Activated Sludge Aeration Tank Calculations - S.I.

Units

Workbook Contents

Click on tabs at the bottom of the screen to access the following:

Tab 1. Contents (current tab)

Tab 2. Input Wastewater Information

(Parameter values entered here will be used in the other worksheets)

Tab 3. Aeration Tank Sizing Calculations

(tank volume based on volumetric loading, HRT, or F:M ratio)

Tab 4. Aeration Tank Operations Calculations

(waste activated sludge and recycle activated sludge rates)

Tab 5. Oxygen Requirement/Blower sizing Calculations

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ns - S.I. Units

NOTE: The cells containing formulas are locked (protected) to avoid the
possibility of inadvertently typing over any of the formulas. You may,
however, adjust the number of decmal places for any of the cells.

d in the other worksheets)

HRT, or F:M ratio)

ed sludge rates)

ts reserved.
d (protected) to avoid the
he formulas. You may,
or any of the cells.
 Activated Sludge Waste Water Treatment Calculations - U.S. units
Input of Values for Wastewater Parameters

Enter values in yellow cells only.

Note that these parameter values will be used in the other worksheets.

Input Information
INPUT INFORMATION

Design Wastewater Flow Rate, Qo = 5678.1 m3/d

Primary Effluent BOD5, So = 160 g/m3

Aeration Tank MLSS, X = 2100 g/m3

% volatile MLSS, % Vol = 70%

Waste/recycle activated
Sludge SS conc., Xw = 6800 g/m3

Secondary Effluent TSS, Xe = 20 g/m3

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ns - U.S. units
ers

worksheets.
 Activated Sludge Waste Water Treatment Calculations - S.I. units
Aeration Tank Sizing Calculations

Parameter Values Transferred from Worksheet 2:

INPUT INFO

Design Wastewater Flow Rate, Qo = 5678.1 m3/d

Primary Effluent BOD5, So = 160 g/m3

Aeration Tank MLSS, X = 2100 g/m3

% volatile MLSS, % Vol = 70%

Enter values in ye

1. Sizing Based on Volumetric Loading Design Vol. Loading, VL = 0.5606

Design Aeration Tank Volume Values of other Design Parameters

Aer Tank Hydr. Retention Time: 6.85

Aeration Tank Volume, V = 1,621 m3
Aer Tank F:M Ratio: 0.381
CALCULATIONS/ RESULTS

2. Sizing Based on Hydr. Retention Time Design Aeration Tank HRT = 7.0

Design Aeration Tank Volume Values of other Design Parameters

Aeration Tank Volume, V = 1,656 m3 Aer Tank Volumetric Loading: 0.549

Aer Tank F:M Ratio: 0.373

3. Sizing Based on F:M Ratio Design F:M Ratio, F:M = 0.35

C Design Aeration Tank Volume Values of other Design Parameters

Aer Tank Volumetric Loading: 0.515

Aeration Tank Volume, V = 1,766 m 3

Aer Tank Hydr. Retention Time: 7.46

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Volumetric Loading
Hydraulic Loading
F:M Ratio
S.I. units References and Equations

A flow diagram of the activated sludge process is shown below along with the equatio
worksheet. For more details and background information on the activated sludge pro
design and operation calculations, see the following references:

Water and Wastewater Engineering Design Principles and Practice, Sec 23.7 Suspended Gro

Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Sec 6.5.1 Activated Sludge

Handbook of Environmental Engineering Calculations, 2nd Ed, Sec 1.7.21 Activated Sludge P

Design of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, 6th Ed., Sec. 12.1.3. Activated Sludge Environ

The symbols used in the flow d

the equations below are as foll
er values in yellow cells only. Q is volumetric flow rate in m3d

S is BOD5 concentration in g/m

kg BOD5/day/m3 X is total suspended solids con

n Parameters The subscript o refers to the p

The subscript e refers to the se
hr The subscript w refers to the w
The subscript r refers to the re
kg BOD5/day/kg MLVSS NOTE: Based on an assumption of no biological
degradation in the secondary clarifier, the BOD 5 in the V is the volume of the aeration
waste activated sludge and recycle activated sludge X is the mixed liquor suspende
are taken to be equal to that in the effluent stream. in the aeration tank in g/m3.
hr
Equations Used for These Calculations:
n Parameters Volumetric Loading: VL = [(So*Qo)/V]/(1000 g/kg)

kg BOD5/day/m3 hydraulic Loading: HRT = 24*V/Qo

kg BOD5/day/kg MLVSS F:M Ratio: F:M = (So*Qo)/(%Vol*X*V)

NOTE: The conversion factors in these equations are: 1000 g/kg and 24 hr/day

kg BOD5/day/kg MLVSS
n Parameters

lb BOD5/day/1000 ft3

hr

The sources for the information in the above table are 1) Hydraulic Retention Time values:
Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Table 6-43 and Table 6-44

and 2) Volumetric Loading and F:M Ratio values:

Operation of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, MOP No. 11, 7th Ed., Table 20.1
g with the equations used in this
ivated sludge process and its

3.7 Suspended Growth Design Practice

vated Sludge

Activated Sludge Process

ted Sludge Environment

s used in the flow diagram at the left and

ns below are as follows:
etric flow rate in m3day

concentration in g/m3

spended solids concentration in g/m3

pt o refers to the primary effluent stream.

pt e refers to the secondary effluent stream.
pt w refers to the waste act. sludge stream.
pt r refers to the recycle act. Sludge stream.

ume of the aeration tank in m3.

ed liquor suspended solids concentration
eration tank in g/m3.

and 24 hr/day
ntion Time values:
d Table 6-44

ble 20.1
 Activated Sludge Waste Water Treatment Calculations - S.I. uni
Aeration Tank Operation Calculations

Enter values in yellow cells only.

Input Information

Aeration Tank Volume, V = 1,699

INPUT INFORMATION

Target Sludge Retention Time, SRT = 12

Parameter Values Transferred from Worksheet 2:

Design Wastewater Flow Rate, Qo = 5678.1

Primary Effluent BOD, So = 160

Aeration Tank MLSS, X = 2100

% volatile MLSS, % Vol = 70%

Secondary Effluent TSS, Xe = 20

Waste/Recycle Act. Sludge Conc., Xw = 6800

Activated Sludge Operational Parameters

RESULTS

Recycle Act. Sludge Rate, Qr = 2,537 m3/d

Waste Act. Sludge Rate, Qw = 27.0 m3/d

Aer. Tank F:M Ratio, F:M = 0.364 kg BOD/day/kg MLVSS

RES
NOTE: In Calculating Qw, the effluent flow rate, Qe is taken to be equal to the influent flow
rate, Qo, based on the assumption that liquid streams separated from the waste
activated sludge are sent back into the wastewater stream.

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ter Treatment Calculations - S.I. units Refe

Operation Calculations
A flow diagram of the activated sludge process
worksheet. For more details and background
design and operation calculations, see the follo

Water and Wastewater Engineering Design Princip

m3 Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering

days Handbook of Environmental Engineering Calculatio

rom Worksheet 2: Operation of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plan

m3/d

g/m3

g/m3

g/m3

g/m3
NOTE: Based on an assumption of no biological
degradation in the secondary clarifier, the soluble
BOD5 in the waste and recycle activated sludge

is taken to be equal to that in the effluent stream.

Recycle Activated Sludge Rate

OD/day/kg MLVSS
Waste Activated Sludge Rate:
taken to be equal to the influent flow F:M Ratio: F:M = (So*Qo)/(%V
streams separated from the waste
water stream.

LLC. All rights reserved.

The source for the information in the above table

Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering
and
Operation of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, M
 References and Equations

of the activated sludge process is shown below along with the equations used in this
more details and background information on the activated sludge process and its
ration calculations, see the following references:

water Engineering Design Principles and Practice, Sec 23.7 Suspended Growth Design Practice

ook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Sec 6.5.1 Activated Sludge

ironmental Engineering Calculations, 2nd Ed, Sec 1.7.21 Activated Sludge Process

nicipal Wastewater Treatment Plants, MOP No. 11, 6th Ed., Sec. 20.1 Activated Sludge

The symbols used in the flow diagram at the left and

the equations below are as follows:
Q is volumetric flow rate in m3day
S is BOD5 concentration in g/m3

X is total suspended solids concentration in g/m3

The subscript o refers to the primary effluent stream.

The subscript e refers to the secondary effluent stream.
The subscript w refers to the waste act. sludge stream.
The subscript r refers to the recycle act. Sludge stream.

n an assumption of no biological V is the volume of the aeration tank in m3.

e secondary clarifier, the soluble X is the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration
te and recycle activated sludge
in the aeration tank in g/m3.
ual to that in the effluent stream.

Equations Used for These Calculations

Recycle Activated Sludge Rate: Qr = QoX /(Xw - X)

Waste Activated Sludge Rate: Qw = (V*X/SRT - Qe*Xe)/Xw

F:M Ratio: F:M = (So*Qo)/(%Vol*X*V)

the information in the above table is:

ook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Table 6-43 and Table 6-44

er Resource Recovery Facilities, MOP No. 11, 7th Ed., Table 20.1
 Activated Sludge Waste Water Treatment Calculations - S
Oxygen Requirements/Blower Sizing Calculation

NOTE: To aid in setting the design WW flow rate for these calculations, it is recommended t
and average ww flow rates be identified and that the oxygen requirement rates be calculated

User Input Information - See Tables below right for typical values of k d and Y and of oxy

Design WW Flow Rate, Qo = 5678.1 m3/d

(Value transferred from Worksheet 2)

Primary Effluent BOD, So = 160 g/m3

(Value transferred from Worksheet 2)

Permitted Sec Effl BOD, BODe = 20 g/m3

INPUT INFORMATION

Permitted Sec Effl TSS, TSSe = 20 g/m3

% volatile solids in Effl TSS , %Vol = 80%

Sludge Retention Time, SRT = 12.0 days

Synthesis Yield Coefficient, Y = 0.6 kg VSS/kg BOD5

Endog. Decay Coeff (at 20oC), kd20 = 0.06 kg VSS/d/kg VSS

Std. O2 transfer Efficiency, SOTE = 20.0%

(from diffuser mfr or vendor)

Press. drop across diffuser, DPdiff = 0.02989 bar

(from diffuser mfr or vendor)

Depth of Diffuser, ddiff = 3.6576 m

(from installation or plans)

Design ambient air Temperature, Ta = 10 o

C
 Standard Pressure and Temperature for Sm3/m calculation (per ASME & CAGI) - C

Standard Pressure, PS = 1.014 bar

Constants and Conversion Factors used in the Calculations

CONSTANTS/CONV. FACTORS

Temp. coeff for kd, q, = 1.024

Ideal Gas Law Constant, R = 8.3145 kN-m/kgmole-K

Specific Weight of water, g H2O = 9.807 kN/m3

Conversion Factor: 1000 g/kg

Conversion Factor: 60 min/hr or sec/min

cbCOD (BODult) equivalent of VSS: 1.42 kg COD/kg VSS

O2 equivalent of NH3-N: 4.57 kg O2/kg NH3-N

A. Oxygen Requirement/Blower Specifications (BOD Removal Only)

Air Requirement/Blower Design Calculations/Results

Effluent Soluble BOD, Se = 4.778 g/m3

RESULTS

Endog. Decay Coeff (at 20oC), kd20 = 0.047 kg VSS/d/kg VSS

RESULTS
Observed Yield (with recycle), Yobs = 0.383 kg VSS/kg BOD5

Required O2 flow rate = 34.86 kg/hr

Act. O2 transfer Efficiency, AOTE* = 14.0%

B. Oxygen Requirement/Blower Specifications (BOD Removal and Nitrification)

Air Requirement/Blower Design Calculations/Results

RESULTS

O2 required per day = 72.16 kg/hr

Act. O2 transfer Efficiency, AOTE* = 14.0%

* NOTE: The calculation of actual oxygen transfer efficiency (AOTE) considers the mean bubble p
submergence depth. Oxygen depletion due to transfer from rising bubbles is not considered, thus t
overstated. Hence the the air delivery requirement is then slightly underestimated.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.

Water Treatment Calculations - S.I. units
ents/Blower Sizing Calculations
A flow diagram of the activated
worksheet. For more details a
se calculations, it is recommended that the maximum, minimum design and operation calculati
ygen requirement rates be calculated for each.
Water and Wastewater Engineeri
Enter values in yellow cells only

t for typical values of k d and Y and of oxygen transfer parameters

Standard Handbook of Environm

Influent TKN, TKNo = 35 g/m3 Handbook of Environmental Engi

Design of Water Resource Recov
Effluent NH4-N Concentration, Ne = 0.50 g/m3

Design Barometric Press., Patm = 1.014 bar

(ambient pressure at site)

Design wastewater Temperature = 10 C

o

Ratio of BOD5/BODu, f = 0.67

Blower efficiency, h = 70%

Ratio of oxygen transfer rate in wastewater

to that in clean water, a = 0.9
Ratio of D.O. saturation in wastewater to that
in clean water at same T & P, B = 1.0
D.O saturation conc. for clean water at
wastewater temp. & 1 atm, Cs = 11.28
NOTE: Based on an assumption
degradation in the secondary cla
g/m3 waste activated sludge and recy

D.O conc. to be maintained are taken to be equal to that in th

for WW trtmt operation, CL = 2.0 g/m3

Diffuser fouling factor, F = 0.8

Pressure drop at blower inlet, DPin = 0.021 bar Temperature correction for kd
(due to filter, silencer, etc.)
 Observed Yield (with recycle)
m3/m calculation (per ASME & CAGI) - Changeable by User
Required O2 Flow Rate (BOD
Standard Temperature, TS = 20 C
o

Required O2 Flow Rate (BOD

ersion Factors used in the Calculations NOTE: With nitrification,

Saturation D.O. in water
at 20oC & 1 atm, Css = 9.17 g/m3 These two oxygen requireme
Nalco Water Handbook, 4th Ed.,

Molecular weight of air = 28.97

Actual O2 transfer effic. = A
Molecular weight of oxygen = 32

Atmospheric Press. at sea level, Pstd = 1.014 bar The equation for AOTE is based

Standard Handbook of Environm

Oxygen mole fraction in air = 0.209 Design of Water Resource Recov

and: Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewate

Conversion Factor: 24 hr/day
Des. Std Flow Rate: SCMM
Conversion Factor: 100 kPa/bar
Des. Actual Air Flow Rate:

( TA is abs temp., P is abs press

subscript s is for

Blower outlet pressure: PB2

OD Removal Only)

Blower Design Calculations/Results

Pressure at Mid Depth, PD = 1.193 bar

Standard Air Density, r air = 1.205 kg/m3

 (from Ideal Gas Law)

Design Air Flow Rate, SCMM = 15.0 mstd3/min

Design Air Flow Rate, ACMM 10.45 m3/min The source of values in the abov
(at delivery point) Handbook of Environmental Engi
Blower outlet pressure, PB2 = 1.402 bar

OD Removal and Nitrification)

Blower Design Calculations/Results

Design Air Flow Rate, SCMM = 30.96 mstd3/min

Design Air Flow Rate, ACMM 21.63 m3/min

(at delivery point) The sources for the information i
Blower outlet pressure, PB2 = 1.402 bar Standard Handbook of Environm
and: Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewate
Company, 2003.

y (AOTE) considers the mean bubble position to be half the diffuser

rising bubbles is not considered, thus the AOTE is then slightly For an example calculation of
lightly underestimated. Handbook of Environmental Engin

All rights reserved.

 References and Equations

A flow diagram of the activated sludge process is shown below along with the equations used in this
worksheet. For more details and background information on the activated sludge process and its
design and operation calculations, see the following references:

Water and Wastewater Engineering Design Principles and Practice, Sec 23.7, Suspended Growth Design Practice

Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Sec 6.5.1. Activated Sludge

Handbook of Environmental Engineering Calculations, 2nd Ed, Sec 1.7.21. Activated Sludge Process
Design of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, 6th Ed., Sec. 12.1.3. Activated Sludge Environment

The symbols used in the flow diagram at the left, in

the equations below, and in the worksheet calculations
are as follows:
Q is volumetric flow rate in m3day

S is BOD5 concentration in g/m3

X is total suspended solids concentration in g/m3

The subscript o refers to the primary effluent stream.

The subscript e refers to the secondary effluent stream.

NOTE: Based on an assumption of not biological
degradation in the secondary clarifier, the BOD 5 in the
waste activated sludge and recycle activated sludge
are taken to be equal to that in the effluent stream.
The subscript w refers to the waste act. sludge stream.
The subscript r refers to the recycle act. Sludge stream.
V is the volume of the aeration tank in m3.
X is the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration
in the aeration tank in g/m3.

Equations Used for These Calculations

See descriptions of the parameters above and in the User Entry section to the left.

Temperature correction for kd: kd at temp. T = (kd at 20oC)q (T - 20) ( T is in oC )

Observed Yield (with recycle): Yobs = Y/(1 + kd*SRT)

Required O2 Flow Rate (BOD removal only): kg/day O2 = Qo*(So - Se)*[(1/f) - 1.42 Yobs]/1000

Se = effluent soluble BOD = BODe - (f*1.42*% Vol*TSSe)

Required O2 Flow Rate (BOD removal & Nitrification):

kg/day O2 = Qo*{(So - Se)[1/f - 1.42 Yobs] + 4.57(TKNo - Ne)}/1000
NOTE: With nitrification, Se is typically taken to be zero because of the long SRT used.

These two oxygen requirement equations are based on:

Nalco Water Handbook, 4th Ed., Equations 23.6 and 23.7

Actual O2 transfer effic. = AOTE = SOTE*a*F*[(B*(PD/Pstd)*Cs -CL)/Css]1.024(T-20)

See descriptions of the parameters in the User Entry section to the left.
The equation for AOTE is based on information in:

Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Sec 6.5.1. Activated Sludge
Design of Water Resource Recovery Facilities, 6th Ed., Equation 12.32

and: Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewater Engineering, Treatment and Disposal, 4th Ed, Equation 5-55, McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Des. Std Flow Rate: SCMM = (kg/hr O2/AOTE)*MWair/[O2 fract in air)(MWO2)(r air)(60 min/hr)]

Des. Actual Air Flow Rate: ACMM = SCMM(TAa/TAs)(Ps/Pa)

TA is abs temp., P is abs press., subscript a is for actual conditions and

subscript s is for standard conditions.)

Blower outlet pressure: PB2 = Patm + DPdiff + [g H2O*ddiff/(100 kPa/bar)]

The source of values in the above table is:
Handbook of Environmental Engineering Calculations, 2nd Ed., Table 7.12

The sources for the information in the above table are:

Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering, 2nd Ed, Sec 6.5.1. Activated Sludge
and: Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewater Engineering, Treatment and Disposal, 4th Ed, Equation 5-55, McGraw-Hill Book
Company, 2003.

For an example calculation of oxygen and air requirement, see:

andbook of Environmental Engineering Calculations, 2nd Ed., Example 1.A, steps 13 - 16
n Practice

at the left, in
heet calculations

effluent stream.

y effluent stream.
ct. sludge stream.
ct. Sludge stream.

s concentration