Wastewater Treatment Study Guide

Readings Masters and Ela Sections 6.5, through page 331

Readings from Vesilend Introduction to Environmental Engineering
(Vesilendwastewater.pdf on collab), skipping section 10.4

1) Recognize approximate influent characteristics of municipal wastewater in terms

of BOD5, TP, and TDS. (in terms of mg/L)
-BOD5: 100-350 mg/L
-TP: 5-20 mg/L
-TDS: 250-1000 mg/L

2) What is the primary objective of preliminary treatment (see vesilend)?

-To remove large solids from the wastewater in order to prevent them from
damaging more delicate equipment at later stages of the wastewater treatment
process.

3) What methods are used in preliminary treatment?

-Screens, Comminutors, Grit Chambers, Settling/Sedimentation Tanks (Clarifiers)

4) What is the removal mechanism used in a primary clarifier? What removal

efficiencies are typical of primary treatment?
-The solids that settle at the bottom of wastewater in a primary clarifier (raw sludge)
is removed. This process removes 50-65% of suspended solids and 25-40% of BOD.

5) What is the main purpose of secondary treatment? What is the main removal
mechanism in secondary treatment? What typical removal efficiencies can be
reached in secondary treatment?
-The main purpose is to remove more BOD. The main removal mechanism are
microorganisms, which have wastewater brought into contact with them, which use
microbial action to reduce BOD. A 90% BOD removal rate can be expected.

6) What are the typical hydraulic retention times in a grit chamber, primary clarifier,
and anaerobic digester? [Note that these are significantly different.]
-Grit Chamber: 20-30 s

-Primary Clarifier: 1.5-3 hrs

-Anaerobic Digester: 10-15 days

7) What are the different purposes of a primary clarifier versus secondary clarifier?
-Primary Clarifier: Most of the suspended solids settle out due to gravity and are
removed.
-Secondary Clarifier: Microorganisms which remove BOD from water are separated
from the water.

8) What is the mixed liquor in activated sludge system? Why is sludge returned to
the aeration basin?
-The mixed liquor is the mixture of aerated water and microbial mass. Sludge is
returned to the aeration basin to be reused in the aeration process so it can occur.

9) With respect to where the bacteria live, how do activated sludge systems differ
from trickling filters?
-Activated sludge systems have bacteria live at the beginning of the system, and
in trickling filters, they live at the end of the filter.

10)What are MBR and RBC systems?

-MBR System: Membrane Biological Reactor
-RBC System: Rotating Biological Contactors

11) What are the purposes of sludge stabilization?

-To reduce the problems of sludge odor, putrescence and pathogenic organisms.

12)Where in the system do we want aerobic versus anaerobic degradation and why?
-Aerobic: In dedicated aeration tanks for a net reduction in total and volatile solids.
-Anaerobic: In digesters, because anaerobic degradation is unable to occur in the
presence of oxygen.

13)What are the outputs from an anaerobic digester?

-Digested Sludge, Supernatant, Digester Gas

14)What are some methods for dewatering sludges?

-Sand Beds, Belt Filters, Centrifuges