Design Procedure for a Contact Stabilization Activated Sludge Process

Author(s): Larry D. Benefield and Clifford W. Randall

Source: Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan., 1976), pp. 147-152
Published by: Water Environment Federation
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 Design procedure for a contact
stabilization activated sludge process
Larry D. Benefield and Clifford W. Randall

OBJECTIVE OF AN ACTIVATED SLUDGE sludge process reveals that, the design

THE process is to remove soluble and equations, based on these two techniques,
nonsettleable particulate organics from a have been applied almost exclusively to
wastewater stream and to convert this the design of either single tank, completely
material a flocculant
into microbial sus mixed activated sludge plants with or
pension. Classically, this was accom without recycle or to single tank, plug flow
plished by mixing the wastewater with a plants with recycle.5-9
biological culture in a long, narrow aeration It is the intent of the authors of this
basin with a volume sufficient to provide paper to develop design equations for the
a 6- to 8-hr contact period between the two contact stabilization activated sludge proc
components. The microbial mass was ess by using concepts promulgated by
then separated from the liquid stream in Eckenfelder6 and Lawrence and McCarty.3
a secondary clarifier. A portion of this A procedure that the engineer may use to
biological sludge was wasted and the re apply the equations in the design of a
mainder returned to the head of the aera contact stabilization treatment process
tion tank. Such a process arrangement will also be presented.
was termed conventional activated sludge
treatment.
Design Relationships
Because of deficiencies inherent in the
conventional process, numerous modifica The contact stabilization activated sludge
tions to the original process scheme have treatment scheme was proposed when lab
been proposed. A number of these modifi oratory and field studies indicated rapid
cations and their advantages have been substrate removals from wastewater streams

discussed.1 A modification that has seen in short hydraulic detention times.10 Such
extensive use is the contact stabilization a phenomenon usually occurred when a
process. large percentage of the substrate was in
In the past, many empirical techniques, the nonsettleable particulate form. Al
derived from operational data of existing though transfer of the substrate from the
treatment plants, have been used to design liquid (wastewater stream) to the solid
activated sludge processes. In recent phase (microbial mass) was very rapid,
years, however, there has been a consider subsequent stabilization of the substrate
able increase in the knowledge and under associated with the solid phase was found
standing of the biological mechanisms of to be necessary. This led to the utilization
removal, resulting in a more rational rather of the contact stabilization flow scheme.
than an empirical approach. Today two To reduce the overall plant volume re
design techniques are commonly used. quired to treat a specific wastewater, it was
One technique is based on the food micro : proposed that two aeration tanks be pro
organism (F:M) ratio2 and the other on vided. The first tank was to operate at a
sludge age.3 A comparison of the applica detention time sufficient for the transfer of
tion of these two design techniques has substrate from the liquid to the solid phase.
been presented by Stensel and Shell.4 The biomass would then be separated from
A cursory review of recent literature the wastewater in a secondary clarifier
pertaining to the design of the activated and the biological sludge then channeled

-Vol. 48, No. 1, January 1976 147

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BeNEFIELD AND RANDALL

ri?ACT CLARIFIER

Q,s0
*(Q-QW)

STABILIZATION RQ+Q, w
RQ

xc<se

Qw.xc
FIGURE 1.?Flow scheme for contact stabilization activated sludge process/

to the second aeration tank where the leaving the contact unit is given by
nonsettleable particulate substrate would
Microbial solids
be metabolized.
Net rate of change _ present in recycle
A typical flow scheme for a contact
of microbial solids from stabilization
stabilization activated sludge modification unit
is shown in Figure 1. Mass balance equa
tions developed in this paper will be de Microbial growth
,?. ... ..,
1x. r? Microbial solids
rived from this figure. The equations and , resulting from """, A . ^
+ i ui u * * lost in effluent
parameters that will be developed in the soluble substrate r ^ ^
. from contact unit
discussion to follow are based on the follow removal

ing assumptions :
or
1. No microbial solids are contained in
raw stream
the waste
2. No microbial activity
to the
takes place
contact
in
tank.
= RQX.
+
the secondary clarifier. (?)v. [y(?X-kjX]
-
3. If the contents of the secondary XVC (1+ R)QX (1)
clarifier were completely mixed, the solids in which
concentration would be the same as that in
dX
the contact tank. = net rate of
-jr change of microbial
4. All substrate entering the stabiliza mass in the contact unit,
tion tank is completely metabolized. ?
mass/volume time;
5. Complete is achieved in the
mixing R = volumetric recycle ratio ;
contact and stabilization tanks. = flow rate of raw wastewater,
Q
6. Steady-state conditions prevail
volume/time ;
throughout the system. = microbial mass concentration
Xr
7. First-order kinetics are followed in
in the stabilization tank, mass
the removal of both nonsettleable particu
/volume ;
late and soluble substrate in the aeration
Y = growth yield coefficient, mass/
tanks.
mass:
8. Only soluble substrate is metabolized
in the contact tank. rate of microbial soluble sub
A materials balance for the net rate of \dt)r. strate utilization per unit vol
?
change of microbial solids entering and ume, mass/volume time ;

148 Journal WPCF

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 Contact Stabilization

= microbial
Ka decay coefficient, =
? tt rate of substrate removal per
time"1 ;
^ 'j r unit volume, mass/volume
?
X = microbial mass concentration
in contact unit, mass/volume time ;and
; =
and Se total substrate concentration
= contact
in effluent from contact unit,
Vc volume of tank, vol
ume. mass/volume.

For For first-order substrate removal kinetics,

first-order soluble substrate utiliza
this expression becomes this expression becomes
tion,
-
+ QS? KXSeVe
RQXr YKiXSesV?
(?)*" (S)v
- - - -QS.-RQS, (5)
KdXVc QX RQX (2)
in which K = overall rate of substrate
in which
removal per unit microbial mass per unit
= rate of microbial soluble substrate
?
Ki time, volume/mass time.
utilization per unit microbial mass dS
state = then
At steady -7- 0,
per unit time, volume/mass
?
time ; and - =
Ses
= soluble substrate concentration in (So Se)Q KXSeVe + RQSe (6)
effluent from contact unit, mass/ A materials balance for the net rate of
volume.
change of microbial solids entering and
dX leaving the stabilization unit is given by
-r? = ? t
At steady-state 0, then
Microbial solids
- Net rate of change _"~ present in influent
_ (KdVc + Q YKxSe,Vc)X
- (?) of microbial solids to stabilization
Q(Xr X) unit
A materials balance for the net rate of Microbialgrowth
change in quantity of substrate entering resulting from
and leaving the contact unit is given by metabolization of
XT ^ ^x r Substrate in waste + soluble and particulate
Net rate of change ? ^ ^ .
r i ^ ^ = stream
substrate present in
entering
. ?
of substrate ^ ^ influent to
contact unit
stabilization unit
c , ^ ^ , Substrate lost in
? Substrate removed ? ^ ^? Microbial solids lost
. from
^ ^ einuent ?
in contact unit x ^ in effluent from
contact unit
stabilization unit
or
or

(f)v-?-(f> (f)v.-RQX.
X V. - -
- V.- RQX,(7)
(1 R)QSe (4)
in which
+
[y (H^ KdX,]
in which
net rate of change of substrate
(S) in the contact unit, mass/
?
Vs
= volume of stabilization tank, vol
volume time; ume ; and
= total substrate concentration = microbial mass concentration in
S0 Xc
of raw waste stream, mass/ underflow from secondary clarifier,
volume ; mass/volume.

-Vol. 48, No. 1, January 1976 149

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Benefield and Randall

Assuming that all substrate contained in svi value corresponding to the sludge age
the influent to the stabilization tank is selected for operation.
metabolized in this unit, this expression 5. Calculate the expected solids con
becomes centration in the underflow from the sec
ondary clarifier from the expression
=
V8 RQXC + YRQSe 106
=?
(f) - - Xc
svi
v (11)J
+ YK2XSepVc KdXrV8 RQXr (8)

in which 6. Operate the stabilization tank at a

solids concentration equal to the solids
= of sub
concentration particulars concentration of the underflow from the
Sep
strate from the contact
in effluent clarifier.
secondary
unit, mass/volume ;and 7. From lab studies, determine the
= rate of substrate re
K2 particulate kinetic coefficients Kd, Y, Ki, K2, and K.
moval per unit microbial mass per The procedure for determining these co
?
unit time, volume/mass time. efficients is described elsewhere.6
8. From the equation for first-order
=
At steady state ( -7? 1 0, then substrate removal

(S)-*
RQ(XC
-
Xr) + YRQSe s?= <12>
r+lx??
m calculate the hydraulic detention
v.,-?P&3L- for the contact unit.
time, td,

Lawrence and McCarty3 have defined

9. The hydraulic detention time in the
sludge age as the length of time that the contact tank is also given by
microbial mass is retained in the treatment

td= +v<
system. For the flow scheme shown in
is the
Figure 1, sludge age (0C) given by (l R)Q
expression or
_ XV? + XV + xrv.
" - KW) <u>
(Q Qw)Xe + QWX? R-^-'
Because the procedure for applying the Substituting for R in Equation 6 gives
equations developed in this section to the
- V -
of a contact stabilization activated = 1 )QSe
design (So Se)Q KXSeVe + (~
sludge process is somewhat confusing, it Qt
will be outlined as an aid to the design or
engineer.

Vc= , QS\ x (14)

Design Procedure

1. Select the desired effluent substrate (?+?>

concentration. By using Equation 14, the required kinetic
2. Select the desired solids concentra volume for the contact tank may be cal
tion for the contact tank. The normal culated.

range is 2,000 to 4,000 mg/1. 10. The fraction of the effluent sub
3. Select the sludge age desired for strate concentration that is soluble and the
operation, usually between 5 and 15 days.1 fraction that is particulate may be ap
4. From a lab study, plot the variation proximated from the expressions
of sludge volume index (svi) with sludge
age. A typical plot of this kind is shown =
(_KltdS0s_N)Se Ses (15)
in Figure 2. From this plot, determine the \ KitdSo, + K2tdSop /

150 JournalWPCF

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 Contact Stabilization

T 24

n i-?_ -?_ _i_ _ - -?-?-'- -1

u0 2 4 6 8 10 12
SLUDGEARE (DAYS)

FIGURE 2.?Sludge settling characteristics as a function of

sludge age.11

and If this value is greater than that calculated

- = in 9, use the larger value for design.
Se Sea Sep (16)
13. The required volume for the stabili
in which S0s is the soluble substrate con zation tank may now be calculated from
centration in the influent to the contact is
Equation 9 ; that
tank, mass/volume; and S0p is the par
ticulars substrate concentration, mass/
-
RQ(XC Xr)
volume.
v + YRQSe
= + YK2XSepVc
11. With the kinetic volume calculated Vs (18)
in 9 and the solids concentration in the
K?x;
106 14. The volume of the sec
stabilization tank = ?, required
given
* byJ Xr
svi'
ondary clarifier is obtained by following the
the recycle ratio, R, may be calculated outlined in the text by Metcalf
procedure
from Equation 3 ; that is,
and Eddy, Inc.1
- 15. Assuming that Xe, the concentra
(KdVc + Q YKxSe8Vc)X
- tion of microbial solids in the effluent from
Q(Xr X)
the secondary clarifier, is very small and
12. The required hydraulic volume for
may be neglected, the required sludge
the contact tank is now calculated from
wasting rate may be calculated from an
Ve = td(l + R)Q (17) expression given by rearranging Equation

-Vol. 48, No. 1, January 1976 151

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Benefield and Randall

2. Eckenfelder, W. "Industrial Water

10; that is, W., Jr.,
Pollution Control." McGraw-Hill, New

" XVC + XV + XrVs York, N. Y. (1966).

gw 3. Lawrence, A. W., and McCarty, P. L., "Unified
XA Basis for Biological Treatment and
Design
in which V = volume of secondary clarifier Operation." Jour. San. Eng. Div., Proc.
Amer. Soc. Civil Engr., 96, SA3, 757 (1970).
calculated in 14. 4. H. D., and Shell, G. L., "Two methods
Stensel,
of biological treatment design." Jour. Water
Summary and Conclusions Poll. Control Fed., 46, 271 (1974).
5. Toerber, E. D., et al., "Comparison of com
have been pletely mixed and plug flow biological sys
Design equations developed
tems." Jour. Water Poll. Control Fed., 46,
and a procedure for applying these equa
1995 (1974).
tions in the design of a contact stabilization 6. Eckenfelder, D.
W. W., Jr., and Ford, L.,
activated sludge process has been outlined. "Water Pollution Control." Pemberton

Although numerous assumptions were made Press, Austin, Tex.(1970).

7. Reynolds, T. D., and Yang, J. J., "Model of
in developing this design procedure, it is
the Completely-Mixed Activated Sludge
felt that, when applied, it will provide the
Process." Proc. 21st Ind. Waste Conf.,
engineer with a design that will provide Purdue W. Ext.
Univ., Lafayette, Ind.,
the desired treatment. Ser. 121, 50, 3, 696 (1966).
8. Goodman, B. L., and Englande, A. J., Jr.,
"A unified model of the activated sludge
Acknowledgments
process." Jour. Water Poll. Control Fed.,
46, 312 (1974).
Authors. Larry D. Benefield and Clif
9. Sherrard, J. H., and Schroeder, E. D., "Cell
ford W. Randall are, respectively, in and growth rate in activated
yield sludge."
structor and professor, Department of Jour. Water Poll. Control Fed., 45, 1889
Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, (1973).
10. Lesperance, T. W., "A Generalized Approach to
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
Activated Sludge?Part VI. Conventional
University, Blacksburg. Treatment-Physical Flowsheets." Water
Works fir Wastes Eng., 2, 52 (1965).
References 11. Bisogni, J. J., Jr., and Lawrence, A. W., "Rela
tionships Between Biological Solids Retention
1. Metcalf and Eddy, Inc., "Wastewater Engineer Time and Settling Characteristics of Ac
ing." McGraw-Hill, New York, N. Y. (1972). tivated Sludge." Water Res., 5, 753 (1971).

152 Journal WPCF

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