University of Cape Town Department of Civil Engineering

CIV4042F-2021 CIV4042F- Wastewater Treatment Tutorial 4 Sample Solution

1 With the values of YH, bH and Kv given below, the effluent biodegradable YH 0.45 mgVSS/mgCOD
COD concentration Sb (mgCOD/ ) at different sludge ages Rs, is given by bH 0.24 d
Sb = (1+bH. Rs)/(YH Rs Kv) = 31.75/Rs + 7.62 mgCOD/l Kv 0.07 l/(mgVSS.d)

Because sludge age is our fundamental parameter that controls the length of time we retain the sludge (organisms
and inert material) in the reactor, let us see how Sb varies with sludge age from short (3 days) to long (30 days).

For convenience lets call YH Rs/(1+bH Rs) = C1, then Sb = 1/(C1.Kv)

Rs 3 5 7 10 15 20 25 30
C1 0.785 1.023 1.175 1.324 1.467 1.552 1.607 1.646
Sb 18.2 14.0 12.2 10.8 9.7 9.2 8.9 8.7

Plot Sb vs Rs and we see that for Rs > 5d, Sb < 15 mgCOD/l. Now if influent Sbi are usually in the range 800 -
1200 mgCOD/l, we can say that in activated sludge systems at least (800-18.2)/800x100= 98.1% of the
biodegradable COD has been utilized (degraded) and at most (1200-8.7)/1200x100= 99.3%. The 0.7% to 1.9% of
biodegradable COD not utilized is negligible and can be assumed zero. Now the biodegradable COD
concentration utilized in the system is (Sbi-Sb). If Sb is taken to be negligible, we can see that it is reasonable to
accept that all the biodegradable COD is utilized, and that the effluent biodegradable COD concentration Sb is zero.

2 Now the mass flow of biodegradable COD is the flow rate Qi times the concentration Sbi, i.e.:

FSbi = Qi (l/d) x Sbi (mgCOD/l) = Qi x Sbi (mgCOD/d)

The mass change in biodegradable COD through the process is the flow times the concentration change, i.e.

FdeltaSb = Qi x (Sbi - Sb) mgCOD/d and because Sb is negligible in comparison with Sbi we can assume that
FdeltaSb = Qi x Sbi = Qi x (1-fS'us-fS'up) x Sti (mgCOD/d)

Because we have equations for XBH, XEH, XI, Xv and Xt concentrations in the biological reactor, the masses of
these materials is simply the product of the concentration and the volume of the reactor V, i.e.

Mass active organisms = MXBH = XBH.V (mgVSS) Mass

endogenous residue = MXEH = XEH.V (mgVSS)
Mass inert unbiodegradable particulate organics = MXI = XI.V (mgVSS)
Mass volatile (organic) settleable solids = MXv = Xv.V (mgVSS)
Mass total settleable solids = MXt = Xt.V (mgTSS)

Similarly the mass oxygen consumption rate is the rate per unit reactor volume times the volume of the reactor, i.e.

Flux oxygen utilization rate FOc = Oc.V (mgO/d).

MXBH = XBH V = YH Rs (Sbi-Sb)/[(1+bH Rs).Rh].V

Now recall that the hydraulic retention time Rhn was defined as V/Qi, i.e. the volume of the reactor divided by the
influent flow through it. Substituting V/Qi for Rhn into the above we get
MXBH = (Sbi - Sb)YH Rs /(1+bH Rs). V.(Qi /V) mgVSS
Now recall from Q.1 that Qi x (Sbi - Sb) = FdeltaSb. So
MXBH = FdeltaSb [YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)]
which if Sb is assumed negligible can be approximated with
MXBH = FSbi [YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)]
also because Sbi = Sti x (1-fS'us-fS'up) ; FSbi = Qi x Sbi = Qi x Sti (1-fS'us-fS'up) = FSti (1-fS'us-fS'up)
Hence MXBH = FSti (1 - fS'us - fS'up) (YH Rs)/(1 + bH Rs).
Check units MXBH = mass = mgVSS
FdeltaSb = mass flow rate = flux = mgCOD/d
YH Rs/(1+bH Rs) = mgVSS/(mgCOD).d
 So mgCOD/d x (mgVSS/mgCOD).d = mgVSS Right!

Applying the above ideas to MXEH, MXI, MXv , MXt and FOc we get
MXEH = XEH V = fEH bH Rs XBH V = fEH bH Rs MXBH mgVSS
MXI = XI V = XIi (Rs/Rhn) V = XIi (Rs/(V /Qi)) V = XIi Qi Rs = FXIi Rs
But XIi = Supi/fcv and Supi = fS'up x Sti; So XIi = fS'up Sti/fcv
Hence FXIi = Qi x XIi = Qi Sti fS'up/fcv = FSti fS'up/fcv
and
MXI = FSti (fS'up/fcv) Rs mgVSS

Now the volatile settleable solids (VSS) concentration in the reactor (that we measure with the VSS test)
(mgVSS/l) is the sum of the XBH, XEH and XI concentrations. Hence the mass in the reactor is given by
MXv = Xv V
= XBH V + XEH V + XI V
= MXBH + MXEH + MXI
= MXBH + fEH bH Rs MXBH + (fS'up/fcv) Rs FSti
= MXBH (1 + fEH bH Rs) + (fS'up/fcv) Rs FSti
= FSbi [YH Rs /(1+bH Rs).(1 + fEH bH Rs)] + (fS'up/fcv) Rs FSti
= FSti (1 - fS'up - fS'us) [YH Rs /(1+bH Rs).(1 + fEH bH Rs)]+ (fS'up/fcv) Rs FSti
= FSti {(1 - fS'up - fS'us) YH Rs /(1+bH Rs).(1 + fEH bH Rs) + (fS'up/fcv) Rs }

Now the ISS, XIO i.e. the inorganic solids (silt, clay) is found the same way as unbiodegradable particulate organics
plus 15% of the OHO active mass, which are intracellular dissolved solids that precipitate when the sludge is dried
in the TSS-VSS test, i.e. MXIO = FXIOixRs + 0.15xMXBH. FXIOi is the influent inorganics flux and is a sewage
characteristic measured in the sewage itself. This XIOi accumulates in the system which treats the particular
sewage.
MXIO = FXIOi X Rs + 0.15 x MXBH kgISS
MXt = MXv + MXIO kgTSS

The ash residue after incineration (or the inorganic part called ISS inorganic settleable solids) is the
difference between the measured VSS and TSS, i.e. ISS = TSS - VSS and fi is defined as VSS/TSS.

Now the mass of oxygen utilized per day is given by the rate per unit volume times the volume of the reactor, i.e.

FOc = Oc V mgO/d
= (1- fcvYH)(Sbi - Sb)/Rhn.V +fcv(1-fEH)bH XBH V mgO/d
Noting that Rh = V/Qi and V XBH = MXBH then
FOc = (1 - fcvYH)(Sbi - Sb)Qi + fcv (1 - fEH) bH MXBH. mgO/d
Recall that Qi (Sbi - Sb) FSbi. Therefore
FOc = (1 -fcvYH) FSbi + fcv (1 - fEH) bH MXBH mgO/d

Synthesis Endogenous respiration

i.e. the mass of oxygen utilized (consumed) in the reactor is the sum of the (1) oxygen utilized for synthesis of new
organisms via bioenergetic metabolism and (2) oxygen utilized for endogenous respiration, which is given by the
biodegradable part (in COD terms) of the active mass that disappears every day. The former (1) is simply a fraction
(1 - fcvYH) of the biodegradable COD mass degraded in the process per day. The latter (2) is a function of the
active mass in the reactor MXBH. But we know that the active mass MXBH in the reactor is a function of the mass
of biodegradable COD utilized per day FSbi at steady state so
FOc = (1 - fcvYH) FSbi + fcv (1 - fEH) bH FSbi [YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)] mgO/d
= FSbi { (1 - fcvYH) + fcv (1 - fEH) bH YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)} mgO/d
= FSti (1 - fS'up - fS'us){(1 - fcvYH) + fcv (1 - fEH) bH YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)} mgO/d

If we look at the equations derived for MXBH, MXEH, MXI, MXv and FOc we see that each is a function of

(1) one or more of the stoichiometric and kinetic constants -

stoichiometric fcv, YH and fEH ; kinetic bH
(2) the sewage characteristics fS'us, fS'up and XIOi (or fi)
(3) the flux of COD treated FSti
 (4) sludge age Rs of the activated sludge system.

Now because for a large mixture of many different types of organisms (called activated sludge) degrading a mixture
of a large variety of organics (sewage) the values of the stoichiometric and kinetic constants remain unchanged, we
can see that for a particular sewage, i.e. fS'us and fS'up and XIOi are defined, the mass of active, endogenous, inert,
VSS and TSS suspended solids in the reactor and the mass of oxygen utilized per day, is a function only of the flux
of COD treated FSti and the sludge age Rs of the system.

4 Now let YH Rs/(1 + bH Rs) = C1 and fEH bH Rs = C2 then

MXBH /FSti = (1 - fS'us - fS'up) C1

MXEH /FSti = C2 x (MXBH/FSti) = C2 x C1 x (1 - fS'us - fS'up)
MXI /FSti = (fS'up/fcv)Rs

MXv /FSti = MXBH/FSti + MXEH/FSti + MXI/FSti mgVSS in reactor per mgCOD/d load on reactor
= (1-fS'up-fS'us) x C1 x (1+C2) + (fS'up/fcv)Rs
FOc/FSti = (1-fS'us-fS'up){(1-fcvYH)+fcv(1-fEH)bH x C1}
mgO/d in reactor per mgCOD/d load on reactor

So
Raw sewage Settled sewage 0.45 YH (mgVS/mgCOD)
FXIOi/FSti = 0.11875 0.05575 0.24 bH (/d)
Unbio sol COD fraction , fS'us 0.069 0.129 1.481 fcv
(mgCOD/mgVSS)
Unbio partic COD fraction, fS'up 0.125 0.030 0.2 f

MXBH/FSti 0.8063 x C1 0.8409 x C1

MXEH/FSti 0.8063 x C1 x C2 0.8409 x C1 x C2
MXI/FSti 0.0844 x Rs 0.0203 x Rs
MXv/FSti 0.8063 C1C2+Rs 0.098237 0.8409 C1C2+Rs 0.01975

MXIO/FSti 0.11875 xRs+0.15xMXBH/FSti 0.05575 xRs+0.15xMXBH/FSti

MXt/FSti MXv + MXIO MXv + MXIO
FOc/FSti 0.79078 (0.334+0.284xC1) 0.865497 (0.334+0.284xC1)

Rs 3 5 7 10 15 20 25 30
C1 0.785 1.023 1.175 1.324 1.467 1.552 1.607 1.646
C2 0.144 0.240 0.336 0.480 0.720 0.960 1.200 1.440
Raw sew MXBH/FSti 0.633 0.825 0.948 1.067 1.183 1.251 1.296 1.327
MXEH/FSti 0.091 0.198 0.318 0.512 0.852 1.201 1.555 1.911
MXI/FSti 0.253 0.422 0.591 0.844 1.266 1.688 2.110 2.532
MXv/FSti 0.977 1.444 1.857 2.423 3.301 4.140 4.961 5.771
MXIO/FSti 0.451 0.717 0.973 1.348 1.959 2.563 3.163 3.762
MXt/FSti 1.428 2.162 2.830 3.771 5.260 6.703 8.124 9.532
FOc/FSti 0.449 0.503 0.538 0.572 0.605 0.625 0.637 0.646
Settled MXBH/FSti 0.660 0.860 0.988 1.113 1.234 1.305 1.351 1.384
MXEH/FSti 0.095 0.206 0.332 0.534 0.888 1.253 1.622 1.994
MXI/FSti 0.061 0.101 0.142 0.203 0.304 0.405 0.506 0.608
MXv/FSti 0.816 1.168 1.462 1.850 2.426 2.963 3.480 3.986
MXIO/FSti 0.266 0.408 0.539 0.724 1.021 1.311 1.596 1.880
MXt/FSti 1.082 1.575 2.001 2.574 3.448 4.273 5.076 5.866
FOc/FSti 0.468 0.525 0.562 0.597 0.631 0.652 0.665 0.674
Plot results for raw and settled sewage. These should give the same graph as that in the last hand-out of notes.

Note that the Table (and graph) give MXBH, MXEH, MXI, MXv, MXt and FOc per mass COD applied per day to
the biological reactor (FSti applied/d). On the basis of mass COD applied to the reactor, we notice that

(1) MXBH/FSti is slightly higher for settled than for raw sewage because more COD is
biodegradable in settled than in raw.
(2) Because MXBH/FSti for settled is higher than for raw, MXEH/FSti is higher for settled than raw.
(3) MXI/FSti is higher for raw than for settled because fS'up is greater:
0.125 for raw and 0.030 for settled
(4) Because the difference in (3) above between raw and settled overwhelm the difference in (1) and (2)
above between raw and settled, MXv/FSti is higher for raw than for settled.
(5) The only reason why we can divide the organic masses of materials in the reactor and the oxygen
utilized (MXBH, MXEH, MXI, MXv and FOc) by the daily mass flow rate of organics (COD, FSti) for
(1) to (4) above is because they are directly linked; the mass of VSS in the reactor depends on the daily
COD mass flow rate.
The TSS in the reactor is the sum of the organic (VSS) and inorganic (TSS) materials. Now the ISS that
accumulates in the reactor, being inorganic, is not directly related to the influent COD because COD
measures organics. So strictly speaking we should not divide MXt in the reactor by FSti in the influent
because MXt includes material that is not related to the COD (organics) of the influent; the ISS in the
reactor is related to the influent inorganic particulate constituents (and the soluble ones that precipitate in
the reactor). Because the inorganic constituents of the influent are not measured routinely yet, we
empirically (i.e. from experience) relate MXt to FSti via an observed ratio of VSS to TSS i.e. fi =
mgVSS/mgTSS and MXt = MXv/fi. For raw sewage the ratio fi is found to vary between 0.70 and 0.80
indicating that between 20 and 30% of the TSS is inorganic (ISS).
So with raw sewage not only is there a greater accumulation of VSS in the reactor per influent COD

(i.e. MXv/FSti for raw sewage is greater than for settled sewage) but the accumulation of inorganic

solids (ISS) also is greater for raw sewage than for settled sewage. This makes MXt/FSti much greater for
raw sewage than for settled sewage. For example if FSti = 1000 kgCOD/d and
XIOi/Sti for raw and settled sewage is 0.1188 and 0.0558 respectively (as above),
then from Table 1 at 25 days sludge age for raw sewage MXv = 4961 kgVSS and
MXt = 8124 kgTSS giving ISS (MXt - MXv) = 3163 kgISS;
and for settled sewage MXv = 3480 kgVSS and MXt = 5076 kgTSS giving
ISS = 1596 kgISS, less than half the mass with raw sewage.
The reason for this difference in ISS in raw and settled sewage is that inorganic silt/clay/sand (i.e. too
small to be removed in the grit removal/sand trap) settles out with settleable organic material in the primary
settling tank, leaving less of this inorganic material (ISS) in the settled sewage compared to the raw
sewage. This ISS material therefore does not accumulate to the same mass quantity for settled sewage
1596 kg than for raw sewage 3163 kg making MXt/FSti very much higher for raw sewage than
for settled sewage. The VSS/TSS of the sludge in the reactors treating raw and settled sewages are
0.611 and 0.685 respectively
(6) FOc/FSti is slightly lower for raw sewage than for settled because per kg total COD load less
80.6 % of the COD is biodegradable in the raw sewage than in the settled sewage 84.1 %

Having compared the above 6 parameters for raw and settled sewage per kgCOD applied to the biological reactor
per day, is all well and good but it's not the complete picture. This is because from our Tut 2 experience, a settled
sewage would have a significantly reduced organic (COD) load FSti (by about 35%) on the biological reactor than
the raw sewage from which it was produced. Primary settling does not change the flow rate much (a reduction of
less than 1% for the primary sludge) but it does reduce the organic (COD) concentration significantly. Therefore,
not only is the MXv and MXt per unit COD load (FSti) on the biological reactor lower with settled sewage (as in
the Table above) than with raw sewage but also the organic load itself (FSti) is significantly lower (by 35-
45%).
Taking our Tut 2 raw and settled sewage as an example and doing a comparison with these, we get for a flow of
175 l/d and 15 days sludge age and a reactor TSS concentration of 4500 mgTSS/l;

Raw Sewage Settled Sewage

Qi (l/d) 175 150
Sti (mgCOD/l) 800 570
FSti (mgCOD/d) 140000 85500
MXBH (mgVSS) 147573.5 97941.18
MXEH (mgVSS) 70835.29 47011.76
MXI (mgVSS) 138513.5 16891.89
MXv (mgVSS) 356922.3 161844.8
MXIO (mgISS) 147136 90489.05
MXt (mgVSS) 504058.4 252333.9
V (l) 126.0146 63.08347
FOc (mgO/d) 79175.49 52546.96
%CODbal 100 100
So from this, for the settled sewage flow, the reactor volume is 49.93955 % smaller and oxygen
demand is 33.63229% lower than for the raw sewage.
.

5 Raw sewage Sti concentration = 750 mgCOD/l

Now please get this right! So many mistakes are made in these conversions.
1 m3 = 1000 litres 1 Megalitre (Ml ) = million litres = 1000 m3
1 g = 1000 milli g 1 kilo g = 1000 g = million mg
So Sti 750 mgCOD/l = ## 0.75 kgCOD/m3
So Sti 0.75 kgCOD/m3

[Now if you calculate Sb = mgCOD/l , please don't try to deduct 9.73545 mgCOD/l from an influent COD
concentration of 0.75 kgCOD/m3 to get the COD concentration change across the reactor! PLEASE subtract (or
add) numbers only with like units!]

System A 8000 m3/d x 0.75 kgCOD/m3 = 6000 kgCOD/d

or 8000 m3/d x1000 x 750 mgCOD/l = 6000 x10^6 mgCOD/d
System B 10000 m3/d x 0.6 kgCOD/m3 = 6000 kgCOD/d
or 10000 m3/d x1000 x 600 mgCOD/l = 6000 x10^6 mgCOD/d

Both sewages (raw) the mass of COD treated/d is the same. Therefore MXBH, MXEH, MXI, MXv, MXt, FOc will
be the same for both, viz. from the Table above at 10 days sludge age -

MXBH = 1.046621 6000 kgCOD/d = 6279.73 kgVSS

MXEH = 0.502378 6000 kgCOD/d = 3014.27 kgVSS
MXI = 0.982365 6000 kgCOD/d = 5894.19 kgVSS
MXv = 2.531364 6000 kgCOD/d = 15188.2 kgVSS
MXIO = 0.245646 6000 kgCOD/d = 1473.87 kgISS
MXt = 2.77701 6000 kgCOD/d = 16662.1 kgTSS
FOc = 0.561528 6000 kgCOD/d = 3369.17 kgO/d
From this we conclude that for a particular sewage (i.e. fS'up, fS'us and XIOi/Sti fixed), the mass of VSS (or TSS)
that accumulates in the biological reactor is a function only of the mass of COD treated/d and the sludge age

If we choose Xt = 4000 mgTSS/l then V = ## m3 and for

sewage A, we would have a longer hydraulic retention time Rhn = V/Qi = 12 hrs than for sewage B which is = 4166
divided by ## m3/d = 9.997235hours
i.e. Rhn is incidental in the design; it serves no basic function.

COD Balance: fcv(MXv/FSti)/Rs+FOc/FSti+fS'us =1;

1.5 2.5314 divided by 10 + 0.561528 + 0.06 = 1

6a UPO and USO only Use data from Raw WW system Temp = 20oC
Influent UPO=Influent Total COD(Sti) - USO (Susi) = 940 minus 60 = 880 mgCOD/l
Influent VSS of UPO = UPO COD/ fcv of UPO (XIi) = 880 / 1.48 = 594.5946 mgVSS/l
So flux UPO in influent = FXIi=QixXIi = 150 x 594.5946 = 89189.19 mgVSS/d
Sludge age of system (Rs) = V/Qw = 250 / 8.333333 = 30 days
Mass UPO in reactor (MXI) = FXIi Rs = 89189.19 x 30 = 2675676 mgVSS
Concentration of XI in reactor = MXI/V= 2675676 / 250 = 10702.7 mgVSS/l

Check COD balance:

COD in = Influent COD flux = Qi x Sti = 150 x 940 = 141000 mgCOD/d
COD in effluent = Qe x Ste = (Qi-Qw)Ste 141.6667 x 60 = 8500 mgCOD/d
COD in Qw = Qw (Ste+fcv XI) = 8.333333 x ( 60 + 1.48 x 10702.7 ) = 132500 mgCOD/d
Total COD out = COD in Effluent + COD in Wasteflow + Oxygen utilized (zero) = 141000
mgCOD/d %Error = 2.06E-14 Balanced

6b UPO and BPO only Use data from Raw WW system. Temp = 20 oC
Influent BPO=Influent Total COD(Sti) - USO (Susi) = 940 minus 60 = 880 mgCOD/l
So flux UPO in influent = FSbpi=QixSbpi = 150 x 880 = 132000 mgCOD/d
Sludge age of system (Rs) = V/Qw = 250 / 8.333333 = 30 days
OHO biomass formed (MXBH) = FSbpi x YHxRs/(1+bHT x Rs) = 217317.1 mgVSS
End Residue formed MXEH=fH bHT Rs MXBH = 312936.6 mgVSS
UPO VSS formed = zero (no UPO in influent)
So mass VSS in reactor MXv = =MXBH+MXEH = 530253.7 mgVSS
Concentration of Xv in reactor = MXv/V= 530253.7 / 250 = 2121.015
mgVSS/l
Flux Oxygen Utilized = FSbpi { (1-fcvYH)+fcv (1-fH) bHT YH Rs /(1+ bHT Rs) } = FOc

FOc = 132000 { (0.334) + 0.28416 x 1.646341} = 105840.8 mgO/d

So OUR in reactor = FOc /( V x 24) = 17.64014 mgO/(l.h)

Check COD balance:

COD in = Influent COD flux = Qi x Sti = 150 x 940 = 141000 mgCOD/d
COD in effluent = Qe x Ste = (Qi-Qw)Ste 141.6667 x 60 = 8500 mgCOD/d
COD in Qw = Qw (Ste+fcv XI) = 8.333333x ( 60 + 1.48 x 2121.015)
COD of FOc = 26659.18 mgCOD/d
FOc = 105840.8 mgO/d
Total COD out = COD in Effluent + COD in Wasteflow + Oxygen utilized = 141000 mgCOD/d
%Error = 0 Balanced

6c Difference in reactor VSS concs (Xv) of Q6a and Q6b =

Flux VSS wasted from Q6a system = Qw x Xv = 89189.19 mgVSS/d
Flux VSS wasted from Q6b system = Qw x Xv = 17675.12 mgVSS/d
Difference in VSS fluxes wasted = dFXv 71514.07 mgVSS/d
COD of difference in VSS fluxes wasted = fcv x dFXv 105840.8 mgCOD/d
Flux Oxygen urtikled in Q6b stysrem = FOc = 105840.8 mgO/d Same!
So extra EDC (COD) harvested from Q6a system as VSS exits Q6b system as oxygen utilized.

6d Check COD balance:

COD in = Influent COD flux = Qi x Sti = 150 x 940 = 141000 mgCOD/d
COD in effluent = Qe x Ste = (Qi-Qw)Ste 141.6667 x 60 = 8500 mgCOD/d
COD in Qw = Qw (Ste+fcv XI) = 8.333333 x (60 +1.48 x 3453.777) 43096.58 mgCOD/d
COD of FOc = FOc = OUR*V*24 = 14.90057 x 24 x 250 = 89403.42 mgO/d
 Total COD out = COD in Effluent + COD in Wasteflow + Oxygen utilized = 141000 mgCOD/d
%Error = 3.42E-13 Balanced
Plot a graph of Xv versus fS'up and plot the points from Q6a and Q6b on it. Call these points A and B resp.
i.e. A( 0.93617 10702.7 ) and B( 0 2121.015 ). Join A and B with a straight line.

Plot the point C on the line where the given VSS= 3453.777 mgVSS/l, i.e.C(fS'up 3453.777A
vertical line through C gives the fS'up value. This can be calculated from simlar triangles. Draw a
horizontal line through A and call the points where this horizontal line cuts the vertical lines through C and A, D
and E respectively. Now BD/CD = BE/AE. So fS'up = 0.14539

The given OUR value can also be used in the same way.
Plot a graph of OUR versus fS'up and plot the points from Q6a and Q6b on it. Call these points A and B resp.
i.e. A( 0.93617 0) and B(017.64014). Join A and B with a straight line.
Plot the point C on the line where the given OUR= 14.90057 mgVSS/l, i.e.C (fS'up 14.90057)
Draw a vertical line through C and call the point where this line cuts the horizontal axis D. D gives the fS'up value.

Draw a horizontal line through C and call the point where this horizontal line cuts the vertical axes
The origin is F. Now fS'up=FD=EC and from similar triangles FD/FA=BE/BF. So fS'up= 0.14539

7(i) Check COD balance Raw Settled

Mass COD in Qi Sti (kgCOD/d) 141000 85500

Now fcv = (Unfilt Reactor COD - Filt Effluent COD)/Reactor VSS 1.48 1.48
a) Effluent flow Qe = Qi - Qw ( l/d) 141.6667 143
b) COD mass in effluent FSte = Ste x Qe 8500 8580
COD mass in Qw
c) (i) Ste x Qw (mgCOD/d) 500 420
d) (ii) fcv Xv Qw (mgCOD/d) 42596.58 25859.27
e) Mass O2 utilized Oc 24 V (mgO/d) 89403.42 50640.73
Total COD out (b) + (c) + (d) + (e) 141000 85500
% COD recovered 100 100
Excellent COD balances were achieved in the experiments.
Note: fcv of XBH&XEH= 1.48
From the experimental results we can calculate for the raw sewage system fcv of XI=1.48
fcv of mixed liquor = 1.48
The sludge age Rs = V/Qw = 250 divided by 8.333333 = 30 days 30 days Rs

7.(ii) The unbiodegradable soluble COD fraction fS'us, i.e. because the filtered COD concentration gives 60
mgCOD/l and the sludge age is long, we accept this effluent COD to be all unbiodegradable soluble COD,
i.e. Suse which passed unchanged through the system so that the influent unbiodegradable soluble
COD in influent Susi = Suse = 60 mgCOD/l

So the unbiodegradable soluble COD fraction fS'us = 60 divided by 940 = 0.06383

Flux of COD treated FSti = Qi x Sti = 150 x 940 = 141000
Mass of volatile suspended solids (VSS) and flux oxygen consumed in the reactor, i.e.
MXv = Xv V = 3453.777 x 250 = 863444.2 mgVSS
FOc=Oc x V x24= 20.44309 x 24 x 250 = 122658.5 mgO/d With Nitrification
FOc=Oc x V x24= 14.90057 x 24 x 250 = 89403.42 mgO/d Without Nitrification

Now accepting the constants measured for the theory, i.e. YH = 0.45 mgVSS/mgCOD;
we can calculate fS'up in two ways, bH = 0.24 /d
i.e. from the MXv/FSti or FOc/FSti equations viz: fEH = 0.2

MXv = FSti {(1 - fS'up - fS'us) YH Rs /(1+bH Rs).(1 + fEH bH Rs) + (fS'up/fcv) Rs } (1)
FOc = FSti (1 - fS'up - fS'us){(1 - fcvYH) + fcv (1 - fEH) bH YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)} (2)
Now at Rs = 30 days, YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)(1+fEH bH Rs) = 4.017073
and YH Rs/(1+bH Rs) = 1.646341
Substituting values from above into Eq (1) and solving for fS'up gives
863444.2 divided by 141000 = (1-fS'up- 0.06383 ) x 4.017073 +fS'up x 20.27027
 from which fS'up = 0.14539 Same as Input value 0.14539 because fcv of XBH+XEH and XI are known
and same.
863444.2 divided by 141000 = (1-fS'up - 0.06383) x 4.017073 +fS'up x 20.27027

from which fS'up = 0.14539 Different to Input value 0.14539 because fcv mixed fcv of XBH+XEH and
XI are used.
Not relevant to solution of Tutorial 5
Substituting values from above into Eq (2)

122658.5 divided by 141000 = (1-fS'up- 0.06383 ) x ( 0.334 + 0.28416 1.646341)

from which fS'up = -0.14875 Due to nitrification OUR not subtracted!
89403.42 divided by 141000 = (1-fS'up- 0.06383 ) x ( 0.334 + 0.28416 1.646341)
from which fS'up = 0.14539 When nitrification OUR is subtracted!
NOTE: OUR equation gives correct fS'up!
fcv of XBH&XEH= 1.48

Following the above procedure, for the settled sewage case we get fcv of XI= 1.48
fcv of mixed liquor 1.48
(1) Rs = 56 divided by 7 = 8 days 8 days Rs
(2) fS'us = 60 divided by 570 = 0.105263
(3) FSti = 150 x 570 = 85500 mgCOD/d
(4) MXv = 2496.068 x 56 = 139779.8 mgVSS
(5) FOc = 61.03207 x 24 x 56 = 82027.1 mgO/d With Nitrification
(6) FOc = 37.67912 x 24 x 56 = 50640.73 mgO/d Without Nitrification

Now at Rs = 8 days, YH Rs /(1+bH Rs)(1+fEH bH Rs) = 1.706301

and YH Rs/(1+bH Rs) = 1.232877

Substituting values from above into Eq (1) and solving for fS'up gives
139779.8 divided by 8550 = (1-fS'up - 0.105263) x 1.706301 + fS'up x 5.405405
from which fS'up =0.02924 Same as Input value 0.02924 because fcv of XBH+XEH and XI are same.
139779.8 divided by 85500 = (1-fS'up - 0.105263) x 1.706301 + fS'up x5.405405
from which fS'up =0.02924 Different to Input value 0.02924 because mixed fcv of XBH+XEH and XI are us
Substituting values from above into Eq (2)

82027.1 divided by 85500 = (1-fS'up - 0.105263) x ( 0.334 + 0.28416 1.232877)

from which fS'up = -0.50718 Due to nitrification OUR not subtracted!

50640.73 divided by 85500 = (1-fS'up - 0.105263) x (0.334 +0.28416 1.232877)

from which fS'up = 0.02924 When nitrification OUR is subtracted!
NOTE: OUR equation gives correct fS'up!

From the above calculation you can now see how we use the theoretical structure of the activated sludge model
(equations) to characterize the wastewater from an experiment. Once the wastewater is characterized, we can use
the AS model to predict the behaviour of the process treating the particular sewage at different sludge ages - i.e. we
can do a more general design (this is what we do in Tut 6).

7.(iii) The above experimental data are not real and were derived from a hypothetical system - in practice it is
very difficult to obtain such close results from the Eq (1) and Eq (2) methods. But we know from the internal
consistency of the model, they should give the same results if the COD balance is 100%. Experimentally to get a
COD balance > 95% is very good. Because getting a 100% COD balance is very difficult, we usually accept the
fS'up value based on the Xv method because this is the more reliable method.

Notice we would have got the identical result for fS'up even if we hadn't accepted Sb as zero. The reason is as
follows:-
If Sb is not zero, then it must be a part of the measured filtered effluent COD conc. 60
mgCOD/l in the raw sewage case. Now Sb at Rs = 30 days is 8.7 mgCOD/l
[from Sb = (1 + bH Rs)/(YH Kv Rs)]. Hence Suse is 60 minus 8.7 = 51.32
 mgCOD/l from which fS'us = 51.32 divided by 940 = 0.054599
Now the biodegradable COD change across the process is
FdeltaSb = Qi x (Sbi - Sb) = FSbi - (Qw + Qe) xSb = FSbi - QiSb.

Now letting fubs = Sb/Sti = 8.7divided by 940 =0.009231; so then Sb = fubs x Sti
so FdeltaSb = FSbi - Qi fubs Sti = (1 - fS'us - fS'up) FSti - fubs FSti = (1 - fS'up - fS'us - fubs) FSti
but now fS'us = 0.054599 and fubs= 0.009231 ; so fS'us + fubs = 0.06383
Hence FdeltaSb = (1-fS'up - 0.06383 ) x FSti = FSbi when Sb is assumed zero.

8(i) Parameter Raw Settled Units Comment

Flow 150 150 l/d Same

i) FSti 141000 85500 mgCOD/d

ii) Volume 250 56 l 77.6 % smaller
iii) Rhn = Vp/Qi 40 8.96 hours 77.6 % shorter
iv) MXv = Vp Xv 863444.2 139779.8 mgVSS 83.81137 % less
v) MXIO = Vp XIO 402535.1 38684.93 mgISS
vi) MXt =Vp Xt 1265979 178464.7 mgTSS 85.90303% less
vii) FdeltaXv = MXv/Rs 28781.47 17472.48 mgVSS/d 39.29263% less
viii) FdeltaXt = MXt/Rs 42199.31 22308.09 mgTSS/d 47.13635% less
ix) FOc = Oc Vp 24 89403.42 50640.73 mgO/d 43.35705% less

Knowing fS'up for the raw and settled sewage, the active fraction with respect to VSS (fav) and TSS (fat) can be
calculated, i.e. fav = MXBH/MXv and fat = MXBH/MXt

MXBH = (1 - fS'us - fS'up) FSti YH Rs/(1 + bH Rs)

So MXBH MXv MXt fav fat

Raw 183567.1 863444.2 1265979 0.212599 0.145
Settled 91232.88 139779.8 178464.7 0.65269 0.51121

So comparing treating raw or settled sewage, it can be seen that treating settled sewage requires a reactor about
77.6 % smaller, produces about 85.9 % less TSS sludge and requires 43.4% less
oxygen compared to treating raw sewage.

8 (ii) But the above advantages of treating settled sewage are counterbalanced with the disadvantage of primary
sludge production in primary settling tanks (PST) when treating settled sewage.
From Tut 2, the TSS and VSS concentrations per litre raw sewage flow which settle out in the PST and form
primary sludge are 320.886 mgTSS/l and 258.386 mgVSS/l and for an influent flow of 150 l/d is)-

Primary sludge TSS mass = 150 x 320.886 = 48132.91 mgTSS/d

Primary sludge VSS mass = 150 x 258.386 = 38757.91 mgVSS/d

So summarizing we get: -
Because the flow is that produced by 1 person per day, the results below are for 1 person per day

Raw Sewage Settled Sewage

Carb Oxygen Demand gO/d 89.40 50.64 g/person/d
Nitrif Oxygen Demand gO/d 33.26 31.39 g/person/d
Total Oxygen Demand gO/d 122.66 82.03 g/person/d
Sludge production g/d VSS TSS VSS TSS
Primary Sludge g/d 0 0 38.76 48.13 g/person/d
Waste Activated Sludge g/d 28.78 42.2 17.47 22.31 g/person/d
Total Sludge production g/d 28.78 42.2 56.23 70.44 g/person/d

From this table it can be seen that treating settled sewage produces more sludge but requires less oxygen.
Under certain circumstances, this is advantageous because more sludge is produced with the saving of a small AS
system and less oxygen. The greater overall sludge production also may be advantageous because from it more
energy can be obtained in the form of methane gas in anaerobic digestion. In this respect the activated sludge
system can be seen to be a system wherein organics at a low concentration (and other constituents, like N and P) in
a large flow are transformed and concentrated into a very high concentration sludge in a very small flow producing
a treated effluent for the bulk of the water (>99%). Choosing to treat raw or settled sewage therefore allows one the
fleXIbility to choose:

(1) a small AS system with low oxygen utilization and a high sludge production with high energy content
(high active fraction and primary sludge) - i.e treating settled sewage,

(2) a large AS system with high oxygen utilization and a low sludge production with low energy content
(low active fraction and no sludge) - - i.e. treating raw sewage.

In sludge treatment, as little biodegradable energy as possible should be left in the sludge so that little biological
activity can continue in it. The higher the active fraction, the higher the quantity of energy remaining in the sludge.
Therefore from a sludge disposal point of view, treating settled sewage is disadvantageous; it results in high fav or
fat in the sludge which are undesirable. Therefore the sludge needs to be stabilized (treated further) to get the
remainder of the energy out before it can be disposed of. Sludge can be stabilized aerobically, i.e. put in oxygen
and let endogenous respiration continue further; or anaerobically, where now the biodegradable part of the sludge is
a food source for anaerobic organisms, which break down the energy in the sludge to CO2 and methane. The
methane is useful in that it can be burnt to generate electricity. Treating raw sewage in an activated sludge system
with a long sludge age (called extended aeration) results in aerobic sludge stabilization within the activated sludge
reactor. No primary sludge is produced and the waste secondary sludge is sufficiently stable to not require further
treatment. No anaerobic digester would be required but this will be at the cost of a large activated sludge reactor
and a high oxygen utilization.
the Table above it can be seen that with settled sewage, total sludge production/d is higher but oxygen demand/d is
lower than with raw sewage. Also the active fraction of the sludge is higher, in particular, that of the primary sludge
which has a high proportion of biodegradable energy in it. So while raw sewage has a large reactor and a higher
oxygen demand, it produces a smaller quantity of a lower energy sludge - the higher mass/d of oxygen utilized is
indicative that biological degradation has progressed further. In conclusion while settled sewage treatment leads to
less oxygen and a smaller reactor, it does require larger sludge treatment and disposal facilities which may
counterbalance the savings.

The final choice is site specific and depends on many factors among others: (1) are sludge treatment facilities
planned to reduce the energy content of the sludge to an acceptably low level? (2) how is the sludge going to be
dewatered (or dried)? (3) how is the sludge going to be disposed of or for what purpose is the sludge going to be
used? (4) is the plant large or small, metropolitan or rural? (5) are trained people available to operate the plant? (6)
is N and P removal required?