Spreadsheet for the optimized design of a conventional activated sludge system for secondary treatment

Copyright 2007 - JGM van der Lubbe and Adrianus van Haandel
System configuration consists of an aeration tank, final settler, sludge thickener and anaerobic digester
It is assumed that nitrification does not develop
Section 1: Input data
1. General data for the activated sludge system
Y=
fcv =
f=
fn =
fp =

0.45
1.5
0.2
0.1
0.025

b=
fv =
eta =

0.24
0.7
1.2

k=
vo =
DSVI =

0.46
144
120

12000
77515

Sti =
fns =
fnp =

650
0.1
0.08

Nti =
Pti =

50
15

175
300
400
350
3500

i=
n=

0.06
20

Cel =
Csd =
Ch =
fac =
fi =

0.15
200
0.35
1.6
1.35

Sfd =
Sfth =
Hd =
Hth =

2
1.5
4
3

T min =
T max =
T dig =

20
24
20

p=
o=
m=
n=

3.0
1.0
2.0
0.3

2. Influent composition
Qi =
P.E. =

3. Financial data
Cr =
Cd =
Cth =
Cdi =
Cae =

% of the investments costs per year

% of the investments costs per year
% of the investments costs per year
% of the investments costs per year

Section 2: System calculations

Rs

COD removal is substantially complete at lower values of Rs: higher value is required to obtain a sludge that settles well

A - Optimisation of the System Consisting of the Aeration Tank and the Final Settler
(a1) Calculate the sludge mass that will develop
mXa =
mXe =
mXi =
mXv =
mXt =
Cr =

0.64
0.09
0.16
0.90
1.28
0.78

MXa =
MXe =
MXi =
MXv =
MXt =

5020 Xa
723
1248
6991 Xv
9987 fat

1.21

1.68
0.50

Xt

Vr

Vd

1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.4
4.6
4.8
5.0
5.2
5.4
5.6
5.8
6.0
6.2
6.4
6.6
6.8
7.0

9,987
8,323
7,134
6,242
5,548
4,994
4,540
4,161
3,841
3,567
3,329
3,121
2,937
2,774
2,628
2,497
2,378
2,270
2,171
2,081
1,997
1,921
1,849
1,783
1,722
1,665
1,611
1,560
1,513
1,469
1,427

1,056
1,158
1,269
1,392
1,526
1,673
1,834
2,011
2,205
2,417
2,650
2,905
3,185
3,492
3,829
4,198
4,602
5,046
5,532
6,065
6,649
7,290
7,993
8,763
9,607
10,533
11,548
12,661
13,881
15,219
16,685

Optimal (minimal costs) solution =

Xt =
Vr =
Vd =
Vx
kXt
sc =

total construction
construction costs in million dollars
costs
aeration tank
final settler
total
2,064,568
1,803,806
1,629,212
1,509,859
1,428,721
1,375,735
1,344,653
1,331,472
1,333,585
1,349,303
1,377,565
1,417,761
1,469,624
1,533,150
1,608,556
1,696,246
1,796,792
1,910,924
2,039,522
2,183,616
2,344,387
2,523,175
2,721,483
2,940,990
3,183,560
3,451,261
3,746,374
4,071,419
4,429,169
4,822,678
5,255,303
1,331,472
2.40
4,161
2,011
288
1.104
0.35

1.75
1.46
1.25
1.09
0.97
0.87
0.79
0.73
0.67
0.62
0.58
0.55
0.51
0.49
0.46
0.44
0.42
0.40
0.38
0.36
0.35
0.34
0.32
0.31
0.30
0.29
0.28
0.27
0.26
0.26
0.25

0.32
0.35
0.38
0.42
0.46
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.66
0.73
0.79
0.87
0.96
1.05
1.15
1.26
1.38
1.51
1.66
1.82
1.99
2.19
2.40
2.63
2.88
3.16
3.46
3.80
4.16
4.57
5.01

2.06
1.80
1.63
1.51
1.43
1.38
1.34
1.33
1.33
1.35
1.38
1.42
1.47
1.53
1.61
1.70
1.80
1.91
2.04
2.18
2.34
2.52
2.72
2.94
3.18
3.45
3.75
4.07
4.43
4.82
5.26

Construction costs (million US$)

(a2) Determine the optimal sludge concentration in the aeration tank

2.50

k = 0,46 l.g-1
TSS
v 0 = 144 m.d-1

2.00

Total
costs

1.50

Settler

1.00

0.50

Reactor

0.00
1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

!! Enter in the cell to the left the value of Xt for which the construction costs are mimimum !!

Rhdmax =
Rdh =
Xr

3.0 for s = sc
2.0 for s = 1
4.8 for s = 1

3.0

Xt (kg TSS.m-3)

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

B - Optimization of the System Consisting of Sludge Thickener and Anaerobic Digester

q=
MEt =
MEv =

1387
3329
2330

Xthr

Xthl

Fl

qth

Vth

Vdi

12.0
12.5
13
13.5
14
14.5
15
15.5
16
16.5
17
17.5
18
18.5
19
19.5
20
20.5
21
21.5
22

9.1
9.7
10.2
10.8
11.3
11.8
12.4
12.9
13.4
13.9
14.4
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.5
17.0
17.5
18.0
18.5
19.0
19.6

82.4
72.0
62.5
54.1
46.6
40.1
34.3
29.3
25.0
21.2
18.0
15.2
12.9
10.8
9.1
7.7
6.4
5.4
4.5
3.8
3.1

277.4
266.3
256.1
246.6
237.8
229.6
221.9
214.8
208.1
201.8
195.8
190.2
184.9
179.9
175.2
170.7
166.5
162.4
158.5
154.8
151.3

182
208
240
277
321
374
436
511
600
706
832
983
1,164
1,381
1,641
1,953
2,329
2,780
3,324
3,979
4,768

6,936
6,658
6,402
6,165
5,945
5,740
5,548
5,369
5,202
5,044
4,896
4,756
4,624
4,499
4,380
4,268
4,161
4,060
3,963
3,871
3,783

Optimal (minimal costs) solution =

Xthr =
Vth =
Vdi =

17
832
4896

total construction construction costs in million dollars

costs
thickener
digester
total
2,500,116
2,413,615
2,336,560
2,268,491
2,209,144
2,158,444
2,116,510
2,083,663
2,060,444
2,047,637
2,046,306
2,057,838
2,083,999
2,127,005
2,189,608
2,275,204
2,387,965
2,533,002
2,716,563
2,946,274
3,231,441
2,046,306

!! Enter in the cell to the left the value of Xthr for which the construction costs are mimimum !!
Rhth =
14.4
qth =
196
Rdi =
25.0
q - qth =
1191

0.07
0.08
0.10
0.11
0.13
0.15
0.17
0.20
0.24
0.28
0.33
0.39
0.47
0.55
0.66
0.78
0.93
1.11
1.33
1.59
1.91

2.43
2.33
2.24
2.16
2.08
2.01
1.94
1.88
1.82
1.77
1.71
1.66
1.62
1.57
1.53
1.49
1.46
1.42
1.39
1.35
1.32

2.50
2.41
2.34
2.27
2.21
2.16
2.12
2.08
2.06
2.05
2.05
2.06
2.08
2.13
2.19
2.28
2.39
2.53
2.72
2.95
3.23

C onstruction costs (million U S $)

(b1) Determine the optimum thickened sludge concentration

3.50 k = 0,46 l.g -1 TSS

v0 = 144 m .d -1

3.00

2.50

Total costs

2.00
Digester
1.50

1.00

Thickener

0.50

0.00
12.0

14.0

Xrth
16.0(kg TSS.m-3)
18.0
20.0

22.0

C - Finalization of System Design

(c1) Nutrient demand

(c2) Oxygen demand

MNl =
MNp =
Nl =
Pl =
Nte =
Pte =

MSti =
MOc =
OUR =
Pb,avg =
Pb,max =
Pdiss =

233.0
58.3
19.4
4.85
30.6
10.1

(c3) Digester performance

7800
3524
35.3
122
184
29.4

(c4) Mass balances

COD
mSte =
mSo =
mSd =
mSXve =
Bo =

fav =
MEv =
Rdp =
Rdn =
MSd =
MSxve =
MEve =
MEte =
Xte =
fve =
conversion effic.
Mch4 =
Pch4 =

0.72
2330
0.494
0.138
1376
2120
1413
2412
12.3
0.59
0.35
344
70

(-)

kg CZV/d

Nitrogen

(-)

mg N/l

0.10
0.45
0.18
0.27
1.00

780
3524
1376
2120
7800

Nti =
Nl =
Nle =
Nld =
Nte,max =
Nte,min =
Bn =

1.00
0.39
0.24
0.15
0.76
0.61
1.00

50.0
19.4
11.8
7.6
38.2
30.6
50.0

Phosphorus
Pti =
Pl =
Ple =
Pld =
Pte,max =
Pte,min =
Bp =

(-)

mg P/l

0.32
0.20
0.13
0.80
0.68
1.00

15
4.9
2.9
1.9
12.1
10.1
15.0

D - Financial Analysis

i=
n=

0.06
20

a_i,n =
anual =

11.5
0.087

Construction costs

Volume

Costs

Aeration Tank
Final Settler
Thickener
Digester
Aeration Equipment

4,161
2,011
832
4,896
184

730,000
600,000
330,000
1,710,000
640,000

8%
7%
4%
20%
7%

Total constr. Main Units

Add. Constr Units
Total construction costs
Total investment costs

11,900

3,250,000

4,010,000
1,400,000
5,410,000
8,660,000

46%
16%
62%
38%

Per yer

US$ ct per m3

760,000
160,000
180,000
260,000
90,000
170,000
30,000
0
890,000
1,650,000

17.4
3.7
4.1
5.9
2.1
3.9
0.7
0.0
20.3
37.7

Annualized treatment costs

Financing cost
Aeration costs
Costs of sludge disposal
Personnel costs
Operational costs
Maintenance costs
Insurance costs
Cost of digester heating
Total operational costs
Total costs

Fraction of total costs

US$ ct per P.E.

9.8
2.1
2.3
3.4
1.2
2.2
0.4
0.0
11.5
21.3

Fraction
46%
10%
11%
16%
5%
10%
2%
0%
54%
100%

Symbol list
Symbol

Description

a_i,n =
annualization factor
b=
decay rate
Bn =
mass balance recovery factor for nitrogen
Bo =
mass balance recovery factor for COD
Bp =
mass balance recovery factor for phosphorus
Cae =
construction cost of aeration system
Cd =
construction cost of the final settler
Cdi =
construction cost of the anaerobic digester
Cel =
cost of electricity
Ch =
cost of heating (gas)
conversion effic.efficiency of gas motor
Cr =
construction cost of the aeration tank
Cr =
specific active sludge production per unit mass daily applied biodegradable COD
Csd =
cost of sludge disposal
Cth =
construction cost of the thickener
DSVI =
diluted sludge volume index
eta =
oxygen transfer efficiency
f=
endogenous residue
fac =
fraction of construction costs for additional units
fat =
active sludge fraction
fav =
active fraction of volatile sludge
fcv =
proportionality constant between bacterial mass and mass of COD
fi =
additional investment costs (non construction)
Fl =
limiting solids flux
fn =
nitrogen fraction in biomass
fnp =
non biodegradable, particulate influent COD fraction
fns =
non biodegradable, soluble influent COD fraction
fp =
phosphorus fraction in biomass
fv =
ratio between volatile and total sludge concentration
fve =
volatile sludge fraction in stabilized sludge

Unit of measure
(-)
1/d
(-)
(-)
(-)
US$/kW
US$/m3
US$/m3
US$/kWh
US$/m3 natural gas
%
US$/m3
mg VSS/(mg COD/d)
US$/ton sludge
US$/m3
ml/g TSS
kg O2/kWh
mg VSS/mg VSS
(-)
mg VSS/mg TSS
mg VSS/mg VSS
mg COD/mg VSS
(-)
kg TSS/(m2*d)
mg N/mg VSS
mg COD/mg COD
mg COD/mg COD
mg P/mg VSS
mg VSS/mg TSS
mg VSS/mg TSS

Symbol

Description

Unit of measure

Hd =
Hth =
i=
I=
k=
m=
Mch4 =
MEt =
MEte =
MEv =
MEve =
MNl =
MNp =
MOc =
mSd =
MSd =
mSo =
mSte =
MSti =
MSxve =
mSXve =
mXa =
MXa =
mXe =
MXe =
mXi =
MXi =
mXt =
MXt=
mXv =
MXv =
n=
n=

height of final settler

height of sludge thickener
interest rate
investment costs
vesilind constant
maintenance costs
daily production of methane
daily excess sludge production
daily production of stabilized sludge
daily volatile excess sludge production
daily production of stabilized volatile sludge
daily nitrogen demand for excess sludge production
daily phosphorus demand for excess sludge production
daily oxygen demand
fraction of influent COD that is digested
daily amount of digested COD
fraction of influent COD that is oxidized
fraction of influent COD leaving the system with the effluent
daily applied COD load
daily amount of COD in the stabilized excess sludge
fraction of influent COD leaving the system with stabilized excess sludge
specific active sludge production per unit mass daily applied COD
total active sludge mass in system
specific endogenous sludge production per unit mass daily applied COD
total endogenous sludge mass in system
specific inert sludge production per unit mass daily applied COD
total inert sludge mass in system
specific total sludge production per unit mass daily applied COD
total sludge mass in system
specific volatile sludge production per unit mass daily applied COD
total volatile sludge mass in system
insurance costs
economical lifetime

m
m
%
US$
l/g TSS
% of I per year
kg CH4/d
kg TSS/m3
kg TSS/d
kg VSS/m3
kg VSS/d
kg N/d
kg P/d
kg O2/d
(-)
kg COD/d
(-)
(-)
kg COD/d
kg COD/d
(-)
mg VSS/(mg COD/d)
kg VSS
mg VSS/(mg COD/d)
kg VSS
mg VSS/(mg COD/d)
kg VSS
mg TSS/(mg COD/d)
kg TSS
mg VSS/(mg COD/d)
kg VSS
% of I per year
years

Symbol

Description

Unit of measure

Nl =
Nld =
Nle =
Nte =
Nte,max =
Nte,min =
Nti =
o=
OUR =
p=
P.E. =
Pb,avg =
Pb,max =
Pch4 =
Pdiss =
Pl =
Pl =
Pld =
Ple =
Pte =
Pte,max =
Pte,min =
Pti =
q=
qth =
Rdi =
Rdn =

influent Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration removed with the excess sludge

influent Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration in digested sludge (i.e. released to liquid phase)
influent Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration removed with the stabilized excess sludge
effluent total nitrogen concentration
maximum nitrogen effluent concentration (all released nitrogen recycled to aeration tank)
mimimum nitrogen effluent concentration (no recyle of released nitrogen to aeration tank)
influent Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration
operational costs
oxygen uptake rate
personnel costs
people equivalents
average blower capacity
maximum blower capacity
power recovered from sludge digestion
dissipated power
influent phosphorus concentration removed with the excess sludge
influent phosphorus concentration removed with the excess sludge
influent phosphorus concentration in digested sludge (i.e. released to liquid phase)
influent phosphorus concentration removed with the stabilized excess sludge
effluent total phosphorus concentration
maximum phosphorus effluent concentration (all released phosphorus recycled to aeration tank)
mimimum phosphorus effluent concentration (no recyle of released phosphorus to aeration tank)
influent phosphorus concentration
excess sludge flow
thickened excess sludge flow
hydraulic retention time in sludge digester
degree of solids conversion inert and endogenous sludge

mg N/l
mg N/l
mg N/l
mg N/l
mg N/l
mg N/l
mg N/l
% of I per year
mg O2/(l.h)
% of I per year
--kW
kW
kW
W/m3
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
mg P/l
m3/d
m3/d
days
(-)

Symbol

Description

Unit of measure

Rdp =
Rs =
Rth =
sc =
Sfd =
Sfth =
Sti =
T dig =
T max =
T min =
Vd =
Vdi =
vo =
Vt =
Vth =
Xa =
Xr =
Xt =
Xte =
Xthl =
Xthr =
Xv =
Y=

degree of solids conversion active sludge

sludge age
hydraulic retention time in sludge digester
critical sludge recirculation factor
safety factor in design final settler
safety factor in design sludge thickener
influent COD concentration
temperature in the anaerobic digester
maximum reactor temperature
minimum reactor temperature
volume of final settler
digester volume
vesiling constant
volume of aeration tank
thickener volume
active sludge concentration (in aeration tank)
return sludge concentration
total sludge concentration (in aeration tank)
stabilized total sludge concentration
limiting thickening sludge concentration
thickened sludge concentration
volatile sludge concentration (in aeration tank)
yield

(-)
days
hours
(-)
(-)
(-)
mg COD/l
deg C
deg C
deg C
m3
m3
m/d
m3
m3
kg VSS/m3
kg TSS/m3
kg TSS/m3
kg TSS/m3
kg TSS/m3
kg TSS/m3
kg VSS/m3
mg VSS/mg COD