Reduction of waste biosolids by RAS-ozonation: Model validation and sensitivity analysis for biosolids reduction and nitrification

Biosolids reduction model by return activated sludge ozonation was validated by simulating nitrification data compiled from our pilot-scale and the literature studies. Then, a global sensitivity analysis (GSA) was performed to identify influential and non-influential parameters for biosolids reduction efficiency, change in specific nitrification activity (SNA), and alteration to expected nitrification stability. In general, the model outputs were sensitive to operational and ozone reaction parameters, but not to biochemical parameters. For operational parameters, mainly temperature and initial solids retention time (SRT) influenced all model outputs. For biosolids reduction, increase in the degradability of the influent COD decreased the reduction efficiency. For SNA, the changes were highly dependent on the influent TKN/COD ratio. Our findings also imply that the stability of the nitrification process in ozonated systems should be enhanced at constant MLVSS for warm temperatures, but could be reduced at temperatures below 12 °C and aerated SRTs below 10 days.     

Impact of the addition of an enzyme pool on an activated sludge system treating dairy wastewater under fat shock loads

BACKGROUND: The application of lipase‐rich enzyme pools (such as the crude solid enzymatic preparation (SEP) obtained from Penicillium restrictum solid‐state fermentation of agro‐industrial wastes) to activated sludge systems may be an effective strategy for preventing various operational problems. The continuous addition of SEP to the treatment system can become cost‐prohibitive when in situ production and/or storage are factored in. The application of SEP to high‐fat wastewater treatment would only be justified as an emergency measure, such as a sudden increase in the fat content of the bioreactor influent. Therefore, the primary objective of this work was to investigate the efficiency of a crude SEP during fat shock loads, simulated through the periodic addition of dairy industry waste containing high fat concentrations to the feed stock of an activated sludge system, operated in continuous mode. RESULTS: The test bioreactor exhibited a higher average chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency than the control bioreactor (83% for control and 90% for test) and the fat accumulation in the biological flocs of the test bioreactor was 3.2 times lower than that in the control bioreactor. Turbidity was also lower in the effluent of the test bioreactor (123 and 66 FTU in control and test, respectively) and it had a shorter recovery time between shock loads, especially when the interval between loads was shorter than one month (biweekly and weekly shock loads). CONCLUSION: The addition of SEP during fat overloads in the reactor feed maintained efficient COD removal in the test bioreactor for 270 days without any operational problems. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Acidogenic fermentation of blended food‐waste in combination with primary sludge for the production of volatile fatty acids

The performance of a laboratory‐scale anaerobic acidogenic fermenter fed with a mixture of blended kitchen food‐waste and primary sludge from a sewage treatment plant was investigated for the production of volatile fatty acids (VFA). The operating variables for acidogenic fermentation were kitchen food‐waste content (10 and 25 wt %), hydraulic retention time (HRT: 1, 3 and 5 days), temperature (ambient: 18 ± 2 °C, and mesophilic: 35 ± 2 °C) and pH (varied from 5.2 to 6.7). The experimental results indicated that effluent VFA concentrations and VFA production rates were higher at ambient temperature than at mesophilic conditions. The net amount of VFA with 10 wt % food‐waste increased up to 920 mg dm^?3 with an increase of HRT, but contrasting results (a decrease of 2610 mg dm^?3) were found due to the conversion of VFA into biogas in the case of 25 wt % food‐waste, which increased significantly at HRT of 3–5 days. In terms of biogas composition (CO₂ and CH₄), the organic matter was converted into CO₂ through the oxidative pathway by facultative species at low temperature while mesophilic temperature and optimum pH (6.3–7.8) played a pivotal role in increasing rate of conversion of VFA into biogas by methanogenesis. Rates of VFA production and their conversion are dependent on the food‐waste content in the mixture. Yet, the higher concentration of food‐waste (25% compared with 10%) did not produce VFA proportionally due to the increased rate of conversion of VFA into gaseous products. The maximum VFA production rate (0.318 g VFA_produced g^?1 VS_fed day^?1) was achieved in the 10 wt % food‐waste at ambient temperature and at a 5‐day HRT. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Physicochemical characteristics and leachability of scale and sludge from Bulalo geothermal system, Philippines

Scale and sludge from Bulalo geothermal field, Philippines, have been characterized by whole rock analysis, radioactivity counting, size analysis, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Their leachability was assessed by regulatory leaching procedures and by sequential extraction. Both scale and sludge consisted mostly of oxides of Si, Al, and Fe with no radionuclides detected. The scale had 10% S content. Sulfides and silicates were important phases in both samples having size ranges from submicron to 2 mm. Geothermal soils at Bulalo have higher than normal soil levels of As, S, Cu, Cr, Zn, and Pb but regulatory leaching tests indicated that these elements are not released. However, the sequential extraction showed that As, Cu, and Zn were leachable under extreme conditions.     

SBR工艺污泥膨胀的纠正方法

在对国内外有关资料的研究基础上，介绍了几种应对SBR反应池内污泥膨胀的措施。着重叙述了氯化法和无机合成絮凝剂法的应用注意点及如何定量运用这两种方法，同时给出了相应的工程实例。     

含油污泥焦化处理实验研究

采用焦化方法对含油污泥进行处理。经过筛选选取活性白土作为焦化处理催化剂,分别研究了反应时间、反应温度、氮气吹扫量、加热速率等因素对处理效果的影响。4个影响因素对液相油品收率的影响顺序为:氮气吹扫量>反应温度>反应时间>加热速率;对反应转化率的影响顺序为:反应温度>反应时间>氮气吹扫量>加热速率。较为理想的反应参数:反应温度490℃;反应时间60min;氮气吹扫量90mL.min-1;加热速率4℃.min-1。在此反应条件下,含油污泥液相油品收率>80%,反应转化率>99.9%,经焦化处理后的废渣含油率<3‰,达到农用污泥排放标准,实现了达标排放和回收资源的目的。     

活性污泥生物相对污水处理运行的指导作用

污水处理系统处理效果的好坏都与污水处理系统中组成活性污泥的微生物种类、数量及其代谢活力有关,本文从活性污泥结构、微生物种类、数量及活性等方面分析了污泥生物相与运行状态的相互关系.说明了可通过对污水处理系统的生物相观察了解处理效果及运行状况,也可通过对污泥生物相观察发现处理系统环境的变化,及时调整运行环境,预防污水处理系统的运行中的异常情况发生.     

Zeolite synthesis from paper sludge ash with addition of diatomite

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the synthesis of zeolites from paper sludge ash (PSA) with added diatomite to remove both NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3? for water purification. The PSA had low Si and significant Ca contents. Four types of diatomite: white (T‐W) and brown (T‐B) from deposits of marine origin in Takanosu, and white (S‐W) and gray (S‐G) from lacustrine deposits in Shonai, were added to NaOH solution to increase the Si content and thereby synthesize zeolites with high cation exchange capacity (CEC). RESULTS: The order of the amounts of Si extracted from the diatomite to the alkali solution was S‐W > T‐W = T‐B > S‐G, which correlates with the amorphous SiO₂ content of diatomite. The original ash without addition of diatomite yielded hydroxysodalite with CEC of about 1.0 mmol g^?1. For all samples, the addition of diatomite to the solution yielded zeolite‐P with a higher CEC, but the addition of excess Si inhibited the synthesis of zeolite‐P, and the CEC of the product was low. A product with high CEC including zeolite‐P was obtained in a solution with around 500 mmol L^?1 of Si concentration, and had the ability to remove both NH₄⁺ and PO₄^3?. CONCLUSION: Diatomite has the potential for used as an additive for the synthesis of high CEC zeolite from PSA. The product with zeolite‐P exhibited relatively high CEC, capacity for NH₄⁺ uptake, and the ability to remove PO₄^3? by precipitation, which is preferable for water purification applications. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Optimal Control of Solar Sludge Dryers

Optimal control (OC) methodology is used to develop a control policy for a batch-operated solar sludge dryer with ventilation as the dominant control. Batch performance criteria and instantaneous optimization criteria are developed for two economic environments: quota limited and capital limited. The general formulation, as well as simplifications resulting from the multiplicative form of the evaporation (drying) rate model, are presented. The multiplicative form results in a single constant number, called here “control intensity,” which is used to guide the on-line control decisions. These decisions turn out to be independent of the dry solids content (DSC) of the sludge. Further simplification, by assuming a strictly constant weather, is used to demonstrate the general effects of the economic and physical (weather) environment on the solution.

The OC approach is used to address, via simulation under realistic weather conditions, several design, operation, and pricing problems. In particular, the following have been considered: sizing of the ventilation fans, determination of a fair fee for sludge disposal, finding the best final DSC, and evaluating the effect of the price of electricity. Regarding the particular location represented by the data, it has been shown that the installed capacity of the ventilation fans should be increased and that there seems to be sufficient economic incentive for solar drying.