Pre Treatment Upstream pumps automatically spill >6DWF

Discharge Management
Spill when full

Use statistical data to size tanks - 30-50 year design horizon on Store >3DWF - 6DWF for 2 hours in storm tanks
the basis of Dry Weather Flow (DWF)
Flow to full of 3DWF

Improves the efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant

Waste water flows not constant

Flow Equalisation
In-line
Off-line

Treatment plant operates better at steady-state

Tangential inlet promotes circular flow.

Airlift pump removes the grit from the grit sump

Outlet is wider than the inlet causing a lower exit velocity than the
influent velocity. This prevents the grit being drawn into the
Granular activated carbon is used in a fixed bed or moving bed effluent flow
column (wastewater typically being applied from the bottom of the Effluent exits at the top of the tank
column and the regenerated carbon from the top)
Grit settles by gravity into the bottom of the tank
Powdered activated carbon is directly applied to the effluent of a
Vortex Flow
biological treatment process or to the aeration tank Wastewater enters the chamber tangentially
Removed by adsorbing them on powdered or granulated
activated carbon Horizontal Flow Velocity controlled channel
Remove soluble organic matter that is resistant to biological Carbon adsorption Dimensions of the channel - shape
Development of cracks and contraction of filter bed Designed to allow sufficient retention time for particles to settle
breakdown (refractory organics)
Special influent distribution gates
Buildup of emulsified grease - increases head loss Uses centrifugal forces
Disadvantages Biofouling is a problem - overcome by chlorination and/or Types
Uses diffusers to promote spiral path Special weir sections at the influent end
Turbidity buildup - controlled by adding chemicals or polymers chloramination of feed water
Increases path length - increases retention time
Mudball (agglomerations of biological floc, dirt and the filter
media) formation - reduces effectiveness of filtration and Low pressure microfiltration and ultrafiltration are generally used Quantity of air is adjusted to provide the roll
backwashing Heavier particles settle to the bottom
Membrane filtration Wastewater flows through the chamber in a spiral pattern
Loss of filtering medium during backwash Membrane bioreactor activated sludge process, no clarifiers Aerated Air is introduced along one side of the chamber
Need to be backwashed regularly to prevent particle buildup Separation achieved by selectively passing one or more
components through a membrane while retarding the passage of Lighter organic particles remain suspended and are carried out of
Typically, granular filters can reduce TSS from 10 mg/L to less
one or more other components the tank
than 2 mg/L and total phosphorus from 1 mg/L to less than 0.1 Scrapper plows the settled sludge progressively into a centrally
mg/L Reduce the formation of deposits in channels, tanks and pipelines
located sludge hopper Travelling bridge Sludge Removal
Effluent travels through the filter by gravity Grit Removal Protect downstream mechanical equipment from abrasion and Straight multiblade scrapper
Granular filtration wear Most common
Filters containing fine and coarse particles or granules which
Grit (sand, gravel, broken glass, egg shell etc.) has a settling
adsorb pollutants Flow is split between multiple sedimentation units so that Flow splitting
Particles can include sands, gravels, anthracite , polymeric resin velocity substantially greater than the organic material in
wastewater hydraulic load and the solids load are in proportion to the design
fillers, Ilemnite, activated carbon etc. limits of the tanks Scum removal Rotating skimmer arm and wiper attached to the scraper
Reduce the frequency of digester cleaning that is required due to
mechanism
Preliminary Treatment accumulated grit
Specific gravity A flow splitter (weirs and notches) is used to split the flow equally
Scum is pushed over the beach plate by the wipers, and then into
Polymers can be expensive Removes large objects
Medium gradation Bar Racks and Screens the scum outlet piping
Large amounts of chemicals may need to be transported to the Cantilevered
Pore or grain size Can be mechanical or passive Double Weir Troughs
(potentially remote) treatment location Suspended
Design characteristics Coarse Solids Reduction Classification based on purpose
Shape Addition of treatment chemicals, especially lime may increase the Centre Feed
More difficult to deal with untreatable wastes in tiny pieces Micro-screens Submerged Orificies
Solubility of materials used volume of waste sludge by up to 50%
Disinfection Don't produce screenings Fine Screens
Hardness Requires working with corrosive chemicals, increasing operator Clarified water overflows into an effluent trough
Use a mechanical device to shred or grind the solids and return Outlet Configuration V-notch Weirs
safety concens them to the flow Very Fine Screens Velocity through the orifices of the well 0.075-0.15 m/s
Depth Overdosing can diminish the effectiveness of the
Alternative to bar racks and screens Bar Racks/ Coarse Screens Peripheral Feed Diameter of feed well 10-15% tank diameter
treatment. Types
Grinders Trash Racks Inlet Configuration Centre Feed
Competing reactions, varying levels of alkalinity and Disadvantages Tertiary Treatment Pulverise the solids by a high-speed rotating assembly Most common
other factors make calculation of proper chemical
dosages impossible. Wastewater is introduced to the center of the tank through a
Comminutors Uses a stationary horizontal screen to intercept the solids in the center riser into a circular feed well
Completely enclosed systems, self-operating and low flow and a rotating or oscillating cutting bar to shear the material
maintenance Types Peripheral Feed Depth of feed well 1-2.5m
Advantages Circular Diameter
Well-established technology with readily available chemicals Slow-speed grinders that use two sets of counter-rotating blade Sedimentation Basins Controlled by overflow rate
Macerators assemblies
Phosphorus in wastewater promotes eutrophication Range from 3-90m diameter (12-45m typical)
Chemical precipitation Main form of primary treatment
Ferric Chloride Improvement of the performance of subsequent units Depth
Removed by precipitation using chemicals Wastewater flow is slowed down and suspended solids settle to Should be deep enough to accommodate sludge removal
Removal of untreatable solid materials the bottom by gravity in sedimentation equipment, store settled solids (when desludging intermittently),
Aluminium sulphate
Lime use is reducing due to increase in sludge production, pH Functions Protection of subsequent treatment units Need multiple primary tanks - maintenance/cleaning avoid scour, and avoid carryover of solids in the effluent
control requirements, and operation and maintenance problems Physical process If using chemical dosing, need dosing arrangements, coagulation
with storage, handling and feeding of lime Lime Primary Treatment Removes scum (fats, oils, grease) and inert particulate Range from 3-5m
Suspended solids and organic colloidal materials (BOD) settles to and flocculation before sedimentation tank
the bottom to form a sludge layer that undergoes anaerobic Improves the quality (polishing) of wastewater discharged to Waste Water Treatment matter (remaining grit)
decomposition the environment Lowers oxygen demand, decreases energy consumption rate and Common in large-scale water treatment plants Inlet Structures are designed to distribute water over the entire
Mechanical diffused aerators provide oxygen and allow for a Aerated Ponds reduces operational problems with downstream biological cross-section Stilling Wall
Removes a significant fraction of organic particulate matter Inlet Configuration Prevents incoming water jetting into the tank which reduces
greater proportion of organic material to remain suspended A reactor is used to grow biomass on incoming substrate to treatment processes
(suspended solids) - reduces BOD5 retention time
remove BOD before discharge to the receiving environment Makes primary effluent nutrient deficient Rectangular Width 3-24m Channel or Flume
BOD reduction by aerobic bacteria at the pond surface and by May remove too much phosphorus May help achieve phosphorus consent
anaerobic bacteria at the bottom Provides further removal of suspended solids Length 30-60m When rectangular tanks are constructed side-by-side, water is
Hamper secondary biological treatment which requires nutrients
Oxidises readily degradable BOD that escapes primary Increases removal of BOD distributed by a single channel that runs perpendicular to the flow
The soluble BOD is aerobically stabilised and suspended and Floor slopes towards the sludge hopper through the tank
colloidal BOD tend to settle and is decomposed by anaerobic treatment Increases primary tank capacity by allowing higher overflow rate -
bacteria Often involves treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus higher flow rate same performance/same flow rate higher If numerous tanks are required, rectangular tanks with common
Anaerobic bacteria break down the organic matter, releasing performance walls are constructed
BOD reduction 70-85% Micro-organisms are maintained in suspension by mixing using Addition of chemicals to enhance sedimentation - alum or ferric Returning chain-and-flight scraper at the surface of the tank (for
methane and carbon dioxide, which can collected as a fuel chain-and-flight sludge removal system
Facultative Ponds aeration or mechanical agitation chloride are added in conjunction with anionic polymers Scum removal
(biogas). Sludge is deposited on the bottom. 1-2m deep A surface scraper and a scum pipe (for travelling bridge sludge
Micro-organisms are suspended in the fluid Enhanced Sedimentation Increased sludge quantities from coagulants and additional Too deep - inefficient
Deep ponds (2-5m) that receive high organic loadings - has a Anaerobic Ponds Oxidation Ponds Suspended Growth removal system)
suspended solids collected
smaller footprint because don't need to worry about DO Too shallow - no room for sludge collecters or settlement
Organic water degradation mainly through the action of aerobic Micro-organisms are mixed thoroughly with the organic Chemical handling facility required - storage, mixing delivery Depth 4m typical
O2 consumption rate much higher than O2 production rates which bacteria compounds present in wastewater Used in place of sedimentation if high removal efficiencies are not Chain and flight
DO is maintained by algal photosynthesis Combined scum and sludge removal
creates anaerobic conditions 90-99% removal of viruses (mostly through solids settling, but required
Shallow ponds less than 1m depth - DO decreases with depth Fine Screens
also bacterial antiviral products and predation) Sludge Removal Travels back and forth along the tank
Typical BOD reduction efficiency is of the order of 50-70% Aerobic Ponds
Light penetrates to the bottom maintaining algal photosynthesis 0.25-1.5mm openings typical Travelling Bridge
80-99% removal of bacteria (sunlight, temperature, aggressive Secondary Treatment
during daytime and UV disinfection
micro-organisms, predation by ciliated protozoans, competition 5-45% for suspended solids Water leaving the sedimentation basin should be collected
Surface re-aeration by wind mixing from other bacteria, adsorption to sludge solids) Removal efficiency Outlet Configuration uniformly across the width of the basin
Keeps microbes in suspension BOD removal is approximately 85% 5-50% for BOD5 Consists of launders running parallel to the length of the tank
Aerator
Long, rectangular basin Conventional Activated Sludge Solids settle to the plate and slide down the surface to the bottom V-notch weirs are attached to the launders
Aerated for 6-8 hours of the tank
Activated Sludge Process
Liquid-solids separation, produces sludge Inclined plates and tubes are generally used
Settling Tank Step aeration activated Sludge Tube and Plate Settlers
A portion of the sludge is wasted everyday to maintain the proper Influent introduced under the plates or tubes flows to the bottom
Contact Stabilisation of the tank
amount of microbes to efficiently oxidise the biodegradable
organics Recycle System Extended Aeration Increase the capacity of existing tanks by increasing settling area
Complete Mix Activated Sludge Can retrofit plate packs
Oxidation Ditch Angle of approx 60
Difficult to clean - may need retrofitted modifications to
Nutrient Removal
sludge/scum removal
Food to micro-organism ratio F/M describes the degree of
starvation of the biomass Growth Kinetics
F/M > 1 log (max) rate of growth of biomass, large sludge volume
generated but smaller reactor volume required
Endogenous growth: F/M <<1, amount of food availability limits
the biomass growth rate , smaller sludge generation but larger
reactor volume required
As the micro-organisms grow and are mixed by the agitation of
air, the individual organisms flocculate to form an active mass of
microbes called activated sludge

Wastewater components and oxygen diffuse into the biofilm

End products diffuse out of biofilm into bulk water

Flow from the attached growth process may be passed through a

sedimentation basin (humus tank)
Utilise films of micro-organisms attached to inert carrier to treat
wastewater Attached Growth
Micro-organisms form a film on a bed,disk, or other support
material (plastic materials, stones) over which wastewater is
Low power requirements Advantages applied
Low biosolids load Trickling Filter
Simple operation
Types
Resistant to shock loads
High suspended solids in effluent (sloughing of biofilm)
Very little operational control Disadvantages
Relatively low BOD removal (85%)
Large area required
Loading rate: 1-4m3 wastewater/m2 area filter-day
Standard or low rate trickling filter
Single stage rock media units
Single-stage or two stage rock media units Types
Loading rate: 10-40m3 wastewater/m2 area filter-day
Re-circulation ratio 1:3 High rate trickling filter
Loading rate: 25-50m3 wastewater/m2 area filter-day
Plastic media
Deep bed 3-12m
Re-circulation ratio 1:6
Microbes in wastewater adhere to the rotating surfaces and form
a biofilm
Consists of closely spaced discs (lightweight, 3-3.5m diameter),
mounted on a horizontal shaft Rotating Biological Contactor
The discs are rotated while about 1/2 of their surface area is
immersed in wastewater
Oxygen is supplied to the attached biofilm by the air while the air
is out of the liquid
As the biofilm passes through the wastewater they absorb organic
compounds for oxidation
Aerate the wastewater and the suspended microbial growth in the
reservoir

Provide media for the buildup of attached microbial growth

Discs
Bring the biofilm into contact with the wastewater

Simple operation, short retention time due to large active surface,

low power, minimal odour and low sludge production
Hydraulic loading rate
Number of stages
Performance Factors
Organic loading rate
Recirculation rate
Submergence

Rotational speeds
Oxygen levels