METHODOLOGY

3.1

Experiment A: Settleable Solid.

1. All individual samples were mixed thoroughly and filled in
individually marked Imhoff cones to the 1 litre mark.
2. The samples were settled for 45 minutes and the solids
that have clung to the sides of the cones were gently
dislodged with a stirring rod. The samples were further
settled for 15 minutes and the volume of settleable solid
were recorded for each sample. If large pockets of liquid
formed between the particles of settled matter, subtract
an estimated volume from the measured volume of water.
The surface floating material shall not be included into the
measurement of settled solid.

3.2

Experiment B: Total Solid and Total Volatile Solids and

Fixed Solids.
1. The tare (empty) weights of the porcelain evaporating
dishes were obtained. The porcelain dishes were prepared
properly by washing, drying and desiccated.
2. The samples were mixed thoroughly. 500ml of each sample
are transferred into beakers and then, each beaker was
stirred immediately. 25ml of samples were measured using
a graduated cylinder. The exact volume was quickly
recorded and the samples are poured into a dish. A small
amount of distilled water was used to rinse the cylinder
adding the rinsings to the dish.
3. The dishes with the sample sources were labelled correctly
and properly. The dishes were put into the oven at 103105C for overnight drying.
4. The dishes were transferred into a desiccator after drying.
The gross weights of the dishes were recorded.
5. The dishes containing the dried total solids were placed in
a muffle furnace. The samples were fired at 550C for one

hour. The furnace was allowed to cool before the dishes

were moved to the dessicator. The dishes were reweighted
and the amounts of volatile solids were calculated in terms
of mg/L.
3.3

Experiment C: Total Solid and Total Volatile Solids and

Fixed Solids
1. The tare weight of 3 aluminium dishes were obtained each
containing a glass fibre filter.
2. The filtering apparatus are assembled and the suction was
turned on after positioning of the filter. The filters were
wetted with a small amount of distilled water.
3. Using sample poured in part B, the beaker contents are
stirred and 50ml of influent, 10 ml of activated sludge and
75 ml of effluent were measured. The graduated cylinder
was rinsed with a small amount of distilled water and was
added to the filter,
4. The filter was carefully removed from filtration apparatus
and was transferred back to the aluminium dish. The side
of the dishes were pinched to protect the filters from oven
drafts. The aluminium dishes were placed into the oven at
103C for drying overnight.
5. The dishes were transferred to a desiccator, cooled and
weighted. The total suspended solids were calculated in
terms of mg/L/
6. The aluminium dishes and filter holding the suspended
solids were fired in the muffled furnace at 550C for 15
minutes to determine the loss on ignition or volatile
suspended solids in terms of mg/L.
7. The value of dissolved suspended solids was obtained from
the determinations above.

Questions
1. What major types of solids are removed in primary
treatment and secondary treatment respectively?
In primary treatment, settleable organic and inorganic solids are
removed by using sedimentation method in order to decrease the
biological oxygen demand while in secondary treatment,
biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids are removed.
Generally, dissolved and colloidal organic matter will be removed in
aerobic biological treatment.
2. Why must residue samples be brought to ambient
temperature before weighing?
This is due to the heat will transfer to the air in the enclosure and
the cause of thermal air flow which will affect the accuracy of the
weighing balance.
3. Using your data and assuming that the flowrate going into
the treatment plant is 10 x 106 L/day, how many kg/day of
suspended solids are in the raw influent?

Total suspended solid (kg/day)

= Inlet flowrate (L/day) x total suspended solid (mg/L) = 10 x
L/day x 21 mg/L 1000000 mg/kg = 210 kg/day

106

4. Assuming that the wastewater treatment plant have a

primary sedimentation tank. If 60% of the raw influent TSS
3

is removed during primary sedimentation, find the volume of

primary sludge produced. Assume that the specific gravity
of fixed solids is 2.5 and volatile solids is 1.0.
60% of raw influent TSS = 0.6 x 210 kg/day = 126 kg/day
TSS = FSS + VSS
According to results obtained,
Fraction of VSS in TSS = 21 36 = 0.58
Fraction of FSS in TSS = 1 0.68 = 0.42
Flowrate of FSS = 126 kg/day x 0.42 = 52.92 kg/day
Flowrate of VSS = 126 kg/day x 0.58 = 65.52 kg/day
Total volume = (52.92 kg/day 2500 kg/ m3 ) + (65.52 kg/day
1000 kg/ m3 ) = 0.0867 m3 /day
5. A raw sewage goes through an anaerobic digestion
process, where the volatile solids are reduced from 65% to
40%. If all of the volatile solids reduced is given off as gas
and if the specific gravity of the volatile solids is 1.3 and
fixed solids is 2.5, what is the percentage reduction in solids
volume?
Assuming the total suspended solid in raw sewage feed has a
flowrate of 210 kg/day
Volume before anaerobic process = (0.65 x 210 1300 +(0.35 x
210 2500 = 0.1344 m3
Volume after anaerobic process = (0.4 x 210 1300 +(0.35 x 210
2500 = 0.0940 m3
0.13440.0940
100 =30.06
Percentage reduction in volume =
0.1344

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

The purpose of the experiment was to study a number of most
common waste water treatment plant test, to illustrate some
difficulties in performing these test and to measure waste water
treatement plan efficiency in removing residue.
This

was

accomplished

by

carrying

out

three

different

experiments namely Experiment A: Settleable solids, Experiment B:

4

Total Solids and Total Volatile Solids and Fixed Solids and Experiment
C: Suspended Solids Total and Volatile Solids. The experiment was
tested against 3 different samples namely raw sewage(influent),
treated sewage (effluent) and aeration tank wastewater (activated
sludge).
The experiment was carried out according to the lab manual
procedure and also with the help of our lab demonstrator to
demonstrate on how to use some of the equipment that was used
during the experiment. Based on our observation, we measured and
recorded all the required data for solving all the questions that we
are required to answer and present in this report.
Below is the list of some recommendations that we can take for
future references
1. Make sure that when using samples which is stored in the
freezer for more than a day, shake it all well to ensure that all
the contaminants are equally distributed.
2. When measuring the weight of samples or evaporating dishes,
make sure we use the same measuring devices because the
devices might operate differently.
3. Make sure we all test the equipment such as the suction cups
before we operate the experiments.
4. Ensure the tagging on the dishes are flame resistant as when
insterted into the furance can lead to loss of trace.