WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Abstract: A method for the treatment of wastewater comprising subjecting wastewater and/or the settleable portion thereof to fermentation until the means cell retention time is in excess of that previously recommended for optimal acetic acid production to form a clarified product and conveying the settled product to an activated sludge treatment plant whereby effluent having reduced phosphorus and/or nitrate is produced.

Description: 'WASTEWATER TREATMENT' 05 Technical Field This invention relates to wastewater treatment. The 10 invention is particularly useful in the treatment of raw sewage. Backσround Art - m Modified activated sludge processes have been used for the removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), but in many cases the expected performance has not been obtained. Frequently, both N and P levels in treated sewage are found to be many times those encountered in 20 similarly designed plants operating on different sources of sewage. One well known design of nutrient removal process is the Bardenpho process, described in South African patent 25 application 72/5371 to the South African Inventions Development Corporation. For example, this process is known to operate well in one suburb of Johannesburg, but to perform very poorly 2 Q in another. It has been postulated that sewage deficient in acetic acid, a well known fermentation product, is not suitable as influent to activated sludge plants designed for the removal of P. Therefore attempts have been made to improve the performance of 35 plants by subjecting the influent raw sewage or the settleable portion thereof to fermentation with the objective of generating acetic acid (Barnard 1984) . SUBSTITUTE SHEET This procedure has been found to be of assistance. However, the generation of acetic acid is limited by the well known fact that relatively slow growing bacteria are capable of degrading acetic acid to methane Thus the system has previously been optimised to minimise loss of acetic acid by limiting the mean cell retention time in the pre-fermenter ' . Mean cell retention time (MCRT) is defined as the average time spent within the system by a cell. In the sewage treatment industry MCRT s usually called "sludge age". Prior workers have recommended that mean cell retention times be restricted to 5 days or less in order to maximise the production of acetic acid (Nicholls et al. 1987, T'Seyen et al.1985). Disclosure of the Invention Although the prior recommendations are broadly correct with respect to the generation of acetic acid, we have found that the efficiency of P and/or N removal increases with "soluble" carbonaceous substrate (soluble TOC) in the influent to the activated sludge plant. We have found that longer mean cell retention times (for example, in the range of 10-60 days) are more advantageous with respect to the N and P removal performance of an activated sludge plant such as the Bardenpho plant using sewage pretreated as described. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the control of N and/or P levels in effluent from an activated sludge plant. Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of controlling the phosphorous and/or nitrogen level in effluent from an activated sludge treatment plant comprising providing a source of SUBSTITUTE SHEET wastewater such as raw sewage, carrying out fermentation of the sludge component of said wastewater for a period exceeding that required for optimal acetic acid production and supplying the resultant product to said activated sludge treatment plant. Where reference is made herein to a fermentation period required for optimal acetic acid production, we mean that MCRT previously recommended for optimal production, that is, 5 days or less. A portion of the settled material resulting from the fermentation step of the invention may, if desired, be combined with other settled sewage before being introduced into the activated sludge plant. Preferably the MCRT is substantially greater than that previously recommended for optimum acetic acid production. More preferably the mean cell retention time is in the range 10-60 days. A cell retention time of about 30 days is particularly preferred. The activated sludge plant may be a 5 stage Bardenpho plant however, other activated sludge plants may be used. We have found that the level of phosphorous and nitrate in the effluent from a Bardenpho plant fed with raw sewage treated in a pre-fermentation tank fell from 5.3 and 1.5 mg/1 respectively at 7 days mean cell retention time in the pre-fermentation tank to as low as 0.2 and 0.7 mg/1 respectively at 30 days mean cell retention time. The fermentation step may be carried out in an activated primary tank (Barnard 1984) . Sludge recirculation is the preferred system for achieving the desired sludge age as the recycled sludge is elutriated by the fresh sewage fed to the system although alternative means may be employed to achieve the fermentation desired, such as, by separating the SUBSTITUTE SHEET said sludge in a settling vessel and subjecting it to fermentation and elutriation in a separate, usually smaller vessel. Fermentation may also be carried out in a gently stirred vessel into which raw sewage is supplied at the bottom of the vessel. The present invention allows for the control of the phosphorous and/or nitrogen content of the effluent from the modified activated sludge treatment plant in which incoming waste material is subjected to a fermentation step, the MCRT in this step being selected so as to achieve the desired phosphorous and/or nitrogen level in the effluent. Accordingly, in a further aspect the present invention provides a method of providing a desired phosphorous and/or nitrate level in the effluent from an activated sludge treatment plant comprising carrying out fermentation of wastewater in one or more activated primary tanks or the like and supplying the effluent from said one or more primary tanks to said activated sludge treatment plant, the mean cell retention time in the fermentation step being selected so as to achieve said desired phosphorous and/or nitrate level. Preferably the activated sludge plant effluent has a phosphorous level below 3 g/litre. More preferably the phosphorous level is less than 1 mg per litre. The nitrate level may be below 10 mg/litre. More preferably nitrate level is below 3 mg/litre. Brief Description of Drawings In order that the invention may be more readily understood we describe an embodiment of the invention in reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of an activated primary tank used in the embodiment in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of an activated sludge tank used in the pilot plant described in the example; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a 5 stage Bardenpho plant; Figure 4 is a graph showing the effluent phosphate levels from a Bardenpho system at equilibrium operation (after greater .than four MCRT's running). In Figures 2 and 3 the following abbrieviations are used: R S Returned Sludge from clarifier (not shown) ANAER Anaerobic stage (absence of oxygen and oxidised nitrogen) ANOX Anoxic stage (absence of oxygen, oxidised nitrogen usually present) AER Aerobic stage Tanks are numbered clockwise on the assumption that all partitions are in place. In fact only two partitions were used in the first aerobic tank. Hence the anaerobic stage ends at T2, the anoxic stage at T5 and the first aerobic stage at T15. General Description of the Process Referring generally to Figures 1 and 2, in a preferred mode of operation, incoming raw sewage 1 is mixed with SUBSTKΓUTE SHEET reσycled sludge 5 either before or after feeding to a fermentation vessel 10 said vessel being provided with a means of transporting 20 the sludge which settles in said vessel from the bottom of the vessel to the mixing Q 5 point 8. As is well known, alternative means may be employed to achieve the . fermentation desired, such as, by separating the said sludge in a settling vessel and subjecting it to fermentation and elutriation in a separate, usually smaller vessel. The size of the ^Q vessels used is selected to provide an appropriate fermentation time at the expected rates of input flow. A portion of the sludge 19 is removed from the fermentation vessel and not recycled said proportion being such as to give the desired MCRT. The vessel is - c also provided with an outlet enabling fermented sewage 19 to pass to an activated sludge sewage treatment plant 40. Further raw sewage may be fed into the activated sludge sewage treatment plant the proportions of raw and fermented sewage being adjusted to ensure 20 that the final effluent contains concentrations of phosphorus and nitrate below the desired levels. Example of Method in Accordance with Invention 25 Materials and Methods (a) Sewage treated. Raw sewage was obtained from the trunk sewer passing the 30 CSIRO Lower Plenty research station and was fed continuously at constant flow rate to the primary settler of the pilot plant. (b) Analytical methods 35 Phosphate as P (PO.P), Total Phosphorous as P (TP), Oxidised Nitrogen (OXN), Ammonia Nitrogen (NH_N) , SUBSTITUTE SHE Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Total jeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) were determined by Standard Methods (5th edition) or by Hach Kits. Total organic carbon (TOC) was determined using a Beckman TOC Analyzer. Acetate as Acetic acid (AC) was determined by GC (Pilkington 1988). 5 Pilot Plant Description Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the main features of the system are a primary settler 10 followed by a 0 rectangular vessel 40 capable of being divided into up to 20 stages and set up as a 5 stage Bardenpho • (see Figure 3), a convention cylindrical secondary clarifier (not shown) fitted with a sludge rake, and associated pumps . 5 Raw sewage 1 is supplied to a 2m 3 cylindrical "activated primary tank" (APT) 10 fitted with a sludge recirculation pump 20 to allow fermentation of primary sludge if desired. The vessel operates at a rise rate 0 of 0.6 m per hour and a liquid residence time of approximately 1.5 hours. The MCRT (sludge blanket volume/sludge wasted per day) was held at the desired value by wasting 19 .a calculated volume each m - week-day. Twenty four hour composite samples of the raw sewage typically contained 9 mg/1 P and 50 mg/1 TKN. 3 Primary settled sewage 17 feed-rate to the 5m activated sludge tank 40 was 3-4 1/min (liquid residence time approximately 1 day) . Mixed liquor 50 30 recycle and return sludge 60 flows were approximately 12 and 3-4 1/min. respectively. The tank configuration used over the period was as shown in Figure 2. Sludge age was maintained at 30 days by wasting mixed liquor from the first aeration tank (T15) each week-day. The 35 secondary clarifier (not shown) is 1 m in diameter and has a liquid depth of 3 m, thus the rise rate at average flow rate was 0.27 m/hr. Results When first commissioned, the APT was operated for several weeks with sludge -recycle, but without removal of primary sludge. Initially, sludge volume increased in a predictable fashion, but began to decrease as bacterial action began. After 21 days APT sludge was wasted as required to give a MCRT of approximately 30 3 days. The Bardenpho unit was commissioned using 2 M of sludge from the Brushy Creek extended aeration plant of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. Enhanced P removal was apparent within a week, and after some months, during which mechanical malfunctions were gradually overcome, two consecutive months of excellent operation were obtained. During this period, 24 hour composite samples of effluent 80 contained levels of PO-P, TP, 0XN and H 3 N typically 0.3, 0.4, 2 and 0.3 mg/1 respectively. At the completion of this period, a breakage in the sludge recycle line while the plant was unattended caused loss of all APT sludge. The opportunity was taken to evaluate the effect of APT sludge age on P removal in the Bardenpho unit. Initially, sludge was allowed to accumulate without recirculation, the tank being desludged each week-day. P removal remained good for over a week, but then deteriorated until effluent PO.P levels rose and stabilised at 3-5 mg/1. Sludge recirculation was recommenced, and the system was operated for periods at different APT MCRT. Operation was continued for at least 4 times the APT MCRT before changing to the next sludge age selected. Unexpectedly, no significant improvement in performance of the Bardenpho unit was apparent at the APT MCRTs of 3-5 days presently considered optimum. Over the period, results show that a trend of performance improvement occurred as MCRT in the APT increased. This is summarised in Table 1, which compares a series of results for different samples and components, each averaged over particular MCRT periods. SUBSTITUTE SHEET TABLE 1 AVERAGE STREAM ANALYSES (mg/L) v. APT SLUDGE AGE MONTH SLUDGE COMPOSITE RAW COMPOSITE INFLUENT TANK SPOT SAMPLES COMPOSITE AGE SEWAGE EFFLUENT D COD STOC COD TKN COD/ TOC T2 T5 T15 T15 RC SL , TP OXN TKN STP OXN STP OXN OXN OCT 30 222 54 4.1 11 .75 <1 2.8 .4 <1 .5 NOV .5 127 36 3.5 10 1.3 3.3 3.3 1.5 4.3 1.5 DEC 3 174 39 4.5 15 .8 3.9 2.7 .6 5.3 1 DEC 7 260 31 8.4 20 1.2 4.3 3.4 .9 3.7 1.5 JAN 7 269 42 6.4 14 2.6 4.3 3.8 1.5 5.3 1.5 FEB 15 467 262 47 5.6 .3 3.9 5 5.2 3 5.4 3 AFR 21 328 324 63 5.1 95 19 3.3 3.6 7.9 4.2 4.1 4.2 APR 30 531 72 339 67 5.1 117 18 1.6 2.4 7.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 MAY* 30 383 87 315 65 4.8 89 14 1.8 3.7 7.7 2.8 5.1 2.8 JUN 30 336 81 314 60 5.2 113 18 .5 1.7 2.7 .7 2.3 .7 JUL 30 408 69 434 65 6.7 98 17 1.1 <1 4.7 .3 <1 1.4 Abbreviations TKN Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen COD Chemical Oxygen Demand STP Soluble Total Phosphorous (sample mixed) OXN Oxidised Nitrogen STOC Settled Total Organic Carbon RC SL Recycled Sludge (sample settled for 1 hr, supernatant analysed) Considerable problems were encountered in maintaining sludge recirculation in the APT during May, circulation usually being lost overnight due to pump and line blockages. It is likely that improved reliability obtained in June was responsible for the improved results shown. As shown in Figure 4, there is a significant reduction in system effluent total P content when the MCRT in the Activated primary treatment (APT) step is greater than that required for optimum acetic acid production. As can be seen from Figure 4, a significant improvement in total P removal occurs when the MCRT in the primary fermenter is greater that about 15 days. It will also be seen from Figure 4 that a desired total P level in the effluent can be achieved by selecting an appropriate MCRT in the APT. Although the invention has been described in reference to the particular embodiment described above, it will be clear that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope . of the present invention. REFERENCES Barnard, J.L. (1984) Activated primary tanks for phosphate removal. Water S.A. Vol.10 No .3 , July, pp. 121-126. Nicholls, H.A., Osborn, D.W. and Pitman, A.R. (1987). Improvements to the stability of the biological phosphate removal process at the Johannesburg Northern Works. Biological Phosphate Removal from Wastewaters, e.d. R. Ramadori. Pergamon, Oxford. T'Seyen, J., LeFlohic, P., Faup, G.M., Megank, M. and Block, J.C. (1985). A separate acetate producing reactor to improve biological phosphorus removal. Proceedings of International Conference on Management Strategies for Phosphorus in the Environment, Lisbon 1-4 July, Selper London, UK. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method of controlling the phosphorus and/or nitrogen level in effluent from an activated sludge treatment plant comprising providing a source of wastewater, carrying out fermentation of the sludge component of said wastewater for a period greater than that required for optimal acetic acid production to form a clarified product and supplying said product to said activated sludge treatment plant. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said period is greater than 5 days . 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said period is in the range of about 10 to 60 days . 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said period is about 30 days . 5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said settled product is combined with other settled wastewater before being supplied to said activated sludge treatment plant. 6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said activated sludge treatment plant is a Bardenpho plant. 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said fermentation is carried out in one or more fermentation vessel(s) fed with said wastewater, the or each fermentation vessel(s) having means for recycling underflow from the or each vessel(s) to the respective influent of the or each vessel(s). SUBSTITUTE SHEET 8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said fermentation is carried out on settled sludge in one or more vessels having means to recycle underflow to the influent of said vessel (s). 9. The method of claim 7 or 8 wherein said recycled underflow is combined with wastewater prior to being returned to said fermentation vessel. 10. A method for providing a desired phosphorus and/or nitrate level rn effluent from an activated sludge treatment plant comprising carrying out fermentation of the sludge component of wastewater in one or more primary tanks or the like and supplying the effluent from said one or more tanks to said activated sludge treatment plant, the mean cell retention time in the fermentation step being selected so as to achieve said desired phosphorus and or nitrate level. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said fermentation effluent is combined with wastewater or the settleable component thereof prior to said effluent to said activated sludge treatment plant. 12. A method of claim 11 wherein the phosphorus level in the effluent from said activated sludge treatment plant is less than 3mg/litre. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the phosphorus level is less than about 1 mg/litre. 14. The method of claims 11 to 13 wherein the nitrate level is less than 10 mg/litre. 15. The method of claims 14 wherein the nitrate level is less than 3 mg/litre. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 16. The method of any one of the preceding claims wherein said wastewater is raw sewage. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Inventors: RAPER WILLIAM GEORGE CLIVE, RAPER, WILLIAM, GEORGE, CLIVE
Applicants: COMMW SCIENT IND RES ORG, COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH OR
Application year: 1990
Main classification: C02F3
IPC codes: C02F3