Primary sludge hydrolysis can enrich primary effluent with the soluble organics which in turn can be a valuable carbon source to subsequent nutrient removal processes. By controlling hydraulic retention time and temperature it is possible to confine the anaerobic digestion of the primary sludge to the acidogenic and acetogenic phase (hydrolysis/fermentation process), and take advantage of the soluble organics produced.
This paper presents the results of a research involving bench and pilot scale experiments related to primary sludge hydrolysis. The pilot scale sedimentation tank (4.10 m in diameter, 3.20 m in depth) operated over an expended period of 21 months as a conventional clarifier and following this as a fermentor unit employing sludge recirculation. Parallel to the pilot scale experiments, several batch and continuous flow bench scale experiments were conducted in order to determine the factors controlling the production of soluble organics and the effect of the latter on the denitrification process.
The conclusions drawn were that a) a soluble COD production of the order of 5-6% in terms of sludge TCOD can be expected in a batch fermentor operating with HRT≅2days at T≤ 20°C, b) in a continuous flow fermentor, combinations of T>20°C and SRT>2 should be applied in order to achieve a production of the order of 10%, c) significant soluble carbon production can be achieved in primary sedimentation tanks (over 30% in terms of influent SCOD) when relatively increased SRTs (4 to 5 days) in combination with sludge recirculation are employed, under T>22°C, and d) increased denitrification performance of the order of 9 mgNOx/g MLSS.hr, can be achieved with hydrolysate as a carbon source.
Experimental observations made on two pilot plants, showed that nitrogen removal activated sludge systems, operating under favourable conditions, seem to develop increased nitrification potential compared to fully aerobic systems under similar conditions. This increased potential, which cannot be detected by simple nitrification performance evaluations, is attributed to higher autotrophic populations sustained--developed in similar systems employing anoxic reactors or phases. A reduced autotrophic decay rate under anoxic conditions as reported by some researchers, seems to play a significant role in such a response, most likely together with a more efficient use of available nitrogen for additional nitrifying microorganisms production, resulting from a reduced nitrogen loss to autotrophic biomass maintenance needs and heterotrophic biomass synthesis requirements.
Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) operation under conventional fully nitrifying activated sludge BNR schemes, although favoured by the temperate climate conditions prevailing around the Mediterranean region, may prove quite inefficient in terms of both capital and O&M costs when recipient body characteristics do not pose similar requirements; especially more so, when treated effluents are intended for reuse in agriculture and nitrogen content may well serve as fertilizer. This paper presents some experimental evidence that single-reactor partial nitrification schemes, allowing for nitrogen removal to the extent needed under seasonally varying plant loading conditions and effluent quality requirements, and securing reliable and efficient plant operation, may be a more suitable alternative for similar cases.
Sludge dewatering is a decisive step in the reduction of waste sludge volume, thus considerably affecting total sludge treatment and disposal costs. The construction of sludge dewatering facilities in small WwTPs though, is generally not cost effective. In this paper some experimental evidence is presented, that waste sludge dewatering in small WwTPs of the activated sludge extended aeration type, can be effectively achieved by a centrifuge type of equipment withdrawing sludge directly from the aeration tank; an economic evaluation of the possibility to employ a transportable type of similar equipment mounted on a truck, to serve a number of small WwTPs located in remote or isolated areas is also presented and discussed.
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