AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC TREATMENT OF WASTE WATER

MEMBERS
WASIF SHAKEEL MALIK SHAHZAD NAWAZ SHEIKH EJAZ AHMAD

GROUP # 8

CONTENTS
AEROBIC TREATMENT PROCESS DISCRIPTION AEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS COMPARISON ANAEROBIC TREATMENT PROCESS DISCRIPTION REFERANCES

Aerobic Treatment
Aerobic wastewater treatment is a process where bacteria utilize oxygen to degrade organic matter (generally quantified as biochemical oxygen demand or BOD) and other pollutants involved in various production systems. The two most common types of aerated wastewater systems are activated sludge systems and aerated stabilization basins (ASBs). ASBs are commonly found as treatment systems in the pulp and paper industry and are used in some municipalities, as well as other industries. There are eight growth pressures that affect a treatment system but we will review two major ones: oxygen and organic loading (BOD). In a typical wastewater treatment system, the influent coming into the system has the most BOD because it hasnt yet been treated. As the influent reaches the ASB, it enters an aerated environment where the degradation will begin. Different types of aeration are used in ASBs but the most widely used are either surface aerators or diffused aeration systems. When using surface aeration, multiple units are needed to be properly spaced to treat the water. Diffused aeration is normally air that is supplied by compressors or blowers and piped under the surface where the air is released evenly throughout the ASB. Occasionally, pure oxygen is utilized in wastewater treatment, but this is relatively uncommon in ASBs. The degradation of BOD is achieved through aerobic bacteria in a system. The bacteria utilize oxygen as an electron receptor in order to convert the organic material (BOD or oxygen demand) to carbon dioxide. Via this process they multiply, which in turn creates more bugs to break down more BOD. As the water flows through the system, many changes will occur. As the amount of BOD in the system reduces, the total number of bacteria will also decrease. The oxygen demand, as measured by oxygen uptake rate (OUR) will decrease and the environmental will become acceptable for more advanced life forms, such as protozoa or metazoan. A few of the common higher life forms are: flagellates, free swimming ciliates, stalked ciliates, and rotifers. The higher life forms will feed on the dispersed bacteria and flocculated bacteria that have been formed after degradation has occurred. Higher life forms are an indication that most BOD has been removed from the system. ASBs tend to be very resilient systems and generally produce adequate quality effluent for typical discharge requirements. However, proper aerator placement and routine maintenance are critical to ensuring that system performance does not deteriorate over time. Whether it is aerobic or anaerobic treatment, each treatment system has its place in the world today. They are very different in the process but both are used to achieve maximum degradation, while meeting the strict regulations set by the environmental agencies that regulate what is released into the air, ground, or water.

PROCESS DISCRIPTION

Figure summarizes the biochemical transformations occurring in an aerobic digester. Biodegradable particulate organic matter is hydrolyzed and converted into biodegradable soluble organic matter, releasing nutrients such as ammonia-N and phosphate. The biodegradable soluble organic matter is then converted into carbon dioxide, water, and active biomass through the action of heterotrophic bacteria. The active biomass, in turn, undergoes decay, resulting in the generation of additional carbon dioxide and water, along with inactive biomass, i.e., debris. Nonbiodegradable particulate organic matter in the influent is not affected by the digestion process and becomes a portion of the digested solids. Figure is based on the traditional decay model for biomass destruction. The 1ysis: regrowth model, is equally applicable and, in fact, International Association on Water Quality activated sludge model (IAWQ ASM) No. 1, with its explicit treatment of hydrolysis, nitrification, and de-nitrification, provides a more accurate description for some aerobic digestion process options. Nevertheless, the simplified models often used to design aerobic digesters are directly related to the traditional decay model, and thus it is emphasized herein. Observations of aerobic digestion processes provide the following conceptual framework upon which design models are based: The suspended solids in the influent stream can be segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable components. A non-biodegradable residue will result from aerobic digestion, even if no Non-biodegradable particulate matter is present in the influent solids stream because biomass debris results from the

decay of active biomass. Aerobic digestion results in the destruction of both volatile suspended solids (VSS) and fixed suspended solids (FSS). This occurs because both the organic and inorganic materials in the biodegradable suspended solids are solubilized and/or oxidized as the solids are digested. However, the volatile and fixed components of the biodegradable and nonbiodegradable suspended solids are not equal. Consequently, VSS and FSS will not generally be destroyed in the same proportion. However, in spite of the loss of fixed solids during aerobic digestion, most designers focus on loss of VSS. The biodegradable fraction of solids is a function of their source. This is clearly illustrated by the models discussed throughout previous chapters. For example, both primary solids and waste activated sludge from a system with a short SRT will contain relatively high fractions of biodegradable material, whereas waste activated sludge from a system with a long SRT will contain a low fraction of biodegradable material and a high fraction of biomass debris. The destruction of biodegradable suspended solids can be characterized as a first order reaction. Biodegradable particulate organic matter is rapidly converted to active biomass. Then that biomass, as well as any active biomass present in the influent, decays in a first order manner, resulting in an overall first order reaction for loss of biodegradable suspended solids. As a result of this relationship, the destruction of biodegradable suspended solids is often referred to as decay, and the first-order reaction rate coefficient is called a decay coefficient. For solids containing a relatively high proportion of active biomass, the value of the decay coefficient for biodegradable suspended solids is relatively independent of the SRT at which the waste solids were produced. This is because the decay coefficient for the biodegradable suspended solids will be influenced strongly by the decay coefficient for heterotrophic bacteria, which is relatively constant.

AEROBIC DIGESTION PROCESS COMPARISON

ANAEROBIC TREATMENT
Anaerobic treatment is a process where wastewater or material is broken down by microorganisms without the aid of dissolved oxygen. However, anaerobic bacteria can and will use oxygen that is found in the oxides introduced into the system or they can obtain it from organic material within the wastewater. Anaerobic systems are used in many industrial systems including food production and municipal sewage treatment systems. Anaerobic digestion is commonly used to treat sludge in the first areas of a wastewater treatment plant. This process is popular because it is able to stabilize the water with little biomass production. Anaerobic treatment occurs in many different stages. The key microorganisms are methane formers and acid formers. The acid formers are microorganisms that create various acids from the sludge. Methane formers convert the acids into methane. The two main anaerobic systems are batch systems and continuous systems. In a batch system, the biomass is added into a reactor that is sealed for the rest of the digestion process. This is the simplest form of anaerobic treatment but can have odor issues associated with it. As the most simple, it is also one of the least expensive ways to achieve treatment. A continuous system has organic matter constantly added to the treatment system. Since it is continuously being fed, there is a need for the byproduct to continuously be removed. The byproduct can result in a constant source of biogas, which can be used as an alternative source for energy. This system is usually more expensive to operate because of the need for constant monitoring and manpower.

Biogas is produced as the bacteria feed off the biodegradable material in the anaerobic process. The majority of the biogas produced is methane and carbon dioxide. These gases can be stored and used for energy production. The methane in the biogas can be burned to produce heat and electricity. The heat and electricity can be used to aid the process of the anaerobic system by providing power and heat for the digestion to occur. Biogas can also be used as alternative source for fuel. This has received a lot of attention due to the ever-rising cost of burning fossil fuels. To produce fuel, the biogas must be treated to reduce or eliminate hydrogen sulfide. The treatment may become expensive but is necessary because the EPA has strict limits on the amount of hydrogen sulfide released into the atmosphere. Whether it is aerobic or anaerobic treatment, each treatment system has its place in the world today. They are very different in the process but both are used to achieve maximum degradation, while meeting the strict regulations set by the environmental agencies that regulate what is released into the air, ground, or water.

PROCESS DISCRIPTION
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is used for the stabilization of particulate organic matter and Figure provides a schematic of the process. An anaerobic digester is well mixed with no liquid-solids separation. Consequently, the bioreactor can be treated as a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) in which the HRT and SRT are identical. An SRT of 15 to 20 days is typically used, although SRTs as low as 10 days have been used successfully and longer SRTs are employed when greater waste stabilization is required. Many anaerobic digesters are cylindrical concrete tanks with a cone-shaped bottom and steel or concrete covers, although other materials and configurations can be used. Diameters range from 10 to 40 m, and sidewall depths from 5 to 10 m. mixing is required and is provided by internal mechanical mixers, external mechanical mixers that recirculate the tank contents, gas recirculation systems of various types, or pumped recirculation of the tank contents. Historically, relatively low volumetric power inputs have been used to mix anaerobic digesters. More recent experience suggests, however, that such practices may cause a significant portion of the bioreactor volume to be inactive, as well as in significant short-circuiting of feed to the effluent.55 In contrast, tracer testing has demonstrated that newer approaches can produce essentially completely mixed conditions, thereby minimizing inactive volume and short-circuiting.

Methane produced by the process is combusted and used to heat the feed stream and digester contents. Bioreactor temperatures in the mesophilic range (-35C) are typically maintained, although numerous investigations of the use of thermophilic operating temperatures (-55C) have been conducted. Gas storage is typically provided to accommodate variations in gas production rates, thereby facilitating the operation of boilers and other equipment using the gas as a fuel source. External pressurized storage is sometimes used, but more frequently gas is stored in the digester under a cover that floats on the digester contents, as illustrated in Figure. Historically, anaerobic digesters treating municipal wastewater solids have experienced operating problems associated with the accumulation of grit in the bottom and floating scum on the surface. Consequently, bioreactor configurations have been developed that have improved mixing characteristics and reduced potential for grit and scum accumulation. One is the egg-shaped digester, illustrated in Figure developed in Germany, it is receiving increasing interest in the United States, where several full-scale installations currently exist. The large height-to-diameter ratio and the steeply sloped lower and upper sections of the vessel result in improved mixing, reduced grit and scum accumulation, and easier removal of any that does accumulate. The waffle bottom digester is another configuration that facilitates grit and heavy solids remova1. The purpose of anaerobic digestion is the stabilization of biodegradable particulate organic matter. Consequently, its performance can be quantified by the percent VS destruction. At an SRT of 15 to 20 days, 80 to 90% of the influent biodegradable particulate organic matter will be converted to methane gas. This corresponds to destruction of about 60% of the VS contained in primary solids and 30 to 50% of the VS contained in waste activated sludge. Many reference works and textbooks discuss two-stage anaerobic digestion, in which two digesters are operated in series. Heating and mixing are provided in the first stage, where active digestion occurs, while quiescent

conditions are provided in the second stage for liquid-solids separation. Supernatant from the second-stage is recycled to the liquid process train while thickened, settled solids are directed to further processing or ultimate disposal. Although of historical interest, use of the two-stage process has declined significantly in recent years for the following reasons: Experience indicates that while efficient liquid-solids separation will occur when treating primary solids or a mixture of primary solids and attached growth biomass, it can be quite poor when suspended growth biomass, either alone or mixed with primary solids, is digested. When suspended growth biomass is digested, the supernatant may be of poor quality resulting in the recycle of significant quantities of suspended solids to the liquid treatment process train, thereby causing adverse impacts on its performance. Significant advances have been made in recent years in solids thickening technology, particularly for suspended growth biomass. This technology is mechanically reliable, allows the consistent production of a thickened solids with a concentration of 50 g/L or more, and is cost-effective. Thickening the feed solids prior to anaerobic digestion results in a significant reduction in required tank volume and associated capital cost. Operating costs are also reduced since the volume of feed that must be heated is significantly reduced. The recycle of poor quality digester supernatant is eliminated.

REFERANCES
C.P. Leslie Grady, Jr., Glen T. Daigger, Henry C. Lim. Biological Waste Water Treatment. 2nd edition (revised and expanded). New York Basel: Marcel Dekker, Inc.
http://www.ebsbiowizard.com/2011/08/aerobic-vs-anaerobic-treatment-in-wastewater-systems-part1-2/ http://www.ebsbiowizard.com/2011/08/aerobic-vs-anaerobic-treatment-in-wastewater-systems-part2-2/