Fixed Film Systems Attached Growth

Remember Activated Sludge?

Attached Growth (fixed film)

Fixed Film Systems Attached Growth

OBJECTIVE: Introduce some concepts and process analysis of trickling filters. Give some introduction to rotating biological contactors (RBCs).

Trickling filters are a fairly old wastewater treatment system. The first was started in England in 1893. In the U.S., it enjoyed a popularity not unlike the current popularity of activated sludge systems. Many municipalities still operate trickling filters as their major biological treatment system. Rotating biological contactors which have appeared in the last two decades are now beginning to gain acceptance in public treatment systems.

Aerobic Process little or no odor

Trickling Filters

Typical Trickling Filter

Trickling Filters

Basically a tank or container with some sort of media upon which microorganisms grow. The wastewater is percolated through the filter from the top. Media typically consists of: river rock slag (blast furnace) redwood slats plastic various proprietary design

Filter shape is typically circular with a depth of 4 10 ft (6 typical). Plastic medial may be up to 20 - 40 ft deep due to light weight of media.

Trickling Filters

Advantages Good air exchange Simple to construct Almost any material will work

Disadvantages Uneven surface wetting May promote solids retention & be hard to clean

Mechanisms of Removal
Little or no actual filtration occurs. Treatment is primarily biological and occurs in the layer of growth on the filter media. Microorganisms in the microbial film use organics from the waste and O2 from the air.
Microbial film (slime layer) Waste water

Organics

Air

Facultative/Anaerobic
(~100)

Aerobic

Bed Media

Air CO2 Other oxidized products

(~1mm)

Treated water

Three Indefinite Zones in the Microbial Film Layer

1. Surface high F/M, good O2 availability

exponential growth rapid organic removal

2. Meso deeper into the film

F/M decreases O2 availability decreases eventually leads to endogenous resp.
Microbial film (slime layer) Waste water

3. Bottom right next to media face

may or may not be anaerobic depending upon film thickness
Bed Media
Organics

Air

(~100)

Facultative/Anaerobic

(~1mm)

Aerobic

Air CO2 Other oxidized products

Sloughing - the falling off of film which represents actual waste removal from the system.

Facultative/Anaerobic

Flowing water

Aerobic

Bed Media

Sloughing - the falling off of film which represents actual waste removal from the system. Four mechanisms have been suggested.
1. CO2, CH4 bubbles build up inside due to anaerobic activity mechanical weakening 2. acid byproducts of anaerobic activity build up faster than methane formers can use them. This lowers pH and kills organisms weakening in the deep layers 3. as the film thickness increases, the space for wastewater to flow decreases. Hydraulic shear thus increases until the film is torn loose. 4. lack of food deep in the film causes organisms to undergo endogenous respiration (including consumption of the slime capsule) thereby weakening the film
Flowing water
Facultative/Anaerobic Aerobic

Bed Media

Recirculation

Recirculation see various configurations in the text, Fig. 9.2 p. 895, 4th Ed. Some schemes recirculate sludge as well as wastewater

Recirculation is practical because: 1. reduces influent concentration 2. provides some load equalization 3. keeps a reaction type distributor moving 4. ensures that entire filter is kept wet 5. reduces temperature fluctuations 6. prevents filter fly growth psychoda (gnat-sized) 7. provides adequate hydraulic shear

Trickling Filter Applications

Roughing Filters
High-rate filters that treat organic loads in excess of 1.6 kg/m3/d. Usually used to pretreat wastewater prior to secondary treatment.

specially designed high-rate trickling filters high hydraulic loading rates reduces load to conventional trickling filters

Process Analysis
National Research Council 1946 Empirical formulation based on operation of U.S. Army facilities:

E=

100 W 1 + 0.4432 VF

Where: E = removal efficiency W = BOD5 loading, kg/d V = volume of media, m3 F = recirculation factor
note: the data which let to this formulation have a great deal of scatter

Rotating Biological Contactors, RBCs, Biodisks

RBC facts, continued Rotating Biological Contactor North Scotland

normally no recycling scheme is employed. Therefore, to get adequate treatment the systems are usually plug flow (more efficient than completely mixed) for practical construction purposes. 4-stage treatment is typical. clarification is usually accomplished by a mechanical clarifier with the sludge being either directly collected or returned to the primary clarifier. Sludge production ranges around 0.5 lb solids/lb BOD applied. design is based on a combination of hydraulic loading and BOD removal data from pilot studies. Temperature effects should be considered. Most manufacturers have pilot units available.

RBC, cross-section

Package treatment - Rotating biological contactors

Rotating Biological Contactor - Failure

Normal Loading

Overloaded
Manistique, MI

Failure

De Biocombi is speciaal ontworpen voor communale zuiveringen.

Process Analysis

1 + 1 + (4)(0.00974)( As / Q) n 1 Sn = (2)(0.00974)( As / Q)

(U.S EPA, 1985)

Where Sn = sBOD concentration in stage n, mg/L As = disk surface area on stage n, m2 Q = flowrate, m3/d

Metcalf & Eddy, 4th Edition

Combined Fixed Film Systems

RBC - facts
rotating circular plates submerged, typically about 40 % in a contoured tank. when submerged, wastewater contacts the disks and waste organics start to diffuse into the slime layer. When rotated out of the wastewater, the media contacts air and the wastestream moves over the slime in sheet flow. The sequence is not unlike what is seen by the media in a trickling filter dosed with a revolving distributor. lower power consumption and sludge production than activated sludge. better removal than a trickling filter. disks typically 10-12 in diameter, mounted on a shaft on 1-2 centers.