Understanding the granulation process of activated sludge in a biological phosphorus removal sequencing batch reactor

The granulation of activated sludge was investigated using two parallel sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) operated in biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal conditions though the reactor configuration and operating parameters did not favor the granulation. Granules were not observed when the SBR was operated in biological nitrogen removal period for 30 d. However, aerobic granules were formed naturally without the increase of aeration intensity when enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) was achieved. It can be detected that plenty of positive charged particles were formed with the release of phosphorus during the anaerobic period of EBPR. The size of the particles was about 5-20 μm and their highest positive ζ potential was about 73 mV. These positive charged particles can stimulate the granulation. Based on the experimental results, a hypothesis was proposed to interpret the granulation process of activated sludge in the EBPR process in SBR. Dense and compact subgranules were formed stimulated by the positive charged particles. The subgranules grew gradually by collision, adhesion and attached growth of bacteria. Finally, the extrusion and shear of hydrodynamic shear force would help the maturation of granules. Aerobic granular SBR showed excellent biological phosphorus removal ability. The average phosphorus removal efficiency was over 95% and the phosphorus in the effluent was below 0.50 mg L⁻¹ during the operation.     

Recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoate from activated sludge in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal bench-scale reactor.

A sequencing batch reactor was used to study the possibility of harvesting polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) processes without compromising treatment quality. Because, in EBPR, the highest PHA concentrations are observed after exposure of the sludge to anaerobic conditions, PHA accumulation was evaluated with collection of waste activated sludge (WAS) at the end of the anaerobic stage, in addition to the traditional removal after the aerobic stage. The system achieved good phosphorus removal, regardless of the point of WAS collection. When sludge was harvested at the end of the anaerobic stage, the PHA content of the sludge ranged from 7 to 16 mg PHA/100 mg mixed liquor volatile suspended solids. Although this level of PHA production is below levels obtained with pure cultures, the demonstrated ability to harvest PHA, while simultaneously satisfying phosphorus removal in an EBPR process, is a key initial step towards of the use of wastewater treatment plants for PHA production.     

Behaviors of intercellular materials and nutrients in biological nutrient removal process supplied with domestic wastewater and food waste.

A four-stage biological nutrient removal (BNR) process was operated to investigate the effect of anaerobically fermented leachate of food waste (AFLFW) as an external carbon source on nutrient removal from domestic wastewater having a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. The BNR system that was supplemented with AFLFW showed a good performance at a sludge retention time (SRT) of 30 days, despite low temperature. With this wastewater, average removal efficiencies of soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (T-N), and total phosphorus (T-P) were 88 to 93%, 70 to 74%, and 63 to 68%, respectively. In this study, several kinds of poly-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) were observed in cells. These included 24% poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), 41% poly-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHV), 18% poly-3-hydroxyhexanoate (PHH), 10% poly-3-hydroxyoctanoate (PHO), 5% poly-3-hydroxydecanoate (PHD). and 2% poly-3-hydroxydodecanoate (PHDD), indicating that microorganisms could store various PHAs through the different metabolic pathways. However, breakdown of the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) mechanism was observed when SRT increased from 30 to 50 days for the enhancement of nitrification. To study the effect of SRT on EBPR, a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system that was supplied with glucose was operated at various SRTs of 5, 10, and 15 days. Nitrification and denitrification efficiencies increased as SRT increased. However, the content of intracellular materials such as PHAs, glycogen. and poly-P in cells decreased. From these results, it was concluded that SRT should be carefully controlled to increase nitrification activity and to maintain biological phosphorus removal activity in the BNR process.     

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.     

颗粒化序列间歇式活性污泥反应器工艺处理化粪池污水

在序列间歇式活性污泥反应器(SBR)中成功培养出适应化粪池污水水质的好氧颗粒污泥.并将其应用于化粪池污水的处理.在好氧颗粒污泥培养的第15天左右,SBR中开始出现细小的颗粒,然后微生物在其上繁殖生长使颗粒逐渐增大而成熟;在第24天时,SBR中絮状活性污泥已基本实现了颗粒化.培养出的好氧颗粒污泥对化粪池污水有稳定的处理效果,在进水完全为化粪池污水时,COD、NH_4~+-N、TN的平均去除率分别为77%、61%、47%.但是,由于化粪池污水COD较低,因此无法维持较高的生物量,在后期的稳定运行过程中MLSS始终维持在2 500 mg/L左右.好氧颗粒污泥的同步硝化反硝化作用是其稳定脱氮的保证.     

低曝气下PAC强化SBR工艺同步脱氮除磷

采用序批式反应器(SBR)处理模拟生活污水,研究不同曝气量(30、24、18和12 L/h)下活性污泥同步脱氮除磷规律,并在最佳曝气量下,比较了粉末活性炭-序批式反应器(PAC-SBR)和SBR的脱氮除磷效率,分析了低曝气下PAC-SBR的运行特性和优越性。实验结果表明,当曝气量为24 L/h时,SBR内出水效果较好,其COD、TN和TP的平均去除率分别可以达到90.02%、81.13%和88.12%。在这个最佳曝气量下,PAC-SBR具有明显的优势,其COD、TN和TP的平均去除率均高于SBR,并且PAC-SBR具有较好的污泥沉降性能和较高的活性污泥浓度。在PAC-SBR中,活性污泥以PAC作为微生物载体强化了生物降解效果,并改善了低曝气下污泥絮体的结构,促使反应器内先后形成缺氧-厌氧-微氧/缺氧-缺氧的环境,利于同步硝化反硝化和反硝化聚磷,提高了PAC-SBR的同步脱氮除磷效率。     

非稳定状态下除磷过程的特点研究

为了研究非稳定状态下生物除磷的特点,采用序批式间歇反应器(SBR),通过不同的进水方式(连续进水和瞬时进水),系统地考察了进水体积、NOX-N、限制曝气等因素对除磷过程的影响。结果表明,在温度为(23±0.5)℃、pH为7.0～8.0时,厌氧搅拌期连续进水的比释磷量(单位质量污泥(以MLSS计)的释磷量(以PO43-P计))比瞬时进水时高出42.11%。在运行条件相似的情况下,厌氧搅拌期的比释磷量与每周期进水体积无关。相对于连续进水,瞬时进水更有助于促进微生物利用有机底物进行自身的生长。限制曝气对连续进水和瞬时进水的释磷过程都存在明显的影响,在DO小于0.1mg/L的情况下,2者的比释磷量相对非限制曝气时分别降低了57.14%和55.56%。在连续进水时,NOX-N的反硝化结束伴随着释磷速率的突然升高。利用贮存作用并不能每次都成功地抑制丝状菌污泥膨胀。     

反硝化聚磷菌群的培养驯化

以污水处理厂二沉池的活性污泥为种泥,采用SBR反应器初步完成了反硝化聚磷菌(DPB)的培养与驯化.在第1阶段的30 d里,污泥进行了厌氧-好氧驯化,聚磷菌好氧吸磷最终可基本稳定在85%左右,然后转变驯化条件进行第2阶段的厌氧-缺氧驯化,60 d后磷的去除率稳定在70%左右.通过实验得出,硝酸盐的消耗量与磷的吸收量基本呈线性关系,认为系统基本完成了污泥的驯化.     

厌氧／缺氧SBR反硝化除磷效能的研究

采用厌氧 缺氧SBR反应器对以硝酸盐作为电子受体的反硝化除磷过程进行了研究。结果表明 ,反硝化聚磷菌完全可以在厌氧 缺氧交替运行条件下得到富集。稳定运行的厌氧 缺氧SBR反应器的反硝化除磷效率 >90 % ,出水磷浓度 <1mg L。进水COD浓度对反硝化除磷的效率影响很大 ,在COD浓度 <180mg L时 ,进水COD浓度越高 ,除磷效率也就越高。较高浓度的进水COD浓度将导致有剩余的COD进入缺氧段 ,对反硝化吸磷构成不利影响。污泥龄为 16d时 ,厌氧 缺氧SBR反应器取得稳定和理想的反硝化除磷效果。污泥龄减少到 8d ,由于反硝化聚磷菌的流失导致反硝化除磷效率的下降。当污泥龄恢复到 16d时 ,经过一段时间的运行 ,反硝化聚磷菌重新得到富集 ,除磷效率恢复到 90 %以上。     

COD对生物除磷颗粒污泥稳定性影响研究

颗粒污泥稳定性是影响其应用的主要因素之一.以SBR中成熟的生物除磷颗粒污泥为研究对象,探讨进水COD浓度对系统稳定性的影响.结果表明,当进水COD浓度由300 mg/L逐渐升高到500 mg/L时,磷去除率由93%降低到88%;当进水COD浓度在400 mg/L以下时,污泥的最大比释磷速率和比吸磷速率分别为45.2 m...     

污泥转移SBR工艺处理低浓度生活污水

污泥转移SBR工艺是一种通过内部污泥回流实现污泥在不同SBR隔室间转移,从而增加污泥利用效率,提高系统除污效能的新工艺。以设计规模为240 m3/d、处理低浓度生活污水的工艺系统为对象,研究了新工艺在不同泥转移量(污泥回流比)下的除污性能,并与系统以传统SBR方式运行的情况进行了对比。结果表明,新工艺可以有效提高SBR反应器的容积利用率;采用30%的污泥回流比进行污泥转移,新工艺的处理能力比传统SBR工艺提高近1/2,除磷效率从46%提升至85%。出水各项水质指标均能达到国家排放标准的要求。     

Integrated physicochemical and biological treatment process for fluoride and phosphorus removal from fertilizer plant wastewater

The phosphate fertilizer industry produces highly hazardous and acidic wastewaters. This study was undertaken to develop an integrated approach for the treatment of wastewaters from the phosphate industry. Effluent samples were collected from a local phosphate fertilizer producer and were characterized by their high fluoride and phosphate content. First, the samples were pretreated by precipitation of phosphate and fluoride ions using hydrated lime. The resulting low- fluoride and phosphorus effluent was then treated with the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process to monitor the simultaneous removal of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Phosphorus removal included a two-stage anaerobic/aerobic system operating under continuous flow. Pretreated wastewater was added to the activated sludge and operated for 160 days in the reactor. The operating strategy included increasing the organic loading rate (OLR) from 0.3 to 1.2 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L.d. The stable and high removal rates of COD, NH4(+)-N, and PO4(3-)-P were then recorded. The mean concentrations of the influent were approximately 3600 mg COD/L, 60 mg N/L, and 14 mg P/L, which corresponded to removal efficiencies of approximately 98%, 86%, and 92%, respectively.     

剩余污泥水解酸化液磷去除的影响因素研究

城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化后可产生高浓度挥发性有机酸(VFAs),其中的乙酸和丙酸是增强生物除磷(EBPR)工艺的有利基质.但水解酸化液中含有大量的磷,如不进行处理就作为碳源回用到污水处理工艺中,势必增加除磷负荷.利用鸟粪石沉淀法可以去除污水中的磷.对城市污水厂剩余污泥水解酸化液形成鸟粪石的影响因素进行了试验研究.结果表明,在最佳工艺条件下,正磷和总磷的去除率分别可达92.5%和83.8%.     

低溶解氧污泥微膨胀污染物去除性能的研究

为了研究低溶解氧微膨胀状态下污染物的去除效果,采用SBR反应器,平均DO浓度为0.5～0.9 mg/L,通过好氧/缺氧(O/A)的运行方式,对污染物处理效果进行研究。结果表明：低溶解氧丝状菌污泥微膨胀状态下,SVI可稳定控制在200 mL/g左右,出水SS含量很低,COD去除率在80%以上,氨氮去除率90%以上,除磷效率在90%之上,出水水质良好,同时可以节约曝气量约46.7%。低溶解氧微膨胀状态下,可保证出水处理效果,污泥沉降性能影响小,同时可以节约动力费用。     

原位臭氧氧化污泥减量工艺的运行效能

采用ASBR/SBR原位臭氧污泥减量工艺,重点研究了原位臭氧氧化对SBR段污泥产率和出水水质的影响。两个相同的ASBR/SBR组合工艺同时运行,每隔3个周期向臭氧投加组SBR的曝气阶段原位间歇投加臭氧,臭氧投加量为0.027 g O3/g MLSS,连续运行40 d;对照组不投加臭氧作为对比。结果表明,原位臭氧氧化实现污泥减量约43.9%,臭氧投加组SBR段平均污泥产率系数为0.1447 g SS/g SCOD,而对照组为0.2580 g SS/g SCOD,投加组没有惰性污泥的累积,并且污泥沉淀性能得到改善。原位臭氧氧化对出水水质影响不大,投加组与对照组相比,臭氧投加3周期后的出水COD、NH4+-N、TN和TP平均值分别为47.8、0.76、14.1和6.4 mg/L,去除率分别下降了4%、2%、3%和7.7%,其中COD、NH4+-N和TN均能达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)一级A标准。     

Effects of reduced return activated sludge flows and volume on anaerobic zone performance for a septic wastewater biological phosphorus removal system.

Enhanced biological phosphorous removal (EBPR) performance was found to be adequate with reduced return-activated sludge (RAS) flows (50% of available RAS) to the anaerobic tank and smaller-than-typical anaerobic zone volume (1.08 hours hydraulic retention time [HRT]). Three identical parallel biological nutrient removal pilot plants were fed with strong, highly fermented (160 mg/L volatile fatty acids [VFAs]), domestic and industrial wastewater from a full-scale wastewater treatment facility. The pilot plants were operated at 100, 50, 40, and 25% RAS (percent of available RAS) flows to the anaerobic tank, with the remaining RAS to the anoxic tank. In addition, varying anaerobic HRT (1.08 and 1.5 hours) and increased hydraulic loading (35% increase) were examined. The study was divided into four phases, and the effect of these process variations on EBPR were studied by having one different variable between two identical systems. The most significant conclusion was that returning part of the RAS to the anaerobic zone did not decrease EBPR performance; instead, it changed the location of phosphorous release and uptake. Bringing less RAS to the anaerobic and more to the anoxic tank decreased anaerobic phosphorus release and increased anoxic phosphorus release (or decreased anoxic phosphorus uptake). Equally important is that, with VFA-rich influent wastewater, excessive anaerobic volume was shown to hurt overall phosphorus removal, even when it resulted in increased anaerobic phosphorus release.     

超声波处理回流剩余污泥对SBR工艺的污泥减量效能

在SBR中试系统中,采用较高声能密度较短时间的超声波处理剩余污泥后回流至系统连续运行20 d的方式进行污泥减量,通过分析测定系统MLSS、累计排泥量以及系统出水水质指标,考察了系统污泥减量效果及污泥回流对系统污水处理效果的影响。结果表明,对SBR系统2/3的剩余污泥用声能密度为1 W/mL的超声波预处理6 min后回流至SBR系统。SBR系统最终需处置的污泥量减少了45.64%,获得了理想的污泥减量效果。污泥回流后SBR系统对SS、COD、TN以及NH4+-N的去除效果均无明显变化,仅出水TP含量略高于对照的SBR,出水水质仍能达到《城镇污水处理厂污染物排放标准》(GB18918-2002)一级B标准。     

原位臭氧氧化对活性污泥系统硝化和反硝化作用的影响研究

将厌氧序批式间歇反应器(ASBR)和序批式间歇反应器(SBR)串联组成污泥减量新工艺,着重探讨了对SBR段进行原位臭氧投加时,臭氧氧化作用对系统硝化和反硝化能力的影响,并以不投加作为对照。结果表明,将臭氧原位投加到ASBR—SBR组合工艺的SBR段,臭氧投加量为0.027g(以每克MLSS计),每隔3个周期再次投加、连续运行40d,试验组SBR段臭氧投加当期出水COD去除率为86%,比对照组下降了9百分点,但臭氧氧化细胞内大量有机物进入混合液中,为反硝化作用提供了外加碳源,对污泥反硝化能力的提高起到了一定的促进作用;试验组部分硝化细菌由于臭氧的强氧化作用而失去活性,但是随着剩余污泥量的减少,系统的污泥龄延长,有利于硝化细菌的生长,使得系统的硝化能力基本未受影响;试验组臭氧投加当期SBR段出水NO2--N平均浓度比对照组的高18.9%,但经过3个周期的运行后,其SBR段出水NO2--N平均质量浓度降低至7.57mg/L,基本与对照组持平;试验组臭氧投加当期SBR段出水NO3--N的平均浓度高于对照组,但经过3个周期的运行后,试验组出水NO3--N平均浓度低于对照组;试验组臭氧投加当期SBR段出水TN和对照组的出水TN平均去除率分别为65%和75%,但试验组再经过3个周期的运行后,出水TN平均去除率可以达到72%。可见,原位投加臭氧并未对SBR段的硝化和反硝化能力产生明显的影响。     

Comparison of nitrification rates in conventional and membrane-assisted biological nutrient removal processes

A membrane-assisted and a conventional activated sludge system, both operated in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) mode and under identical operating conditions, were studied to investigate the effect of the membrane solids-liquid separation on nitrification activity. Both the membrane EBPR (MEBPR) and conventional EBPR (CEBPR) processes achieved stable and complete removal of ammonium-nitrogen from the influent wastewater. However, when the intrinsic nitrification activity was assessed in offline batch tests, the CEBPR mixed liquor exhibited 15 to 75% greater nitrification potential than the MEBPR counterpart. These results were further validated by monitoring nitrification rates of conventional mixed liquor as it evolved toward a membrane mixed liquor. It was also demonstrated that the larger aerobic mass fraction of the MEBPR system could not be the only factor influencing the reduced intrinsic nitrification rate. The present study strongly suggests that the presence of a membrane solids-liquid separation per se may be sufficient to alter the nitrification kinetics of an EBPR mixed liquor and that this possibility should be considered in arriving at an appropriate process design.     

Changes in anoxic denitrification rate resulting from prefermentation of a septic, phosphorus-limited wastewater.

A preliminary bench-scale study of parallel University of Cape Town (UCT) biological nutrient removal systems showed improvement in anoxic denitrification rates resulting from prefermentation of a septic (i.e., high volatile fatty acid [VFA] content), phosphorus-limited (i.e., total chemical oxygen demand/total phosphorus [TP] ratio < 40:1) wastewater. Net phosphorus removals due to enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) were only improved marginally by prefermentation in spite of significant increases in anaerobic phosphorus release, polyhydroxyalkanoate formation, and higher anoxic and aerobic uptakes. This probably was due to the high VFA/TP ratio in the raw influent relative to the VFA requirements for EBPR because enough VFAs were already present for phosphorus removal prior to prefermentation. An additional assessment of prefermentation using parallel UCT systems with step feed of 50% of the influent to the anoxic zone was completed. This second phase quantified the effect of prefermentation in a step-feed scenario, which prioritized prefermentation use to enhance denitrification rather than EBPR. While specific denitrification rates in the anoxic zone were significantly improved by prefermentation, high denitrification in the clarifiers and aerobic zones (simultaneous denitrification) made definitive conclusions concerning the potential improvements in total system nitrogen removal questionable. The prefermented system always showed superior values of the zone settling velocity and sludge volume index and the improvement became increasingly statistically significant when the prefermenter was performing well.