High Rate Air Activated Sludge Operation at the City of Los Angeles Hyperion Wastewater Treatment Plant

Abstract

The City of Los Angeles USA Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) implemented high rate air activated sludge operations in November 1989. Using this process, the secondary treatment organic loading (F/M) was increased from 0.5 to 1.0 kg BOD/kg MLVSS/day and the MCRT reduced from 3.1 days to 1.5 days, thereby enabling the secondary treated flow to be increased from 150 mgd to 200mgd (6.6 to 8.8 m3/s). Excellent secondary effluent quality (BOD5 = 15 mg/l, carbonaceous BOD5 = 6 mg/l, SS = 6 mg/l) is currently obtained using rectangular secondary clarifiers operated at surface overflow rates of 1,100 gal/day/ft2 (43 m3/m2/day) and low MLSS concentrations (950 mg/l). The enhanced biological phosphorus removal that was obtained when operating at a 3 day MCRT was eliminated in the change to high rate operation and struvite (MgNH4PO4(c)) build-up in the anaerobic digesters has been eliminated. Nocardia scum formation, with its odor generating potential and other associated operating problems, has also been eliminated by high rate operation.