to volume and concentration of return sludge.

Q 1000ml

Q + Qr Q

V ml

Qr

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

= , RCR = =
Where,

V = Volume of settled sludge per liter, ml

Q = average waste water flow m3 / day
Qr = recirculated sludge, m3 / day

Suspended solids concentration =

In recirculated sludge, mg/l

= (106 / SVI) mg/l

Determination of SVI:-

Principle:-

SVI determination is based on estimating the volume of the sludge settled in 30 minutes per gram of
MLSS.

Apparatus:-

Imhoff cone, ( or 1000 ml measuring jar ), 50 ml measuring cylinder, crucibles, 250ml beaker, whatman
no. 40 filter paper ( with funnel and stand ), Hot air oven.

Procedure:-

A) 1. Take exactly 1 lit of mixed liquor sample from an aerobic tank and allow it to settle in an imhoff
cone.
2. Record volume of settled sludge (V ml/lit) at end of 30 minutes.

B) 1. Weigh a clean & empty crucible (P) as W1mg.

2. Stir up the Imhoff cone contents well, collect 50 ml of mixed liquor n (P) ( 25 ml, if a high
volume of MLSS ix expected ) and evaporate to dryness in a hot air oven .

3. Cool the crucible (P) to room temperature & weigh with solids residue as W2 (mg).

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

4. Weigh a clean & empty crucible (Q) as W3 (mg).

5. Stir up the Imhoff cone contents again and collect 50 ml ( or 25 ml ) of mixed liquor $ filter
through corrugated whatman No. 40 filter paper and collect the filtrate in crucible (Q) and
evaporate the dryness.

6. Cool the crucible (Q) with dissolved solids residue and weigh _____ W4 mg.

Formulae:-

Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids = MLTS – MLDS

SVI, ml/gm =

Observation Table:-

Volume of
Sample MLSS SVI
Description of Sample settled Sludge, Remarks
No. mg/lit ml/gm
ml/l

(Note: SVI value has no practical significance, if the corresponding MLSS value is not satisfactory)

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D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi Waste Water Engineering Lab

Calculations:-

Result:-

Conclusion:-

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