Improved computational model (AQUIFAS) for activated sludge, integrated fixed-film activated sludge, and moving-bed biofilm reactor systems, part II: multilayer biofilm diffusional model

Research was undertaken to develop a diffusional model of the biofilm that can be applied in lieu of a semi-empirical model to upgrade an activated sludge system to an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) or moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system. The model has been developed to operate with up to 12 cells (reactors) in series, with biofilm media incorporated to one or more of the zone cells, except the anaerobic zone cells. The values of the kinetic parameters for the model were measured using pilot-scale activated sludge, IFAS, and MBBR systems. The biofilm is divided into 12 layers and has a stagnant liquid layer. Diffusion and substrate utilization are calculated for each layer. The equations are solved simultaneously using a finite difference technique. The biofilm flux model is then linked to the activated sludge model. Advanced features include the ability to compute the biofilm thickness and the effect of biofilm thickness on performance. The biofilm diffusional model is also used to provide information and create a table of biofilm yields at different substrate concentrations that can be used in the semi-empirical model.     

Improved computational model (AQUIFAS) for activated sludge, integrated fixed-film activated sludge, and moving-bed biofilm reactor systems, Part I: Semi-empirical model development

Research was undertaken to develop a model for activated sludge, integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS), and moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) systems. The model can operate with up to 12 cells (reactors) in series, with biofilm media incorporated to one or more cells, except the anaerobic cells. The process configuration can be any combination of anaerobic, anoxic, aerobic, post-anoxic with or without supplemental carbon, and reaeration; it can also include any combination of step feed and recycles, including recycles for mixed liquor, return activated sludge, nitrates, and membrane bioreactors. This paper presents the structure of the model. The model embeds a biofilm model into a multicell activated sludge model. The biofilm flux rates for organics, nutrients, and biomass can be computed by two methods--a semi-empirical model of the biofilm that is relatively simpler, or a diffusional model that is computationally intensive. The values of the kinetic parameters for the model were measured using pilot-scale activated sludge, IFAS, and MBBR systems. For the semiempirical version, a series of Monod equations were developed for chemical oxygen demand, ammonium-nitrogen, and oxidized-nitrogen fluxes to the biofilm. Within the equations, a second Monod expression is used to simulate the effect of changes in biofilm thickness and fraction nitrifiers in the biofilm. The biofilm flux model is then linked to the activated sludge model. The diffusional model and the verification of the models are presented in subsequent papers (Sen and Randall, 2008a, 2008b). The model can be used to quantify the amount of media and surface area required to achieve nitrification, identify the best locations for the media, and optimize the dissolved oxygen levels and nitrate recycle rates. Some of the advanced features include the ability to apply different media types and fill fractions in cells; quantify nitrification, denitrification, and biomass production in the biofilm and mixed liquor suspended solids; and perform dynamic simulations.     

Improved computational model (AQUIFAS) for activated sludge, integrated fixed-film activated sludge, and moving-bed biofilm reactor systems, part III: analysis and verification

Research was undertaken to analyze and verify a model that can be applied to activated sludge, integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS), and moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) systems. The model embeds a biofilm model into a multicell activated sludge model. The advantage of such a model is that it eliminates the need to run separate computations for a plant being retrofitted from activated sludge to IFAS or MBBR. The biofilm flux rates for organics, nutrients, and biomass can be computed by two methods-a semi-empirical model of the biofilm that is relatively simpler, or a diffusional model of the biofilm that is computationally intensive. Biofilm support media can be incorporated to the anoxic and aerobic cells, but not the anaerobic cells. The model can be run for steady-state and dynamic simulations. The model was able to predict the changes in nitrification and denitrification at both pilot- and full-scale facilities. The semi-empirical and diffusional models of the biofilm were both used to evaluate the biofilm flux rates for media at different locations. The biofilm diffusional model was used to compute the biofilm thickness and growth, substrate concentrations, volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration, and fraction of nitrifiers in each layer inside the biofilm. Following calibration, both models provided similar effluent results for reactor mixed liquor VSS and mixed liquor suspended solids and for the effluent organics, nitrogen forms, and phosphorus concentrations. While the semi-empirical model was quicker to run, the diffusional model provided additional information on biofilm thickness, quantity of growth in the biofilm, and substrate profiles inside the biofilm.     

Competition between polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms in enhanced-biological-phosphorus-removal systems: effect of temperature and sludge age.

Temperature and sludge age were found to be important factors in determining the outcome of competition between polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen-accumulating non-polyphosphate organisms (GAOs) and the resultant stability of enhanced-biological-phosphorus removal (EBPR). At 20 degrees C and a 10-day sludge age, PAOs were dominant in an anaerobic/aerobic (A/O) sequencing-batch reactor (SBR), as a result of their higher anaerobic-acetate-uptake rate and aerobic-biomass yield than GAOs. However, at 30 degrees C and a 10-day sludge age, GAOs were able to outcompete PAOs in the A/O SBR because of their higher anaerobic-acetate-uptake rate than PAOs. At 30 degrees C and a 5-day sludge age, GAOs coexisted with PAOs in the A/O SBR, resulting in unstable EBPR performance. At 30 degrees C, reducing the sludge age from 5 to 3 days improved the EBPR efficiency drastically, and the EBPR performance was stable. The maximum specific-anaerobic-acetate-uptake rates of GAO-enriched sludge were affected by temperature with the Arrhenius temperature coefficient theta of 0.042 (degrees C(-1) between 10 and 30 degrees C. The effect of sludge age (5 and 10 days) on the maximum specific-anaerobic-acetate-uptake rates of GAO-enriched activated sludge, however, was not significant. For the PAO-enriched activated sludge, the maximum specific-anaerobic-acetate-uptake rate did not change significantly between 20 and 30 degrees C, but significantly increased from 0.38 to 0.52 mmol-C/ mmol-C/h as the sludge age decreased from 10 to 3 days at 30 degrees C.     

Estimation of the intrinsic maximum substrate utilization rate using batch reactors with denitrifying biofilm: a proposed methodology.

A method for estimation of the maximum substrate utilization rate (q(max)) using batch reactors with denitrification biofilm was introduced and compared with the traditional method of using batch reactors with suspended growth for q(max) estimation. The values of q(max) obtained from the suspended-growth reactors (0.69 to 0.71 g N/g volatile suspended solids [VSS] x d) and from the attached-biomass reactors (0.74 to 0.85 g N/g VSS x d) are similar and within the range of the values reported in the literature (0.23 to 2.88 g N/g VSS x d). Therefore, the intrinsic kinetic parameter, q(max), can be obtained using attached-growth batch reactors, if the effectiveness factor, eta, is approximately equal to 1 and the bulk concentration of the rate-limiting substrate, C, is much higher than the half-velocity constant, K(S). The attached-growth batch reactor method is unique, because the biomass used in the batch tests is the same as that present in the parent reactor under investigation.     

Piggery waste treatment by using down-flow anaerobic fixed bed reactors

A study of the role of the depth in the performance of laboratory-scale down-flow anaerobic fixed-bed reactors (DFAFBR) was carried out at different nominal hydraulic retention times (HRT(N)) using piggery waste as substrate at different influent concentrations (2, 4, 6 and 8 g COD/L). The profiles of soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) (SCOD), organic nitrogen (O.N.), ammonia nitrogen (A.N.), pH and electrical conductivity (E.C.) through the reactor depths showed an initial highly active zone, which was located around the first half of the reactor depth, and a second zone with a lower biological activity. It was found that the depth of the active zone decreased as the HRT(N) increased and that the slopes of the profiles obtained increased with the rise in the influent concentration. A hydraulic test showed an increase in the dispersion number when the HRT(N) increased. The reactors showed a hydraulic pattern between plug-flow and back-mix. The real values of HRT (Theta) also defined as real contact times were determined to be 0.7, 2.1, 3.4, 4.7, 6.4 and 8 days for values of HRT(N) of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days, respectively. It was found that the concentration of SCOD within the reactor decreased exponentially with the increase in the value of theta. Additionally, the influent concentration had a strong influence on the SCOD variation concentration, mainly at values of theta under 1.5 days, which corresponded to the first part of the reactors.     

Effect of recycle-to-influent ratio on activities of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in a combined UASB-activated sludge reactor system

A laboratory study using a combined upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB)-activated sludge (AS) reactor system was undertaken to explore the effect of recycle-to-influent ratio (R(e)=1, 2, and 3) on the activities of nitrifiers and denitrifiers. Suspended-solids pre-settled piggery wastewater was used as the substrate-feed wastewater. At the R(e) of 1-3, the combined reactor system achieved efficient removal of COD (96-97%), TKN (100%) and total nitrogen TN (54-77%). Methanogenesis occurred with nearly-complete denitrification in the UASB reactor, whereas complete nitrification took place in the AS reactor. A higher R(e) (i.e., accompanied with a shorter solids retention time) resulted in a larger amount of high-activity denitrifiers and thereby achieved a higher TN removal efficiency. Compact granules and a high biomass concentration in the UASB reactor were observed. At the R(e) of 1-3, the maximum specific reaction rate of nitrifiers (0.45-0.49 NH(4)(+)-NmgVSS(-1)d(-1)) and the specific nitrification rates of mixed culture (0.18-0.22mg NH(4)(+)-NmgVSS(-1)d(-1)) in the AS reactor varied slightly; whereas the maximum specific reaction rate of denitrifiers (0.18-0.27mg NO(x)(-)-NmgVSS(-1)d(-1)) and the specific denitrification and COD removal rates of mixed culture (0.025-0.050mg NO(x)(-)-NmgVSS(-1)d(-1); 0.24-0.31mgCODmgVSS(-1)d(-1)) in the UASB reactor increased with increasing R(e). The primary finding of the study is that the combined UASB-AS reactor system should be operated at a higher R(e) to maintain high-activity denitrifiers to remove organic materials and nitrogen from piggery wastewater.     

Investigation of Cr(VI) reduction in continuous-flow activated sludge systems

The aim of this research was to investigate hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), reduction by activated sludge and to evaluate the use of continuous-flow activated sludge systems for the treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater. Three series of experiments were conducted using two parallel lab-scale activated sludge systems. During the first experiment, one system was used as a control, while the other received Cr(VI) concentrations equal to 0.5, 1, 3 and 5mg l(-1). For all concentrations added, approximately 40% of the added Cr(VI) was removed during the activated sludge process. Determination of chromium species in the dissolved and particulate phase revealed that the removed Cr(VI) was sorbed by the activated sludge flocs mainly as trivalent chromium, Cr(III), while the residual chromium in the dissolved phase was mainly detected as Cr(VI). Activated sludge ability to reduce Cr(VI) was independent of the acclimatization of biomass to Cr(VI) and it was not affected by the toxic effect of Cr(VI) on autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. During the second experiment, both systems were operated under two different hydraulic residence time (theta equal to 20 and 28h) and three different initial organic substrate concentration (COD equal to 300, 150 and 0mg l(-1)). Cr(VI) reduction was favored by an increase of theta, while it was limited by influent COD concentration. Finally, at the last experiment the effect of anoxic and anaerobic reactors on Cr(VI) reduction was investigated. It was observed that the use of an anoxic zone or an anaerobic-anoxic zone ahead of the aerobic reactor favored Cr(VI) reduction, increasing mean percentage Cr(VI) reduction to almost 80%.     

Comparison of bio-dissolution of spent Ni-Cd batteries by sewage sludge using ferrous ions and elemental sulfur as substrate

Bioleaching of spent Ni-Cd batteries using acidified sewage sludge was carried out in a continuous flow two-step leaching system including an acidifying reactor and a leaching reactor. Two systems operated about 30d to achieve almost complete dissolution of heavy metals Ni, Cd and Co in four Ni-Cd batteries. Ferrous sulphate and elemental sulfur were used as two different substrates to culture indigenous thiobacilli in sewage sludge. pH and ORP of the acidifying reactor was stabilized around 2.3 and 334mV for the iron-oxidizing system and 1.2 and 390mV for the sulfur-oxidizing system. It was opposite to the acidifying reactor, the pH/ORP in the leaching reactor of the iron-oxidizing system was relatively lower/higher than that of the sulphur-oxidizing system in the first 17d. The metal dissolution, in the first 12-16d, was faster in the iron-oxidizing system than in the sulphur-oxidizing system due to the lower pH. In the iron-oxidizing system, the maximum solubilization of cadmium (2500mg l(-1)) and cobalt (260mg l(-1)) can be reached at day 6-8 and the most of metal nickel was leached in the first 16d. But in the sulphur-oxidizing system there was a lag period of 4-8d to reach the maximum solubilization of cadmium and cobalt. The maximum dissolution of nickel hydroxide (1400mg l(-1)) and metallic nickel (2300mg l(-1)) occurred at about day 12 and day 20, respectively.     

Oily wastewater treatment using a novel hybrid PBR-UASB system

In this study, anaerobic treatability of oily wastewater was investigated in a hybrid reactor system consisting of a packed bed reactor (PBR) followed by an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor at 35 degrees C. The system was operated using real pet food wastewater at different hydraulic retention times and loading rates for 165 d. The PBR was packed with sol-gel/alginate beads containing immobilized enzyme which hydrolyzed the oil and grease (O&G) into free long chain fatty acids, that were biodegraded by the UASB. The hybrid system was operated up to an oil loading rate of 4.9 kg O&Gm(-3)d(-1) (to the PBR) without any operational problems for a period of 100 d, with COD and O&G removal efficiencies above 90% and no sludge flotation was observed in the UASB. Beads supplement to the PBR was less than 2 g d(-1) and the relative activity was about 70%. Further increment in O&G loading to 18.7 kg O&Gm(-3)d(-1) caused destabilization of the system with 0.35% (v float/v feed) sludge float removed from the UASB.     

好氧颗粒污泥的特点及其研究进展

综述了好氧颗粒污泥的基本特征和微生物相、好氧颗粒污泥形成的主要影响因素及其颗粒化反应器等。好氧颗粒污泥是近几年发现的在好氧条件下自发形成的细胞自身固定化过程 ,是生物膜特殊的生长形式。颗粒污泥具有良好的沉降性能、较高的生物量和在高容积负荷条件下降解高浓度有机废水的良好生物活性。污泥颗粒化过程是一个多阶段的过程 ,取决于废水组成及其操作条件的选择。在气提式内循环间歇反应器 (internalcirculatesequencingbatchairliftreac tor ,ICSBAR )中易于培养出性能良好的好氧颗粒污泥。     

Measuring biomass specific ammonium, nitrite and phosphate uptake rates in aerobic granular sludge

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology offers the possibility to remove organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in a single reactor system. The granular structure is stratified in such a way that both aerobic and anaerobic/anoxic layers are present. Since most of the biological processes in AGS systems occur simultaneously, the measurement and estimation of the capacity of specific conversions is complicated compared to suspended biomass. The determination of the activities of different functional groups in aerobic granular sludge allows for identification of the potential metabolic capacity of the sludge and aids to analyze bioreactor performance. It allows for comparison of different sludges and enables improved understanding of the interaction and competition between different metabolic groups of microorganisms. The most appropriate experimental conditions and methods to determine specific ammonium, nitrite and phosphate uptake rates under normal operation of AGS reactors were evaluated and described in this study. Extra biomass characterization experiments determining the maximum uptake rate of these compounds on optimized conditions were performed as well to see how much spare capacity was available. The methodologies proposed may serve as an experimental frame of reference for investigating the metabolic capacities of microbial functional groups in biofilm processes.     

Hybrid reactor system for wastewater treatment – application and approach of modelling

Wastewater treatment by the hybrid reactor system has become wide-spread as it provides advantages of both the suspended and attached growth phase at the same time. It may be used to treat some rate-limiting substrate, priority pollutants, volatile organic compounds etc. as well as for nitrification. This versatile nature of hybrid reactor demands for a detailed investigation on the mechanism, mode of operation, different applications and major configurations available. The present article is devoted to explore these issues with respect to previous background and successive development in this area. Apart from the laboratory and pilot-scale study, some industrial applications have been overviewed to understand the performance of hybrid reactor in the concerned field. The approach of modelling for the hybrid reactor system is also demonstrated with the hypothetical data set. A comprehensive details about major hybrid processes is presented along with their schematic diagrams. The review on hybrid process revealed that it would be economic for upgradation of existing activated sludge system, ensuring carbonaceous oxidation and nitrification in a single reactor and treatment of slowly bio-degradable substances also.     

复合生物反应器工艺对化纤废水的处理研究

在普通活性污泥系统的曝气池中投加一定量的填料构成复合生物反应器 ,可以增加曝气池中的生物体量至 6g/L左右 ,在HRT为 8h ,泥龄为 5d时 ,CODCr、氨氮的去除率分别提高了 2 0 %和9.6% ,容积负荷对复合生物反应器的脱氮能力影响较小。该工艺对污泥膨胀有较好的控制     

SBBR挂膜前活性污泥培养与驯化的研究

在序批式生物膜反应器（SBBR）挂膜前驯化活性污泥对养猪场废水进行生物降解实验。结果表明,在驯化期结束时,COD和NH₃-N的去除率分别达到85%和74%。对驯化过程中出现的污泥膨胀、上浮、泡沫等异常现象进行了分析,并提出了相应的解决措施。     

Estimation of autotrophic maximum specific growth rate constant--experience from the long-term operation of a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor system

The autotrophic maximum specific growth rate constant, muA,max, is the critical parameter for design and performance of nitrifying activated sludge systems. In literature reviews (i.e., Henze et al., 1987; Metcalf and Eddy, 1991), a wide range of muA,max values have been reported (0.25 to 3.0 days(-1)); however, recent data from several wastewater treatment plants across North America revealed that the estimated muA,max values remained in the narrow range 0.85 to 1.05 days(-1). In this study, long-term operation of a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor system was investigated for estimating this coefficient according to the low food-to-microorganism ratio bioassay and simulation methods, as recommended in the Water Environment Research Foundation (Alexandria, Virginia) report (Melcer et al., 2003). The estimated muA,max values using steady-state model calculations for four operating periods ranged from 0.83 to 0.99 day(-1). The International Water Association (London, United Kingdom) Activated Sludge Model No. 1 (ASM1) dynamic model simulations revealed that a single value of muA,max (1.2 days(-1)) could be used, despite variations in the measured specific nitrification rates. However, the average muA,max was gradually decreasing during the activated sludge chlorination tests, until it reached the value of 0.48 day(-1) at the dose of 5 mg chlorine/(g mixed liquor suspended solids x d). Significant discrepancies between the predicted XA/YA ratios were observed. In some cases, the ASM1 predictions were approximately two times higher than the steady-state model predictions. This implies that estimating this ratio from a complex activated sludge model and using it in simple steady-state model calculations should be accepted with great caution and requires further investigation.     

Fluorescence-based monitoring of tracer and substrate distribution in an UASB reactor

In this work, rhodamine-related fluorescence was measured on-line at four reactor heights in order to study hydrodynamics within an upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor. A linear dependence of the dispersion coefficient (D) on the upflow velocity was observed, while the influence of the organic loading rate (OLR) was insignificant. Furthermore, the Bodenstein number of the reactor loaded with granulated sludge was found to be position-dependent with the largest values measured at the bottom of the sludge bed. This trend was not observed in the reactor without sludge. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were measured at the same reactor heights as in rhodamine tests using conventional off-line analytical methods and on-line multiwavelength fluorometry. Significant spatial COD and VFA gradients were observed at organic loading rates above 6g COD l(R)(-1)d(-1) and linear upflow velocities below 0.8m h(-1).     

Microbial activity in a combined UASB-activated sludge reactor system

A combined upflow anaerobic sludge bed-activated sludge (UASB-AS) reactor system with consistently wasting of excess biomass was used to treat suspended-solids pre-settled piggery wastewater (COD=2000 mg l(-1), total Kjeldahl nitrogen TKN=400 mg l(-1), suspended solids=250-400 mg l(-1)). Thus, the activity of nitrogen-related microbial groups in each individual bioreactor was investigated. When the granules retention time (GRT) of 20-50 d in the UASB reactor, the solids retention time (SRT) of 10-25 d in the AS reactor and the recycle-to-influent ratio (Re) of 1 were maintained, the combined system removed 95-97% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 100% of TKN and 54-55% of total nitrogen (TN). Denitrification and methanogenesis occurred in the UASB reactor so that both biochemical processes contributed to most of the COD removal and, complete nitrification (most of the TKN removal) occurred in the AS reactor. Compact granules with good settling abilities developed in the UASB reactor, and rapid rates of granulation of break-up granules in the UASB reactor were confirmed by experiments. The activity of nitrifiers and denitrifiers (an=0.68-0.87; adn=0.55-0.70) and the calculated specific nitrification and denitrification rates (qn=0.26-0.47 mg NH4+ -N mg VSS(-1)d(-1); qdn=0.046-0.076 mg NOx- -N mg VSS(-1)d(-1)) significantly increased with decreasing SRT and GRT, respectively. Accordingly, the combined UASB-AS reactor system should be regarded a promising alternative for the removal of organic carbon and nitrogen from piggery wastewater.     

2种UASB的ANAMMOX与反硝化协同作用对比研究

采用2套UASB-ANAMMOX反应器处理垃圾渗滤液,其中反应器2具有生物膜,对反应器在有机环境下的ANAMMOX与反硝化协同作用进行对比研究。在稳定期,反应器1和反应器2对氨氮、亚硝氮、TIN、COD的平均去除率分别为95.7%、95.9%、77.3%、70.3%和97.4%、96.4%、87.2%、74.8%。反应器1对TIN和COD最大容积去除率为112.2和107.7 g/(m3.d),反应器2对TIN和COD最大容积去除率为120.5和119.9 g/(m3.d)。结果表明,过高的负荷会对反应器产生抑制作用,且当抑制产生后协同作用难以恢复到原来水平。在厌氧氨氧化与反硝化协同作用良好时,pH值和碱度均存在特征性变化。总体上,反应器2比反应器1具有更强的厌氧氨氧化与反硝化协同作用和抗负荷冲击能力。     

活性污泥与生物膜复合工艺处理石化废水的研究

实验研究了活性污泥与生物膜复合工艺(HP)对石化废水的处理效果,并与活性污泥工艺(ASP)进行对比研究.结果表明,HP对石化废水中COD的去除效果略好于ASP,而对NH3-N的去除效果明显优于ASP.另外,两种工艺对硫化物和油的去除效果类似.提高进水负荷时,HP表现出较强的耐冲击负荷能力.以2L/h连续运行时,石化废水...