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Wolkite University College of

Engineering & Technology
Department of Textile Eng.

Course Name: - Environmental Engineering

Course code: - Teng4131
Seminar Title: - Advanced Wastewater Treatment Process

Prepared by: Abel Taye

IDNo: 0052/12

Submission date: 13/12/2022 GC

Submitted to: Mr. Belayhun M (MS)

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1
1.1. Sequence of Processes. ................................................................................................................. 1
1.2. Physical and Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes ........................................................... 3
1.3. The purpose of advanced wastewater treatment ........................................................................ 3
2. Advanced Waste Water Treatment Methods!..............................................................................4
2.1. Removal of suspended solids:....................................................................................................... 4
a. Micro staining: ............................................................................................................................ 5
b. Coagulation and flocculation: .................................................................................................... 5
c. Filtration: ..................................................................................................................................... 5
2.2. Removal of Dissolved Solids:......................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1. Ion exchange: ....................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2. Reverse osmosis: .................................................................................................................. 8
2.3. Thermal Evaporation: ................................................................................................................... 9
2.3.1. The advantages of Thermal Evaporation over Chemical Treatment: ......................... 10
2.4. Removal of Dissolved Organic Compounds: ............................................................................... 10
3. Chemical oxidation ................................................................................................................... 11
3.1. Chlorination ................................................................................................................................ 11
3.2. Alkaline chlorination ................................................................................................................... 11
3.3. Ultraviolet radiation .................................................................................................................... 12
3.4. Hydrogen peroxide oxidation ..................................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 12
References....................................................................................................................................... 13

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 Advanced Wastewater Treatment Process

1. Introduction

A number of different unit operations are used in various configurations to make up an advanced
wastewater treatment system. The particular situation determines the most applicable process
design. Advanced wastewater treatment processes can be biological processes, physicochemical
processes, or a combination of both. Tertiary and/or advanced treatment Tertiary and/or advanced
wastewater treatment is employed when specific wastewater constituents which cannot be
removed by secondary treatment must be removed., individual treatment processes are necessary
to remove nitrogen, phosphorus, additional suspended solids, refractory organics, heavy metals
and dissolved solids. Because advanced treatment usually follows high-rate secondary treatment,
it is sometimes referred to as tertiary treatment. However, advanced treatment processes are
sometimes combined with primary or secondary treatment (e.g., chemical addition to primary
clarifiers or aeration basins to remove phosphorus) or used in place of secondary treatment (e.g.,
overland flow treatment of primary effluent)/

1.1. Sequence of Processes.

The sequence of treatment processes through which wastewater passes is usually characterized as:

a. Preliminary treatment
b. Primary treatment
c. Secondary treatment
d. Tertiary treatment

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1.2. Physical and Chemical Wastewater Treatment Processes

Physical and chemical processes may be categorized as treatment for the removal pollutants not
readily removable or unremovable by conventional biological treatment processes. These
pollutants may include suspended solids, BOD (usually less than 10 to 15 mg/L), refractory
organics, heavy metals and inorganic salts. In domestic wastewater treatment, a physical-chemical
process may be required as tertiary treatment to meet stringent permit applications. In industrial
applications, physical-chemical treatment is frequently used as a pretreatments process in addition
to its use as a tertiary process. The primary physical-chemical processes includes are: Activated
carbon adsorption, Chemical oxidation, Solids removal (clarification, precipitation). Each of the
treatment alternatives above, as well as, other less common physical chemical processes are
discussed in this section.

1.3. The purpose of advanced wastewater treatment

Water makes the world go round and is a critical part of life as we know it. Without water, very
little could survive. Water helps all living things grow and survive in their natural environments.
From serving up a pitcher of water at a restaurant to watering crops on a massive farm, water is
used constantly. However, not all areas of the world are abundant in clean water. Some places even
face droughts. All people need access to clean water in order to survive. Dirty water can kill plants,
animals and make people very sick. People in this field determine the best water treatments for
safe water. They also establish best processes for handling waste water. Without this role, people

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would have a hard time extracting and using water like they do today. While people can come
from a variety of backgrounds in this field, many have a base in environmental engineering or
mechanical engineering. They are proficient in math and science, two subjects significant for water
treatment application. Environmental engineers directly help investigate current processes, find
flaws and improve the system as a whole.

2. Advanced Waste Water Treatment Methods!

The effluent from a typical secondary treatment plant still contains 20-40 mg/L BOD which may
be objectionable in some streams. Suspended solids, in addition to contributing to BOD, may settle
on the stream bed and inhibit certain forms of aquatic life. The BOD if discharged into a stream
with low flow, can cause damage to aquatic life by reducing the dissolved oxygen content. In
addition, the secondary effluent contains significant amounts of plant nutrients and dissolved
solids. If the waste water is of industrial origin, it may also contain traces of organic chemicals,
heavy metals and other contaminants. Different methods are used in advanced waste treatment to
satisfy any of the several specific goals, which include the removal of

1. Suspended Solids
2. BOD
3. Plant nutrients
4. Dissolved solids
5. Toxic substances

These methods may be introduced at any stage of the total treatment process as in the case of
industrial waterways or may be used for complete removal of pollutants after secondary treatment.

2.1. Removal of suspended solids:

This treatment implies the removal of those materials that have been carried over from a secondary
treatment settler. Many methods were proposed of which two methods were commonly used.:

The two methods are micro staining and chemical coagulation followed by settling and mixed
media filtration:

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 a. Micro staining:
It is a special type of filtration process which makes use of filters woven from stainless steel
wires with very fine pores of 60-70 microns size. This filter helps to remove very fine particles.
High flow rates and low back pressures are achieved

b. Coagulation and flocculation:

The object of coagulation is to alter these particles in such a way as to allow them to adhere to
each other. Most colloids of interest in water treatment remain suspended in solution because
they have a net negative surface charge that causes the particles to repel each other. The intended
action of the coagulant is to neutralize that charge, allowing the particles to come together to form
larger particles that can be more easily removed from the raw water. The usual coagulant is alum
[AI2(S04)2‘18H20], though FeCI3, FeS04 and other coagulants, such as polyelectrolytes, can be
used. Alum when added to water, the aluminum in this salt hydrolyses by reactions that consume
alkalinity in the water such as: Al (H2O)6] + 3 3HC03 — AI(OH)3(s) + 3Co2 + 6H2O
The gelatinous hydroxide thus formed carries suspended material with it as it settles. Metal ions
in coagulants also react with virus proteins and destroy up to 99% of the virus in water. Anhydrous
ion (III) sulphate can also act as effective coagulant similar to aluminum sulfate. An advantage
with iron (III) sulfates it that it works over a wide range of ph.

c. Filtration:

If properly formed, the addition of chemicals for promoting coagulation and flocculation can
remove both suspended and colloidal solids. After the floes are formed, the solution is led to a
settling tank where the floes are allowed to settle. While most of the flocculated material is
removed in the settling tank, some floes do not settle. These floes are removed by the filtration
process, which is usually carried out using beds of porous media such as sand or coal. The current
trend is to use a mixed – media filter which consists of fine garnet in the bottom layer, silica sand
in the middle layer and coarse coal in the top layer which reduces clogging.

i. Ultra-Filtration:
a. Selectively filters only molecules of a specified size and weight.
b. Removes e.g., various viruses.
c. Used for sterilization, clarification, wastewater treatment.

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 d. Membrane size 1–0.01 µm. is used. This is a dynamic filtering process with a
predominance of physical (mechanical) phenomena in which chemical phenomena are also
involved.

The membranes used, polymeric or mineral, allow dissolved salts to pass while they reject high
molecular weights selectively. The selectivity depends on the membrane structure and is defined
as the cut-off of molecular weight, which the membrane can separate with an efficiency of 90 %
(although this definition may not be rigorous depending on the molecular shape) Commercial
membranes applied in ultra-filtering can separate substances with a molecular weight between
1.000 and 10.000. Ultra-filtering systems generally work in a pressure range between 1.5 and 7
bar with industrial discharge waters the fluxes of permeate generally fluctuate between 0.5 and 1
– 5 m3 / h / m2 surface, depending on the concentration of the substances to be separated, with
energy consumptions varying between 2 and 20 KWh per m3 of permeate. The single pass ultra-
filtering process is the simplest and most commonly used process for water treatment because it
allows the recovery of high percentages of permeate (approximately 90-95 %).

There has been a relatively recent application of this technique in the metal finishing sector for
the recovery of degreasing baths (the first cleaning bath in metal-finishing processes, for pieces
which are still dirty with lubricating substances). The solution to be treated is passed through the
membrane at a certain speed and under hydrostatic pressure, obtaining a concentrated fraction of
oils and grease for disposal, while the filtrate is recovered and reused to prepare new baths.

ii. Nano Filtration:

The nano filtration technique is mainly used for the removal of two valued ions and the larger
mono valued ions such as heavy metals. This technique can be seen as a coarse RO (reversed
osmosis) membrane. Because nano filtration uses fewer fine membranes, the feed pressure of the
NF system is generally lower compared to RO systems. Also, the fouling rate is lower compared
to Ro systems.

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2.2. Removal of Dissolved Solids:

The dissolved solids are of both organic and inorganic types. A number of methods have been
investigated for the removal of inorganic constituents from waste water. Three methods which are
finding wide application in advanced waste treatment are ion exchange, electro dialysis and reverse
osmosis. For the removal of soluble organics from waste water the most commonly used method
is adsorption on activated carbon. Solvent extraction is also used to recover certain organic
chemicals like phenol and amines from industrial waste waters.

2.2.1. Ion exchange:

This technique has been used extensively to remove hardness, and iron and manganese salts in
drinking water supplies. It has also been used selectively to remove specific impurities and to
recover valuable trace metals like chromium, nickel, copper, lead and cadmium from industrial
waste discharges. The process takes advantage of the ability of certain natural and synthetic
materials to exchange one of their ions. A number of naturally occurring minerals have ion
exchange properties. Among them the notable ones are aluminum silicate minerals, which are
called zeolites. Synthetic zeolites have been prepared using solutions of sodium silicate and
sodium aluminate. Alternatively synthetic ion-exchange resins composed of organic polymer with
attached functional groups such as (strongly acidic cation exchange resins), or – COO – 3 -SO
H+~ H+ (weakly acidic cation exchange resins or -N+(CH3)3OH~ (strongly basic anion exchange
resins) can be used. In the water softening process, the hardness producing elements such as
calcium and magnesium are replaced by sodium ions. A cation exchange resin in sodium form is
normally used. The water-softening capability of cation exchange can be seen when sodium ion in
the resin is exchanged for calcium ion in solution.

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2.2.2. Reverse osmosis:
In the reverse osmosis process, de-mineralization water is produced by forcing water through semi
permeable membranes at high pressure. In ordinary osmosis, if a vessel is divided by a semi
permeable membrane (one that is permeable to water but not the dissolved material), and one
compartment is filled with water and other with concentrated salt solution, water diffused through
the membrane towards the compartment containing salt solution until the difference in water levels
on the two sides of the membrane creates a sufficient pressure to counteract the original water
flow. The difference in levels represents the osmotic pressure of the solution.

Industrial effluent treatment, using reverse osmosis, can be applied in the following main
sectors:

a) Treatment of outflows containing colorings with their possible recovery.

b) Treatment of outflows containing oily emulsions, latex and electro phoretic paints.
c) Treatment of outflows from the metal-finishing industry with recovery of concentrated
solutions of metal salts and reuse of the water in cleaning
d) Treatment of waste water from organic chemical, in organic chemical and pharmaceutical
industries

The application of reverse osmosis for wastewater treatment is significantly different from
general process water purification. This is primarily due to the fact that wastewater generally
contains higher levels and a more diverse range of contaminants. In addition, industrial
wastewaters have a high degree of variability. Wastewaters vary from industry to industry and can
change with hour-to-hour operation at any individual plant. The most important factor in treating

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industrial wastewater with RO is the against organic fouling, mineral scaling and chemical
degradation. Before RO should even be considered, a complete cation/anion balance is required
and possible flocculants must be identified. Potential inorganic foul-ants and sealants of RO
membranes include calcium, iron, aluminum, and other insoluble heavy metals. Possible organic
foulants include surfactants, color bodies, flocculants, and bacteria. High BOD and COD levels
can also contribute to membrane fouling. A wide range of pretreatment technologies is available.
Specifically in the metal finishing, printed circuit board and microelectronics industries, rinse-
waters from fabrication operations are normally treated to remove heavy metals and are then
discharged to the sewer. The effluent discharged to the sewer typically contains between 200 to
10,000 parts per million (ppm) total dissolved solids (TDS). With the proper pretreatment
technology followed by RO, this effluent can be treated and recycled. Ion exchange treatment of
the RO product water can further polish the water and make it suitable for all rinses. To design a
successful and cost-effective system, it is necessary to evaluates each individual application
because the pH, oxidizing potential and concentration of soluble salts of the wastewater effluents
often exceed the operating limits of RO systems. After the detailed evaluation of the wastewater
is complete, one need to determine the optimum preconditioning chemistry and selects the best
pretreatment technology for the application. Reverse Osmosis process generates high TDS waste
stream reject. Approximately 25-40% of waste reject with high TDS concentration will be
generated from feed water. This waste needs to be evaporated in forced evaporation systems to
concentrate and remove the in organic impurities from it.

2.3. Thermal Evaporation:

Evaporation can take the form of vacuum distillation, atmospheric evaporation, and thermal
evaporation. Vacuum distillation is accomplished by drawing a vacuum on a chamber and
evaporating water at reduced temperatures, typically in the range of 90-150 degrees Fahrenheit.
This technology is characterized by low energy cost, moderate to high manpower requirements,
and very high capital cost. Atmospheric evaporation involves spraying the wastewater across a
high surface area medium and blowing large volumes of air across the medium. This type of
evaporation is characterized by moderate energy cost, moderate capital cost, high manpower
requirements due to the tendency for fouling and reduced throughputs caused by changes in
atmospheric conditions. Thermal evaporation/distillation is accomplished by heating the

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wastewater to a boiling temperature and evaporating the waste stream at various rates based on the
amount of energy (BTU’s) input into the system. This type of evaporation is characterized by
moderate to high energy cost, low manpower requirements, moderate capital cost, high flexibility
and high reliability. This system has the ability to exhaust water as clean water vapor or recover
water as distilled water.

2.3.1. The advantages of Thermal Evaporation over Chemical Treatment:

2.3.1.1. Zero Discharge:
Evaporation completely eliminates your discharge effluent. This eliminates accountability to your
pollution control Board as well as the hassle and expense associated with potential discharge
violations.

2.3.1.2. Total Solution:

Chemical treatment does not completely address parameters such as emulsified oils, Chemical
Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), or dissolved solids in the
discharge wastewater. This becomes more important each year as Pollution control discharge
limits become increasingly strict

2.3.1.3. Lower Disposal Cost:

Due to the addition of chemistry, the sludge volume being generated will be greater for chemical
treatment compared to evaporation which typically does not require the addition of chemistry.
This translates to lower disposal liability and cost for evaporation.

2.4. Removal of Dissolved Organic Compounds:

One of the most commonly used techniques for removing organics involves the process of
adsorption, which is the physical adhesion of chemicals on to the surface of the solid. The
effectiveness of the adsorbent is directly related to the amount of surface area available to attract
the particles of contaminant. The most commonly used adsorbent is a very porous matrix of
granular activated carbon, which has an enormous surface area (~ 1000 m2/g). Adsorption on
activated carbon is perhaps the most economical and technically attractive method available for
removing soluble organics such as phenols, chlorinated hydrocarbons, surfactants, and colour and
odour producing substances from waste water. Granular activated carbon treatment systems
consist of a series of large vessels partially filled with adsorbent. Contaminated water enters the

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top of each vessel, trickles down through granulated activated carbon, and is released at the bottom.
After a period of time, the carbon filter becomes clogged with adsorbed contaminants and must be
either replaced or regenerated. Regeneration of the carbon is accomplished by heating it to 950 °C
in a steam air atmosphere. This process oxidizes surface, with an approximately 10% loss of
carbon.

3. Chemical oxidation

3.1. Chlorination

Chlorine is the principal chemical utilized for disinfection in the U.S. Chlorine dosages vary, but
for secondary treatment effluents the normal range is from 5 to 15 mg/L with requirements for a
chlorine residual of not less than 0.2 to 1.0 mg/L after a 15-minute detention time at maximum
flow rate (108). Regulatory requirements may differ in various States and consultation with the
appropriate agency is recommended. Disinfection must meet the U.S. EPA fecal coliform level of
200/100 ml. General practice is to provide the chlorine feed either as gaseous chlorine, normally
vaporized from liquid storage, or from a calcium hypochlorite solution feeder. Other than for
extremely small plants, the gaseous chlorines more economical. However, many of the large
metropolitan areas, such as New York and Chicago, have converted to the use of hypochlorite
solutions due to the potential hazards involved in transporting chlorine through populated areas.

3.2. Alkaline chlorination

Use of break point chlorination to oxidize ammonia to nitrogen gas, which is released to the
atmosphere, has been used in water treatment for numerous years. The process requires large
chlorine dosages (8 to 10 mg/L chlorine for each mg/L of ammonia oxidized) resulting in high
operating costs. Adjustment of pH is often required and formation of complex organic-nitrogen
chlorine compounds have been harmful environmental effects. Application will be limited to
removal of trace ammonia after some other ammonia removal process. An alternative to chlorine
is use of another disinfectant such as ozone. Chlorine, however, remains the predominant
disinfectant for portable water in the U.S. Results indicate ozone is an effective disinfectant for
wastewater effluents. Use of ozone avoids the problems with aquatic life and disinfects at a faster

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rate than chlorine. Ozone, however, is 10 to 15 times as expensive as chlorine and on-site
generation is necessary.

3.3. Ultraviolet radiation

Ultraviolet radiation is a very effective alternative to chemical oxidation. This method consists of
exposure of a film of water up to several inches thick to quartz mercury-vapor arc lamps emitting
germicidal ultraviolet radiation. Although this alternative is receiving attention as an alternate, it
remains unattractive due to high capital and operating costs for other than very small systems.

Ionizing radiation. Application of ionizing radiation as an alternative to chlorine or ozone for

disinfecting wastewater.

3.4. Hydrogen peroxide oxidation

Hydrogen peroxide (H202) is a strong oxidizer but has only limited application in the disinfection
of wastewater. This is primarily because three to four hours of contact time is required to
accomplish disinfection and it tends to leave a distinctive taste. The primary use of hydrogen
peroxides is in industrial applications where it is extremely effective in oxidizing a wide variety
of pollutants. Uses include destruction of cyanide which is generated from electroplating and
destruction of organic chemicals including chlorinated and sulfur containing compounds and
phenols. Hydrogen peroxide is clear, colorless, water like in appearance and has a distinctive
pungent odor. Hydrogen peroxide is not a hazardous substance and is considerably safer to handle
and store than chlorine gas.

Conclusion

Advanced wastewater treatment processes can be biological processes, physicochemical

processes, or a combination of both. However, advanced treatment processes are sometimes
combined with primary or secondary treatment (e.g., chemical addition to primary clarifiers or
aeration basins to remove phosphorus) or used in place of secondary treatment (e.g., overland flow
treatment of primary effluent). Ionizing radiation. Application of ionizing radiation as an
alternative to chlorine or ozone for disinfecting wastewater. Hydrogen peroxide (H202) is a strong
oxidizer but has only limited application in the disinfection of wastewater.

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References

[1] J. Paul Guyer, P.E., R.A., Fellow ASCE, Fellow AEI, Introduction to Advanced Wastewater Treatment,
22 Stonewall Court, 2011.

[2] M. HAWKINS, "Safety and Laboratory Practices,," in Environmental science, London (U.K.), Cassell
Publishers Ltd, 1988.

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