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.     

An observation on sludge granulation in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal process

A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) seeded with flocculated sludge and fed with synthetic wastewater was operated for an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process. Eight weeks after reactor startup, sludge granules were observed. The granules had a diameter of 0.5 to 3.0 mm and were brownish in color and spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. No significant change was observed in sludge granule size when operational pH was changed from 7 to 8. The 208-day continuous operation of the SBR showed that sludge granules were stably maintained with a sludge volume index (SVI) between 30 to 55 mL/g while securing a removal efficiency of 83% for carbon and 97% for phosphorus. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed the enrichment of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) in the SBR. The observations of sludge granulation in this study encourage further studies in the development of granules-based EBPR process.     

Effects of anaerobic selector hydraulic retention time on biological foam control and enhanced biological phosphorus removal in a pure-oxygen activated sludge system.

Increased anaerobic selector hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in a high-purity oxygen activated sludge process resulted in an increase in soluble orthophosphate release and biodegradable chemical oxygen demand removal, confirming that enhanced biological phosphorus removal occurs at aeration solids retention times (SRTs) below 1.7 days. Under operating conditions that included biological foam trapping and recycling, an anaerobic selector with HRTs higher than 55 minutes resulted in a decrease in filament counts and effective foam control. Effective norcardioform control is achieved through the combination of metabolic selective pressure and increased soluble organic substrate removal in the anaerobic selector and low aeration SRT.     

温度对SBR强化生物除磷工艺除磷性能的影响

以厌氧/好氧交替运行的序批式反应器（SBR）为对象,利用荧光原位杂交技术（FISH）,研究了温度（20、25和30℃）对强化生物除磷（EBPR）的影响。结果表明,温度为20℃时,系统的磷去除率高于98%,厌氧释磷速率和好氧吸磷速率分别为55.70 mg P·（g VSS·h）-1和45.16 mg P·（g VSS·h）-1,聚磷菌（PAOs）占总细菌（EUB）的比例达到90%,而聚糖菌（GAO）的比例只有1%;温度升高到25℃后,除磷效果不断降低,释磷速率和吸磷速率逐渐下降,PAOs的比例下降,而聚糖菌（GAOs）的比例不断增加;温度为30℃时,出水水质恶化,磷去除率仅为67%,释磷速率和吸磷速率分别为33.66 mg P·（g VSS·h）-1和17.55 mg P·（g VSS·h）-1,GAOs的比例高达87%,而PAOs的比例仅为5%,在与PAOs的竞争中,GAOs处于优势,导致除磷效果降低。     

生物脱氮除磷活性污泥系统复合模拟方法

为避免繁琐的参数校核工作,提出了活性污泥2 d号模型(ASM2d)和人工神经网络(ANNs)相结合的复合模拟方法。考察了复合方法在某污水处理厂生物脱氮除磷工艺中的应用情况。研究表明,ANNs能够准确地模拟出水实测值与未经校核的ASM2d机理模型的估计值之间的差值。利用Levenberg-Marquardt算法,对出水氨氮、总氮和总磷分别建立网络结构为5-12-1、5-8-1和5-8-1的ANNs子模型,将这些子模型输出同ASM2d机理模型输出相加便得到复合模型输出。复合模型估计值对前10.4 d(ANNs子模型训练数据时段)出水氨氮、总氮和总磷浓度的拟合平均绝对百分比误差分别为0.267、0.055和0.048;其对后2.6 d(ANNs子模型测试数据时段)出水氨氮、总氮和总磷浓度的预测平均绝对百分比误差分别为0.332、0.083和0.069。均方根误差、平均绝对误差等评价指标也表明复合模型能够给出合理的模拟结果。     

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%.     

Immobilized cell augmented activated sludge process for enhanced nitrogen removal from wastewater.

The immobilized cell augmented activated sludge (ICAAS) system combines a cell immobilization technique and an offline enricher-reactor for the bioaugmentation of the activated sludge system to improve treatment performances. In this study, enhanced nitrogen removal using ICAAS was investigated. Laboratory-scale, offline, batch enricher-reactors were used to maintain nitrification and denitrification activities of coimmobilized nitrifiers and denitrifiers used to augment a laboratory-scale completely mixed activated sludge system (CMAS) treating synthetic wastewater. Cellulose triacetate was the media used to entrap nitrifiers and denitrifiers at a 2:1 mass ratio. The ICAAS augmented with the coimmobilized cells between 5 and 20% by volume gained 24 +/- 5% higher nitrogen removal than a control CMAS, which provided nitrogen removal of 28 +/- 7%. The ICAAS scheme is a viable alternative for upgrading existing activated sludge systems to gain better nitrogen removal. .     

铁盐化学除磷对活性污泥生物除磷系统的影响

在小型处理系统中生物除磷同步化学除磷简便易行,但加入的除磷剂本身和形成的化学沉淀物的积累可能会对生物系统造成影响。采用序批式生物反应器,对铁盐的2种投加剂量下对活性污泥系统的影响进行了研究。结果表明,向SBR系统中连续投加15 mg·L-1三氯化铁,表观上系统总体的除磷效率较未投加前有一定幅度的提高,活性污泥的沉降性能得到改善,但这削弱了系统的内在生物除磷效力。随着化学除磷的进行,系统污泥胞内PHA含量减少、糖原含量增加;污泥中PAOs相对数量下降而GAOs的相对数量显著增加,优势菌发生演替。结束投加后,污泥的活性可以缓慢恢复。说明该浓度下长时间连续进行同步化学与生物除磷,会对系统造成一定的损害,但这种损害在停止化学除磷后具有一定的可恢复性。而连续投加3 mg·L-1三氯化铁的SBR系统总体除磷效率较未投加前有所提高,且没有对生物除磷系统产生明显抑制作用,能够较好实现化学除磷和生物除磷的协同。     

复合生物膜-活性污泥反应器同步脱氮除磷

通过实验研究比较了复合生物膜-活性污泥反应器(HY)和传统活性污泥反应器(AS)的脱氮除磷效果。结果表明,在水力停留时间(HRT)16 h、污泥龄12～15 d、水温19～21℃、pH 6.3～7.8的条件下,复合生物反应器比活性污泥反应器运行更稳定,未发生污泥膨胀。在相同运行条件下,复合生物反应器对COD、TN和TP的去除率分别为95%、91%和98%,而活性污泥反应器对COD、TN和TP的去除率分别为85%、84%和90%。稳定工况下复合生物反应器的比硝化、比反硝化速率,比吸磷、比释磷速率均高于活性污泥反应器,且微生物相更加丰富。通过建立16S rDNA克隆文库发现生物膜和活性污泥的微生物群落结构均具有高度多样性,但生物膜微生物的微生物相比活性污泥更复杂。     

Optimization of enhanced biological phosphorus removal after periods of low loading.

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal is a well-established technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater. However, increased effluent phosphorus concentrations have been reported after periods (days) of low organic loading. The purpose of this study was to evaluate different operating strategies to prevent discharge of effluent after such low-loading periods. Mechanisms leading to these operational problems have been related to the reduction of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and their storage compounds (polyhydroxy alkanoates [PHA]). Increased effluent phosphorus concentrations can be the result of an imbalance between influent loading and PAOs in the system and an imbalance between phosphorus release and uptake rates. The following operating conditions were tested in their ability to prevent a reduction of PHA and of overall biomass during low organic loading conditions: (a) unchanged operation, (b) reduced aeration time, (c) reduced sludge wastage, and (d) combination of reduced aeration time and reduced sludge wastage. Experiments were performed in a laboratory-scale anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor, using acetate as the carbon source. Without operational adjustments, phosphorus-release rates decreased during low-loading periods but recovered rapidly. Phosphorus-uptake rates also decreased, and the recovery typically required several days to increase to normal levels. The combination of reduced aeration time and reduced sludge wastage allowed the maintenance of constant levels of both PHA and overall biomass. A mathematical model was used to explain the influence of the tested operating conditions on PAO and PHA concentrations. While experimental results were in general agreement with model predictions, the kinetic expression for phosphorus uptake deviated significantly for the first 24 hours after low-loading conditions. Mechanisms leading to these deviations need to be further investigated.     

Molecular characterization of denitrifying bacteria isolated from the anoxic reactor of a modified DEPHANOX plant performing enhanced biological phosphorus removal

Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR) under anoxic conditions was achieved using a Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) system based on a modification of the DEPHANOX configuration. Double-probe Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) revealed that Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) comprised 12.3 +/- 3.2% of the total bacterial population in the modified DEPHANOX plant. The growing bacterial population on blood agar and Casitone Glycerol Yeast Autolysate agar (CGYA) medium was 16.7 +/- 0.9 x 10(5) and 3.0 +/- 0.6 x 10(5) colony forming units (cfu) mL(-1) activated sludge, respectively. A total of 121 bacterial isolates were characterized according to their denitrification ability, with 26 bacterial strains being capable of reducing nitrate to gas. All denitrifying isolates were placed within the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subdivisions of Proteobacteria and the family Flavobacteriaceae. Furthermore, a novel denitrifying bacterium within the genus Pseudomonas was identified. This is the first report on the isolation and molecular characterization of denitrifying bacteria from EBPR sludge using a DEPHANOX-type plant.     

The mechanism of enhanced biological phosphorus removal washout and temperature relationships.

In this study, the combined effects of temperature and solids retention time (SRT) on enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) performance and the mechanism of EBPR washout were investigated. Two pilot-scale University of Cape Town (South Africa) systems fed with synthetic wastewater were operated at 5 and 10 degrees C. The results showed that the phosphorus removal performance was optimum at total SRT ranges of 16 to 24 days and 12 to 17 days for 5 and 10 degrees C, respectively, and steady-state phosphorus removal was greater at the lower temperature. Higher SRT values of up to 32 days at 5 degrees C and 25 days at 10 degrees C slightly reduced EBPR performance as a result of increased extent of endogenous respiration, which consumed internally stored glycogen, leaving less reducing power for poly-hydroxy alkanoate (PHA) formation in anaerobic stages. The phosphorus-accumulating organism (PAO) washout SRTs of the systems were determined as 3.5 days at 5 degrees C and 1.8 days at 10 degrees C, considerably less than the washout SRTs of nitrifiers. Polyphosphorus, the main energy reserve of the EBPR bacterial consortium, was not completely depleted, even at washout points. The inability of EBPR biomass to use glycogen to generate reducing power for PHA formation was the major reason for washout. The results not only suggest that glycogen mechanism is the most rate-limiting step in EBPR systems, but also that it is an integral part of EBPR biochemistry, as proposed originally by Mino et al. (1987), and later others (Pereira et al., 1996, Erdal et al., 2002; Erdal, Z. K., 2002). The aerobic washout SRT values (2.1 and 1.2 days for 5 and 10 degrees C, respectively) of this study did not fit the linear line for PAO washout developed by Mamais and Jenkins (1992). Perhaps this was because the feeds used during this study were chemical-oxygen-demand-limited (acetate-based synthetic feed), whereas the feeds used for their study were phosphorus-limited (external acetate added to domestic wastewater), resulting in different ratios of PAOs and nonPAOs in the biomass.     

污泥脱水滤液有机磷污染特征及强化去除

针对污水处理厂污泥脱水滤液有机磷污染现状,采用树脂分级、傅里叶红外光谱和气相色谱质谱等方法解析其污染特征和组分结构,进而开展强化去除研究,并初步探究OP的降解转化过程。结果表明：WX-A污泥脱水滤液OP和出水OP平均含量分别为10.1 mg·L⁻¹和0.16 mg·L⁻¹,脱水滤液的回流可能影响出水稳定;亲水性OP和疏水性OP平均含量分别为8.58 mg·L⁻¹和1.59 mg·L⁻¹,OP的生物利用度仅为23.8%,表明以难生物降解形态为主,进一步的组分解析结果验证了该推测;强化去除研究表明,最佳条件是O₃投加量为30 mg·L⁻¹、pH为12.0和H₂O₂投加量为1.5 mL,去除率高达82.9%。O₃/H₂O₂氧化技术可实现脱水滤液难降解OP的高效去除,从而保证出水达标排放。     

Toward a high-rate enhanced biological phosphorus removal process in a membrane-assisted bioreactor.

A membrane enhanced biological phosphorus removal (MEBPR) process was studied to determine the impact of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and solids retention time (SRT) on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, and phosphorus from municipal wastewater. The MEBPR process was capable of delivering complete nitrification independent of the prevailing operating conditions, whereas a significant improvement in COD removal efficiency was observed at longer SRTs. In the absence of carbon-limiting conditions, the MEBPR process was able to achieve low phosphorus concentrations in the effluent at increasingly higher hydraulic loads, with the lowest HRT being 5 hours. The MEBPR process was also able to maintain optimal phosphorus removal when the SRT was increased from 12 to 20 days. However, at higher suspended solids concentrations, a substantial increase was observed in carbon utilization per unit mass of phosphorus removed from the influent. These results offer critical insights to the application of membrane technology for biological nutrient removal systems.     

Anammox-HAP颗粒污泥型膨胀床反应器的氮磷同步去除能力及污泥特性

为实现集成、高效的氮磷处理,提高厌氧氨氧化工艺的运行稳定性及功能集成性,搭建了一种新型的anammox-HAP颗粒污泥型膨胀床反应器。设置了3个不同温度条件下的反应器,通过控制进入反应器中的钙、磷元素,以及调控反应器pH,探究了膨胀床反应器对氮、磷的同步去除能力,并对污泥特性进行了分析。结果表明：anammox-HAP颗粒污泥型膨胀床反应器在35、25、15℃条件下均可稳定运行,并能分别实现(44.90±0.32)、(17.12±0.97)、(8.79±0.14 ) g·(L·d)⁻¹的氮去除速率,且总氮去除率稳定维持在85%以上;磷元素以HAP核的形式聚集在anammox颗粒内部,可在随剩余污泥排出的同时进行回收;anammox-HAP反应器中颗粒污泥的沉降性能明显高于一般厌氧或anammox工艺中的颗粒污泥,并与颗粒中的磷含量正相关。本研究阐释了anammox-HAP颗粒污泥型膨胀床反应器的特点,可为废水中氮磷的处理提供参考。     

强化生物除磷的机理模型研究进展

主要论述了以乙酸盐及葡萄糖作为基质的强化生物除磷的相关机理模型。当以乙酸盐为底物时．重点需要明确导致工艺中微生物代谢模式差异的原因及厌氧条件下还原力供给方式的问题;当以葡萄糖为底物时．主要需要解决厌氧条件下供能方式以及各种微生物之间的关系。某些抑制条件(如供氧不足)可能会促进强化生物除磷效果的实现。强化生物除磷各种机理的差异主要由所驯化的优势微生物种类及其代谢模式不同而造成的。     

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.     

温度和pH值对活性污泥法脱氮除磷的影响

温度和pH值是影响污水脱氮除磷效果的2个重要因素.试验采用连续搅拌槽式反应器(continuous stirred tank reactor,CSTR),通过对不同温度和pH值条件下的硝化、反硝化、释磷和吸磷反应速率的测定,总结出温度和pH值对活性污泥生化反应速率的影响规律.试验表明,硝化和反硝化速率随温度的升高而加快.在5℃和33℃时,硝化速率分别为0.01 kg NH4 -N/(kg VSS·d)和0.28 kg NH4 -N/(kg VSS·d);在5℃和30℃时,反硝化速率分别为0.097 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d)和0.476 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d);但温度对吸磷和释磷速率的影响不大.pH值对硝化、反硝化、吸磷和释磷速率均有显著影响,在pH值为7.74时,硝化速率为0.095 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d);而在pH值为4.9和10.08时,硝化速率仅为0.005 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d)和0.006 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d).在pH值为7.85时,反硝化速率达到最大值0.36 kg NO3--N/(kg VSS·d);而在偏酸性和碱性条件下,反硝化速率显著下降.