OBJECTIVE

To design a sewage treatment plant (STP) for Universiti Teknologi Petronas to meet
sewage discharge of Standard A.

INTRODUCTION
Universiti Teknologi Petronass Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was built to
treat all municipal wastewater from the students villages (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5 and
V6). According to law and regulations, the effluent discharged from the treatment
plant must meet the requirement stated in Environment Quality Act (EQA) 1974.
Standard A and Standard B of EQA 1974 are stated as below:

Parameter

Unit

Standards
A

C (Celcius)

40

40

6.0-9.0

5.5-9.0

BOD5 at 20C

mg/l

20

50

COD

mg/l

120

200

Suspended Solids

mg/l

50

100

Mercury

mg/l

0.005

0.05

Cadmium
Chromium,
Hexavalent

mg/l

0.01

0.02

mg/l

0.05

0.05

Arsenic

mg/l

0.05

0.1

Cyanide

mg/l

0.05

0.1

Lead

mg/l

0.1

0.5

Chromium, Trivalent

mg/l

0.2

Copper

mg/l

0.2

Manganese

mg/l

0.2

Nickel

mg/l

0.2

Tin

mg/l

0.2

Zinc

mg/l

Boron

mg/l

Iron (Fe)

mg/l

Phenol

mg/l

0.001

Free Chlorine

mg/l

Temperature
pH Value

Parameter

Unit

Standards
A

mg/l

20

50

mg/l

10

10

mg/l

10

Sulphide

mg/l

0.5

0.5

Oil and Grease

Ammoniacal
Nitrogen (enclosed
water body)

mg/l

10

mg/l

mg/l

10

20

Nitrate-Nitrogen
(river)
Nitrate-Nitrogen
(enclosed water body)
Phosphorous
(enclosed water body)

Ammoniacal
Nitrogen (river)

Extracted from Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009 (PU(A) 432)

*Standard A is defined as the effluent which are released or discharged into the river
from upstream of existing water intake point.
Standard B is defined as the effluents which are released or discharged to main
drain and then to the river.
Currently, the sewage water treatment plant in Universiti Teknologi Petronas
has a supporting capacity of 23,000 people. However, there are only about 10,000
students in UTP for this semester. Therefore, only about half capacity of the sewage
water treatment plant is being used.

FLOW DIAGRAM OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

Primary
Screen
Chamber

Raw Sewage

Pumping
Station

Oil & Grease

Remover
Chamber

Distribution
Chamber

Anoxic
Zone

Aeration
Tank

Secondary
Screen
Chamber
Grit
Remover
Chamber

Sedimentation
Tank

Chlorination
Tank

RAS

Sludge Dewatering
Facilities

Drying bed
Solid
Landfill area
Liquor of sand bed/
filter press to primary
screen chamber of STP.

Filter Press
8% to 10% solid
contents dewatered
sludge

Solid
Landfill area

Treated
effluent of
plant.

Tank Anoxic
Tank Anoxic

LAYOUT OF UTPS SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT (STP)

Primary
Screen

Aeration Tank
Aeration Tank

Pump
Station

Secondary
Screen

Grit
Chamber

Grease
Trap

Secondary
Clarifier
Secondary
Clarifier

Chlorination
Tank

Gravity
Thickener

Drying
Bed

Process
The step by step processes of the plant, the defects of the plant, and the
rectification methods can be summarized as so:
Process

Defects

a)Primary Bar Screen

1. In the case of the Automated 1.

Bar Screen, the hole is too
big for the cover. Therefore
leakage happens even though
the cover is being closed.
2.
2. Both the Manual Bar
Screens holes are too high
up. As the water level is now
too low to go through the
Manual Bar Screen thus it is
not being used.

-There are two types of bar

screen systems in the
Primary Bar Screen, namely
the Automated Bar Screen
and the Manual Bar Screen.
In
this
system
an
Automated Bar Screen is
situated
between
two
Manual Bar Screens.

Suggested Rectification
The cover to cover up the hole
should be made into a bigger one
so that leakage does not happen
this time.
In the second case the water level
can be raised to a higher level or
the holes can be lowered down
so that the wastewater is able to
go through to undergo the
Manual Bar Screen process.

Wastewater
from
the
university,
namely
washrooms,
cafeteria
kitchens, labs (including the
chemical labs of Building
3,4and 5), etc will flow
through here.
The Automated Bar Screen
is used to automatically
scrap away large solid
waste to a rubbish bin.

c)Grit Chamber
-After the Sludge Pump
Sump, the wastewater is
now transported to the grit
chamber. The main use of
the grit chamber is to settle
the heavymetals and to
separate the suspended
solids from the wastewater.

1. The Grit Chamber has

not been in working
condition since operation
started.
2. The second grit chamber
has not been used since
the start of operation and
has only been used to
collect rainwater

1. The whole chamber should

be repaired and made sure
that this time a technician is
positioned to make sure that
it is in working condition.
2. The grit chambers should
be able to interchange
during operation so that
both resources can be put
into use.

d)Oil & Grease Chamber

-The wastewater is then
flown to the oil and grease
chamber. Bubbles formed
here are used to get rid of
grease and oil.

e)Anoxic Chamber
-Since all the processes that
the
wastewater
went
through before were not in
working condition, in the
end the wastewater now is
full with suspended solids
by the time it is sent to this
process.
The
anoxic
chamber is used to mix the
wastewater without aeration
with one propeller within it.

1. Out off the two oil and grease 1. The first chamber should be
chambers the one that is
repaired as soon as possible
being used is not in working
while the other chamber should
condition while the other has
be able to interchange during
not been used since the start
operation as not to waste
of operation.
resources.

1. No specific problems were

found in the anoxic chamber.

-Process by which nitrate

nitrogen
is
converted
biologically to nitrogen gas
in the absence of oxygen.
This process is also known
as anaerobic denitrification.
f)Aeration Tank
The wastewater from the
anoxic chamber is then
flown to the aeration tank.
For the condition of the
UTP wastewater treatment
plant, there are 2 aeration
tanks but only 1 is being
used. The other only

1. Foam can be seen in the tank 1. The leak should be covered as

that is not being used
to not leaking towards the other
indicating that there is a
aeration tank.
diffusion leak.
2. The recycling of the bacteria
2. The tank is not mud brown in
from the clarifier should be
color as it is supposed to be
looked through again.
indicating
concentrated
bacteria.

collects rainwater.
The aeration tank uses
bacteria to degrade organic
matters. As the degrading
process begins the bacteria
starts to multiply. When the
bacteria concentration is too
high in the aeration tank,
the water will be flown to
the clarifier. The biomass
that has been degraded will
settle there.

g)Clarifier
When the clarifier is too
concentrated with biomass,
the wastewater will be
pumped back to the anoxic
chamber to remove NO3
(recycle process) or the
biomass is sent to the
thickener to be thrown
away. There is a scrapper to
remove any solid waste in
the clarifier. The clarifier is
an oval tank, which the
water at the top part of the
tank will flow into the
effluent tank. The effluent
tank will flow the water to
the chlorination tank.

h)Thickener
The sludge will be flown
into the sludge chamber,
where it goes to the sludge

1. There is algae growing on 1. NO3 should be well treated off

top of the clarifier indicating
before sending the wastewater
that the water has a lot of
to the clarifier.
nutrients that provide food to 2. Repair the scraper.
the bacteria.
3. Review the whole entire
2. The scrapper is broken.
treatment plant and do any
3. The effluent tank is not clear,
rectification that is needed.
indicating that the treatment
process
is
not
done
efficiently.

1.

The plate and frame 1. The plate and frame press

press is not working.
should be sent for repairs in
order to co-work with the sand
beds to produce higher quality
water.

storage. From here it goes

to the four sand beds
available
for
filtration
process.
The wastewater can also be
sent to the plate and frame
press, where the sludge is
compress into a cake-like
matter and all remaining
wastewater is flowed down.

i)Chlorination Tank

1. The chlorination tank is not

being used due to the fact
After getting rid of all the
that they say Malaysian
water standard does not need
solid waste and degrading
chlorination.
organic matters, the water is
sent for chlorination to kill
off all microorganisms
before finally discharging
the water into the nearby
river.

1. The chlorination process should

be undergone to ensure that the
water
is
free
from
microorganisms and the water
will not make anyone sick.

Parameter Used
Flow rate = 320m3/h = 7680m3/d
Temperature = 20C
Clarifier Height = 30ft = 9.144m
Based on wastewater laboratory results:

Graph Of Influent TBOD(mg/L) Aganist Time (h)

70
60
50
40
Influent TBOD(mg/L)

30
20
10
0

Time Of Day(h)

Graph Of Influent TSS (mg/L) Against Time(h)

Influent TSS(mg/L) average = 21.8685mg/L

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Hour

Since that the BOD, COD and TSS obtained from the laboratory experiment is too small,
therefore the influent BOD, COD and TSS from the typical composition of untreated
domestic wastewater(Table 3.15).
BOD = 200 mg/L
COD = 430 mg/L
TSS = 200 mg/L
Assuming the students population equivalent is 23000 PE.
23000 x 225L/day = 5175 m3/d (Q= 7680m3/d as the influent flow rate)
Laboratory Result
Aeration Tank Sample 1
Aeration Tank Sample 2
Aeration Tank Sample 3

MLSS
1950.00
2400.00
2466.67

Actual MLSS = 2216.6667 mg/L

Actual MLVSS = 1884.1667 mg/L
Actual MLSS Return Sludge = 8600 mg/L
Design MLSS = 5000 mg/L
Design MLVSS = 4250 mg/L

MLVSS
1500.00
1866.67
2250.00

Sample
Name
Influe
nt
6am
Influe
nt
7am
Influe
nt
8am
Influe
nt 10
am
Influe
nt
11m
Influe
nt
12pm
Influe
nt
1pm
Influe
nt
2pm
Influe
nt
3pm
Influe
nt
4pm
Influe
nt
6pm
Influe
nt
7pm
Influe
nt
8pm
Influe
nt
9pm
Influe
nt
10pm
Influe
nt
12am
Influe
nt
2am
Influe
nt
5am

Bottle
of
sample

Nitrate,
NO3(mg/L)

Ammon
ia, NH3(mg/L)

Phospho
rus, PO3(mg/L)

Sample
Name

Bottle of
sample

Nitrate,
NO3(mg/L)

Ammon
ia, NH3(mg/L)

Phospho
rus, PO3(mg/L)

I1

1.70

3.40

3.20

Effluen
t 6am

E1

4.00

-0.60

2.10

I2

1.30

4.30

3.00

Effluen
t 7am

E2

3.50

-0.40

2.35

I3

1.50

5.20

2.80

Effluen
t 8am

E3

3.80

1.60

3.15

I5

0.60

2.00

2.65

E5

3.10

-0.10

2.15

I6

0.30

5.90

3.70

I7

0.75

7.50

overdos
e

Effluen
t 2pm

3.20

-0.50

2.70

I8

1.20

7.90

3.80

Effluen
t 3pm

E10

0.25

-0.30

4.95

I9

1.00

6.90

4.75

Effluen
t 4pm

E11

2.30

0.80

3.10

I10

0.70

7.50

4.35

Effluen
t 6pm

E13

0.81

-1.00

3.40

I11

1.00

6.10

3.15

Effluen
t 7pm

E14

1.50

-0.70

3.00

I13

3.40

7.10

3.15

Effluen
t 8pm

E15

1.30

-0.03

3.62

I14

0.80

6.90

1.70

Effluen
t 9pm

E16

0.54

-2.00

3.15

I15

0.70

7.40

4.85

Effluen
t 10pm

E17

0.53

-0.10

2.65

I16

-0.40

9.30

4.80

Effluen
t 12am

E19

0.40

-0.10

5.75

I17

-0.20

6.50

3.60

Effluen
t 2am

E21

1.90

0.10

3.00

I19

1.90

8.40

3.85

Effluen
t 5am

E24

3.60

0.60

2.30

I21

0.40

5.70

3.75

Anoxic
Tank

1.80

4.40

7.20

I24

1.40

5.80

2.75

Aerati
on
Tank

1.90

6.40

3.20

Effluen
t 10
am
Effluen
t 11
am

E6
E9

TKN = 40mg/L
From the average of composite sample,
NH4-N= 6.322 mg/L, NO3-N= 1.0028mg/L, TP = 3.325mg/L
Alkalinity as CaCO3 =140mg/L as CaCO3
SVI = 370mL/g
Qw Wasting Flowrate = 4L/min = 0.24m3/h = 5.76m3/day

THE STP DESIGN PROJECT

Type of biological treatment: Extended Aeration Activated Sludge

Wastewater flow rate, Q = 320 m3/hr = 7680 m3/day

Aeration basin mixed-liquor temperature = 20 oC
Effluent NH4-N concentration= 1.81 g/m3
Wastewater characteristics:
Concentration (g/m3)
200
283
83
4000
40
14
8
140 as CaCO3
3200
22

Constituent
BOD
COD
TSS
MLVSS
TKN
NH4-N
TP
Alkalinity
MLVSS
Effluent TSS

A) Size of aeration tank required (compare with the present size volume)
Biomass production:

P X , bio =

QY ( S oS ) ( f d )( k d ) QY ( S oS ) SRT Q Y n ( NO x )
+
+
1+ ( k d ) SRT
1+ ( k d ) SRT
1+ ( k dn ) SRT

Q = 7680 m3/d
Y = 0.40 VSS/g bCOD
So = 320 g bCOD/m3
Kd = 0.12 g VSS/g VSSd
m = 6.0 g VSS/g VSSd
SRT = 30 days

-Determine S:

S=

K s [ 1+ ( k d ) SRT ]
SRT ( mk d ) 1

20 [1+ ( 0.12 ) 30 ]
=0.525 g bCOD/m3
30 ( 6.00.12 )1

Yn = 0.12 g VSS/g NOx

Kdn = 0.08 g VSS/g VSSd
Assume NOx 80% (TKN) as nitrogen balance cannot be done yet. The error in assuming
that NOx 80% (TKN) is small as the nitrifier VSS yield is a small fraction of total
MLVSS concentration.

NO x =0.80 ( 40 g / m3 ) =32 g / m3
-Substitute the above values and solve PX,bio

P X , bio =

]( )

(7680 )( 0.4 )( 3200.525 ) ( 0.15 )( 0.12 ) ( 7680 ) ( 0.4 ) ( 3200.525 ) 30 ( 7680 )( 0.12 ) ( 32 ) 1
+
+
3
1+ ( 0.12 ) 30
1+ ( 0.12 ) 30
1+ ( 0.08 ) 35
10

P X , bio =213353.7391+115211.0191 +8673.882353=337.238. kg VSS / d

Amount of nitrate oxidized of nirate:

( 0.12 ) ( 337.238 ) ( 103 )

NO x =TKN N e 0.12 P X , bio /Q=400
=34.73 g /m3
(7680)

The aeration tank volume:

P X , bio =P X , VSS=337.238 kg/ d

P X , TSS=

P X , VSS 337.238
=
=396.75 kg /d
0.85
0.85

X
( TSS) (V )=( P X ,TSS ) SRT=( 396.75 ) ( 30 )=11902.5 kg

At MLSS = 4000 g/m3

3

V=

(11902.5 kg)(10 g /kg)

=2380.5 m3
3
(5000 g/m )

Existing Aeration Tank Volume in STP

Dimension of each tank = 9m width x 27m length x 4m depth
Number of aeration tank = 2
Volume of existing aeration tanks = 9 x 27 x 4 x 2
Volume of existing aeration tanks = 1944 m3
By comparing the design aeration tank and existing aeration tank, the current aeration
tank volume in STP is not enough to sustain population of 23500. (The volume of
existing aeration tanks is 1944 m3 whereas the volume of required aeration tank is
2380.5 m3. )The depth can be increased to 5 m from 4 m, hence providing volume of 2430
m3, which will be adequate to meet the requirement as calculated.

B) Size and number of clarifier required

Assume a hydraulic application rate of 12m3/m2.d at average flow for the second clarifier
(table 8-7); the range is 8 to 16m3/m2.
Area=

7680
2
=640 m
12

Since we design for 2 clarifiers,

Area=

640
2
=320 m
2

Area=

d2
=320m2
4

d=

320 4
=20.185 21m

F/M and volumetric loading:

F /M=

Q So
( 7680 ) ( 200 )
g BOD
=
=
=0.152 g/ g d
XV g MLVSS d ( 4250 )( 2380.5 )

Lorg=

Q S o kg BOD ( 7680 ) ( 200 )

= 3
= 3
=0.646 kg/m 3 d
V
m d
( 10 ) ( 2380.5 )
NO
( x )
Ro=Q ( S oS ) 1.42 P X ,bio + 4.33 Q

Ro=7680 ( 3250.525 )1.42 ( 337.238 ) +4.33 ( 7680 ) ( 34.73 )=3129.62 kg /hour

C) Return activated sludge (from clarifier to aeration tank) using the present
pumping system.
Sludge Volume Index ( SVI )=370 mg/ L

Wasting flowrate ( Qw )=

5.76 m3
d

Returning Sludge , X ' r=

Returning Sludge , X r=

106
=2702.7027 mg/ L
SVI

MLVSS concentration
X'r
MLSS concentration

X r =0.85 2702.7027=2297.2973 mg/ L

Qr X r =( Q+Q r )
(assume waste sludge massis insignificant )

R=

Qr
Q

R X r =( 1+ R ) X
R=

X
5000
=
5000=1.389
X r X 8600

Present STP RAS ratio

Q r=

Q X ' Q w X ' r
X ' r X '

Q r=

7680 ( 2216.67 )5.76 (2702.7027)

=34994.1829
2702.70272216.67

R=

Qr
Q

R=

34994.1829
=4.557
7680

Presence RAS ratio = 4.557 ( > 1.389 )

In sum, sludge is able to be pumped at very fast rate.

D) Amount of sludge to be wasted from the clarifier.

SRT =

X TSS V
Xw Qw

SRT =

5000 2380 x 103

=396750000 mg/day
30

5000mg
396750000mg

1L
396750000 L 1
m3

5000
1000 L
79.35 m3

Assume the technician dispose waste of 60m3/d, waste dispose is not sufficient to
clear the waste produced. Therefore, waste disposed should be change from
60m3/d to 80m3/d.

E) Amount of alkalinity required.

Alkalinity to maintain pH 7 = Influent Alk Alk used + Alk to be added

Influent Alkalinity: 140 g/m3 as CaCO3
Amount of nitrogen converted to nitrate: NOx = 34.5 g/m3

Alkalinity used for nitrification=(7.14)(34.73)=247.9722 g /m3 used as CaCO3

Residual alkalinity concentration needed to maintain pH in the range of 6.8-7.0 = 70-80

g/m3 as CaCO3; select 80 g/m3
3

80 g/m =Influent alkalk used +alk be added

80=140247.9722+alk be added
3

Alkalinity needed=187.9722 g/m as CaCO3

Alkalinity needed= (7680 )( 187.9722 ) (1/103 )=1443.63 kg /d as CaCO 3

Amount of Na(HCO3) needed:

Equivalent weight of CaCO3 = 50 g/equivalent

Equivalent weight of Na(HCO3) = 84 g/equivalent

Na ( HCO3 ) needed =

(1443.63)( 84)
=2425.3 kg/d NaHCO 3
(50)

F) Amount of phosphorus and nitrogen required.

Assume the biomass contain 12% nitrogen and 2% phosphorus

Nitrogen required=

0.12 P X ,bio
Q

10
( 6 mg/kg)
( 0.12 ) (337.238 kg /d)
=5.27 mg/ L
(7680 m3 /d )(103 L/m3 )
Nitrogen required=

TKN = 40 mg/L
Since TKN > nitrogen required, TKN is adequate, no additional TKN is required.

Nitrogen required=

0.02 P X ,bio
Q

0.02(337.238 kg /d)(10 6 mg /kg)

P h osp h orus required=
=0.88 mg /L
(7680m 3 /d )(103 L /m 3 )

TP = 8 mg/L
Since TP > phosphorus required, phosphorus is adequate for microorganisms to grow. No
additional phosphorus is required.

Design Summary of UTPs STP:

Design Parameter
Average wastewater flow
SRT
Aeration tank volume
MLSS
MLVSS
F/M
Sludge production
Oxygen required
RAS ratio
Clarifier hydraulic application rate
Total Area of Clarifier
Alkalinity addition as Na(HCO3)
Nitrogen required
Phosphorus required

Unit
m3/d
d
m3
g/m3
g/m3
g/gd
kg/d
Kg/h
m3/m2d
m2
kg/d
g/m3
g/m3

Value
7680
30
2380.5
5000
4250
0.152
337.238
3129.62
4.557
12
640
2425.3
5.27
0.88

Conclusion:

The objective of this report is to design for sewage treatment plant to meet standard A. In
this report, parameters such as volume of aeration tank, sludge production and wasted,
nutrients required, alkalinity to be added and others were calculated and compared.
Therefore, the objectives had been achieved

Appendix