UNIT II

WASTEWATER BIOTREATMENT

Biological treatment of waste water

Methods
Aerobic : removal of organic
pollutants in wastewater by
bacteria that require oxygen
to work
End products: Water and
carbon dioxide and biomass
Anaerobic :bacteria digests
biosolids in the absence of
oxygen
End products: methane
and carbon dioxide gas and
biomass

Aerobic Biological Treatment

Steps
Primary
secondary
Tertiary treatments

Aerobic Biological Treatment Technologies

1)
2)
3)
4)

Conventional Activated Sludge Process (CASP) System

Cyclic Activated Sludge System (CASS)
Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
Biofilm reactors in aerobic biological wastewater
treatment:
- Trickling Filters
- Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) System
- Submerged Aerobic Fixed Film Reactor
- Fluidized Bed Bioreactor
- Hybrid Biofilm/suspended Growth processes
- Rotating biological contactors

Conventional Activated Sludge Process (CASP) System

most common and oldest biotreatment process
used to treat municipal and industrial wastewater
wastewater after primary treatment i.e. suspended impurities removal is
treated in an activated sludge process based biological treatment
system comprising aeration tank followed by secondary clarifier.
The aeration tank is a completely mixed or a plug flow (in some cases)
bioreactor
where specific concentration of biomass (wide variety of microorganisms)
(measured as mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) is maintained along
with sufficient dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (typically 2 mg/l)
biodegradation of soluble organic pollutants (measured as Chemical
oxygen demand (COD) and Biological oxygen demand (BOD)

 The aeration tank is provided with fine bubble diffused

aeration pipework at the bottom to transfer required oxygen
to the biomass and also ensure completely mixed reactor.
The aerated mixed liquor from the aeration tank overflows
to the secondary clarifier unit to separate out the biomass
and allow clarified, treated water to the downstream
filtration system for finer removal of suspended solids.
The separated
biomass is
returned
to the aeration
Tank by means of
return
activated sludge
(RAS) pump.

Activated sludge plant

Cyclic Activated Sludge System (CASS)

Cyclic Activated Sludge System (CASS) - one of the most
popular sequencing batch reactor (SBR) processes
employed to treat municipal wastewater and wastewater
from a variety of industries including refineries and
petrochemical plants.
This technology offers several operational and performance
advantages over the conventional activated sludge process.
The CASS SBR process performs all the functions of a
conventional activated sludge plant (biological removal of
pollutants, solids/liquid separation and treated effluent
removal)
by using a single variable volume basin in an alternating mode of
operation, thereby dispensing with the need for final clarifiers
and high return activated sludge pumping capacity.

 The Cyclic Activated Sludge System (CASS), incorporates a

high level of process sophistication in a configuration
which is cost and space effective and
offers a methodology that has operational simplicity, flexibility
and reliability that is not available in conventionally configured
activated sludge systems.

 The reactor basin is divided by baffle walls into three sections

Zone 1: Selector,
Zone 2: Secondary Aeration,
Zone 3: Main Aeration).
Sludge biomass is intermittently recycled from Zone 3 to the Zone 1
to remove the readily degradable soluble substrate and favor the
growth of the floc-forming microorganisms.
System design is such
that the sludge return rate
causes an approximate daily
cycling of biomass in the
main aeration zone through
the selector zone.
No special mixing equipment
or formal anoxic mixing
sequences are
required to meet the effluent
discharge objectives.

 CASS utilizes a simple repeated time-based sequence which

incorporates:
1 & 2) Aeration (for biological reactions)
2) Settle (for solids-liquid separation)
3) Decant (to remove treated effluent)

Characteristics of aerobic activated sludge:

Overall, activated sludge must contain a microorganisms capable of
producing
all enzyme systems required for the biodegradation
of both soluble and insoluble pollutants.
Activated sludge contains prokaryotes (bacteria) and
Eukaryotes (Protozoa and fungi)
The primary consumers of organic wastes are the heterotrophic
(An organism that cannot synthesize its own food and is
dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition)
bacteria
The majority of the bacterial genera in activated sludge are
Gram-negative
Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Comamonas, Lophomonas, Zoogloea,
Sphaerotilus, Azotobacter, Chromobacterium,
Achromobacter,Flavobacterm, Bacillus, and Nocardia.
Certain genera Sphaerotilus or Nocardia-causes poor settling
Many types of protozoa : 50,000 cells/ml

Design of activated sludge process

The main parameters that have to be taken into account
when designing activated sludge systems are:
Influent : Characteristics must be known before treatment
- Flow rate of the inflow of waste water
- Substrate concentration in inflow of waste water (For
e.g. BOD)
- Active biomass concentration in inflow of wastewater

Kinetic data and stoichiometric coefficients

Sludge recycle rate
Sludge wasting rate
Oxygen uptake rate

hydraulic loading rate, HLR kg BOD/m3/day =

raw BOD (kg/m3) x flow rate (m3/day)
aeration volume (m3)
hydraulic retention time (HRT, h) =
reactor volume (m3)
flow (m3/h)
sludge loading rate SLR, kg BOD/kg MLSS/day =
raw BOD (kg/m3) x flow rate (m3/day)
MLSS (kg/m3) x aeration tank volume (m3)

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)

Latest technology for biological degradation of soluble organic
impurities.
Extensively used for treatment of domestic sewage
but for industrial waste treatment applications, its use has been
somewhat limited or selective.
MBR is an improvement of CASP, where the secondary clarifier
is replaced by a membrane unit for the separation of treated
water from the mixed solution in the bioreactor
System comprises of activated sludge process with the
biomass separation carried out by membrane process
Separation of biomass using membrane provides filtered
quality final effluent can reuse

Biofilm reactors in aerobic biological

wastewater treatment
2 categories:
(1) Fixed-medium systems : biofilm media are
static in the reactors and the biological
reactions take place in the biofilm developed
on the static media, and
(2) Moving-medium systems : biofilm media
are kept continually moving by means of
mechanical, hydraulic, or air forces.
()Biofilms can be used in various types of
reactors
Trickling filters and biological towers
Rotating biological contactors
Fed Batch Reactors (FBRs)
Granular media filters
Fluidized bed biofilm reactors
Hybrid biofilm/suspended growth processes

Trickling
Filters

Flow Diagram for

Trickling Filters
Recycle
Final
clarifier
Final
effluent

Influent

Primary
clarifier

Trickling
filter

Waste
sludge

Trickling Filters
Not a true filtering or sieving process
Material only provides surface on
which bacteria to grow
Can use plastic media
lighter - can get deeper beds (up to 12
m)
reduced space requirement
larger surface area for growth
greater void ratios (better air flow)
less prone to plugging by accumulating

Trickling Filters

Filter Material

Typical Trickling Filter

Random Packing

Structured Media

Bio-towers

Trickling Filter

Tank is filled with solid media

Rocks
Plastic
Bacteria grow on surface of media
Wastewater is trickled over media, at top of tank
As water trickles through media, bacteria degrade BOD
Filter is open to atmosphere, air flows naturally through media
Treated water leaves bottom of tank, flows into secondary
clarifier
Bacterial cells settle, removed from clarifier as sludge
Some water is recycled to the filter, to maintain moist conditions

Trickling Filter System

Trickling Filter Process

Types of Trickling Filters

Standard or low rate

single stage rock media units
loading rates of 1-4 m3 wastewater/m2 filter crosssectional area-day
large area required
High rate
single stage or two-stage rock media units
loading rates of 10-40 m3 wastewater/m2 filter crosssectional area-day
re-circulation ratio 1-3
Super rate
synthetic plastic media units- Plastic media depths
of 5-10 m
modules or random packed
specific surface areas 2-5 times greater than rock
much lighter than rocks
can be stacked higher than rocks
Loading rates of 40-200 m3 wastewater/m2 filter

Design Criteria for

Trickling Filters
T a b le 1 0 .5
T y p ic a l D e s ig n C r it e r ia f o r T r ic k li n g F il t e r s

I te m

L o w -r a te filte r

H ig h - r a te f ilte r

S u p e r - ra te f ilte r

H y d r a u l ic lo a d in g ( m 3 /m 2 - d )

1 - 4

10 - 40

40 - 200

O r g a n ic lo a d in g ( k g B O D 5 /m 3 - d )

0 .0 8 - 0 .3 2

0 .3 2 - 1 .0

0 .8 - 6 .0

D e p th (m )

1 .5 - 3 .0

1 .0 - 2 .0

4 .5 - 1 2 .0

R e c ir c u la tio n r a tio

1 - 3

1 - 4

F ilte r m e d ia

R o c k , s la g , e tc .

R o c k , s la g ,
s y n th e tic s

F ilte r f lie s

M any

F e w , la rv a e a re
w ash e d a w a y

Few or none

S lo u g h in g

I n te r m itte n t

C o n t in u o u s

C o n t in u o u s

D o s in g in te rv a ls

< 5 m in

< 15 s

C o n t in u o u s

E f flu e n t

U s u a l ly f u l ly
n it r if ie d

N it r i f i e d a t l o w
lo a d in g s

N it r i f i e d a t l o w
lo a d in g s

Submerged Aerobic Fixed Film Reactor

cost-effective method of waste water treatment
sewage sanitation that is primarily used in residential and commercial complexes
This equipment primarily works on the three stages that are Primary Settlement,
Secondary Treatment and Final Settlement / Clarification
Improved treatment quality
particularly for small to medium sized treatment plants where available land is
limited, and where full time operational manning would be uneconomical
A well built Submerged Aerated Filter plant has no moving parts within its main
process zones, any serviceable items will be positioned to access easily without
disrupting the ongoing sewage treatment

Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

Fluidized bed bioreactors (FBR) have been receiving considerable interest in
wastewater Treatment.
A fluidized bed bioreactor consists of microorganism coated particles
suspended in wastewater which is sufficiently aerated to keep the gas,
liquid and the solid particles thoroughly mixed.
capable of achieving treatment in low retention time because of the high
biomass concentrations that can be achieved .
successfully applied to an aerobic biological treatment of industrial and
domestic wastewaters.

Rotating Biological Contactor

Rotating Biological Contactors,
commonly called RBCs, are used in
wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).
The primary function of these bioreactors at WWTPs is the reduction
organic matter.
Very effective for low strength organic
wastes

Rotating Biological Contactors

RBC Schematic
Film of Microorganisms

Rotation

Wastewater

Primary
Settling
Sludge
Treatme
nt

Secondary
Settling

Sludge Treatment

Design of Rotating Biological Contactors

Organic loading rate ( g BOD per m3 disc area per day)
Hydraulic retention time (d)
Diameter of discs (m)
Number of discs
Depth of submergence of rotating disc (m)
Rate of rotation (rpm)

Hybrid Biofilm/suspended Growth processes

Activated sludge process can be enhanced in terms of capacity
and reliability through the introduction of biofilm media that
create hybrid biofilm/suspended growth system
Existing activated sludge-upgraded by adding biofilm surface
area inside the aeration basin
The goal is to increase the total mass of active bacteria in the
system and to increase the SRT
Suspended and biofilm bacteria have different SRTs
Biofilm SRT-longer- which makes it especially important for
accumulating slow growing species such as nitrifiers
Eg: Activated biofilter
In the settler MLVSS--- maintained around 2,500 mg/L
BOD loading--- 9 Kg BOD5/m3/day

Anaerobic waste-water treatment

Anaerobic treatment is often performed for solids and high-strength
industrial waste-waters (upto 1,00,000 COD).
both facultative and obligate anaerobic microorganisms, in the
absence of oxygen are being involved in the anaerobic waste water
treatment.
They biodegrade the organic pollutant to generate methane, carbon
dioxide and biomass.
The microbiology of these anaerobic digestion processes is complex.
Their efficient and stable operation requires a microbial population
containing at least 3 different interacting microbial groups.
1) Fermentative/hydrolytic bacteria (group 1)
2) Acetogenic bacteria (group 2)
3) Methanogenic bacteria (group 3)

) There are 3 stages: 1)Hydrolysis

2) Acetogenesis
3) Methanogenesis

 The first stage of the process, hydrolysis

involves
the hydrolysis of complex organic wastes (proteins, fatty acids
and polysaccharides) by the hydrolytic bacteria.

The hydrolysis of these wastes results in the production of simplistic,

soluble organic compounds (amino acids, volatile acids and
alcohols).
The second stage of the process, acetogenesis,
involves
the conversion of the volatile acids and alcohols to substrates such
as
- acetic acid or acetate (CH3COOH) and
- hydrogen gas by acetogenic bacteria
further that can be used by methane-forming bacteria.
The third and final stage of the process, methanogenesis,
involves
the production of methane and carbon dioxide from the products
of acetogenesis process by methanogenic bacteria.

Overview of anaerobic digestion processes

 Several reactor designs exist for anaerobic treatment.

simple conventional mixed sludge reactors

utilized primarily to treat solid waste materials such as primary and

secondary sludges,
anaerobic filter or upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) digester.
Conventional methods for the disposal of sludges and other solid
wastes:
Methods routinely used for the disposal of final sludges and other
solid wastes are as follows.
1) Landfilling
2) Incineration
1) Landfilling: used for agricultural, industrial and urban wastes.
) materials can leach into adjacent water courses when unsuitable
sites are used.
) expensive due to a lack of suitable landfill sites.

2) Incineration: routinely used for solids.

For sludges, the system operates with limited energy input
due to their high calorific value, leading to self
combustion.
However, there may be problems with the disposal of
residue ash, as it often contains high concentrations of
heavy metals.

 The types of bacteria within an anaerobic digester :

- saccharolytic bacteria
- proteolytic bacteria
fermentative bacteria
- lipolytic bacteria
- methane-forming bacteria
3 important bacterial groups in anaerobic digesters with respect to
the substrates utilized by each group.
These groups include
- the acetate-forming (acetogenic) bacteria (AFB),
- the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB),
- the methane-forming bacteria (MFB).

ACETATE-FORMING BACTERIA (AFB)

Acetate-forming (acetogenic) bacteria grow in a symbiotic
relationship with methane-forming bacteria. Acetate serves as a
substrate for methane-forming bacteria.
Eg: when ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is converted to acetate, carbon
dioxide is used and acetate and hydrogen are produced.

CH3CH2OH + CO2

CH3COOH + 2H2

When AFB produce acetate, hydrogen also is produced.

If the hydrogen accumulates and significant hydrogen pressure
occurs, the pressure
results in termination of activity of acetateforming bacteria and lost of acetate production.
However, methane-forming bacteria utilize hydrogen in the production
of methane so that a significant hydrogen pressure does not occur.
CO2 + 4H2
CH4 + 2H2O

 AFBs are obligate hydrogen producers and survive only

at very low concentrations of hydrogen in the environment.
They can only survive if their metabolic wastehydrogen
is continuously removed.
This is achieved in their symbiotic relationship with
hydrogen-utilizing bacteria or methane-forming bacteria.
Acetogenic bacteria reproduce very slowly.
Generation time for these organisms is usually greater than
3 days.

SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA (SRB)

SRB also are found in anaerobic digesters along with AFB and
MFB.
If sulfates are present, SRB such as Desulfovibrio
desulfuricans multiply.
Their multiplication or reproduction often requires the use of
hydrogen and acetatethe same substrates used by MFB

 When sulfate is used to degrade an organic compound, sulfate is

reduced to H2S.
Hydrogen is needed to reduce sulfate to H2S.
The need for hydrogen results in competition for hydrogen between
two bacterial groups, SRB and MFB.
When SRB and MFB compete for hydrogen and acetate
SRB obtain hydrogen and acetate more easily than MFB under
low-acetate concentrations.
At substrate-to-sulfate ratios <2, SRB out-compete MFB for acetate.
At substrate-to-sulfate ratios between 2 and 3, competition is very
intense between the two bacterial groups.
At substrate-to-sulfate ratios >3, MFB are favored.

METHANE-FORMING BACTERIA (MFB)

MFB are known by several names
- Methanogens
-Methanogenis bacteria
-Methane forming bacteria
- Methane producing bacteria
morphologically diverse group of organisms that have
many shapes, growth patterns, and sizes.
The range in diameter sizes of individual cells is
0.115 m.
Filaments can be up to 200 m in length.
Motile and non motile bacteria as well as sporeforming and non-spore-forming bacteria can be
found.

 MFB are some of the oldest bacteria and are grouped in the
domain Archaebacteria (from arachae, meaning ancient).
The domain thrives in heat.
MFB are
- oxygen-sensitive,
- fastidious anaerobes
- free-living terrestrial and aquatic organisms.
MFB found in habitats that are rich in degradable organic
compounds.
In these habitats, oxygen is rapidly removed through
microbial activity.
MFB also have an unusually high sulfur content:
Approximately 2.5% of the total dry weight of the cell is
sulfur.

 MFB has several unique characteristics

1) a nonrigid cell wall and unique cell membrane lipid,
The cell wall lacks muramic acid, and the cell membrane
does not contains an ether lipid as its major constituent.
2) substrate degradation that produces methane as a waste
3) specialized coenzymes.
- coenzyme M and
- the nickel containing coenzymes F420 and F430.
)Coenzyme M is used to reduce CO2 to CH4.
)The nickel-containing coenzymes are important hydrogen
carriers in methane-forming bacteria.

Anaerobic Reactor Technologies

a number of novel anaerobic reactor configurations have
been developed.
2 types
- Conventional
- High rate Anaerobic digesters (Ads)

Conventional

High-rate AD

Eg: Anaerobic batch reactor (Anaerobic

lagoons)

(Many types of reactors)

Stratified

Homogeneous due to
mixing

Intermittent feeding and withdrawal

Continuous or intermittant
feeding and withdrawal

HRT based on liquid input is 30-60 days

HRT based on liquid input

is 15 days or less

VS loading: 500-1600 kg/m3.day

VS loading: 1600-1800
kg/m3.day

High-rate anaerobic reactors

Completely mixed anaerobic digester (AD)

Anaerobic contact process (ACP)
Anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR)
Anaerobic packed bed or anaerobic filter
Anaerobic fluidized and expanded bed reactors
Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor
Anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR)
2-Phase AD Process

Completely mixed AD
Wastewater and anaerobic bacteria are mixed
together and allowed to react.
When the organic pollutant
is reduced to
desired level,
treated
wastewater is
then removed

 Can be operated in either batch or continuous

mode
At least 10 days of SRT and HRT are required
because of slow growing methanogens.
This necessitates a reactor with a very large volume
Large volume requirements wash-out of
microorganisms in effluent pose serious problems
and make ADs unsuitable for use with most
industrial wastewaters

Anaerobic contact process (ACP)

Link between high biomass concentration, greater
efficiency and smaller reactor size is the idea of ACP.
Settling of anaerobic sludge in a settling tank and its
return back to the reactor allows further contact between
biomass and raw waste.
due to sludge recycling, the SRT is no longer coupled to the
HRT.
As a result, considerable
improvements in
treatment efficiency can
be achieved.
Disadvantage :
poor sludge settlement
arose from gas
formation by anaerobic
bacteria in settling tank.

 Although simple in concept, individual units make ACP more

complex than other high rate ADs.

Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor (ASBR)

Anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) process is a
batch-fed, batch-decanted, suspended growth system and
is operated in a cyclic sequence of four stages:
- feed,
- react,
- settle
- decant.

 Since a significant time is spent in settling the biomass

from the treated wastewater, reactor volume requirement is
higher than for continuous flow processes.
Not require - additional biomass settling stage or solids
recycle.
No feed short-circuiting is another advantage of ASBRs over
continuous flow systems.
Operational cycle-times for the ASBR can be as short as 6
hours if biomass granulation is achieved.

Anaerobic Filter (Packed Bed)

Anaerobic filter is a fixed-film biological wastewater
treatment process in which a fixed matrix (support medium)
provides an attachment surface that supports the
anaerobic microorganisms in the form of a biofilm.
Treatment occurs as wastewater flows upwards through
this bed and dissolved pollutants are absorbed by biofilm.

 Anaerobic filters were the first anaerobic systems that

eliminated the need for solids separation and recycle while
providing a high SRT/HRT ratio
Various types of support material can be used
- plastics,
- granular activated carbon (GAC),
- sand,
- reticulated foam polymers,
- granite,
- quartz and stone.
These materials have exceptionally high surface area to
volume ratios (400 m2/m3) and low void volumes.
Its resistance to shock loads and inhibitions make
anaerobic filter suitable for the treatment of both dilute and
high strength wastewaters.
Limitations: deterioration of the bed structure through a gradual
accumulation of non-biodegradable solids.

 This leads eventually to channelling and short-circuiting

of flow, and anaerobic filters are therefore unsuitable for
wastewaters with high solids contents.
Additionally, there is a relatively high cost associated with the
packing materials.
Anaerobic Filter Packings

Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR)

In order to achieve fluidization of the biomass particles,
units must be operated in an upflow mode.
Rate of liquid flow and the resulting degree of bed expansion
determines whether the reactor is termed a fluidized bed or
expanded bed system.
Expanded bed reactors have a bed expansion of 10% to 20%
compared to 30% to 90% in fluidized beds.
In FBR, biomass is attached to
surface of small particles
(anthracite, high density plastic
beads, sand etc.) which are kept
in suspension by upward velocity
of liquid flow.

 Effluent is recycled to dilute incoming waste and to

provide sufficient flow-rate to keep particles in suspension.
Large surface area of support particles and high degree of
mixing that results from high vertical flows enable a high
biomass conc. to develop and efficient substrate uptake.
Biomass concentration: 15-40 g/l
The greatest risk with FBR is the loss of biomass particles
from the reactor following sudden changes in particle
density, flow rate or gas production.
In practice, considerable difficulties were experienced in
controlling the particle size and density of flocs due to
variable amounts of biomass growth on particles.
Therefore FBRs are considered to be difficult to operate.

Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactor

The problem associated with anaerobic filters and FBRs
has led to development of unpacked reactors that still
incorporate an immobilized form of particulate biomass.
most widely used high-rate anaerobic system for domestic
& industrial wastewater treatment.
UASB reactor is based on that anaerobic sludge exhibits
inherently good settling properties, provided the sludge is
not exposed to heavy mechanical agitation.
Adequate mixing is provided by an even flow-distribution
combined with a sufficiently high upflow velocity, and by
agitation that results from gas production.
Biomass is retained as a blanket or granular matrix, and is
kept in suspension by controlling the upflow velocity.

Wastewater flows upwards through a sludge blanket

located in lower part of reactor, while upper part contains a
three phase (solid, liquid, gas) separation system.
Three-phase
separation device is the
most characteristic
feature of UASB reactor.
It facilitates the
collection of biogas and
also provides internal
recycling of sludge by
disengaging adherent
biogas bubbles from
rising sludge particles.

 Superior settling characteristics of granular sludge allows

higher sludge concentrations
Granular sludge development is now observed in UASB
reactors treating many different types of wastewater.

Granulation
Granulation is a process in which a non-discrete flocculent
biomass begins to form discrete well-defined granules.
These vary in dimension and appearance depending on the
wastewater and reactor conditions, but generally have a
flattened spherical geometry with a diameter of 1-3 mm.
Mechanism of biomass granulation has been widely studied the
objective being that the rate and extent of granule
formation could be
manipulated,
particularly in
wastewaters that
show little intrinsic
propensity to granulate
(e.g. fat and oil containing
effluents).
Anaerobic sludge granules from a UASB reactor
treating effluent

Expanded Granular Sludge Bed

(EGSB) Reactor

Hybrid (UASB+Packed Bed) Reactor

Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR)

Anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) consists of a number of
UASB reactors connected in series.
In ABR, wastewater passes over and under the
staggered vertical baffles as it flows from inlet to outlet.
Advantages: Unique baffled design enables ABR to
reduce biomass washout, hence retain a high active
biomass content.
It can recover quickly from hydraulic and organic shock
loads.
No special gas or sludge separation equipment is
required
Owing to its compartmentalized configuration, it may
function as a two-phase anaerobic treatment system
with separation of acidogenic and methanogenic
biomass.

 ABR has a simple design and requires no special gas

or sludge separation equipment. It can be used for
almost all soluble organic wastewater from low to high
strength.
Considering its simple structure and operation, it could be
considered a potential reactor system for treating
municipal wastewater in tropical and sub-tropical areas of
developing countries

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AMB)

AMB is still in development stage.
Advantages:
Higher biomass concentrations in AMB reduce the size of
reactor and increase organic loadings.
Almost complete capturing of solids (much longer SRT)
results in maximum removal of VFAs and degradable
soluble organics and provide a higherquality effluent.

 Maximum capture of effluent SS improves greatly the

effluent quality.
Longer SRT and low effluent SS concentration allow AMB to
compete with aerobic treatment processes.
High liquid velocities across the membrane and gas agitation
systems might be used to minimize fouling.
Disadvantages
Organic fouling problems are typically caused by
accumulation of colloidal material and bacteria on the
membrane surface.
High pumping flow rates across the membrane may lead to
the loss of viable bacteria due to cell lysis.
Developments in membrane design and fouling control
measures could make AMB a viable technology in future.

2-Phase AD Process
Two-phase AD implies a process configuration employing
separate reactors for acidification and methanogenesis.
These are connected in series, allowing each phase of
digestion process to be optimized independently since the
microorganisms concerned have
- Different nutritional requirements
- Physiological characteristics
- pH optima
- Growth and nutrient
uptake kinetics and
- Tolerances to
environmental stress
factors

Advantages of Two-Phase AD
Improvement in process control
Disposal of excess fast growing acidogenic sludge
without any loss of slow growing methanogens
Degradation of toxic materials in the first phase (protects
the sensitive methanogens)
Precise pH-control in each reactor
Higher CH4 content in biogas from methanogenic phase
Increased loading rate possible for methanogenic stage
Disadvantages of Two-Phase AD
High sludge accumulation in the first phase
Lack of process experience and so more difficult to
operate
Difficulty in maintaining a balanced segregation of the
phases.

Advantages of Two-Phase AD
Improvement in process control
Disposal of excess fast growing acidogenic sludge
without any loss of slow growing methanogens
Degradation of toxic materials in the first phase (protects
the sensitive methanogens)
Precise pH-control in each reactor
Higher CH4 content in biogas from methanogenic phase
Increased loading rate possible for methanogenic stage
Disadvantages of Two-Phase AD
High sludge accumulation in the first phase
Lack of process experience and so more difficult to
operate
Difficulty in maintaining a balanced segregation of the
phases.

Nitrogen and
phosphorous removal

Biological Nitrogen
Removal
Uptake into biological cell mass
Nitrification (conversion to Nitrate)
Denitrification (conversion to N2 gas)

NITRIFICATION

Nitrogens are introduced into waste water in

the forms of ,
Urine
Food processing waste
Chemical cleaning agents
Many other industrial waste

Negative Impacts of Nitrogen

on the Environment
Nitrate in drinking water can
cause Blue Baby Syndrome

Increased levels of nitrate in water

supplies can increase the acidity of the
water and make toxic metals such as
mercury
soluble
Growth more
of nuisance
algae can cause
decreased water quality
and cause fish kills

DEFINITION
Nitrification is a microbial process of removing the
nitrogen from environment with the help of nitrifying
bacteria which are called nitrifiers.
Nitrosomonas (ammonia to nitrite)
Nitrobacter (nitrite to nitrate)

Majority of ammonia (gas) is converted to

ammonium (ion).
The equilibrium between gas and ionic forms are
maintained by pH of water.
More acidic solution leads to ionic form(6-9)
More basic solution leads to gas form (12)

Molecular
mechanism

First step nitrification: (nitrosifying bacteria)

ammonia is converted in nitrite with the help of autotrophs which can produce
ammonia mono oxygenase (hydroxyl amine) as well as hydroxyl amine oxydo
reductase (nitrite)
NH3 + O2 NO2 + 3H+ + 2e
NH2OH + H2O NO2 + 5H+ + 4e

Second step nitrification : (nitrifying bacteria)

Nitrite which is produced in the first step can be converted in to nitrate with
the help of nitrite oxydoreductase.
NO2 + H2O NO3 + 2H+ + 2e

NITROGEN CYCLE
Total Kjeldahl
Nitrogen
(TKN)

Ni
tr

en

it

ri

fi

ifi
ca
ti o
n

ca

ti

on

NITRIFYING BACTERIA

Autotrophs
Chemolithotrophs
Obligate aerobes
ANAMMOX micro organisms

Basic Design

THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Alkalinity (50-150 mg/l in the form of CaC03)

Temperature
pH (6-9)
Toxic substances
Oxygen concentration
Concentration of the substances

Carbon
Source
(Methanol
)

Nitrification

Denitrification

Influent

Effluent
Media Fill

Media Fill

Alkalinity

Aeration

Mechanical
Mixing

Nitrification Tank Design

Nitrification rate of 1 gNH4+-N/m2d (Kaldnes)
Decided on 30% Fill
Ammonia-N Load of 1250 lb/d
Reactor Volume of 130,000 ft3
Depth of 12 ft
Length to Width 2:1 used
HRT 3.9 hrs
Media Design and Characteristics
-7 mm Long and 10 mm Diameter
-Density of 0.96 g/cm3
-Surface Area of 500 m2/m3
-Typical Fill of 30-50%

Aeration Requirements
Course Bubble Diffusers used to
Suspend Media and Oxygen
Requirements
Oxygen Transfer Rate of 1%/ft
depth Results in 11% Oxygen
Transfer Rate (Kaldnes)
Based on earlier stoichiometry
4.6 gO2/gNH4+-N (Nitrification)
Ammonia Loading used to

C
determine
SOTR AOTR

F
(

C
)

110 kgO2/hr
Standard Oxygen Transfer Rate
SOTR
Air
_
flow

Determined
SOTE (60 min/ h)(( 0.270kgO / m air )
s , 20

s ,T , H

Air Flow Rate then Determined

Alkalinity Requirements
Stoichiometry
NH4++2HCO3-+2O2NO3-+2CO2+3H2O
7.14 g Alkalinity as CaCO3/g N is required
Design Considerations
Assumed Influent Alkalinity of 120 mg/L as CaCO3
Desired Effluent Alkalinity of 80 mg/L as CaCO3
Alkalinity Required used for Nitrification is 164
mg/L as CaCO3
Alkalinity Addition Needed is 124 mg/L as CaCO3
Total Alkalinity Required 6,200 lbs/d

Full nitrification:
ammonium less than 2mg/l
nitrite less than 0.5 mg/l
To reduce 1 pound of BOD 1.2
pounds of oxygen is required
To reduce 1pound of ammonium to
nitrite 4.6 pounds of oxygen is
required.

Nitrification processes

One sludge activated process

Two sludge activated process
Biofilm nitrification processs
Hybrid process
ANNAMOX process

One sludge activated process

Both heterotrophic and
nitrifying
bacteria
coexist in a single mixed
liquor
that
simultaneously oxidizes
ammonium and organic
BOD.
It has one reactor and
one settler for all types
of biomass.
One sludge nitrification
otherwise called as one
stage
nitrification,
because it has only one
reactor stage.

Two sludge activated process

Two stage is an attempt to reduce the competition
between heterotrophs and nitrifiers by oxidizing
most of the organic BOD in a first stage, while
ammonium is oxidized in second stage.
Here two stages are available. Both stage produce
their own biomass which are recycled with
respective stages.
The first sludge is essentially free of nitrifiers, while
the second stage has full of nitrifiers, since all the
nitrification and only a small amount of BOD
oxidation occurs there.

Biofilm nitrification
The nitrifying bacteria are being attached to a solid surface in
the form of a biofilm.
Biofilm structures are heterogeneous
physical factors influencing biofilm structure are hydraulic
erosion, detachment,mass transfer, shape of the substrate.
Chemical factors- physico-chemical environment, substrate
concentration, type of substrate
During nitrification the nitrifying bacteria grow continuously
and hence there is a growth of the thickness of the biofilm. If
this is not balanced by a corresponding detachment of the
biofilm for trickling filters, the biofilm will be too thick
resulting in clogging of the trickling filters. It is therefore
desirable to have a stable state with equilibrium between
growth and detachment.

Hybrid Biofilm/suspended Growth

processes
Activated sludge process can be enhanced in terms of capacity
and reliability through the introduction of biofilm media that
create hybrid biofilm/suspended growth system
Existing activated sludge-upgraded by adding biofilm surface
area inside the aeration basin
The goal is to increase the total mass of active bacteria in the
system and to increase the SRT
Suspended and biofilm bacteria have different SRTs
Biofilm SRT-longer- which makes it especially important for
accumulating slow growing species such as nitrifiers
Eg: Activated biofilter
In the settler MLVSS--- maintained around 2,500 mg/L
BOD loading--- 9 Kg BOD5/m3/day

ANAMMOX process
ANAMMOX, an abbreviation for ANaerobic AMMonium OXidation, is a
globally important microbial process of the nitrogen cycle.
If only half of the ammonia nitrogen in a wastewater flow were oxidized
just to nitrite, then the remaining ammonia nitrogen and the nitrite nitrogen
that has been formed could be converted to nitrogen gas by anammox
bacteria in an anaerobic (absence of oxygen) environment.
The discovery of ANAMMOX is one of the most startling ones in
environmental biotechnolgy.
ANAMMOX bacterium uses ammonium as its donor and nitrite as its
electron acceptor. The energy reaction is,
NH4+ + NO2- = N2 + 2H2O
The yield and specific growth rate reported for ANAMMOX are low.

DENITRIFICATION
PROCESS

HIGHLIGHTS

Physiology of Denitrifying
Bacteria
Tertiary Denitrification
One- sludge denitrification

INTRODUCTION

Denitrificationis a microbially facilitated process of nitrate reduction

Performed by a large group of heterotrophic facultative anaerobic

bacteria

Ultimately produce molecularnitrogen(N2) through

intermediate gaseous nitrogen oxide products.

This respiratory processreducesoxidized forms of nitrogen in response

to the oxidation of anelectron donorsuch asorganic matter.

The preferred nitrogenelectron acceptorsin order of most to least

thermodynamically
favourable
includenitrate(NO3),nitrite(NO2),nitric
oxide(NO),nitrous
oxide(N2O) finally resulting in the production ofdinitrogen(N2)
completing thenitrogen cycle.

Since denitrification can lower leaching of NO3to groundwater, it can

be strategically used to treat sewage or animal residues of high
nitrogen content.

Denitrification allows for the production of N2O, which is a greenhouse

series

of

SCHEMATIC OF DENITRIFICATION
PROCESS

CONDITIONS
Anaerobic Conditions
Heterotrophic and Autotrophic Bacteria
Nitrite or Nitrate is electron acceptor
Carbon Source Required
Neutral pH (pH 7)

DENITRIFYING BACTERIA

A group of bacteria that reduce nitrates or nitrites to nitrogen containing

gases.

Important as it allows nitrogen to be recycled back into the atmosphere.

Denitrifying heterotrophic bacteria only exist in environments where

oxygen is limited.

Denitrifying bacteria use reactive

substrates to perform denitrification.

Denitrification is one of the few ways to permanently remove reactive

nitrogen from ecosystems. Since excess reactive nitrogen in water
contributes to serious water quality and human health problems like toxic
algal blooms and bowel cancer, denitrification in streams can be considered
a valuable ecosystem service.

Potential examples include Thiobacillus denitrificans,

denitrificans, Paracoccus denitrificans and Pseudomonas.

Genes known in microorganisms which denitrify include nir (nitrite

reductase) and nos (nitrous oxide reductase).

nitrogen

and

organic

carbon as

Micrococcus

PHYSIOLOGY

 Denitrification process proceeds in a stepwise manner:

Very low conc. of the electron donor or too high DO can

lead to accumulation of denitrification intermediates.
(NO2-, NO and N2O).
i) a low conc. of the electron donor limits the supply of
electrons to drive the reductive half-reactions.

) ii) a high DO tends to repress the nitrite and nitrous oxide

reductases before the nitrate reductase is suppressed.
pH values outside the optimal range of 7 to 8 can
lead to accumulation of intermediates.
- In low acidity waters, pH control can become an issue,

Thiobacillus denitrificans
Characteristics :
Short, rodshaped, Gram-negative
Grows as a facultatively anaerobic chemolithotroph
Coupling the oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds to
the reduction of oxidized nitrogen compounds
The optimum conditions for denitrification are pH 6.85 at 32.8C,
and optimal growth conditions are pH 6.90 at 29.5C.
Widely found in soil, mud, fresh-water and marine sediments, sewage
and industrial waste treatment ponds
T. denitrificans can remediate natural groundwater and engineered
water treatment systems by removing excess nitrate

 Application :
In T. denitrificans, sulfide is oxidized by a series of reactions catalyzed
by a sulfide/sulfite oxidoreductase, similar to that found in some SRB.
T. denitrificans finds use in environmental remediation, particularly
for nitrate removal.
Excess nitrogen can cause problems such as eutrophication and
methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), caused primarily by
discharge of waste waters and overuse of fertilizers.
Thiobacillus denitrificans is an autrophic denitrifier, which has the
competitive advantages of not needing an external carbon source to be
added to the process, and not producing as much sludge.
Sulfur-based systems that T. denitrificans thrive in have been
considered as a viable solution to remove nitrate from groundwater and
surface water that have been contaminated, as well as remediating
waste waters with high nitrate levels such as nitrified leachate.
Thiobacillus denitrificans is able to reduce not only nitrate, but nitrite as
well.

Paracoccus denitrificans
Characteristics :
A coccoid shaped gram negative bacteria. Includes a double
membrane with a cell wall.
They live in the soil in either aerobic or anaerobic environments
and also have the ability to live in many different kinds of media
including C1 and sulfur.
They can either use organic energy sources, such as methanol or
methylamine, or act as
Chemolithotrophs.
A feature of this bacteria is its ability to single-handedly convert
nitrate to dinitrogen in a
process called denitrification.

 Application :
Finds application in the construction of a bioreactor, a tubular
gel containing two bacteria, for the removal of nitrogen from
wastewater.
Paracoccus denitrificans has the unusual ability of reducing
nitrite to nitrogen gas.
In this bioreactor, Paracoccus denitrificans is paired up with
Nitrosomonas europaea, which reduces ammonia to
nitrite. This system simplifies the process of removing
nitrogen from wastewater.

TYPES OF DENITRIFICATION
PROCESS

Tertiary denitrification : exogenous electron donor

is needed and added.
One sludge denitrification : donor already present
in the waste-water.

TERTIARY TREATMENT
Nutrient Removal, Solids Removal, and
Disinfection

Why is tertiary treatment needed ?

To remove total suspended solids and organic matter those are present in
effluents after secondary treatment.

To remove specific organic and inorganic constituents from industrial effluent

to make it suitable for reuse.

To make treated wastewater suitable for land application purpose or directly

discharge it into the water bodies like rivers, lakes, etc.

To remove residual nutrients beyond what can be accomplished by earlier

treatment methods.

To remove pathogens from the secondary treated effluents.

To reduce total dissolved solids (TDS) from the secondary treated effluent to
meet reuse quality standards.

To provide additional treatment when soils or receiving waters cannot.

Biological Denitrification
A modification
oxygen)
Same bacteria
aerobically

of
that

aerobic
consume

pathways
carbon

(no

material

Denitrifying bacteria obtain energy from the

conversion of NO3- to N2 gas, but require a
carbon Organic
source
matter
Cell mass

NO3- + CH3OH + H2CO3 C5H7O2N + N2 + H2O + HCO3-

Denitrification (cont.)
Separate denitrification reactor
or
Combined Carbon Oxidationnitrification-denitrification reactor
A series of alternating aerobic and anoxic
stages
Reduces the amount of air needed
No need for supplemental carbon source

Combined
Nitrification/Denitrification

(note alternating regions of aerobic and anoxic)

Tertiary Denitrification using

Activated Sludge
SRT (5 d) >>HRT

SRT

Mass Sludge In System

Mass Sludge Leaving System Per Day

High cell concentration increases

reaction rate

Biofilm Process
Submerged fixed beds of rocks, sand, limestone, or plastic
media.
Fluidized beds of sand, activated carbon, and pellets of
ion-exchange resin.
Circulating beds of a range of lightweight particles.
Membrane bioreactors (membrane supplies H 2 and is the
attachment surface) .
HRT can be less than 10 minutes.

LIMITATIONS IN TERTIARY DENITRIFICATION SYSTEM

Recalcitrant Forms of Nitrogen

Adequate Nutrients
Partially Denitrified Versus Full Nitrogen Load as
Nitrate
Final barrier of treatment prior to disinfection
Ammonia bleed through from upstream process
(partial nitrification).

ONE-SLUDGE
DENITRIFICATION

One-sludge denitrification
The water contains an electron donor that can drive
denitrification.
) One-sludge denitrification uses the BOD in the influent of a
wastewater to drive denitrification
Two goals in one-sludge denitrification :
1) Providing aerobic conditions that allow full nitrification
2) Providing anoxic conditions and Reserving BOD (organic
electron donor) for denitrification.
) In one sludge denitrification, the TKN must be oxidized to
NO3-- N without oxidizing all the BOD before denitrification
takes place.
-Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) = organic BOD and

Basic One-Sludge Strategies

Three basic strategies for reserving organic electron
donor while nitrification takes place :

1)Biomass storage and decay

2) Classical predenitrification
3)
Simultaneous
denitrification

nitrification

with

Biomass storage and decay

The synthesis of biomass stores electron equivalents that
originally came from the BOD and can be released through
endogenous respiration to drive denitrification.

Biomass storage and decay

It is called Wuhrmann biomass decayer (Swiss engineer K.
Wuhrmann, 1964)
Biomass storage and decay has limited applicability by itself and is
not often employed as a stand-alone process due to two
shortcomings:
1) Endogenous respirations has slow kinetics
o high conc. of MLVSS (operating problems with settler and recycle)
and a long HRT in a anoxic tank
o high capital costs are necessary
2) The decay of biomass always releases NH4+-N from the anoxic step
although at concentrations lower than in the influent.

Classical Predenitrification
- The first tank (anoxic) ; the influent BOD
(electron donor) is directly utilized for
denitrification.
- The second tank (aerobic); the influent TKN is
nitrified to NO3- and any remained BOD is
oxidized.
- The nitrate formed in the aerobic tank is recycled
to an anoxic tank

Classical
Predenitrification
Advantages:
i) direct use of influent BOD for denitrification
- reduces aeration costs for the removal of BOD.
ii) faster kinetics than with biomass storage and decay
iii) no release of NH4+-N in the effluent
Disadvantage:
i) large mixed-liquor recycle rate
-) increases costs of piping and pumping.

Simultaneous nitrification with

denitrification
Three factors allow all reactions to occur simultaneously.
1) Various nitrogen reductases using N as e- acceptor are repressed
only when the D.O. conc. is well above 1 mg/L.
2) However, inhibition of the nitrogen reductase is not severe when
the D.O. conc. is less than 1 mg/L.
3) D.O. conc. is depressed inside the aggregates that normally form in
treatment systems; thus, denitrification can occur inside the floc (or
biofilm), as long as the electron donor (BOD) penetrates inside.
- When D.O. concentration is poised at a suitably low level (< ~ 1
mg/L), anoxic denitrification can occur in parallel to the aerobic
reactions of nitrification and aerobic BOD oxidation.

Simultaneous nitrification with

denitrification
Advantages:

Simultaneous nitrification with denitrification offers all the

advantages of predenitrification, but overcomes the main
disadvantage, the high recycle rate.

Maintaining a low D.O. conc. throughout one reactor creates an

infinitely high recycle ratio and allows essentially 100 percent
N removal.

Drawback :

The combinations of SRT, HRT, and D.O. conc. that guarantee

reliability are not known yet.

riations on the Basic One-Sludge process

Barnard process

Benefits of One Sludge

Denitrification
- No exogenous electron donor needs to be added.
chemical costs are reduced over tertiary denitrification.
- Some of the influent BOD is oxidized with nitrate as the
electron acceptor (not O2).
aeration costs are reduced compared to alternative systems
that oxidize all BOD and nitrify the reduced
- nitrogen forms in the influent with O2 .
- Full or nearly full N removal is achieved

protecting receiving waters at risk

eutrophication.

from

cultural

Phosphorous
removal

 Major Use: Fertilizer

(Triple Superphosphate, Monoammonium
Phosphates)
Other Uses:
surfactants
cleaners
metal treating
lubricants
fire retardants
tooth paste

 Environmental Impacts
Problem: Fertilizer Runoff
and Product Waste
Result: Eutrophication-Water body receives
excess nutrients that stimulate primary
production (algae, nuisance plants)
Negative Effects
Health (Algae releases
neurotoxins)
Depletes Dissolved
Oxygen
Fish Kills

 Phosphorous can be removed from wastewater

prior to biological treatment, after biological
treatment
Chemical precipitation:
PO43- with Ca2+, Al3+ or Fe3+

Methods for the removal as part of the

microbial treatment process:
Precipitation by metal-salts addition to a
microbiological process
Normal phosphorous uptake into biomass
Enhanced biological phosphorous uptake into
biomass

Form of phosphates

Chemical Phosphorus Removal

Ortho Phosphate
(Soluble)

plus

Metal Salts
(Soluble)

form

Insoluble Phosphorus
Compounds

Chemical Removal
M+3 PO4-3
+ ( M+3 = Metal in
Solution )

MPO4

PRECIPITATION
Metals used are:
Aluminum, Al
Iron, Fe

Precipitation by metal-salts addition to a

microbiological process
Al3++ PO43-

AlPO4

Undergo competing acid/base complex reaction

results formation of protonated species
- pH-important role
There are two important disadvantages associated to
chemical treatment method:
(1) a certain overdosing of metal salts is necessary to
obtain the required low effluent phosphorus values,
resulting in high costs of chemicals and a significant
increase of excess sludge production
(2) the accumulation of ions (increased salt content)
may seriously restrict the reuse possibilities of the
effluent

Chemical Phosphorus Removal

Total Phosphorus
Organic
Phosphorus
Condensed (Poly)
Phosphates
Ortho
Phosphates

Metal Salt
Addition
Ortho
Phosphates

Normal phosphorous uptake into biomass:

Stoichiometric fromula for
the biomass can be modified
to include this amount of P.
C5H7O2NP0.1 has a formula
weight of 116 g/mol, of which
P is 2.67%
Sludge wasted from the process
removes P in proportion to the
mass rate of sludge VSS wasted
(QwXvw)
A steady state mass balance on
total P is
P0 and P =influent and effluent
total P concentrations,
Q=influent flow rate

Biological P Removal-Enhanced
biological phosphorous removal
Anaerobic Conditions
(EBPR)
Heterotrophic Bacteria Break Down Organics
Fermentation
Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)
Acetate (Acetic Acid)

Anaerobic

Fermentation
Acetate
Production
Selection of
PAO - Phosphate Accumulating Organisms
Acinetobacter/P
AO
P Released to
Produce Energy

Mechanism for uptake of phosphorous by

biological method:
phosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs)
store polyphosphate as an energy reserve
in intracellular granules
Under anaerobic conditions, in the
presence of fermentation products, PAOs
release orthophosphate, utilizing the
energy to accumulate simple organics and
store them as polyhydroxyalkanoates
(PHAs) such as poly--hydroxybutyrate
(PHB)
Under aerobic conditions, the PAOs grow
on the stored organic material, using
some of the energy to take up

Phosphorus Removing
3Mechanism
PO
Facultative
Substrabacteria
te

Acetate
plus
fermentati
on
products

Ener
gy

PH
B

Anaero
bic

Aerob
ic

Ener
gy

BOD + O 2

3-

PO 4

PH
B
PolyP

(Phosphoru
s
Acinetobacter
spp. removing
bacteria,
Polyslow
P
grower)

CO 2 + H2O

New
biomass

Biological P Removal
Important
Considerations

Adequate Influent BOD

( Enough O2 demand to achieve anaerobic conditions)

BOD:P
20:1

Adequate Anaerobic Detention Time 1-3 hrs

(Not so long as to reduce sulfate to sulfide-septicity)

Adequate Aerobic Detention Time 4-5

hrs.
(Enough time for BOD removal &
Low
Effluent
Suspended Solids
Nitrification)
Below 20 mg/L (SS result in P in effluent)

Sludge Handling

(Supernatant P can overload P removal system)

Biological P Removal
Benefits
No Chemical Feed (Usually, Sometimes)
Lower Cost
Safety
No Tramp Metals
No Chemical Sludge Produced

nhibits Growth of Filamentous Organisms

(Cycling between Anaerobic & Aerobic)

Biological P Removal
Most often Used Processes
A/O
Phostrip
A2/O
Concentric Ring Oxidation Ditch
Sequencing Batch Reactor

A/O Process
(Anaerobic/Oxic)

Head End of Aeration Tank Baffled and Mechanically Mixed

Primary Effluent and RAS Produce Anaerobic Conditions
Phosphorus Released
Luxury Uptake of Phosphorus in Aerated End

A/O Process

A2/O

(Anaerobic/Oxic)

(Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic)

Phostrip
Some Return Sludge Diverted to Anaerobic
Stripper
Phosphorus Released
Elutriated (Washed) to a Precipitation Tank
Precipitated With Lime Sludge Removed

Concentric Ring Oxidation Ditch

Three Aeration
Tanks in Concentric
Rings

Anaerobic
Aerobic
Aerobic

Concentric Ring Oxidation Ditch

Three Aeration
Tanks in Concentric
Rings

Wasting Aerobic
the Bio-solids
Removes
Phosphorus

Sequencing Batch Reactor

Sequencing Batch Reactor

Batch Treatment in Sequence of Steps

Anaerobic
P Release

Static Fill

Settle

Mixed Fill

Decant

React Fill
React

Aerobic
P Taken Up
by Biomass.

Waste
Idle

P
Remove
d in
Sludge

Ortho-P

D.O.