Characteristics of Wastewater
Treatment Sludge
By
Ricardo B. Jacquez
Professor
CAGE Department
NMSU
Assistant: Maung Myint
Important Relations for Sludge Calculations
Ws Wf Wv
Ss Sf Sv
Ws = weight of the dry solids
Wf = weight of the fixed solids
Wv = weight of the volatile solids
Ss = specific gravity of dry solids
Sf = specific gravity of fixed solids (2.5)
Sv = specific gravity of volatile solids (1.2)
Sludge volume = V
Ws
V
% solid
r S wet .sludge
100
Ws= weight of dry solid [lb or gm]
r = unit weight of water = 62.4 lb/ft3 = 1000 kg/m3
[Link] = specific gravity of wet sludge
Sources of wastewater sludge
• Primary clarifier
• Secondary clarifiers:
activated sludge
bio-towers
Typical domestic wastewater sludge,
Ws=1
Wf=0.3 Wv=0.7
Sf=2.5 Sv=1.2
Ws Wf Wv
Ss Sf Sv
1 0.3 0.7
S s 1.42
Ss 2.5 1.2
Typical sludge has 96.5% water, 3.5% solid,
and specific gravity of solid=1.42.
Determine the specific gravity of typical wet
sludge?
% water % solid in sludge
S wet .sludge
% water / Sw % solid in sludge / Ss
96.5 3.5
S wet .sludge 1.01 1.0
96.5 / 1 3.5 / 1.42
Primary clarifier solids
Mp=E Q [MGD] SS [mg/L] 8.34 [lb/MG(mg/L)]
Mp = mass of primary solids, [lb/day]
E = efficiency of primary clarifier (see Fig)
SS = suspended solid concentration in influent
[mg/L]
Q = flow rate [MGD]
(from Peavy, Rowe, and Tchobanoglous, 1985, p. 228)
Secondary clarifier solids
Ms=YQ[MGD] BODR [mg/L] 8.34[lb/MG mg/L]
Ms=mass of secondary solids [lb/day]
Y =yield coefficient (see Fig. 5-37)
BODR=BOD removed [mg/L]
Q = flow rate [MGD]
Volume of sludge
MP MS
V
(% solid / 100) r S wet .sludge
MP MS
V
(100 % water / 100) r S wet .sludge
V volume of sludge [ gal / day ]
r unit weight of water [8.34 lb / gal ]
S wet .sludge specific gravity of wet sludge
Typical solids content of sludge
Type of sludge Sludge concentration %
Un-thickened Thickened
Separate
Primary sludge 2.5 - 5.5 8 - 10
Trickling-filter sludge 4-7 7-9
Activated sludge 0.5 - 1.2 2.5 - 3.3
Pure O2 sludge 0.8 - 3 2.5 - 9
Combined
Primary and trickling-
filter sludge 3-6 7-9
Primary and modified-
aeration 3-4 8.3 - 11.6
Primary and air-
activated sludge 2.6 - 4.8 4.6 - 9
Ex. Reduction of volume by sludge thickening
A wastewater-treatment plant consists of
primary treatment units followed by an
activated-sludge secondary system. The
primary and secondary sludges are mixed,
thickened in a gravity thickener, and sent to
further treatment. A schematic of the system is
shown in the next slide.
Influent SS=200mg/L Primary sludge =5%
Influent BOD=225mg/L
Effluent BOD=20mg/L Thickened sludge=4%
Flow Q = 5 MGD Secondary sludge=0.75%
Primary clarifier diameter = 82 ft
Aeration volume = 102,400 cft = 766,180 gal
Influent Primary Aeration Secondary
clarifier clarifier
Sludge return
Liquid
Return Thickener Thickened sludge
to sludge-treatment facilities
MLSS in aerator 3,500 mg/L
1. Mass and volume of primary sludge
a) area of primary clarifier = A = 3.14 D2/4
A = 3.14 (82 ft)2 / 4 = 5,283 ft2
b) overflow rate = Q/A = 5.0 x 106/5283 ft2
=950 gpd/ft2 (42 m/s)
c) from Fig. 5-13, the efficiency of clarifier is
Ess = 58% EBOD = 32%
d) mass of primary solids removed is Mp
Mp=Ess Q SS
=0.58(5 MGD)(200 mg/L)(8.34lb/MG mg/L)
Mp=4,840 lb/day
e) volume of primary sludge
MP
V
(% solid / 100) r S wet .sludge
4,840 lb / d
V
(5 / 100) 8.34lb / gal (1.0)
V 11,600 gal / day
2. Mass of secondary solids
F BOD applied / day
M sludge mass
F 5MGD 1 0.32 225mg / L
0.29
M 0.766 MG 3500mg / L
b) from Fig. 13.1 (text, pg 651), Y=0.48
c) mass of secondary solid Ms
Ms=Y BOD5 Q
=0.48(5MGD)133mg/L(8.34lb/MG mg/L)
Ms = 2,660 lb/day
d) volume of secondary sludge
Ms
V
(% solid / 100) r S wet .sludge
2,660 lb / d
V
(0.75 / 100) 8.34lb / gal (1.0)
V 42,600 gal / day
3a. Total mass of solids MT=Mp +Ms
MT= 4,840 + 2,660 = 7,500 lb/day
3b. Total volume of sluge VT =Vp +Vs
VT= 11,600+ 42,600 = 54,200 gal/d
4a) mass of solids sent to sludge treatment
Neglect the solids in the thickener
supernatant, the mass of solids in the
thickened sludge is equal to 7,500 lb/day.
4b) volume of thickened sludge
M thickened
V
(% solid / 100) r [Link]
7,500 lb / d
V
(4 / 100) 8.34lb / gal (1.0)
V 22,500 gal / day
5. Volume reduction (%) by thickening
VT Vthickened
volume reduction 100
VT
54,200 22,500
volume reduction 100 58%
54,200
