LUCAS CYCLIC ACTIVATED

SLUDGE SYSTEM
THE BLUE GOLD
People are becoming increasingly aware
of the importance and scarcity of clean
water. Households, agriculture and industry
produce large quantities of waste water
every day. These waters are polluted by a
mixture of all sorts of inorganic (sand, clay,
salts) and organic (proteins, sugars, oils and
fats...) components. Some of them appear in
dissolved and other in suspended form.
BIOLOGICAL WASTE
WATER TREATMENT
Biological wastewater treatment is the
process that removes the majority of the
contaminants from wastewater or sewage
(like BOD, COD, Nitrogen and Phosphorus)
and produces both a liquid effluent (clean
water) suitable for disposal to the natural
environment and stabilised biosolids. Its
actually the accelerated version of natures
own way of water cleaning.

Waterleau is committed to develop

sustainable solutions to protect one of
natures most precious gifts: water.

AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC

WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Treating sewage and industrial wastewater is a bacterial process where bacteria rapidly consume organic matter.
Depending on the wastewater characteristics Waterleau offers aerobic, anaerobic and anaerobic/aerobic wastewater
treatment solutions.

AEROBIC TREATMENT ANAEROBIC TREATMENT

Presence of O2 Absence of O2

Organic pollutants are Fermentation,

biologically oxidized Digestion

CO2 + H2O + new bacteria Organic pollutants are

anaerobically degraded
through multiple steps

Stabilised biosolids
CO2 + H2O + CH4 CH4 = used for electricity
(methane gas) production and/or
heating purposes

Often post treatment

of the effluent

2
AEROBIC OR ACTIVATED SLUDGE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT
The process for treating sewage and industrial wastewaters using dissolved oxygen (aerobic treatment) and floc
forming bacteria (activated sludge) consists of 3 consecutive steps.

1. ACCUMULATION The sludge is fed and aerated. Micro-organisms accumulate the organic materials
quicky (absorption)

2. REGENERATION The accumulated and absorbed substrates are oxidized into H2O and CO2 while
producing energy. The generated energy is used to take up substrates and generate
new micro-organisms.

3. SEDIMENTATION Sludge starts to settle in a quiescent zone and is seperated from the supernatant
effluent (= treated wastewater). The purified water can now be removed.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

Different technologies have been developed and are being used for the activated sludge treatment process.

CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM
In its most generic form, the
conventional aerobic activated
sludge system consists of an activated
sludge reactor tank connected with
a separate sedimentation tank. The
reaction and sedimentation processes
are separated in place. Sludge is
recycled from the clarifier to the
aerobic tank. The tank level is always
constant and both tanks have a
continuous inflow and outflow.

LUCAS SYSTEM
LUCAS is the family name for a
complete range of wastewater
treatment processes developed by
Waterleau. LUCAS stands for Leuven
University Cyclic Activated Sludge but
also for Low-cost Unobtrusive Compact
Advanced Sustainable, summarizing
the advantages of this technology

3
LUCAS CYCLIC ACTIVATED SLUDGE SYSTEM
The LUCAS water technology is Waterleaus proven concept solution for the treatment of industrial and municipal
wastewater. Depending on the daily flow, the organic load and the presence of nutrients to be removed out of the
wastewater, a complete portfolio of LUCAS systems allows to treat any type of wastewater.

STANDARD LUCAS CHARACTERISTICS

The reactor volume and the level in the units are constant.
Influent can be directed to every unit.
Effluent can be discharged from the outer units.
Every unit can be aerated.
Sludge can be wasted from the outer units.
The units can be built in either square or circular shape.
The reactor units are hydraulically interconnected.
All the equipment follows an operational sequence controlled
by a PLC.

ADVANCED LUCAS CHARACTERISTICS

In the advanced lay-out, all the tanks are interconnected by means
of valves and pumps, allowing putting a single tank out of service
for maintenance, without interrupting the treatment process.

Every compartment follows exactly the same process cycle.

Effluent can be discharged from every unit.
Sludge can be wasted from every unit.
The reactor units can be separated by closing the common
gate valves.

ADVANTAGES OF THE LUCAS TECHNOLOGY

Within the total concept of LUCAS, the pretreatment, post treatment, sludge treatment and off-gas treatment can
be integrated in the compact and modular design. The LUCAS concept gives a complete economical and sustainable
solution for the advanced purification of wastewater, including solutions for biosolids reduction and valorization
COMPOSTELLA, complete odour treatment BELAIR and water reuse AQUALITY.

COMPACT AND MODULAR Common walls, easy to extend, easy to cover, small footprint.
CONTINUOUS OPERATION Allows for use of smaller pump capacities and piping diameters.
ROBUST No moving mechanical parts, no variation in pressure on walls.
CONSTANT REACTOR LEVEL No need for moving weirs, simple construction.
CONSTANT REACTOR 100% use of the volume.
VOLUME
IDENTICAL REACTOR Every compartment can have the same size and the same equipment.
CONFIGURATION
FLEXIBLE Every unit can be shut off while keeping the plant in operation.
COMPLETE CONTROL The optimal circumstances for all essential biological and physical processes.
OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE Optimal BOD, COD, N and P removal efficiencies.
INTEGRATED EFFECT As in SBR systems, LUCAS favors well setting sludge formation.
REDUCED OPERATIONAL COST Sludge moves around without pumping, this results in lower energy consumption.
CONSTRUCTION No need for difficult underground piping networks (reduces construction time).

4
STANDARD LUCAS CYCLE: DILUTED WASTEWATER
For the treatment of diluted or municipal wastewater, the standard asymmetric treatment cycle allows a cost effective
operation. The tanks are hydraulically interconnected without making use of pumps and valves. The influent is free to
move from one tank to the adjacent tank through openings in the separating walls.

MAIN PHASE 1 (3H)

8H

INTERMEDIATE PHASE 2 (1H) INTERMEDIATE PHASE 1 (1H)

MAIN PHASE 2 (3H)

MAIN PHASE 1 INTERMEDIATE PHASE 1

A Wastewater enters and is aerated A Aeration is stopped

B Aeration without direct feeding B Wastewater enters and is aerated
C Calm conditions for sludge to settle C Clean water is removed

MAIN PHASE 2 INTERMEDIATE PHASE 2

A Calm conditions for sludge to settle A Clean water is removed

B Aeration without direct feeding B Wastewater enters and is aerated
C Wastewater enters and is aerated C Aeration is stopped

5
ADVANCED LUCAS CYCLE: INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER
For highly polluted, industrial wastewater treatment, or wastewater with a high concentration of N & P, an advanced
symmetric treatment cycle using pumps and valves to connect each tank with the two others allows the separation of
each tank for maintenance without having to interrupt the water treatment process.

CIRCULAR LUCAS DESIGN

A B

A B
C A B

C C

MAIN PHASE 1
(3H)
INTERMEDIATE PHASE 3 INTERMEDIATE PHASE 1
(1H) (1H)

12H

A B A B

C C
A B

MAIN PHASE 3 MAIN PHASE 2

(3H) (3H)
INTERMEDIATE PHASE 2
(1H)

MAIN PHASE 1 MAIN PHASE 3

A Wastewater enters and is aerated A Calm conditions for sludge to settle

B Aeration without direct feeding B Wastewater enters and is aerated
C Calm conditions for sludge to settle C Aeration without direct feeding

MAIN PHASE 2 INTERMEDIATE PHASES

A Aeration without direct feeding Regeneration: the non-fed aerated

B Calm conditions for sludge to settle tank is being prepared as the next
C Wastewater enters and is aerated settling tank (lowest BOD/COD).

6
 RECTANGULAR LUCAS DESIGN

MAIN PHASE 1
(3H)

INTERMEDIATE PHASE 3 INTERMEDIATE PHASE 1

(1H) (1H)
12H

MAIN PHASE 3 MAIN PHASE 2

(3H) (3H)

INTERMEDIATE PHASE 2
(1H)

Diageo, Jamaica, effluent treatment plant

LUCAS anaerobic-aerobic
16.340 kg COD/d - 3.000 Nm/d
THE MODULAR SYSTEM OF THE
LUCAS TECHNOLOGY OFFERS A
SOLUTION FOR THE TREATMENT
OF EVERY TYPE OF WASTEWATER,
ORGANIC CONCENTRATION OR
NUTRIENT LOAD, EVEN WITH STRONG
VARIATIONS IN WATER FLOW

Coloane, Macau, municipal wwtp

LUCAS undercover
130.000 m/d - 550.000 PE - 3 years O&M
LUCAS NP: ADVANCED BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN (N)
& PHOSPHORUS (P) REMOVAL
Wastewater not only contains organic matter, but often also Cycle of 1 LUCAS NP tank
nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus compounds.
LUCAS NP is the LUCAS system with additional enhanced
biological nutrients removal. Biological COD, N and P
removal is achieved by manipulating three biochemical
reactions (aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic) to perform a
nitrification, de-nitrification and P removal process.

In order to make the nitrogen and phosphorus available

to the micro-organisms in the active sludge, a first step
in the nutrient removal process consists of the hydrolysis
of organic bound nitrogen and phosphorus to solubilized
ammonia and ortho-phosphates.

After the hydrolysis, the process of N and P removal is

achieved by both assimilation and dissimilation. During
assimilation, the N and P uptake in function of the sludges
growth. During dissimilation, N and P uptake is favoured
by intelligent manipulation and alteration of the aerobic,
anoxic and anaerobic reactions.

Waterleau has developed the MAKE SENSE control &

monitoring system measuring wastewater characteristics
and responding with the appropriate reaction in each phase. MAKE SENSE also calculates or implements
BOD-load, energy consumption, operational costs, and optimal cycle duration for nitrification, de-nitrification,
phosphorus removal, sedimentation, sludge growth and sludge waste.

Sampling & control unit

LUCAS NP
Unit A :
Consecutive anoxic / anaerobic /
aerobic conditions

Unit B :
Consecutive anoxic / aerobic conditions

Unit C :
Decanting

CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM

9
LUCAS MUNICIPAL
The treatment of large flows of municipal wastewater implies sufficient land is available to build these treatment
facilities. The LUCAS system is particularly adapted to reduce the treatment plants footprint due to its compact and
modular design. Designing shallow or deeper tanks allows matching the needed capacity to every building plot.

OPTION 1: LOW COST SHALLOW TANKS

When the treatment plant is to be built on the outskirts of the city, when land is available, and when there is no need
to cover the plant, large shallow tanks with a depth of approximately 3 to 4 meters, equipped with surface aerators is
the obvious solution of designing the plant.

CHARACTERISTICS

SHALLOW TANKS
SURFACE AERATORS
ECONOMIC SOLUTION
NO COVER

THE LUCAS CLASSIC

DESIGN OFFERS THE
BEST COST-CAPACITY
RATIO WHEN LAND IS
AVAILABLE

10
OPTION 2: VERY ADVANCED COMPACT
When the plants footprint is very restricted, it becomes necessary to build steeper tanks in order to maintain the
plants capacity. Steep tanks of 7 meter in height are equipped with diffused bubble aerators, and lamella separators.
The use of lamella separators is required to maintain sufficient sedimentation surface in the smaller tanks.

Conventional clarification equipment requires a much larger surface footprint in order to match the solids removal
capacity of an inclined plate clarifier. The functional LUCAS cycle takes care of the regular cleaning of the lamella
during the aeration phase. The super compact design allows even to cover the complete plant, allowing air treatment
and reducing its impact to the surrounding community.

CHARACTERISTICS

STEEP TANKS
DIFFUSED BUBBLE AERATORS
LAMELLA SEPERATORS
COVERED

LUCAS LAMELLA
DESIGN: MAXIMAL
CAPACITY AND
MINIMAL FOOTPRINT

11
 SABMiller, Uganda, effluent treatment plant
LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
LUCAS plug & play
3.000 m/d - 10.500 kg COD/d
Biogas production: 4.200 Nm/d

THE LUCAS PLUG &

PLAY DESIGN REDUCES
CIVIL COSTS AND
CONSTRUCTION TIME,
ALLOWING TO SPEED
UP OPERATION
LUCAS PLUG & PLAY:
THE FAST TRACK LUCAS SOLUTION
In the industry, speed, cost and flexibility are often key drivers in choosing the right solution. In order to overcome
intense and time consuming civil works, Waterleau has come forward with an innovative, robust, modular and fast
construction LUCAS plug & play concept. The use of glass-coated steel reactors and pre-assembled key-components
allow fast construction compared to a traditional concrete-based design.

Besides shorter construction time, limiting the civil works is an additional advantage of choosing for the LUCAS Plug &
Play solution. Being less dependent of civil contractors will contribute to reduced project risk.

The LUCAS Plug & Play is available as a LUCAS aerobic, LUCAS anaerobic and LUCAS anaerobic-aerobic.

COBRA + MAKE SENSE:

THE CAREFREE LUCAS OPERATION UNIT
Waterleau has developed a similar smart design for the LUCAS Plug & Play operation unit. Each LUCAS system is
equipped with a COBRA (COre & BRAins) operation unit containing interconnecting piping, automatic valves, and even
the monitoring and control equipment, facilitating the patented functional operation of the LUCAS system.

The COBRA consists of two functional parts: the wet part (all hydraulic connections and sludge treatment) and the
dry part (electrical cabines, PLC and central laboratory).

The COBRA is preassembled and tested in the Waterleau Workshop allowing speed in the construction process and a
fast operation of the new LUCAS system.

COBRA
SAB Miller, Onitsha - Nigeria
LUCAS -3 aerobic - LUCAS Plug & Play
Capacity: 1.050 m/d - 3.680 kg COD/d

Baghdad, Iraq, municipal wwtp

LUCAS municipal - LUCAS Plug & Play
35 100 kg COD/d - 650.000 PE

13
 THE BIOGAS PRODUCTION
FROM THE LUCAS
ANAEROBIC TREATMENT
PROCESS CONTRIBUTES
TO THE REDUCTION OF
THE PLANTS ENERGY
FOOTPRINT.

Heineken, Spain, effluent treatment plant

LUCAS anaerobic
8.000 m/day - 28.000 kg COD/d
Energy production: 1 MWe
LUCAS ANAEROBIC(AEROBIC)
ANAEROBIC
In the food and beverage industry, the effluents organic load allows to reduce the energy footprint of the food
processing plant or brewery. Anaerobic digestion of the effluent produces biogas, which can be used as a fuel for
the production of heat and power. Waterleau has more than 400 references in the anaerobic treatment of industrial
wastewater.

ANAEROBICAEROBIC
In combination with aerobic treatment, up to 99% of the
effluents organic load can be removed, allowing the final
effluent stream to be discharged safely or to be further treated
for reuse purposes, making use of EXSEL reverse osmosis and
BOOMERANG ultra-filtration technology.

biogas
ADVANTAGES
effluent

High COD removal (up to 99%)

High biogas production which can be converted into heat and/or electricity
Low sludge production
Robust and proven technology
Very compact design
influent
Cost effective technology (ROI between 2 and 5 years)
effluent recycling

Heineken, the Netherlands, effluent treatment plant Heineken Craiova, Romania, effluent treatment plant
LUCAS anaerobic LUCAS anaerobic
4.000 m/d - 13.600 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 3.905 Nm/d 48.000 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 4.800 Nm/d

Diageo, Kenya, effluent treatment plant Heineken Ibadan, Nigeria, effluent treatment plant
LUCAS anaerobic LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
7.215 m/d - 32.280 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 10.080 Nm/d 4.800 m/d - 12.000 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 4.800 Nm/d

15
THE LUCAS FAMILY
Over the years, the LUCAS family of wastewater treatment systems has been extended with new members, each
showing specific additional features. Combinations of these features are also possible:

LUCAS AEROBIC LUCAS -3 Most typical LUCAS with 3 reactor units

LUCAS -1, LUCAS -2 The LUCAS -light designs
LUCAS multiple lane

The LUCAS design for large municipal wwtps
LUCAS two-stage aerobic Two LUCAS systems in series for high loaded and difficult
biodegradable wastewater
LUCAS NP Aerobic treatment including biological nutrient removal
LUCAS closing-the-loop Advanced aerobic treatment including effluent recycling

LUCAS ANAEROBIC Particulary suited to treat high loaded wastewater. The UASB-technology (Upflow
Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) and the LUCAS anaerobic can remove moe than 90% of the
organic matter. The process design allows the production of biogas, reducing the plants
energy footprint.

LUCAS ANAEROBIC The LUCAS anaerobic stage can be followed by a LUCAS aerobic stage to remove the
AEROBIC remaining COD from the water and to remove nutrients (N & P).

LUCAS The LUCAS system can be integrated into different plant lay-outs in order to reduce the
plant lay-outs plants impact into the environment.

LUCAS undercover A completely covered plant design

LUCAS chameleon A plant design integrated in the environment
LUCAS plug & play

A fast erection steel tank plant design
LUCAS lagoon The reactor units are shallow pits in the ground, reducing
the cost of civil works

A SOLUTION FOR EVERY TYPE OF WASTEWATER

LUCAS -1 LUCAS -2

LUCAS -3 LUCAS - 4

16
The modularity and flexibility of the LUCAS technology allows the treatment of every type of wastewater independent
of its flow or organic load. It is designed to guarantee optimal performance at minimal cost. More than 200 LUCAS
wastewater treatment plants have been built for industries and municipalities throughout the world.

n x LUCAS-3

Zhuhai, China, municipal wwtp

LUCAS undercover
80.000 m/d - 16.200 kg COD/d - 300.000 PE

17
 LUCAS: A SMART & COMPACT DESIGN TO TREAT MUNICIPAL

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

1 Castel, Lom - Togo 6 AB InBev, Russia, effluent treatment

LUCAS anaerobic +re-aeration
2.450 m/d - 7.500 kg COD/d
2 Taipa, Macao, municipal wwtp
LUCAS aerobic - AQUALITY ultrafiltration
69.000 m/d - 320.000 PE - 5 years O&M
3 Heineken, South Africa, effluent treatment plant
LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
6.000 m/day - 18.000 kg COD/d
4 Coloane, Macau, municipal wwtp
LUCAS undercover
130.000 m/d - 550.000 PE - 3 years O&M
5 Nanjing, China, municipal wwtp
LUCAS undercover
300.000 m/d - 54.000 kg COD/d - 1.000.000 PE
LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
30.600 kg COD/d
Biogas production: 8.400 Nm/d
7 Fiaes, Portugal, municipal wwtp
LUCAS aerobic
5.500 m/d - 50.000 PE
8 Guangzhou, China, municipal wwtp
LUCAS -3 multiple lane
220.000 m/d - 232.400 kg COD/d - 600.000 PE
9 AB Inbev, Belgium, effluent treatment
LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
30.000 kg COD/d
Biogas production: 9,600 Nm/d

18
AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17

MORE THAN
200 REFERENCES
WORLDWIDE ...

10 Bouskoura, Morocco, municipal wwtp 14 Diageo, Ghana, effluent treatment plant

LUCAS municipal LUCAS anaerobic - aerobic
8.000 m/d - 50.000 PE - 10 years O&M 9.300 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 2.600 Nm/d

11 Zambian Breweries, Zambia, effluent treatment plant 15 Diageo Kumasi, Ghana, effluent treatment
LUCAS plug & play LUCAS anaerobic + conventional aerobic
1.333 m/d - 3.330 kg COD/d 10.000 kg COD/d
Biogas production: 3.200 Nm/d
12 Castel, Bom Jesus, Angola, effluent treatment plant
LUCAS anaerobic 16 DSM Nanjing, China, effluent treatment
5.750 kg COD/d - Biogas production: 1.400 Nm/d LUCAS aerobic
Capacity: 6.480 m/d, 9.720 kg COD/d
13 Antwerpen, Belgium, municipal wwtp
LUCAS -3 multiple lane 17 AB Mauri, China, effluent treatment
18.000 m/d - 5.670 kg COD/d 105.000 PE LUCAS two-stage aerobic
Capacity: 2.400 m/d - 11.500 kg COD/d

19
 THE LUCAS CONCEPT PROVIDES
A COMPLETE ECONOMICAL AND
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR
THE ADVANCED PURIFICATION OF
WASTEWATER

DESIGN PROTECTING THE 4 ELEMENTS

ENGINEERING
CONSTRUCTION
OPERATION
MAINTENANCE
We all have the responsibility to handle our natural resources in a
careful and sustainable way. Waterleau develops environmental
technologies and offers sustainable solutions for water, air and waste
treatment, as well as for energy recovery. As an EPC contractor and
operator, Waterleau counts more than 1500 references for municipal
and industrial clients around the world.

Nieuwstraat 26, 3150 Wespelaar (Leuven), Belgium

t. +32 (0) 16 65 06 57 - f. +32 (0) 16 65 06 63
info@waterleau.com - www.waterleau.com