Nutrient Removal: Experiences in Johannesburg (Abridged)

The ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorus by biological means in the activated-sludge process represents the most significant refinement of the process since its discovery. This paper reviews the development of the activated-sludge process in Johannesburg. Emphasis is placed on the last twenty years'research into biological nutrient removal and the successful incorporation of research findings into the design and operation of full-scale plants of up to 200 Ml/d capacity.     

Biological Nutrient Removal: Design Snags, Operational Problems and Costs

The EC urban waste water treatment Directive will lead to some sewage-treatment works in the UK having to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. The paper reviews the basic biological processes which are available for retrofitting existing activated-sludge plants to achieve this removal, and then points to some of the problems which are encountered with these processes in other countries. The authors make suggestions as to how these problems can be overcome in design and operation. The paper also provides a cost comparison of different ways of uprating an existing nitrifying activated-sludge plant to achieve nitrification/ denitrification and phosphorus removal.     

Orbal氧化沟同时硝化/反硝化及生物除磷的机理研究

对６个采用分段,闭环沟道的Ｏｒｂａｌ氧化沟工艺运行数据进行了分析评定,以确定在该工艺中同时发生生物脱氮除磷的程度,较低的总氮出水浓度表明,同时硝化／反硝化在Ｏｒｂａｌ工艺中很易发生。由于泥龄较长并保持外沟道低溶解氧,有利于硝化菌的生长并提高脱氮效率;由于每个沟道处于相对均匀混合的状态,因此沟道内没有明显的好氧或缺氧段之分,表明产生反硝化的必要的缺氧环境可能发生在菌胶团内部。     

Characterization of dairy waste streams, current treatment practices, and potential for biological nutrient removal

Fifteen milk processing plants in the Upper Midwest of the United States participated in a study to obtain information on general process operation, waste generation and treatment practices, chemical usage, and wastewater characteristics. Long term data on wastewater characteristics were obtained for 8 of the 15 dairy plants, and a 24-h composite wastewater sample was characterized in detail for each plant. Wastewater flow rates and characteristics varied greatly among and within plants and were not easily predictable even when detailed information on processing operations was available. In addition, the contribution of milk and milk products to the waste streams was underestimated by plant operators. The use of caustic soda, phosphoric acid, and nitric acid for cleaning had a significant impact on wastewater characteristics, despite the implementation of changes in chemical usage practices during recent years. In particular, the use of phosphoric acid based cleaning products has been reduced to eliminate or decrease discharge fines. It was determined that most of the on site treatment facilities require renovations and/or operational changes to comply with current and future discharge regulations, especially with respect to nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) levels in their waste streams. It was concluded that biological nutrient removal of dairy wastewaters should be feasible given the relatively high concentrations of easily degradable organics, the generally favorable organic matter to total phosphorus ratio, and the very favorable organic matter to nitrogen ratio.     

A conceptual ecosystem model of microbial communities in enhanced biological phosphorus removal plants

The microbial populations in 25 full-scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plants with enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR plants) have been intensively studied over several years. Most of the important bacterial groups involved in nitrification, denitrification, biological P removal, fermentation, and hydrolysis have been identified and quantified using quantitative culture-independent molecular methods. Surprisingly, a limited number of core species was present in all plants, constituting on average approx. 80% of the entire communities in the plants, showing that the microbial populations in EBPR plants are rather similar and not very diverse, as sometimes suggested. By focusing on these organisms it is possible to make a comprehensive ecosystem model, where many important aspects in relation to microbial ecosystems and wastewater treatment can be investigated. We have reviewed the current knowledge about these microorganisms with focus on key ecophysiological factors and combined this into a conceptual ecosystem model for EBPR plants. It includes the major pathways of carbon flow with specific organic substances, the dominant populations involved in the transformations, interspecies interactions, and the key factors controlling their presence and activity. We believe that the EBPR process is a perfect model system for studies of microbial ecology in water engineering systems and that this conceptual model can be used for proposing and testing theories based on microbial ecosystem theories, for the development of new and improved quantitative ecosystem models and is beneficial for future design and management of wastewater treatment systems.     

The thickening and treatment of sewage sludges to minimize phosphorus release

The Johannesburg City Council has operated biological and chemical nutrient removal wastewater treatment plants for the past 15–16 years. With the advent of more sophisticated sludge handling techniques, problems have been experienced with the recycle of phosphorus-rich sludge processing liquors to the liquid phase. These problems are expected to increase in the future. This paper describes laboratory and pilot scale experiments to determine viable methods for phosphorus removal from sludge liquors and ways of obviating phosphorus release from phosphorus-rich activated sludges. The design of new full-scale plants being constructed to pretreat phosphorus-rich sludges prior to dewatering are also discussed. The paper also describes innovative process layouts for sludge treatment keeping in mind various options for final sludge disposal. Emphasis is placed on the pre-aeration and phosphate precipitation from anaerobically digested and raw primary sludges and techniques for the thickening and dewatering of primary and waste activated sludges to minimize phosphate release into the liquors so produced. The technique of sludge thickening on linear screens is described and the coupling of linear screens to belt presses to complete the dewatering operation.     

连续进水、恒水位的改进型SBR系统

介绍了一种连续进水、恒水位的改进型SBR系统在生物脱氮除磷方面的应用及其动态模拟 ,讨论了该系统的动态模拟在工程设计中的应用及其数学模型基础 ,并通过工程实例解说了在满足不同出水要求方面的设计灵活性。生产规模系统自 1995年以来的运转实践表明 :运行可靠、操作简便、处理效果好。在加拿大寒冷气候条件下 ,年平均BOD5、总氮、总磷和TSS的去除率分别为 97%、81%、88%和 94 %。该改进型SBR系统的另一特点为剩余污泥浓度高 ,平均约为 2×10 4 mg/L ,这意味着与传统连续进水活性污泥工艺相比 ,可显著降低其污泥处理设施的造价     

污水处理系统中鸟粪石结垢的控制技术

在城市污水处理厂内,特别是采用生物法去除营养物质的污水处理厂内,如果不采取有效措施控制鸟粪石结垢的产生,将会引起严重的运行和管理问题.重点讨论了鸟粪石结垢的防范措施,包括:改进污水污泥处理工艺、调节污水污泥的pH、降低鸟粪石生成组分浓度、回收鸟粪石沉淀、污水污泥处理设备材料改性等.这些方法各有特点,应根据实际需要相互结合使用.     

生物除磷机理与新工艺

综述了生物除磷的PAO和DPB原理,介绍了PASF、Dephanox和A3N-SBR三种新的脱氮除磷工艺,从而达到提高脱氮除磷效果,消除水环境污染的目的。     

Milestones in the Development of the Activated-Sludge Process Over the Past Eighty Years (Abridged)

The biological filter was introduced during the latter part of the last century but, in 1913, a radical new process was developed which resulted in a four-fold reduction in the size of sewage-treatment plants. This new method was called the 'activated-sludge process', and whilst biological filters are still in use - especially for small works - activated sludge is now the dominant secondary treatment process and is the 'engine'around which modern treatment systems are constructed.
This paper (a) reviews the milestones in the evolution of the activated-sludge process from 1913 to 1954, centering on reliable removal of BOD and suspended solids, (b) highlights the improvements in design capabilities (1955-74), with the emphasis on the attainment of consistent nitrification, and (c) discusses the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus (1975-97), with brief reference to computer modelling and the control of sludge properties.     

Meeting the phosphorus consent with biological nutrient removal under UK winter conditions

It is estimated that up to 342 wastewater treatment plants (Wwtps) in England and Wales will require a phosphorus (P) consent by 2010. Although biological P removal is considered to be the most sustainable option for P removal, it has always been problematic for plants that remove both nitrogen and P due to the inadequate concentration of organic material during wet periods. Two biological nutrient removal (BNR) configurations, the Johannesburg (JHB) process and a combined JHB and five-stage Bardenpho process, were evaluated over a period of 2 years to assess the impact of sewage strength on bio-P removal. The JHB achieved an average effluent total phosphorus (TP) of 2.4 mg/L and the combined JHB and five-stage process averaged 1.4 mg/L effluent TP. The major problems affecting the performance of both configurations were: dissolved oxygen (DO) in the recycled mixed liquor, nitrate in the return activated sludge (RAS) and low influent biological oxygen demand (BOD) concentrations. Acetate dosing proved successful as a source of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the anaerobic zone during periods of low-strength sewage. An acetate dosing strategy based on the influent flow rate to the plant was found to be a simple and effective technique that ensured that a consent of <1 mg TP/L could be met.     

Assessment of plausible bioindicators for plant performance in advanced wastewater treatment systems

Three full-scale advanced biological systems for nitrogen removal showing different efficiencies were assessed during one year, to investigate the protist communities supported in these wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The main goal of this research was to explore the differences of these communities from those observed in conventional activated sludge systems. The final objective was to provide background support for the proposal of bioindicators in this type of biological systems, where scarce information was available until now, since only conventional systems had been previously studied from this point of view.Results obtained indicate that, in fact, protist population density and diversity in advanced systems for N-elimination are quite different from other wastewater systems studied before. A statistical approach through multivariate analysis was developed to search for association between protist species and physical-chemical system performance, and specifically N-removal efficiencies. The original hypothesis proposing that previous indicators from conventional systems are not adequate in advanced N-removal mechanisms was proved to be correct. Efficient processes on N-removal, despite what it had been usually found in conventional systems, show important flagellate and amoeba populations and these populations tend to reduce their abundances as nitrogen removal performance decreases (moderate to low). Ciliates are however less abundant in these N-removal efficient systems. Certain groups and genera of protist such as flagellates and small amoebae are thus proposed as indicative of high performance N-removal, while in this case the appearance of certain ciliates were indicative of low performance on N- or high organic matter removal (as COD) efficiencies.     

Effect of nitrite on phosphate uptake by phosphate accumulating organisms

In biological nitrogen removal processes, nitrite can be formed and accumulated through both nitrification and denitrification. Despite the fact that, in practice, biological phosphate removal (BPR) is often combined with biological nitrogen removal, there are only a few publications reporting the effect of nitrite on BPR. In this study, phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) were cultivated in an anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The effect of nitrite on the enrichment of the sludge with PAO, the phosphate uptake rates and the sludge respiration was investigated. The results indicate that (1) presence of nitrite inhibits both aerobic and anoxic (denitrifying) phosphate uptake, (2) aerobic phosphate uptake was more affected than anoxic phosphate uptake, (3) presence of nitrite could be one of the factors enhancing the presence of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAO)--competitors to PAO for substrate in the anaerobic phase, and (4) it is required to monitor and control nitrite accumulation in a full-scale wastewater treatment plants.     

Development of a biological filtration model applied for advanced treatment of sewage

A mathematical model of biological filtration process is developed in this paper. A biological filtration process has advantages that filtration action and biological activities are combined in a single reactor with aid of filter media. Both physical and biological functions are incorporated in this developed model to simulate both mechanisms. Backwashing is expressed by the assumption that a mean captured solids concentration is input as data, and a captured solids concentration is kept at that value during each filtration run. The developed model is applied to explain the experimental performance with biological filtration reactors, in which batch cultivation of autotrophic bacteria and continuous treatment of actual sewage are carried out. Its applicability is discussed by comparing the simulated results with the experimental data. This model can favourably estimate maximum accumulation of autotrophic bacteria on the medium in batch cultivation, long-term treatment performance in continuous treatment, details of water quality profiles through the filter bed, and biomass. Required hydraulic retention time for nitrification and an appropriate recirculation ratio in a winter season are discussed with this model. This model predicts that a HRT of 1.1 h or above is required to achieve nitrification with remaining NH4(+)-N of less than 1 mgN/L and that an appropriate recirculation ratio is 2-3.     

Sludge dewatering in a conventional plant with phosphorus removal-I: Analysis of additional costs

The aim of this research is to assess the differences in quantity and quality of sludges produced in a conventional activated sludge plant, modified for phosphorus chemical removal. Tests were carried out at the Cesenatico sewage treatment plant, where in summer phosphorus is removed simultaneously to the biological process with the aid of aluminium or ferrous sulphate. Characteristics of the sludge produced with or without phosphorus removal were compared. The sludge was then dewatered by a centrifuge and a filter-press on pilot scale and many tests were carried out under different operating conditions.In this part, the plant's most important performances are discussed with regard to phosphorus removal efficiency, sludge production, characteristics and dewaterability. The experiments showed that phosphorus could be removed up to residual concentration of 1.6 mg 1^?1 without detrimental effects on the biological process, with an increase of sludge production of 21 and 36% using aluminium or ferrous sulphate respectively. On the basis of experimental results a costs analysis was carried out to assess the costs for phosphorus removal, including the additional ones for sludge conditioning, dewatering and cake transport to landfill. It results that additional costs vary from 3290 to 6380 Lit per capita per year (29–54%). The higher costs refer to smaller plants (50,000 inhabitants), in which aluminium sulphate is used and sludge dewatered by centrifuge. The use of ferrous rather than aluminium sulphate allows savings of 1300–1600 Lit per capita per year.     

Experiences of Biological Iron and Manganese Removal in Finland

Even though groundwater resources in Finland are adequate, and theoretically the total water consumption could be supplied from this source, in practice only about 50% of the total consumption is from groundwater. There are thousands of unconnected small aquifers dispersed all over the country, and the use of these as water supplies is not economically possible.
Biological iron and manganese removal systems appear to be a promising alternative to chemical treatment. In Finland the following biological treatment systems are in use: (i) VYREDOX method; (ii) overland flow method; (iii) slow sand filtration; (iv) re-infiltration; and (v) biological reactors.
Active iron and manganese bacteria play the most essential role in all these applications, and different methods of removal are discussed in detail in the paper.     

城镇污水系统中病毒特性和规律相关研究分析

根据新型冠状病毒的生物学特征,研究了病毒在水体中的赋存状态,分析总结了国内外污水处理中病毒的相关研究,认为污水处理厂只要保持正常稳定运行,就能够有效降低污水中病毒的浓度,可阻断肠道病毒和呼吸道病毒通过污水处理厂出水进行传播。对比分析了污水处理消毒过程中的臭氧消毒、氯消毒、紫外线消毒工艺,现有研究表明再生水处理过程的多级屏障作用可以有效去除病毒,结合工艺控制可以保障出水安全。此外,指出了污水处理工艺中可能产生气溶胶风险的位置,给出了相应的防护建议。这对新冠肺炎期间指导城镇污水处理厂安全稳定运行,防止新型冠状病毒进一步传播扩散有着重要参考意义。     

水温对太湖流域城镇污水厂除污效果影响的调研

对太湖流域三个城市的6座城镇污水处理厂的污水水温变化及运行效果进行了分析,探索了温度对污水厂生物处理效果的影响规律。结果表明:江苏省太湖流域污水处理厂污水水温变化范围是9.6～31℃,年平均值为(20.3±6.0)℃;污水水温12℃的年概率约为9%;气温变化速率约为水温变化速率的1.7倍。污水水温对COD和TP的去除效果影响不明显;但污水水温降至15℃左右时,低温对活性污泥硝化反硝化性能的抑制作用开始逐渐增强,因此太湖流域大多数城镇污水处理厂采取了应对低温的各项强化措施。     

Biological hydrolysis and acidification of sludge under anaerobic conditions: the effect of sludge type and origin on the production and composition of volatile fatty acids

New wastewater treatment processes resulting in considerably reduced sludge production and more effective treatment are needed. This is due to the more stringent legislations controlling discharges of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and existing problems such as high sludge production. In this study, the feasibility of implementing biological hydrolysis and acidification process on different types of municipal sludge was investigated by batch and semi-continuous experiments. The municipal sludge originated from six major treatment plants located in Denmark were used. The results showed that fermentation of primary sludge produced the highest amount of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and generated significantly higher COD- and VFA-yields compared to the other sludge types regardless of which WWTP the sludge originated from. Fermentation of activated and primary sludge resulted in 1.9-5.6% and 8.1-12.6% COD-yields, soluble COD (SCOD)/total COD (TCOD), in batch experiments, respectively. The COD-yields for primary, activated and mixed sludge were 19.1%, 6.5% and 21.37%, respectively, in semi-continuous experiments operated at solids retention time (SRT) of 5d and temperature of 37 degrees C. The benefit of fermentation for full-scale application was roughly estimated based on the experiments performed in semi-continuous reactors. The results revealed that even though the VFA production of primary sludge was higher compared to activated sludge, substantial amounts of VFA could be produced by fermentation of activated sludge due to the substantially higher production of activated sludge in WWTPs.     

生物/化学组合工艺处理高盐榨菜废水的除磷效能

针对高盐度废水生物除磷的难点问题,采用生物/化学组合工艺处理高盐度、高磷、高氮的榨菜腌制废水,考察了运行工况、挂膜密度、排泥周期、药剂种类和投加量等对除磷效能的影响.试验结果表明:采用厌氧/生物除磷/生物脱氮/化学除磷组合工艺除磷高效、可行,当一级SBBR生物除磷单元的挂膜密度为60%、排泥周期为2 d、运行工况为进水(O.2 h)-厌氧(3 h)-好氧(6 h)-沉淀及排水(0.2 h),化学除磷单元按物质的量之比为9:1投加硫酸铝时,在进水COD及(PO3-4)-P分别为10 000 mg/L和38.5 mg/L的条件下,出水COD和(PO3-4)-P分别为90和0.1mg/L,去除率均达到了99%以上.生物除磷、生物脱氮、化学除磷单元的除磷分担率分别为56.6%、20.8%和22%.