Hydraulic design of Activated

sludge tanks using CFD

COMSOL Conference Grenoble October 2007

Presented by: Anne Bosma

Contents

• Introduction
• About Activated sludge Tanks
• Objective
• Modelling bubbly flow
• CFD results
• Conclusion and future outlook
Introduction

• About Tauw: consultants and engineers for design and

management of soil, water and environment
• Based in: France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium and
The Netherlands (HQ)
• Group of Hydraulic engineering and Watertreatment
engineering (~60 people)
Activated sludge Tanks (AT)

• Wastewater treatment plants

• European effluent regulations
• AT reduces phosphate, organic matter

WWTP of Eindhoven (The Netherlands)

Objective

Operating an Activated sludge Tank:

• Mixers
• Recirculation pumps
• Aeration
• Influent conditions
(summer, winter, wet, dry)
• Settling of sludge

Objective: Optimisation of AT operation

Tools: Measurements and CFD

Location: Amsterdam-West & Eindhoven

(2nd & 3rd largest WWTP of The Netherlands)
Geometry and Mesh

• Geometry with small features

• Ring-shaped sections modelled individually
• Mesh: 33.000 tetra-elements
CFD Model

Physics of the CFD model in COMSOL

• Fluid flow governed by k-ε turbulence model
• Convection and diffusion equation to represent
aeration (bubbly flow)
• Interaction air bubbles-liquid with volumetric lift force:

uG − u L (uG − u L )
3 CD
M D ,L = − VG ρ
4 dB

Constants based on literature

CFD Model (continued)

Mixers specified by volumetric force equivalent to

manufacturer specifications

Boundary conditions:
• Flow resistance of concrete walls and aeration system
based on wall roughness
• Recirculation pumps and inlets specified by velocity
• Outlets specified by constant pressure
Results example Amsterdam
0 300 600 900
1
Validation with measurements
2

Velocity measurements mm/s

Example Eindhoven

Compare two situations for Eindhoven

• Recirculation pump capacity 50% (A) and 100% (B)
• Prevent settling: threshold velocity 0.25 m/s

Case A Case B
Conclusions

Conclusions
• CFD compares relatively well with experimental values
• Results are useful for safe AT operation

Future work
• Improve accuracy of spiral flow prediction
• Increase number of mesh elements
• Incorporate biological processes to estimate effluent
quality
Questions?