Environmental Engineering

Mr Dominic Hamblin Phone 2679 Dominic.Hamblin@port.ac.uk

Dr Brett Martinson Office 2.32 Phone 2916 email brett.martinson@port.ac.uk

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Sewage Quantity and Composition

In the UK 95% of sewage is treated centrally, these facilities are known as municipal treatment works, The remaining 5% is treated by packaged treatment plants, septic tanks and stored within cesspools. The quantity and composition of the sewage is defined as flows and loads, these loading figures are required when considering the design of a plant. Strength of sewage is defined as concentration and generally measured in mg/L The volume of sewage flows entering the municipal treatment works is be made up of surface water and foul sewage produced from domestic and commercial applications and trade effluent.

Centralised

PS CP

Pump station Cesspool

Pumped
PS

Municipal Works
CP

De-Centralised

WTP ST

Wastewater treatment plant

Septic tank

Pumped / Gravity
WTP

Water course Soakaway

Pumped / Gravity
ST

Soakaway

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Treatment plants are designed to cope with Dry Weather Flows, (DWF) 3 x DWF and very often 6 x DWF Flows are generally measured in l/d or m3/d Peak flows entering any treatment plant generally occur in the mornings and evenings. This is called a diurnal flow pattern Typical flows per person range between 180-250 l/d. For packaged plant British Water Code of Practice flows and loads 3 states 180 l/hd/d

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Flow (cu.m/s)

12 Hrs

18

24

Fig.1. Schematic of diurnal variation in wastewater flow

Sewage Quantity and Composition

The composition of sewage is made up from 99.9% water and the 0.1% being made up of solids Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats, Disease causing organisms (Pathogens), Grit , detritus, rags and metals The three factors that are typically used within the industry to measure the strength are Suspended Solids (mg/L): Biochemical Oxygen Demand [BOD] mg/l and Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH4-N) mg/L Typical strengths of Raw sewage are 300mg/L suspended solids, 250-300 mg/L BOD5 and 25 40 mg/L Ammoniacal Nitrogen The size of the treatment plant is based on Population Equivalent [PE] The Environment Agency set the determinands of sewage strength based on the environmental impact of the receiving waters and the groundwaters

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Raw Sewage 99.9% Water 70% Organic proteins fats grit salts metals Inorganic 30% 0.1% Solids

carbohydrates

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Influent Variation
900 800
BOD(mg/L) TSS NH4-N

600 500 400 300 200 100 0

pm am am m m m m m m m m m 3p 5p 7p 9p 1a 3a 5a 7a 9a 11 10 12 2p m

Time of day

NH4 (mg/L)

700

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

BOD,TSS (mg/L)

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Application & numbers (incl. future extensions) Effluent consent / point of discharge (EA) Gravity or pumped sewer (influent & effluent) Footprint restrictions Power supply (1-ph or 3-ph) Existing assets (e.g. septic tank) FOG, surface water & laundry (e.g. pubs, nursing homes)

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Design Loadings Organic Load [gBOD5/d] per Head 25 94 15 38 60 Total 1,250 14,100 750 1,140 300

Application

No.

Hydraulic Load [l/d] per Head Total 3,000 37,500 600 2,700 1,000

Ammonia Load [gNH3/d] per Head 2.5 10 5 5 8 Total 125 1,500 250 150 40

Conference Guest (non-residential) 50 Hotel Guest (3* and 4* hotels) Bar Drinker Staff (full-time) laundry 150 50 30 5

60 250 12 90 200

Summary (total loadings)

44,800l/d

17,540gBOD5/d

2,065gNH3/d

224pe

292pe

258pe

Sewage Treatment

Sewage Treatment

4 Basics stages of sewage treatment Preliminary Treatment (Grit Removal, Screening) Primary Treatment (Physical or chemical) Secondary (Biological) * Tertiary (filtration/UV/Reed beds)*

Sewage Treatment
Conventional WwTW Screening & Primary Settlement Grit Removal Secondary Treatment Biological Stage Or Activated Sludge

Final Settlement

Sand Filtration

Disinfection

Treated Water

Preliminary Treatment

Sewage Treatment Preliminary Treatment

Designed to remove the larger debris that enters the sewage works
Bar Screens Vertical Screens Brush Screens Compactors Conveyors Grit Separators Detritors

Sewage Quantity and Composition

Deflectors Inlet

Outlet

Reciprocating Rake Outlet

Inlet Scraper

Rake

Primary Treatment

Sewage Treatment Primary Treatment

Required to settle out the particles within the sewage prior to secondary treatment Typical constructions to promote settlement are radial and horizontal flow settlement tanks Particles within the wastewater generally require up to 2 hours to settle at 3DWF 50-70% of the suspended solids are removed within this stage Generally up to 30% of the BOD load is removed during primary treatment Solids are collected as sludge which is treated and disposed of separately Solids are classified by particle size. Classification: Suspended (<10-3), Colloidal (10-6) and Dissolved (<10-6)

Effluent Weir

Sewage Level

Baffles

Surface Skimmer

Effluent Weir

Flow Rotating Bridge Sludge Scrapers Inlet Sludge

Rotating Scraper Arm Effluent Weir

Inlet Baffle

Flow Plan (different scale)

Baffle Inlet Flow

Sewage surface

Effluent

Longitudinal Section Scraper Sludge Effluent Weir

Plan

Baffle

Effluent

Lamella 60o Sludge Plates

Fig 9. Schematic of a Lamella Flow Sedimentation Tank

CAPS
Chemically Assisted Primary Sedimentation/CEPT Coagulation/Flocculation Theory covered in water treatment

Secondary Treatment

Secondary Treatment Microorganisms

Microorganisms Bacteria Single cell - over 1500 species [0.5 to 5m] Protozoa Single cell - lowest form of animal life. Most are heterotrophs feeding on bacterial cells [10 to 100m] Rotifers Aerobic, Heterotrophic multicellular animal feed on bacteria via cilia head Nematodes Microscopic worms Fungi and Algae also have roles in sewage treatment systems

Secondary Treatment - Microorganisms

Cytoplasm Ribosmes Ce ll Wall

Ce ll M e mbrane Flagella

Nucle ar Area (DNA)

Capsule

Secondary Treatment - Composition

Sewage contains energy bound in molecules formed in biological processes Energy is found in the form of carbohydrates, fats proteins and amino acids Organic matter is composed of Carbon Hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen with small quantities of sulphur, phosphorous and iron Sewage also contains inorganic matter and dissolved salts General rule that a C:N:P ratio is 100:5:1 is required to support biological treatment Domestic sewage satisfies this and so supports substrate growth

Secondary Treatment Microbial Mechanisms

Mineralisation The most effective way of microorganisms can break down organic matter is by aerobic process Oxygen is used to breakdown carbon chains in organic compounds to simple inorganic molecules Heterotrophic bacteria utilise some of the organic compounds for creating new cells During the aerobic mineralisation of organic material nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus and iron are released When the oxygen supply is limited anaerobic and facultative organisms can break down the organic matter by other anaerobic pathways.

Secondary Treatment Microbial Mechanisms

Nitrogen Transformation The cycling of nitrogen compounds after the release of organic nitrogen as ammonium are becoming important in sewage treatment Ammonium is toxic to fish and it is important to be removed in the treatment process The Nitrogen cycle is the conversion of Organic Nitrogen to Nitrogen gas

Atmosphere, N2

Fixation
Soil Food Plants Food Animals Mineralisation

Denitrification Nitrate, NO3Nitrification Nitrite, NO2dead organic matter and excreta Nitrification Ammonium NH4+

Secondary Treatment - Microbial Mechanisms

Atmospheric N
Anaerobic Denitrification Pseudomonas

Nitrate N
Aerobic Nitrification Nitrobacter

Nitrite N
Aerobic Nitrification Nitrosomonas

Ammoniacal N
Aerobic/anaerobic Ammonification Many Bacteria

Organic N

Secondary Treatment Microbial Mechanisms

Ammonification [Amm N] Released during the biological transformation of nitrogen combined in organic matter such as humus, proteins and nucleic acids Nitrification Oxidation of Amm N to Nitrate N This occurs in 2 stages Amm N to Nitrite N (Nitrosomonas) Nitrite N to Nitrate N (Nitrobacter) Nitrification requires oxygen to take place Denitrification Transformation of oxidised mineral nitrogen to gaseous end products Performed by facultative bacteria in anoxic conditions .

Secondary Treatment Microbial Mechanisms

Strength of Sewage
Biochemical Oxygen Demand [BOD5] method of quantifying the degradable organic matter available to microorganisms and the impact on the aquatic environment BOD5 is measured over 5 days @20C under laboratory conditions is stated in mg/L BOD Concentrations can be converted to organic loads by multiplying the concentration by the flow Organic Load can be related to population equivalent 1 person produces 55-60g of BOD per day

Secondary Treatment Microbial Growth

Microbial growth Substrate Bacteria can have a very short doubling time (>20 mins). Populations can often respond quickly to the supply of substrate such as organic matter Closed batch reactor follows four phases:

Secondary Treatment Microbial Growth

Lag No. of cells/ Substrate conc.

Log Substrate

Stationary

Death or Endogenous

No. of cells

Time

Secondary Treatment Microbial Growth

Other factors influencing Biological activity are:
Temperature Toxic Compounds pH Availability of electro acceptors Physical sites Bacteria suited to certain niches

Secondary Treatment Organic Pollution

Most important impact on receiving waters is dissolved oxygen content Fish and other aquatic life forms require dissolved oxygen to breath A river requires at least 2mg/l DO to sustain higher life forms game fish requires 4mg/l

Biological Treatment Organic Pollution

The rate microorganisms use oxygen depends on:
The nature of the waste - how readily degradable it is, the ease of degradation determines the rate of oxygen consumption The ability of organisms in the stream to utilise the waste There may not be the organisms present Temperature Biological activity doubles for every 10 deg C increase, oxygen solubility decreases with increased temperature

Secondary Treatment Organic Pollution

Sewage Outfall Initial O2 Zone A Zone B

Dissolved Oxygen Conc. Dissolved Oxygen Sag Curve B Distance Downstream

Secondary Treatment Organic Pollution

Dissolved oxygen sag curve:
DO decreases at point source of discharge of organic matter Bacteria use up the DO as they degrade the Organic matter There is a point where the rate or consumption equals the rate of reaeration DO increases until it reaches saturation Oxygen Depletion (mg/l) 1.2 x BOD (mg/l) + 4.36 x Amm N (mg-N /l)

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Treatment systems Utilise the processes which naturally occur in our rivers Engineer control of conditions to increase rates of treatment
Increase the oxygen available for aerobic respiration Retain high number of microorganisms Maintain a high rate of substrate supply

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

The two main catagories of biological treatment:
Attached Growth Suspended Growth

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Attached growth Fixed Film systems
Microorganisms grow on the surface of inert structures know as media, this growth is called biofilm Various media types have different specific surface areas (m2/m3) Design is based on loading rates and the hydraulic retention time

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Media Type Slag Material Mineral Density (Kg/m3) 890 Surface Area (m2/m3) 143 Voidage % 51

Plastic Block
Flocor RC Plasdek Random Plastic Actifil 90e Flocor RC PP PVC 96 102 101 330 95 91 PVC PVC 98 98 120 230 95 95

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Types of fixed film processes:
Trickling filters Rotating biological contactors Submerged aerated filters

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Trickling filters
Generally circular or rectangular Settled sewage is distributed over the surface over the media and allowed to flow through Air is introduced at the base via air bricks as warm air rises the cool air is drawn in Loading rates are usually 0.3 0.5 kg BOD/m3/d Fly nuisance Poor nitrification in colder climates Low energy usage

Plan

Direction of Rotation Biofilm Support Media Intermittent Application of Sewage Biofilm Support Media

Air

Air Effluent Section

Flies/Birds

Insects and Worms Nematodes and Rotifers Protozoa Heterotrophic Bacteria Solid Organic Matter Soluble Organic Matter Degraded Organic Matter Mineral Salts Autotrophic Bacteria

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Rotating Biological Contactors
Plastic media held in place around a shaft Aeration is introduced to the biofilm through rotation through liquid and air Typical rotation speeds are 1-2 rpm Biomass typically grows to 3mm thick before sloughing off Can be susceptible to cyclic fatigue due to the heavy weight of the biomass growth on the media Offers a plug flow treatment with loading rates ranging from 2.5 - 8 gBOD/m2/d

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Submerged Aerated Filters (SAF)
Media is submerged below the water level Aeration is introduced via diffusers below media pack and as bubbles pass biofilm oxygen is consumed Biofilm is sloughed off with the turbulence from the bubbles Filters can be prone to clogging Typical loading rates are 0.5 - 3.5 gBOD/m2/d

Air Settled Sewage

Effluent + Bugs

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Design Loadings Organic Load [gBOD5/d] per Head 25 94 15 38 60 Total 1,250 14,100 750 1,140 300

Application

No.

Hydraulic Load [l/d] per Head Total 3,000 37,500 600 2,700 1,000

Ammonia Load [gNH3/d] per Head 2.5 10 5 5 8 Total 125 1,500 250 150 40

Conference Guest (non-residential) 50 Hotel Guest (3* and 4* hotels) Bar Drinker Staff (full-time) laundry 150 50 30 5

60 250 12 90 200

Summary (total loadings)

44,800l/d

17,540gBOD5/d

2,065gNH3/d

224pe

292pe

258pe

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

100

50

3.5 gBOD5/m2/d

10 HRT (hours)

20

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Suspended Growth
Most widely used sewage treatment process in the UK Process is unattached growth of microorganisms in a liquid culture Activated sludge is composed of discrete clumps known as flocs (1 x 106) Cells are bound together by extracellular bacterial polysaccharides The flocculant structure gives very high contact areas with sewage between 45 150 m2/g floc

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Suspended Growth
Aeration is introduced via surface aerators or aeration grids below the surface Aeration has a dual role supplying oxygen and keeping the bacteria in suspension Dissolved oxygen is maintained at 1 to 2 mg/l Typical loading rates of 1.3 kgBOD/m3/d with residence times of 5-14 hours

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Suspended Growth
After treatment sludge is settled within final sedimentation tanks High microorganisms are maintained by returning a proportion back to the inlet of the aeration basin (RAS) Excess activated sludge is disposed of with sludge from primary sedimentation (WAS)

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Influent, (Qi, Xi) Qi + Qras Mixed Liquor Activated Sludge Tank V = Volume, X = MLSS Final Sedimentation Effluent, (Qe, Xe)

Return Activated Sludge, (Qras, Xs)

Waste Activated Sludge, (Qwas, Xs)

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Suspended Growth
The control of this process requires balancing several factors; the number of microorganisms and their activity Operational problems are mainly concerned with the structure of the bacterial flocs such as:
Filamentous Bulking Pin point floc Deflocculation

Nematodes and Rotifers

Autotrophic Bacteria

Protozoa Heterotrophic Bacteria Solid Organic Matter Soluble Organic Matter Degraded Organic Matter Mineral Salts

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids [MLSS]
Suspended solids concentration in the aeration basin Indicates the level of microorganisms present. AS generally works to 1500 3000 mg/L, the higher the MLSS the higher rate the process.

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Sludge Age (or Mean Cell Residence Time MCRT)
Character and condition of floc changes with time. Older flocs become less active and organic removal rates decrease, nitrifying bacteria get established with older floc. Sludge age is usually between 3-4 days
Sludge Age (ts)= VX (QwasXs) + (QeXe)

Where: V = aeration basin volume X = MLSS

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Food:Mass (F/M) ratio
A measure of the substrate being supplied to the microorganisms Too much food gives poor effluent quality Too little food will not support optimum biological activity Typical F/M ratios are around 0.1-0.5 g/g/d (gBOD gMLSS/d)

F/M =

Organic Loading Rate Mass of cells in System Qi = flow in per day [BOD = influent BOD concentration V = aeration basin X = MLSS

Qi[BOD] VX

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Sequencing Batch Reactors
Designed to treat flows in Batches Controlled by a PLCs Copes well with seasonal variations and concentrations Popular in Scandinavia where nutrient removal is required Suffers from poor suspended solids levels

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Extended Aeration
Similar to SBR technology but works on low F/M Reduces the need for settlement tanks Process produces less sludge due endogenous decay Hydraulic retention times are around 3 days Suffers from pin point floc Uses more energy than conventional SBR systems

Secondary Treatment Treatment Systems

Tertiary Treatment

Tertiary Treatment - Introduction

Increased treatment requirements necessary to remove new parameters ( N +/or P)
New tertiary treatment stage required Designed to remove specific pollutants

More stringent standards born out of regulatory changes UWWD (BOD:SS:NH4-N)

Upgrading existing works by retrofit

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Disinfection
Required to meet the Bathing Water Directive Secondary Treatment is inefficient at removing pathogens and viruses

Can be achieved through chemical addition, UV radiation or by passing through a Membrane

Tertiary Treatment - Introduction

PARASITES Helminths Ascaris lumbricoides Trichuris trichiura Hookworm Taenia spp. Hymenolepis spp.
Ascaris Campylobacter

BACTERIA

Campylobacter

Vibrio cholerae
Escherichia Salmonella Typhoid VIRUSES Enteroviruses Hepatitis A

Schistosoma spp. Fasciola hepatica Entamoeba spp Giardia spp

Protozoa

Rotavirus Poliovirus
Picornvirus: Hep A

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium spp

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Chemical Disinfection chemicals used are strong oxidising agents such as Chlorine or ozone Chlorination is often used in potable water treatment (first use was in 1879) Chlorine inhibits bacterial respiration Usually added as chlorine gas (CL2)

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Ozonation
Passing of dry air between 2 electrodes. Oxygen molecules dissociate and react with undissociated molecules to from ozone Unstable process and not often used in the UK due to high cost

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

UV radiation
Sewage is exposed to light (0.2 0.29m) Sewage flows over surface of bulbs UV light inactivates the bacteria Log 4 reduction in coliforms

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Plan Inlet 3.5m 150mm Sewage Level UV Lamps in. Quartz sleeve 150mm Outlet

150mm Cross Section

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Membrane Bioreactors
High Rate Process Produces exceptional effluent quality removing viruses and pathogens Can irrigate effluent without the need for tertiary treatment Typical flux rates are 10 Lmh Suffers from operational control difficulties Expensive method of treatment

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Effective pore size m (log) 0.001 0.01

Nominal pore size

0.1 1.0 10 100 1000

Relative Particle Sizes Metal ions Aqueous salts Cryptosporidia Separation Process Virus Bacteria Coal dust Beach sand Giardia

Ultrafiltration
Microfiltration

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Biological Nutrient Removal

Problems from Eutrophication excessive algal growth Algae gives off toxic compounds and depletes Oxygen Removal of P and N Required under UWWD

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic Humus

4-5Q

1Q Barde npho Proce ss Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic Humus

1Q

2-3Q 1Q

UCT Process

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

Reed Beds or constructed Wetlands

Come in various forms vertical / horizonal Common reeds are Phragmites australis Biofilms grow on gravel and reed roots Uptake of nutrients is in the Rhizomes Can take up large footprint Effective in areas where there is no energy supply

Tertiary Treatment Removal of specific nutrients

2 beds operated Reeds intermittently

Progressively Coarser Media

Sewage Distribution

Drain Plan Section

Reeds

0.6m

Gravel Liner

Inlet

Outlet

Summary
Wastewater treatment is made up of a number of physical/Chemical and biological processes. Wastewater flow is generally quantified as L/d or m3/d Wastewater strength is generally measured as BOD:SS:NH4-N mg/l Nutrient removal is becoming increasingly required within the UK