Design Parameters and Considerations

Engineering projects which involve wastewater treatment always often are

bounded by predetermined sometimes unrealistically compressed timelines.

Hence the output rate for the waste water treatment facility is very critical in

achieving the objectives of the treatment project on or before the agreed

deadline. As a process which involves a series of sub processes, the output

rate of the wastewater treatment is highly dependent and restricted on the

sub process having the lowest rate of discharge.

Pretreatment

The pretreatment process involves the control of pH of the wastewater. To

oxidize iron and other metal ions present in the wastewater and be

converted into sludge the pH must be alkaline. Hence the process is highly

dependent on the rate of chemical reaction present in the mix. The oxidation

reaction in this type of solution is dependent on the pH level as well as the

diffusion rates within the solution. These factors are functions of the amount

of chemicals added as well as the aeration process which in effect is

dependent on the capacity of the aerator and holding time defined.

Membrane Filtration

Membrane filtration involves the use of a ceramic membrane in order to

isolate particles with dimensions greater than the mesh size of the

membrane. The discharge rate of this sub process hence is dependent on the
dimensions of the particle present in the feed water, filter mesh size and flow

rate of the feed water. The dimensions of the particles present are

dependent on the composition of the wastewater being treated. The target

clients for this particular service include companies from different type of

industries hence various types of wastes are probable feed water for the

treatment facility. The choice on the filter mesh size on the other hand is

dependent on the required particle size present in the filtrate or the treated

wastewater. Various agencies, institutions as well as clients require various

allowable particle dimensions in addition to other parameters prior to

discharge to the environment. Some of these requirements include the

Effluent Standards of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

contained in the DENR Administrative Order 2016-08. It is therefore critical

to choose the membrane which can discharge treated water with parameters

compliant to these requirements. The flow rate of the feed water into the

membrane directly affects the discharge rate. Increasing the inlet flow rate

to a certain threshold increases the discharge rate. It is critical however to

consider the presence of pressure buildup for this setup during filtration.

Increasing the flow rate increases the volume of feed water having particles

of different sizes. Hence pressure build up is more probable especially if the

particle present have sizes greater than the mesh size. It is therefore critical

to consider the threshold capacity of the ceramic membrane in determining

the optimum flow rate of the feed water without equipment failure.
Air Stripping

Air stripping removes strongly offensive gases present in the wastewater by

injecting ambient air into the solution. Lowering the feed water temperature

aids in the stripping process. It is therefore essential to consider the pump

capacity which injects the ambient air as well as the chiller capacity in

cooling the feed water. Higher discharge rates are possible with injection of

greater amounts of ambient air as well as the installation of an efficient and

appropriate cooling system.

pH Neutralizing

The pH of the solution at this process is controlled from an initial alkaline

nature to neutral pH. This is achieved through the addition of an acid which

lowers the pH of the feed water to neutral ranges. One factor that affects the

discharge rate is the property of the chemical added. In order to achieve the

highest possible discharge rate for this sub process, the chemical substance

to be added must be strongly acidic in nature and in the highest possible

concentration. The use of highly concentrated strong acid however requires

controlled dosing rate in order to avoid excessive lowering of pH. There is

also the increased risk in handling more concentrated acidic chemicals.

Ozonation

The ozonation process supplements the air stripping step in removing

odorous organic impurities in the wastewater. This is achieved by the

the waste water theoretically facilitate the removal process. Ozone in this

step is produced utilizing an ozone generator which converts oxygen gas into

ozone through corona discharge. Hence the discharge rate for this sub

process depends on the capacity of the ozone generator.

Granular Activated Carbon Filtration

The last step in the treatment process involves the removal of the remaining

impurities using activated carbon granules. The treated water is pumped to

the filtration setup and discharged out by gravity through the bottom of the

tank. The discharge rate at this process is highly dependent on the amount

and size of the granules used as well as the cross sectional diameter of the

tank. Using greater volume of finer granules of activated carbon lowers the

discharge rate compared to using lower amounts of carbon with greater

particle size. The former however is more effective in removing impurities

since it offers greater surface area for reaction to occur. In addition, smaller

tank diameter also reduces discharge rate assuming sufficient inlet flow rate

is present. Larger tank diameter equates to greater volume of waste treated

simultaneously.

In addition to the discharge rate, it is equally important to determine the

efficacy of the methods involved in the treatment processes. Each of the sub

processes involved in the treatment targets specific type of contaminants in

the wastewater. Though it is impossible to eliminate entirely the

required values set forth by various agencies or clients.