Secondary Treatment Methods

• Contact Bed

• Intermittent sand filter

• Theory and design of Trickling filter,

Activated Sludge Process

• Trickling filter-High rate, Standard

• Rotating Biological contractor

• The effluent from primary sedimentation tank contains 60-80% of unstable
organic matter originally present in sewage.

• The colloidal organic matter, which passes the primary clarifiers, without settling
there, has to be removed by further treatment. This further treatment of sewage
called secondary or biological treatment.

• All the secondary treatment process, are designed to work on aerobic bacterial
decomposition.
 Contact Bed
• It is also known as contact filters

• Sewage is kept in contact with filtering media for a certain period

• The sewage percolates through the filtering media, fine colloidal organic matter
is trapped between the particles of the filtering media

• Due to this a film of organic matter is formed around the particles of filtering
media

• A large number of aerobic bacteria present in the sewage will get attached to the
filter sand and will, thus, be present in the biofilm.
• The bacteria will carry out the oxidation of the organic matter present in this film,
by the process of aerobic decomposition.

• To make sufficient oxygen available for the growth of aerobic bacteria, the filter is
left empty (without any sewage) for a certain period ( that is second contact
period).

• The filter, during this period, will absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, and will
complete the oxidation process. It constitutes one cycle of operation.

• The stabilised organic matter on the first cycle will be washed away by the fresh
sewage in the next cycle of operation.
Construction details

 A contact bed is a water tight rectangular tank filled with a filtering media.

 It consisting of gravel ballast, or broken bricks or stones the size of the media
particles may vary between 20 to 40 mm.
 The depth of the filtering media varies between 1 to 1.8 metres.(1.2m)

 The tanks are generally dug below the ground level, and are provided with water
tight concrete lining.
 A syphonic dosing tank is generally provided to serve two or three contact beds.
 The dosing tank will receive sewage from the primary sedimentation tanks, and
will supply it to the different contact beds, at regular intervals by the timed
syphonic action.

• Ordinary tanks without syphons, and operated manually by valves may also be
used.

• The sewage percolating through the filtering media is collected at the bottom by a
system of suitably laid open-jointed under under-drains.
Performance and rate of loading
 The effluent obtained from the contact beds is slightly turbid and odourless

 It removes about 80 % of the suspended solids and 60 to 75 % of the BOD.

 But due to its intermittent operation the rate of loading is very low; and it should not
exceed 110 litres per day per sqm of the filter for beds of 1.2 to 1 m depth.
 With the passage of time as the filtering media goes on clogging more and more the
rate of loading is reduced .
 Accordingly after 4 to 5 years the beds become almost fully clogged and are
removed, washed and dried.
Use

• Their rate of loading is quite less and they thus require large land areas for their
installation.

• The intermittent Operation requires continuous attendance.

 Intermittent Sand Filter for Biological filtration of
sewage
• Now it is rarely used because of their large land requirements.

• It is like contact beds, with the difference that the contact media is finer than that
in the contact bed.
Construction and operation

 It consists of an underground rectangular tank, 1 to 1.25 m deep.

 1000 to 4000 sq.m in plan, and made by excavating the earth without any lining
on sides or bottom.
 The sand (i.e. filter media) is filled in this tank to a depth of about 0.75 to 1.05 m.
 The bottom of the tank is made sloping gently towards the under-drains, which are
placed at about 9 m apart in trenches below the bottom of the sand.
 A syphonic dosing tank is generally provided to serve filter beds.

• The dosing tank will receive sewage from the primary sedimentation tank, and
apply it to the different filter beds, at regular intervals by the timed syphonic
action.
• The sewage from the dosing tank is spread intermittently over the filter bed,
through distribution pipes.

• The distribution pipes are laid at about 9 to 18 m apart.

• The depth of sewage applied to the entire filter bed is about 5 to 7.5 cm

• The sewage percolates through the bed ,the suspended organic matter present in
sewage gets trapped in the voids between the particles of the filtering media.

• The trapped organic matter is decomposed by the aerobic bacteria which can
flourish well in the presence of free oxygen from the atmosphere.
Design criteria

 Rectangular in plan with an area of about 1000 to 4000 sq.m.

 length to width ratio as about 3 to 4.

 Depth of sand varies between 0.75 to 1.05 m.

 The sand used in the filtering media should be clean and sharp, with an effective
size (D10) of about 0.2 to 0.5 mm and uniformity coefficient ( D60/D10) ranging
between 2 to 5.
• If the finer sand is used, the filter will be rapidly clogged.

• If the coarser sand is used , the penetration of the solids will be too deep, and the
distribution of sewage will be difficult.

• The top 15 cm layer of this sand may be kept of finer variety than that of the rest,
which is generally kept uniform in grain size.

• If different gradation of sand are used , then the coarsest layer should be placed
near the bottom, and the finest towards the top.

• Bottom layer of about 15 cm of gravel placed, so as to facilitate the drainage of

the effluent.
• The rate of loading for the intermittent sand filters is less than that permitted for the contact
beds ( which contain coarser filtering media).

• The hydraulic loading ( ie the rate at which the sewage is applied) ranges between 80 to 110
litres per day per sq.m of plan area of the filter bed.

• To apply sewage dose for 24 hrs on one bed, and then to apply it on the second bed,
keeping the first bed at rest.
Cleaning of the filter

• The condition of a filter bed , in relation to the extend of its clogging, should be carefully
observed; and if necessary, the bed should be put out of operation, when it requires cleaning
or rest.
• The septic conditions are more likely to occur, when the top layers of the sand are
clogged due to known oxidation of some suspended solids, which are transferred into
humus.

• In such case , the top 5 to7.5 cm sand layer may be raked and replaced by clean sand.

Performance and use

• The effluent obtained from an intermittent sand filter is of excellent quality.

• With suspended solids less than 10 ppm, and BOD less than 5 ppm.

• This filters require large land areas, and huge quantities of sand for their installations, as
their rate of loadings are very low.

• These filters cannot, therefore be economically used at larger plans.

 Trickling filters for biological filtration of sewage
• conventional trickling filters and improved forms, known as high rate trickling filters.

• It is also called as percolating filters or sprinkling filters

• It consists of tanks of coarser filtering media over which the sewage is allowed to
sprinkle or trickle down by means of spray nozzle or rotary distributors.

• The percolating sewage is collected at the bottom of the tank through a well designed
under drainage system.

• The sewage is allowed to sprinkle over filter media through nozzles or rotary
distributors.
• The biological purification is mainly done by aerobic bacteria which form a
bacterial film known as biofilm or slime layer around filter media.

• This biofilm layer is aerobic only upto a depth of 0.1 to 0.2mm and remaining part
is anaerobic.

• The organic matter is degraded by aerobic micro organisms on the outer portion of
biofilm.

• The food concentration is high at the outer surface of biofilm hence the growth of
micro organisms is more at the outer surface of the biofilm.

• The most diffused oxygen is consumed by micro organism at the outer surface
• Hence the anaerobic environment is developed near the inner surface of the
biofilm.

• As the biological film continues to grow, the microorganisms near the surface lose
their ability to cling to the medium, and a portion of the slime layer falls off the
filter. This process is known as sloughing.

• The sloughing imparts turbidity to the filter effluent, and the sloughed material
(biological solids) is separated from the treated sewage in the secondary settling
tank.

• The sloughed solids are picked up by the under-drain system and transported to a
clarifier for removal from the wastewater.
• The tank is either rectangular or square if fixed nozzles are used and circular in
shape if rotary distributors are used.

• As rotary distributors are more reliable & easy to maintain and operate. So
circular shape is most commonly used.

• The walls are either masonry or concrete walls

• The walls are constructed such that they should withstand the pressure exerted by
sewage from inside.

• The walls are made water tight.

• The under drain system is supported by a floor which slopes to a collection
channel.

• It also consists a filter media which should have high specific surface area, high
percent void space, resistance to abrasion & insoluble in sewage water.
TF consists of mainly following parts/components:
 A rotating arm that sprays wastewater over a filter medium.

 Filter medium: rocks, plastic, or other material.

 Under drainage system: The water is collected at the bottom of the filter for further
treatment.
1. Filter media
• It should have
High specific surface area
High percent void space
Resistance to abrasion or disintegration during placement during placement
Insolubility in sewage or wastewater.
Resistance to spalling or flaking
Should be round or cubical in shape
Size 25 to 75 mm
2. Filter Depth
• Concentration of organics in sewage decreases as the waste passes the media
depth.
• Thus effectiveness of the filter decreases as the depth increases.
• Hence depth of filter should be restricted.
• For slow rate depth in the range of 1.8 to 3.0 m is provided.
• Depth of media is 1.8 to 2.4m
3. Under Drainage System Blocks
Perforated blocks are used. Can be made of precast concrete or vitrified clay.

Drains shall be designed for partial flow condition (Less than 50% of flow).

Velocity of flow should not be less than 0.75 m/s at peak instantaneous flows.

At design flows velocity should be 0.6 to 0.9 m/s.

4. Main Collecting Channel

Function is twofold to circulate the air.

It collects sewage from all under drains and conveys it to next unit.

Velocity shall not be less than 0.6 m/s.

Slope is provided so that sewage can be carried under gravity

5. Filter Floor
Floor should be strong enough to support media.

RCC slab of 10 to 15 cm thick is usually provided to carry load of entire media.

Usually 1 % slope is provided.

6. Filter walls
Fully plastered stone or brick masonry walls.

Walls are made honeycombed to circulate the air. circulate the air.

Some times ventilation duct is provided

7. Ventilation
Natural ventilation takes place because of difference in temperature of air and
sewage.
Air circulation takes place when temperature difference is 6°C.
When temperature difference falls below 1.9°C then there will be no air
circulation.
Some times forced ventilation is also provided.
8. Flow Distribution
 The function of rotary distributor is to spread the sewage uniformly over the media
top surface.
 Rate of rotation may be 2 rpm for small distributors and 1/3 to ½ for large distributor.
 Clearance between pipe and media should be 15 t o25 cm.

Design

• Hydraulic Loading
 It is ratio of discharge or flow rate to the surface area
 Units – million lt/ha/day
• Organic Loading
It is ratio of BOD load to volume of filter media.

Organic Loading= (Q x BOD5)/ V

V = (Q x BOD5 )/ organic loading

Units- Kg or gm. Of BOD/m3 of volume/d.

• The hydraulic loading rate for such super rate filters can be as high as 40-200
metre cube per metre square.d

• Stone media high rate trickling filters having hydraulic loading rate of 10 to 40
metre cube per metre square.d
• The organic loading rate for plastic media super rate filters can be as high as 1-6
kilogram per metre cube

• BOD as compared to the organic loading rate of 0.37 to 1.85 kilogram per metre
cube for stone media high rate trickling filters.

• The depth of the filtering media may vary between 2 to 3 metres.

• The filtering material may be placed in layers.

• With coarsest stone used near the bottom and finer material towards the top.
• Types of trickling filters

1) Conventional trickling filters.

2) High rate filters.

• The High rate filters of modern advancements also function on the same lines.

• Having the same constructional details, but with the difference that provision is
made in them for recirculation of sewage through the filter, by pumping a part of
the filter-effluent to the primary settling tank, and repassing it through the filter
Merits of trickling filters

1) Rate of filter loading is high as such requiring lesser land areas and smaller
quantities of filter media for their installations.

2) Effluent obtained from the trickling filter is sufficiently nitrified and stabilised.
They can remove about 75 % of BOD and about 80% of suspended solids. The
effluent can therefore be easily disposed of in smaller quantity in dilution water.

3) Working of trickling filters is simple and doesn't require any skilled supervision.

4) They are flexible in operation and they can therefore withstand the application of
variety of sewages having different concentrations and compositions. Even if they
5) They are self cleansing.

6) Mechanical wear and tear is small as they contain less mechanical equipments

7) Moisture content of sludge obtained from trickling filters is as high as 99% or so

8) Trickling filters have been found to operate more efficiently in warm weather and
produce an effluent appreciably lower in BOD.
Demerits

1) The head loss through these filters is high making automatic dosing of filters
necessary.

2) Cost of construction of trickling filters is high

3) These filters cannot treat raw sewage and primary sedimentation is a must.

4) These filters pose a number of operational troubles such as

a) Fly Nuisance

b) Odour Nuisance

c) Ponding Trouble
 Design of Trickling filters

• It involves design of diameter of the circular filter tank and its depth. The design of
rotary distributors and under drainage system is also involved in this design.

• The design of filter size is based upon the values of Filter loadings

a) By the quantity of sewage applied per unit of t surface area of the filter per day.
This is called hydraulic-loading rate and expressed in million litres per hector
per day.
The value of hydraulic loading for conventional trickling filter may vary between
22 to 44 million litres per hector per day.
 b) By the mass of BOD per unit volume of the filtering media per day. This is called
organic loading rate or volumetric loading rate and expressed in kg of BOD per
hector metre of the filter media per day.
The value of organic loading for conventional trickling filter may vary between 900 to
2200 kg of BOD per Hector metre.
This organic loading value can be further increased to about 6000 to 18000 kg of BOD
per hector per metre in high rate trickling filters.

• Filter diameter and depth is designed for average value of sewage flow.

• The rotary distributors , under drainage system and other connected pipe lines etc
are however designed for peak flow and of course checked for the average flow.
 Performance of Conventional Filters and their Efficiencies

• Effluent obtained from a conventional trickling filter plant is highly nitrified and
stabilised.

• BOD is reduced to about 80-90% of the original value.

• BOD left in the effluent is less than 20ppm

• Sludge obtained in the secondary clarifier is thick, the moisture content is about
92%.

• It is heavy and easily digestible.

• Filter is very flexible and can take intermittent shock loads without any
detrimental effects.

• Conventional or standard rate trickling filter plant is used in medium towns and
industrial cities requiring full treatment sewage.

Ƞ=----- when there is no recirculation

where, Ƞ= Efficiency of the filter and its secondary clarifier, in terms of

percentage of applied BOD removed.

u= Organic loading in kg/ha-m/day applied to the filter (called unit organic

loading)
• BOD removed by the filter plant depends upon the organic loading

• Greater is the loading, lesser is the efficiency and thus lesser BOD is removed.

Ƞ(%)=

Where, Y= the total organic load in kg/day applied the filter

i.e. the total BOD in kg.

is called unit organic loading filter (u)

V= filter volume in hectare-meters

F=Recirculation factor
 Conventional Vs. High Rate Trickling Filters.
Characteristics Conventional High Rate

Depth of filter Varies between 1.6 to 2.4m Varies between 1.2 to 1.8m

Size of filter media 25 to 75mm 25 to 60mm

Land required More land area is required as filter loading Less land area is req. as the filter
loading

Cost of operation It is more for treating equal quantity of It is less for treating equal quantity of
sewage sewage

Method of operation Continuous application, less flexible and Continuous application, more flexible,
requires less skilled supervision and more skillful operation is required

Type of effluent produced The effluent is highly nitrified and stabilised, The effluent is nitrified up to nitrate
with BOD in effluent ≤ 20ppm or so stage only and is thus less stable, and
hence it is of slightly inferior quality .
BOD in effluent ≥ 30ppm or so
Dosing interval It generally varies between 3 to 10 minutes. The It is not more than 15seconds, and the
sewage is generally not applied continuously sewage is thus applied continuously.
but is applied at intervals.

Filter loading values Varies between 22 to 44 M.L. per hectare per Varies between 110 to 330 M.L. per
i. Hydraulic loading day hectare per day

ii. Organic loading Varies between 900 to 2200 kg of BOD5 per Varies between 6000 to 18000 kg of
hectare-metre of filter media per day BOD5 per hectare-metre of filter media
per day

Recirculation system Not provided generally Always provided for increasing

hydraulic loading.

Quality of secondary sludge Black, highly oxidised with slight fine particles Brown, not fully oxidised with fine
produced particles.
ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS
• Secondary treatment- Aerobic suspended culture.

• The most common suspended growth process used for municipal wastewater
treatment is the activated sludge process.

• Activated sludge plant involves:

1. Wastewater aeration in the presence of a microbial suspension.

2. Solid-liquid separation following aeration.

3. Discharge of clarified effluent.

4. wasting of excess biomass.

5. Return of remaining biomass to the aeration tank.

Process

• The process involves air or oxygen being introduced into a mixture of primary treated or
screened sewage or industrial wastewater combined with organisms to develop a biological floc
which reduces the organic content of the sewage.

• The combination of wastewater and biological mass is commonly known as mixed liquor.

• In all activated sludge plants, once the wastewater has received sufficient treatment, excess
mixed liquor is discharged into settling tanks and the treated supernatant is run off to undergo
further treatment before discharge.

• Sewage effluent from primary sedimentation tank mixed with 20-30% of own vol. of activated
sludge.
• It contains a large no: of highly activate aerobic micro-organisms.

• Mixture is fed to an aeration tank, where the microorganisms and sewage

intimately mixed together with a large quantity of air for about 4-8hrs.

• Moving organisms will oxidise the organic matter.

• Suspended & colloidal matter tend to coagulate & form a precipitate.

• It will settles down readily in the 2° settling tank.

• Settled sludge containing microorganisms called Activated sludge.

• It is then recycled to the head of aeration tank to be mixed again with sewage
being treated.
• This fraction of the floc is called Return Activated Sludge (R.A.S.).

• Excess sludge is called Surplus Activated Sludge (S.A.S.) or Waste Activated Sludge (W.A.S).

• S.A.S is removed from the treatment process to keep the ratio of biomass to food supplied in the
wastewater in balance.

• S.A.S is stored in sludge tanks and is further treated by digestion, either under anaerobic or
aerobic conditions prior to disposal.

• New activated sludge is continuously being produced by this process and a portion of it being
utilised.

• It sent back to aeration tank, where as the excess portion is disposed of along with the sludge
collected during 1° treatment after digestion.
Advantages

• Diverse; can be used for one household up a huge plant.

• Removes organics.

• Oxidation and Nitrification achieved.

• Biological nitrification without adding chemicals.

• Biological Phosphorus removal.

• Solids/ Liquids separation.

• Stabilization of sludge.

• Capable of removing ~ 97% of suspended solids.

• Lower BOD than that of trickling filter plant effluent.

• BOD removal 80-95% & bacteria removal 90-95%.

• Land area required is less.

Disadvantages

• An ample supply of oxygen is required.

• Intimate & continuous mixing of the sewage & activated sludge.

• Ratio of vol of activated added to vol of sewage being treated is to be kept constant.

• When a new plant is put into operation, a period of about 4 weeks may be required to
form a suitable return sludge.

• Does not remove colour from industrial wastes and may increase the colour through

formation of highly coloured intermediates through oxidation.

• Does not remove nutrients, tertiary treatment is necessary.

• Problem of getting well settled sludge.

• Advantages and Disadvantages
1) Initial cost of this process is lower than the trickling filter units

2) Smaller area of land is required and design can be made compact

3) Effluent is clear, sparkling liquid is free from putrescibbing and odour

4) Total process is free form offensive objectionable smell and therefore there is no fly
nuisance

5) Efficiency of the process is very high, it can remove suspended solids, BOD an bacteria
more than 90 %
6) Quality/ Nature of the effluent can be varied depending upon the quality and
quantity of natural water courses available for final disposal

7) Excessive sludge has very high fertility value than the sludge obtained from
other units

8) The water head required for the operation is smaller than all other treatment
processes such as trickling filters
• Disadvantages

1) Operational cost is higher than that of trickling filter.

2) Requires skilled workman for its operations and maintenance.

3) Has sensitivity - to change in the quality of the influent.

4) Large quantity of sludge is produced, which causes difficulty in disposal.

5) Uncertainty of results under all conditions.

6) If the process goes out of order it gives much trouble and takes time in setting it in right
operation.
• When a new plant is put into operation, almost all the sludge from the 2° sedimentation tank
will be returned through the aeration tank during this period.

• A new plant may be seeded with the activated sludge from another plant.

1° 2°
screens Grit chambers sedimentation Aeration tank sedimentation Chlorination Effluent
tank tank
to be
disposed
off
Aeration tank
If req. Sludge settled
portion at bottom

Sludge Sludge To sludge

thickener Digestion tank drying
• Pre-removal of settleable solids is a necessity.

• Grit-chambers, screening, & 1° sedimentation are necessary for a conventional activated

sludge process.

• Aeration tanks are normally rectangular.

• Depth 3-4.5m, width 4-6m & Length 20-200m.

• Detention period-4 to 8hrs (municipal sewage)

Diffused air
aeration
Two Mechanical
methods aeration
Combined
aeration
• Diffused air aeration
Compressed air under a pressure-35-70KN/m2

Introduced in to the aeration chamber through diffusion plates or other devices- Diffusers

Porous plates & Tubes-made of crystalline alumina (Al oxide)-used as diffusers

Square plates of 30x30cm & 25mm thick

Plates are fixed at the bottom of aeration tanks

Tube diffuers-60cm long- internal dia 75mm- thickness of wall- 15mm

Tubes are suspended in aeration tank

It can be cleaned without emptying the tank

Effective areas- 780cm2 to 1160cm2

Two type of aeration tank are used

• Ridge & furrow type
 Tank is formed in to succession of ridges & furrows

 Air is forced upward through diffuser plates placed at the bottom of the furrows

• Spiral flow type

Air is introduced near the side of the tank in such a way that spiral flow results in the tank

Compressed air is supplied either through a plate diffuser or a tube diffuser

Requires small quantity of compressed air at low pressure

Spiral motion set up by the compressed air, released through the tube diffusers-causes the
required aeration
• Mechanical Aeration
 Sewage is stirred up by means of mechanical devices like paddler (surface aerators).

 Introduce air into it from the atmosphere by continuously changing the surface of sewage by
the circulation of sewage from bottom to top.
 Aeration period depends on the mechanical process adopted agitation.

 Varies b/w 6-8 hrs.

 Quantity of returned sludge is about 25-30% of flow of sewage.

• Two type of surface reactors

o Haworth systems
 1m deep aeration tank divided by thin walls in a series of long & comparatively narrow
channels (70mx 1.5m-plan area)
 Gives a total travel of about 1.5m

 Two rows of paddle revolving at 1.5rpm

 Provided with a horizontal shaft crossing each channel for the aeration of sewage

 Liquid impart a velocity sufficient to keep the sludge in suspension

 DT -15hrs

 Returned sludge ranges b/w 15-20% of the sewage flow- Sheffield system
oHartley system
 Paddles are inclined at some angle with the vertical and fixed at end of
channel.
 Diagonal baffle are provided across the channel- to maintain spiral flow.
• Simplex aeration method

• Square tank with hopper bottom

• At the centre, a hollow uptake tube is suspended from top- distance about 15cm from the
bottom of tank
• Cone is revolved at high speed (60rpm)- sucks the mixed liquor through the uptake tube by
creating suction at the bottom
• Sprays it at the surface towards the sides in the tank

• Numerous air bubbles are formed in the process which bring about aeration of sewage.

• Sewage gets thoroughly mixed up with the activated sludge

 • Simple & ease of maintenance

• Sensitive to slight variations in water levels

• Combined aerator

• Diffused aeration & mechanical aeration-combined together- single unit.

• Dorrow aerator

• Aeration achieved by diffusing air through bottom diffuser plates

• By rotating paddles 10-12rpm

• Spiral motion brings about required aeration

• Very efficient- DT 3-4hrs

• Requires less amount of compressed air as compared to the diffused air-aeration

Haworth system
 Activated sludge process variables

• Sewage is trickles through a grit bed –sewage is purified.

• Purification is due to action of aerobic bacteria-remaining in the organic film.

• Disadvantages -filters cannot treat concentrated sewage continuously and get

clogged.

• By blowing air into the sewage- floc having living organisms is formed.

• When the air circular was stopped -floc settled.

• Floc if added in another fresh sewage cause its digestion-floc is called activated
sludge.
Design Considerations
1. Aeration Period (HRT)

2. BOD loading per unit volume of aeration tank

3. Food to Micro-organism Ratio (F/M ratio)

4. Sludge Age

• The quality or characteristics of raw waste water to be treated.

• The desired quality or characteristics of effluent or treated waste water.

• The type of reactor that will be used.

• Volumetric and organic loading that will be applied to the reactor.

• Amount of O2 required and the aeration system will provide to supply O 2 and to
support mixing.

• The quantity of sludge that will be generated and wasted for its further
management.

• Besides these nutrient requirements of microbes, environmental conditions under

which plant operated.
Design steps

The design computations require the determination of:

 Volume or dimensions of the aeration tank.

 Amount of O2 required and power needed for aeration.

 Quantity of sludge that will produced for particular waste and treatment conditions.

 Volume and dimensions of 2° settling tank.

Design criteria
• No of aeration tanks, N= min. 2 (small plants)
= 4 or more (large plants)
• Depth of waste water in tank= 3-4.5 m (usually)
= 4.5-7.5 m (diffuse aeration)
= 1-6 m (surface aeration)
• Freeboard= 0.3-6 m (diffuse aeration)
= 1-1.5 m (surface aeration).
• Rectangular aeration tank L:B= 5:1 and B:D=3:1 to 4:1
(depends on the aeration system)
• Air requirement
 20-55 m3 of air/ Kg of BOD removed for diffuse aeration when F/M ≥ 0.3
 70-115 m3 air/ Kg of BOD removed for diffuse aeration when F/M ≤ 0.3
 Power required for complete mixing: 10-14 kW/1000 m 3 of tank volume for
surface aeration system
 Digested sludge
Digested
sludge
Sludge
Digestion Return Sludge Excessive
Sludge

Sewage
1° Final Effluent
Aeration
Settling Settling
Tank
Tank Tank

Return Effluent
• Raw sewage is 1° treatment 1° settling tank.

• Detention period- 1-1.5hrs.

• 1° settling tank removes less % age of settleable solids.

• After 1°- raw sewage is mixed up with the required quantity of activated sludge-
return sludge & sent in the aeration tank.

• Mixer is known as mixed liquor.

• Aeration units the mixed liquor is aerated.

• Simultaneously agitated for 4-10hrs depending on the degree of purification
desired & the strength of sewage.

• Aerated mixed liquor is sent in final settling tank, where the sludge settles.

• Effluent from final settling tank which is clear is disposed off.

• Portion of the effluent is mixed in the raw sewage before sending it in the 1°
settling tank.
• Part of settled sludge is sent back in the aeration tank foe seeding the raw sewage
• Excessive quantity is treated & disposed off.

• Return sludge- it is the activated sludge obtained from the final settling tank for
mixing with the effluence of 1° treatment before aeration units to prepare a mixed
liquor.

• Activated sludge is injected in the influent of aeration tank by a volumetric ratio.

• Quantity of return sludge varies from 20-35% of the presettled sewage by volume.

• Activeness of the returned sludge can be judged by its golden brown colour &
denseness.

• At some plants, the return sludge is reaerated or reactivated before mixing with
• Efficiency is increased if a part of the activated sludge is mixed up in the sewage
before its 1° sedimentation.

• Sludge index- ratio of volume of the activated sludge in milli-litres for on gm of

dry weight of the sludge.

• Value ranges from 150-300.

• Loading rate- rate at which sewage is applied in the aeration tank- Hydraulic
Detention Time- Aeration period.
• HRT

(t)=

Q- Quantity of waste water flow in to the aeration tank excluding qty of recycled sewage

• Volumetric BOD loading- BOD5 load applied per unit vol. of aeration tank-organic loading

==

Q-sewage flow in m3

Yo-BOD5 in mg/l of influent sewage

V- vol. of aeration tank

• Food to Micro-organisms ratio (M)
• It is a manner of expressing BOD loading with regard to the microbial mass in the system.

• BOD load applied to the system in kg/gm is represented as food F and the total microbial suspended solids in
the mixed liquor of the aeration tank is represented by M

F/M =

If Yo (mg/l) represents the 5 day BOD of the influent sewage flow of Q m³/day then

The BOD applied to the aeration system=Yo mg/l or Yo gm/m3

BOD load applied to the aeration system= F

= Qyo gm/day
• Total microbial mass in the aeration system (M) is computed by multiplying the
average concentration of solids in the mixed liquor of the aeration tank called
Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) with the volume of aeration tank (V).

• MLSS is an index of mass of active micro-organisms in the aeration tank.

M= MLSS × V = XT. V XT is MLSS in mg/l
F/M = F/M can be varied by varying the
MLSS conc. in the aeration tank
• Lower F/M value - lighter will be the BOD removal in the plant.

• Sludge Age - Average time for which the particles of suspended solids remain under aeration. It
then indicates the residence time of biological solids in the system.

• While aeration period may be as short as 3 to 30h, the residence time of biological solids in the
system is much greater and is measured in days.

• While sewage passes through the aeration tank only once and rather quickly, the resultant
biological growths and the extracted waste organics (solids) are repeatedly recycled from the
secondary clarifier back to the aeration tank there by increasing the retention time of solids.

• This time is called Solid Retention Time (SRT) or Meancell Residence Time (MCRT) or sludge
Age.
• Most commonly Sludge Age is represented by in θ days

• Sludge age (θc)=

• Mass of solids in the reactor = M = V × MLSS

=V x XT

• Mass of solids removed with the wasted sludge per day = Qw x R

• Mass of solids removed with the effluent per day = (Q-Qw) x E

 Q + Qw
Y- BOD
Aeration Tank Q-Qw
Q- In flow X- MLSS
V= vol 2° Effluent
XT –Conc. Of MLSS Clarifier
Yo= BOD XE- Conc. of solids in
Y-BOD
effluents
YE - BOD effluent

QR= Returned Sludge QR + Q W

XR- conc of solids
XR= Conc. of solids in returned sludge as well
returned Sludge as wasted sludge

QW- wasted sludge

XR- conc of solids in wasted
sludge
• Total solids removed from the system/ day= QW. XR + (Q-QW) x E

• Sludge age (θc)=

XT - concentration of solids in the influents of the aeration tank called MLSS ie, Mixed liquor
suspended solids in mg/L

V - Volume of aerator

QW - Volume of wasted sludge per day

XR- Concentration of solids in the returned sludge or in the wasted sludge ( both being equal )
in mg/l

Q - Sewage inflow per day

XE- Concentration of solids in the effluent in mg/l

• Sludge volume index - used to indicate the physical state of sludge produced in
biological aeration system.

• SVI is defined as the volume occupied in ml by one gm of solids in the mixed

liquor after setting for 30 minutes.

• It reps the degree of concentration of the sludge in the system, and hence decides
the rate of recycle of sludge (QR).
• Required to maintain the desired MLSS and F/M ratio in the aeration tank to achieve the desired
degree of purification.

• Lab exp.

• collect one litre of Mixed liquor from aeration tank from near its discharge end in a graduated
cylinder.

• This one litre is allowed to settle for 30 minutes and the settled sludge volume ( V ob )in ml is
recorded as to represents Sludge Volume.

• This volume Vob in ml/l of Mixed liquor will represents the quantity of sludge in the liquor in
ml/l.
• After remixing the settled solids, the sample of mixed liquor is tested for MLSS by the standard
procedure for measuring suspended solids in sewage in the lab.
• SVI=

• SVI= x 1000mg/l

• SVI value (mg/l)= 106/SVI

• Sludge Recycle and Rate of Return Sludge

QR- sludge recirculation rate in m³/d

XT- MLSS in the aeration tank in mg/L

XR- MLSS in the returned or wasted sludge in mg/l

• Wasting of Excess Sludge

• Sludge generated in the aeration tank has to be partly discharged and wasted out of the
plant to maintain a steady level of MLSS in the system.
• Excess sludge may be wasted either from sludge return line, or directly form the aeration
tank as Mixed liquor in conventional plants
• The wasted sludge is taken directly to a sludge thickener and digester or to the primary
setting tank for its disposal along with the primary sludge
• Secondary sedimentation tank of an Activated sludge plant
• Normal 1° sedimentation tank with certain modifications.
• Suspended particles are light in weight.
• Length of overflow weir is increased- to reduce the velocity of approach.
• Weir overflow rate not exceeding 150m3/day/ lineal meter of weir.
• Value based on avg flow of sewage not the mixed liquor flow.
• Solids loading rate based on mixed liquor flow to the settling tanks may be
kept at about 100-150kg/m2/day at peak flow.
• Ensures sludge thickening and concentrate sludge returns.

• Surface area for activated sludge settling tanks should be designed for both the
overflow rate and solid loading rate-large value adopted.

• DT-1.5-to-2 hrs.

• Length to depth ratio- 5 for circular, 7 for rectangular.

• Depth 3.5 to 4.5m.

• Final settling is always required in an activated sludge plant.

• To provide the return activated sludge.

 Rotating Biological Contactors

• It is commonly called RBC’s.

• It is used in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

• The primary function of these bio-reactors at WWTPs is the reduction of organic

matter.

• A fixed growth biological treatment processes used to consume organic matter

(BOD) from wastewater.

• It consists of 2-6 m diameter disks, closely spaced on a rotating horizontal axis.

• Disks are covered with a biofilm.

• The disks are only partially submerged in wastewater.

• A fixed growth biological treatment processes used to consume organic matter (BOD)
from wastewater.

• It consists of 2-6 m diameter disks, closely spaced on a rotating horizontal axis.

• Disks are covered with a biofilm.

• The disks are only partially submerged in wastewater.

• As the disk rotates the biofilm is exposed to the wastewater only part of the time.

• The rotation in and out of the wastewater serves to vary the feeding cycle of the bacteria
and microorganisms that make up the biofilm.
 Design Criteria

 No of modules = 4-5

 Dia. of flat discs = 2-6 m

 Thickness of flat disc = up to 10 mm

 Discs spacing = 30-40 mm

 Speed of rotating shaft = 1-10 rpm

 Disc submergence = 40% of dia

 Thickness of bio-film = 2-4 mm

 Organic loading = 3-10 gm BOD/m2 of disc surface area.

 Hydraulic loading = 0.02-0.16 m3/m2-d.

 Sludge production = 0.5-0.8 Kg/Kg BOD removed.

 Hydraulic retention time = 0.5 -2.0 h

 Advantages/ Disadvantages

Advantages  Excellent process control

 Short contact periods

 Handles a wide range of flows

 Easily separates biomass from waste Disadvantages

stream  Need for covering units installed in cold
 Low operating costs climate to protect against freezing

 Short retention time  Shaft bearings and mechanical drive units

 Low sludge production require frequent maintenance

• Control measures are:
Reduction of sludge age to less than 6 days

Chlorination of return activated sludge

Adjustments of F:M ratio

Raising or lowering DO

Applying disinfectant

Exclusion of waste waters rich in carbohydrate

 Disposal of Sewage Effluents

• Treatment methods/ amount of treatment depends upon the source of disposal, it's
quality and capacity
• Two methods
 Disposal in water

 Effluent irrigation, sewage farming, disposal on land

• Disposal by dilution - Treated sewage

Rivers, Streams , Lakes/Sea

Discharged sewage is purified by self purification process of natural water

• Conditions favouring disposal by dilution-