Particulate COD Research Articles

Incorporating concepts from physical theory into stochastic modelling of urban runoff pollution

On evaluating the present or future state of integrated urban water systems, sewer drainage models, with rainfall as primary input, are often used to calculate the expected return periods of given detrimental acute pollution events and the uncertainty thereof. The model studied in the present paper incorporates notions of physical theory in a stochastic model of water level and particulate chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the overflow point of a Dutch combined sewer system. A stochastic model based on physical mechanisms has been formulated in continuous time. The extended Kalman filter has been used in conjunction with a maximum likelihood criteria and a non-linear state space formulation to decompose the error term into system noise terms and measurement errors. The bias generally obtained in deterministic modelling, by invariably and often inappropriately assuming all error to result from measurement inaccuracies, is thus avoided. Continuous time stochastic modelling incorporating physical, chemical and biological theory presents a possible modelling alternative. These preliminary results suggest that further work is needed in order to fully appreciate the method's potential and limitations in the field of urban runoff pollution modelling.

Incorporating concepts from physical theory into stochastic modelling of urban runoff pollution

On evaluating the present or future state of integrated urban water systems, sewer drainage models, with rainfall as primary input, are often used to calculate the expected return periods of given detrimental acute pollution events and the uncertainty thereof. The model studied in the present paper incorporates notions of physical theory in a stochastic model of water level and particulate chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the overflow point of a Dutch combined sewer system. A stochastic model based on physical mechanisms has been formulated in continuous time. The extended Kaiman filter has been used in conjunction with a maximum likelihood criteria and a non-linear state space formulation to decompose the error term into system noise terms and measurement errors. The bias generally obtained in deterministic modelling, by invariably and often inappropriately assuming all error to result from measurement inaccuracies, is thus avoided. Continuous time stochastic modelling incorporating physical, chemical and biological theory presents a possible modelling alternative. These preliminary results suggest that further work is needed in order to fully appreciate the method's potential and limitations in the field of urban runoff pollution modelling.

Nitrification in partially aerated flocculation filters — A full-scale approach

In a full-scale approach, we investigated whether nitrification can be carried out in partially aerated flocculation filters without compromising the removal of suspended solids. The objective is an aerated filter in addition to an advanced nitrification in the main biological treatment step to reduce low NH4-N concentrations in the effluent to very low concentrations. In two separate sets of experiments with an aerated filtering layer of 0.7 m and 1.4 m, nitrification rates up to 14 g N/(m3/h) were achieved. Compared to unaerated chambers, there was approximately the same removal of particulate COD and of precipitated phosphorus compounds. Due to the formation of anoxic zones, nonspecific denitrification occurred in the chambers under both conditions. Decay products are suspected to be the endogenous H-donors.

Dual hydrolysis model of the slowly biodegradable substrate in activated sludge systems

Experimental assessment of the hydrolysis rate coefficients for both domestic sewage and a number of industrial wastewaters was performed with emphasis on two different hydrolysis mechanisms associated with the readily and slowly hydrolyzable COD fractions. The adopted dual hydrolysis model was justified on the basis of significantly different rate constants. The hydrolysis rate of particulate COD occurred at such a slow rate that would significantly interfere with endogenous decay. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998

Measuring bacterial biomass-COD in wastewater containing particulate matter

The paper describes a method to determine bacterial biomass-COD in wastewater treatment systems in the presence of particulate matter. A quantitative measure of biomass-COD concentration could greatly enhance the accuracy and reliability of wastewater treatment models that rely on the component “biomass concentration”, which is usually expressed in terms of COD. Rarely is biomass-COD determined directly, despite the existence of microbiological methods for this measurement. Here, we have used a classic microbiological method, acridine orange stain direct counting (AODC), to count the number of bacteria. The average cell volume of wastewater bacteria was used to determine a conversion factor of 20 × 10 −11 mg-COD/cell for calculating bacterial biomass-COD with a fast, reliable and simple method applied to wastewater samples in the presence of particulate substrate. Bacterial biomass-COD was measured in five different wastewater treatment systems and compared to the particulate COD.

Organic carbon and nitrogen removal in moving-bed biofilm reactors

Pilot moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), fed on primary settled wastewater, were used in order to study organic carbon removal and nitrification. Nitrate uptake rate (NUR) tests were performed by feeding sodium acetate and potassium nitrate to a bench-scale moving-bed batch biofilm reactor. In both experiments the same polyethylene biofilm carriers were used. Both particulate and filtered COD removal rates appear to be proportional to the corresponding loading rates. Particulate COD removal is the net effect of adsorption onto and release from the biofilm surface. Filtered COD removal is the sum of the influent filtered COD removal and the removal of hydrolysed colloidal COD. Filtered COD removal rates could not be evaluated with a kinetic expression because back-diffusion from biofilm is not always negligible. Nitrification tests, performed at oxygen limiting conditions, show that the reaction rate was nearly first order with respect to dissolved oxygen due to liquid film diffusion. Denitrification batch tests showed denitrification rates very close to other reported data. Since the process proved reliable and easy-to-operate, it is suitable for application to small WWTPs, either in designing new plants or in upgrading existing overloaded activated sludge systems.

Rotating biological contactor-solid contact system for the treatment of wastewater from small communities

In Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) WasteWater Treatment Plants (WWTP) the fixed film unit effluent quality can be improved by means of a biological refinement system, consisting of an aerated Solid Contact (SC) unit. This process, known as an RBC/SC system, is an alternative to other tertiary treatment systems and can be used with good results in the new WWTPs of small communities and in upgrading existing RBC plants whose effluents no longer respect the established standards. The results of an experimental study on an RBC/SC dual biological system fed with clarified municipal sewage are presented and used to validate a new concept mathematical model of each system's phase behaviour. RBC removal efficiency proved to be near stable for total COD while it tended to decrease for particulate COD at higher load values. The aerated SC phase allowed the overall removal efficiency to be improved; the main advantage was observed in the suspended matter removal increase (averaging 26%), while for total and soluble COD the increases averaged 18 and 17% respectively.

Rotating biological contactorsolid contact system for the treatment of wastewater from small communities

In Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) WasteWater Treatment Plants (WWTP) the fixed film unit effluent quality can be improved by means of a biological refinement system, consisting of an aerated Solid Contact (SC) unit. This process, known as an RBC/SC system, is an alternative to other tertiary treatment systems and can be used with good results in the new WWTPs of small communities and in upgrading existing RBC plants whose effluents no longer respect the established standards. The results of an experimental study on an RBC/SC dual biological system fed with clarified municipal sewage are presented and used to validate a new concept mathematical model of each system's phase behaviour. RBC removal efficiency proved to be near stable for total COD while it tended to decrease for particulate COD at higher load values. The aerated SC phase allowed the overall removal efficiency to be improved; the main advantage was observed in the suspended matter removal increase (averaging 26%), while for total and soluble COD the increases averaged 18 and 17% respectively.

Organic carbon and nitrogen removal in moving-bed biofilm reactors

Pilot moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), fed on primary settled wastewater, were used in order to study organic carbon removal and nitrification. Nitrate uptake rate (NUR) tests were performed by feeding sodium acetate and potassium nitrate to a bench-scale moving-bed batch biofilm reactor. In both experiments the same polyethylene biofilm carriers were used. Both particulate and filtered COD removal rates appear to be proportional to the corresponding loading rates. Particulate COD removal is the net effect of adsorption onto and release from the biofilm surface. Filtered COD removal is the sum of the influent filtered COD removal and the removal of hydrolysed colloidal COD. Filtered COD removal rates could not be evaluated with a kinetic expression because back-diffusion from biofilm is not always negligible. Nitrification tests, performed at oxygen limiting conditions, show that the reaction rate was nearly first order with respect to dissolved oxygen due to liquid film diffusion. Denitriftcation batch tests showed denitrification rates very close to other reported data. Since the process proved reliable and easy-to-operate, it is suitable for application to small WWTPs, either in designing new plants or in upgrading existing overloaded activated sludge systems.

Post-treatments of anaerobic effluents.

Post-treatments are necessary if anaerobic effluents need to be discharged into surface waters, because anaerobic digestion alone is not able to produce effluents that can meet the discharge standards applied in most industrialized countries, particularly for suspended solids, particulate COD, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphides. This paper has the aim to present some results obtained in the recent years in our laboratory, where different comprehensive processes that include anaerobic digestion have been studied. Discussion will regard: 1) the ANANOX (ANaerobic-ANoxic-OXic) process for the treatment of municipal wastewater; 2) a process studied for the biological removal of C, N and P from piggery wastewater that has a hybrid anaerobic/anoxic reactor as the first treatment step; 3) the use of a Sequencing Batch Reactor for the post-treatment of digested cheese whey mixed with cheese factory cleaning waters.

Denitrification in secondary clarifiers

Denitrification in secondary clarifiers is primarily due to hydrolysis of particulate degradable COD and decay of biomass. The reduction factor of these processes under anoxic as compared to aerobic conditions was investigated in the treatment plants of the City of Zurich. The Zürich-Glatt plant has circular clarifiers with central inlet. The treatment plant Zürich-Werdhölzli has rectangular clarifiers with cross flow and scrapers with vacuum removal of the sludge. At Zürich-Glatt denitrification capacity in the clarifiers was 30% of total denitrification. whereas at Zürich-Werdhölzli only 15 % was observed. The sludge mass in the secondary clarifier depends on inlet flow, return sludge flow, activated sludge concentration, sedimentation properties of the sludge and scraper intervals. During dry weather and due to good sedimentation properties the activated sludge blanket in the thickening zone of the rectangular clarifiers at Zörich-Werdhölzli is almost completely removed after passage of the scraper. Denitrification volume in the secondary clarifier can therefore be modelled in relation to the ratio of inlet to return sludge flow and scraper interval. With the aid of control of return sludge flow and scraper intervals denitrification capacity in the secondary clarifiers may be improved. In order to control denitrification in the secondary clarifier the model must include a variable sludge volume in the clarifier related to scraper interval under the assumption of constant sludge mass in the entire system.

Denitrification in secondary clarifiers

Denitrification in secondary clarifiers is primarily due to hydrolysis of particulate degradable COD and decay of biomass. The reduction factor of these processes under anoxic as compared to aerobic conditions was investigated in the treatment plants of the City of Zurich. The Zürich-Glatt plant has circular clarifiers with central inlet. The treatment plant Zürich-Werdhölzli has rectangular clarifiers with cross flow and scrapers with vacuum removal of the sludge. At Zürich Glatt denitrification capacity in the clarifiers was 30% of total denitrification, whereas at Zürich-Werdhölzli only 15 % was observed. The sludge mass in the secondary clarifier depends on inlet flow, return sludge flow, activated sludge concentration, sedimentation properties of the sludge and scraper intervals. During dry weather and due to good sedimentation properties the activated sludge blanket in the thickening zone of the rectangular clarifiers at Zürich-Werdhölzli is almost completely removed after passage of the scraper. Denitrification volume in the secondary clarifier can therefore be modelled in relation to the ratio of inlet to return sludge flow and scraper interval. With the aid of control of return sludge flow and scraper intervals denitrification capacity in the secondary clarifiers may be improved. In order to control denitrification in the secondary clarifier the model must include a variable sludge volume in the clarifier related to scraper interval under the assumption of constant sludge mass in the entire system.

Comment on “degradation of non-diffusible organic matter in biofilm reactors” by Lars Rohold and Poul Harremoës, Wat. Res.27, 1689–1691 (1993)

Pilot moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), fed on primary settled wastewater, were used in order to study organic carbon removal and nitrification. Nitrate uptake rate (NUR) tests were performed by feeding sodium acetate and potassium nitrate to a bench-scale moving-bed batch biofilm reactor. In both experiments the same polyethylene biofilm carriers were used. Both particulate and filtered COD removal rates appear to be proportional to the corresponding loading rates. Particulate COD removal is the net effect of adsorption onto and release from the biofilm surface. Filtered COD removal is the sum of the influent filtered COD removal and the removal of hydrolysed colloidal COD. Filtered COD removal rates could not be evaluated with a kinetic expression because back-diffusion from biofilm is not always negligible. Nitrification tests, performed at oxygen limiting conditions, show that the reaction rate was nearly first order with respect to dissolved oxygen due to liquid film diffusion. Denitriftcation batch tests showed denitrification rates very close to other reported data. Since the process proved reliable and easy-to-operate, it is suitable for application to small WWTPs, either in designing new plants or in upgrading existing overloaded activated sludge systems.

Application of anaerobic-uf membrane reactor for treatment of a wastewater containing high strength particulate organics

A cross-flow ultrafiltration (UF) membrane separation was applied to anaerobic process for treatment of a wastewater containing high proportion of particulate COD. A synthetic wastewater with the total strength of 5000 mg COD·1−1 consisting of soluble and particulate COD (cellulose) in the ratio of 1:1 was fed to the reactor. The reactor was operated for 190 days at two loading rates, i.e. 1.5 and 2.5 kg COD·m−3·d−1. More than 98% of COD removal was consistently achieved throughout the duration, and the system was furthermore likely to accommodate much higher loading. Although the permeate COD was always kept at less than 80 mg COD·1−1, soluble COD of reactor broth accumulated up to 1200 mg COD·1−1. The biomass concentration saturated around 15 000 mg ML VSS·1−1. There was no tendency for cellulose to accumulate in the reactor over the whole period, which constituted only 1-2% of the total solids retained in the reactor. The methanogenic activity of the sludge increased 3.4 times for H2/CO2 and 10 times for acetate after 40 days operation. Afterwards, however, a further cultivation caused declines to 50% of the respective peak values for both substrates, because of a low sludge loading. The methanogenic activity using cellulose as a test substrate also exhibited a similar tendency. The membrane permeate flux deteriorated significantly with the cultivation time, owing to the change in rheological properties of the reactor mixed liquor that had been caused not only by increment of MLSS but also by accumulation of soluble high molecular organics.

Primary fermentation of soluble and particulate organic matter for wastewater treatment

A new reactor based on upflow sludge blanket technology (USB) for fermentation of both the particulate and soluble fractions of domestic wastewater is presented. The process is fed with the total wastewater flow, and carries out suspended solids (SS) retention, fermentation and clarification of the fermented effluent in a single reactor. The study was carried out using pilot scale reactors, under six different operating conditions with regards to hydraulic load (hydraulic retention time, HRT, varying between 1.1 and 4.3 hours) and at a constant temperature (20 ± 1°C). With regards to primary treatment, the process has been shown to ensure low SS residuals in the fermented effluent under all operating conditions tested. Very low residuals, with an average below 50 mg SS/l, were obtained with an upflow velocity of between 0.75 and 0.9 m/h. These trials have also highlighted the important role played by the adsorption of particulate organic matter on the biological flocs of the sludge blanket in the elimination of SS. Fermentation efficiencies are superior to those of existing fermenters, the results clearly proving that a majority of the volatile fatty acids produced originate from the soluble fraction of the wastewater. Under the optimum conditions tested, with an HRT = 2.8 hours, 0.17 mg HAc/mg total COD are produced, over 60% of which is generated by the fermentation of the influent soluble organic matter. Under these operating conditions, maximum solubilisation of the particulate fraction has been estimated at 0.13 mg of filtered COD/mg particulate COD (total COD-filtered COD).

Nitrogen removal in activated sludge systems including denitrification in secondary clarifiers

Denitrification in the secondary clarifier can contribute substantially to the nitrogen removal of activated sludge systems. This is illustrated on two treatment plants with different secondary clarifier systems. A model to estimate denitrification capacity and to design activated sludge systems for nitrogen removal is developed and verified with data from two treatment plants. The model includes denitrification in the secondary clarifier, wastewater composition (soluble readily biodegradable COD, particulate degradable COD), oxygen input into the anoxic volume, temperature, and solids retention time (SRT). The influence of aerated grit chambers and primary sedimentation on denitrification is discussed.

A description of three methods for the determination of the initial inert particulate chemical oxygen demand of wastewater

AbstractThree different methods are described for the determination of the initial inert particulate organics, measured in terms of COD. The methods involve experimental procedures using batch reators and are designed to differentiate residual particulate products generated by metabolic activities during the treatment processes. In the first method, the final threshold value of the particulate COD is monitored in an aerated batch reactor fed by the initial total COD. The second method uses the threshold values of the total and soluble COD in two parallel batch reactors, one fed with unfiltered and the other with filtered wastewater. The third method involves running three batch reactors, two with the wastewater to be studied and the thired with glucose. One method has been experimentally tested to assess the inert particulate fractions of domestic and textile wastewaters.

Effects of particulate size in anaerobic acidogenesis using cellulose as a sole carbon source

ABSTRACT: Pure cellulose with average diameters of 20 and 50 µm were treated in laboratory‐scale CSTRs to study the effect of pH, reactor hydraulic retention time (HRT), and substrate concentration on the rate of anaerobic acidogenesis for those two cellulose particle sizes. The pH effect was studied using a particle size of 20 µm at an HRT of 48 hours while controlling the pH at levels of 5.2, 5.6, 6.0, 6.4, and 6.8. After determining that a pH of 5.6 was optimum, the effect of HRT was evaluated by operating the reactors at HRTs of 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours for both the 20 and 50 µm cellulose sizes. After finding that an HRT of 48 hours was sufficient for acidogenesis, the effect of organic loading rate (OLR) was studied by varying the OLR between 2 and 8 g/L/day. The results of the research indicate that the conversion of particulate cellulose to soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) ranged from 31% (pH 6.8) to 44% (pH 5.6). The HRT studies illustrated that a substrate with a smaller particle size (20 µm) and operation at a longer HRT resulted in a higher conversion to SCOD compared with a larger particle size (50 µm) and operation at a shorter HRT. It was also observed that the effluent SCOD increased proportionally with increases in the influent particulate COD.

Effect of Two-Stage Treatment on the Biological Treatability of Strong Industrial Wastes

Some agro-industries generate wastewaters with very high COD concentrations and require two-stage biological treatment Inert or residual organic constituents of these wastewaters, even at very low ratios, play a major role in the compliance of effluent standards. In this study, two strong wastes, citric acid plant effluent and cheese whey were tested for their inert COD content. The experiments showed that the first-phase anaerobic treatment provided a major decrease in the residual COD, but introduced significant amounts of particulate residual COD to the second phase. A newly developed procedure was used for the assessment of the soluble and particulate residual COD.

The Effect of Residual COD on the Biological Treatability of Textile Wastewaters

Textile effluents often contain an array of chemicals with different biodegradation characteristics. Consequently, it is quite difficult to evaluate and interpret the degree of COD removal that can be attained by biological treatment without identifying COD portions that are resistant to biodegradation. This study evaluates the biological treatability of textile wastewaters generated by the knit and wowen fabric finishing category with specific emphasis on the assessment of different residual COD components. A new method is proposed to experimentally measure the initial particulate inert COD. The method is tested to yield a value of 73 mgl-1 for this COD component, corresponding to 16 % of the particulate COD in the textile sample. A previously developed procedure is used to quantify the initial soluble inert COD and the residual COD generated through microbial metabolism during the treatment process. The ratio of the inert fraction to the soluble COD of the textile effluents is found to vary between 0.076 and 0.22. A similar ratio in the range of 0.04 - 0.09 is calculated for the residual microbial products. The kinetic and stoichiometric constants associated with the biodegradable COD are also experimentally measured. The residual components, together with the kinetic information about biodegradable fractions, are used to simulate the performance of activated sludge systems by means of a relationship between the total effluent COD and the sludge age. The results indicate that the residual components practically dominate the effluent COD and seriously challenge related effluent standards.