Department of Hydro Sciences, Institute for Urban Water Management

Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation

3 Wastewater treatment

Peter Krebs

UNEP Course CIPSEM Dresden, September 2014

 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 2

 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 3

 Goals of wastewater disposal

Hygiene Hygienic disposal

Flood protection No backwater effects in and from

sewers

Water protection Minimising of pollutants impact

Minimising oxygen depletion
Maintaining hygienic water quality

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 4

 Urban water system

Urban region

Retention
Sewage
retention tank Rain-runoff process

Sewer system
distribution

Reservoir
sewe r
Water

Combined

Retention tank CSO structure

Sedimentation
Infiltration Overflow
Treatment
purification

WWTP
Clean water
Water

inflow

Sludge disposal

In-/Exfiltration Receiving
Ground

water
water

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 5

 The urban drainage system

Sewage retention

Overflow structure
Overflow
WWTP

WWTP
Combined effluent
water storage
Receiving water

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 6

 Capacity of WWTP

400
Capacity of WWTP
Q m = 2 Q S,max (85%) + Q f
Inflow rate (l/s)

300
WWTP capacity
for stormwater
inflow
200
Dry-weather flow Qt
Average inflow rate

100 Q s,m Qs Sewage flow

Extraneous water flow Qf

0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Time (h)
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 7
 Extraneous water flow Qf

Groundwater infiltration
Drainage
Small rivers
Water from fountains
Cooling water
Excess water from drinking water reservoirs

Extraneous water flow is variable

Average, if no data available Q f 0,5 Qs

Better: mechanistic reason Q f f sewer length

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 8

 Load variation in WWTP inlet

70 7

60 NH4-load 6

50 5
COD-load (kg/h)

NH 4-load (kg/h)
COD-load
40 4

30 3

20 Daily average COD and NH4 2

10 1

0 0
00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00
Time (hh:mm)

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 9

 Wet-weather load of NH4+ and TSS from sewer

4 16
NH4+Fracht
NH4 load
14

C00))
Abfluss
Flow rate

Fracht// (QddC
3 TSS Fracht
load 12
C00))

TSS
(QddC

10
-load // (Q

TSS-load
2 8
NH44+Fracht

Q /Q dd; TSS
6
NH

1 4

Q/Q
2

0 0
10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 0:00 2:00
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 10
 Effluent standards
COD BOD5 NH4-N N* Ptot
Class (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l)
1 < 1000 PE 150 40 - - -
60 kg BOD5 / d
2 < 5000 PE 110 25 - - -
300 kg BOD5 / d
3 < 10000 PE 90 20 10 - -
600 kg BOD5 / d
4 < 100000 PE 90 20 10 18 2
6000 kg BOD5 / d
5 > 100000 PE 75 15 10 13 1
6000 kg BOD5 / d
* N = Sum of NH4+, NO3-, und NO2-
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 11
 Approach of Water Framework Directive

Immission

Emission

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 12

 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 13

 Layout of a WWTP
Mechanical treatment Biological treatment

Activated sludge Precipi-

Process tank tation
Screen Primary Secondary
Grid and fat water
clarifier Deni Nitri clarifier
chamber

River,
filtration

Sand Primary
sludge Return sludge
FHM

Excess sludge
MEST
Sludge treatment
Fresh
sludge Biogas
Process-
water
fertiliser
compost
Fat Drying
Disposal and Washing, Incineration
treatment with Disposal
solid waste Digester Storage Dewatering

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 14

 Example: WWTP Chemnitz-Heinersdorf

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 15

 Typical residence time in reactors

Wastewater Sludge
HRT (h) SRT (d)

Mechanical pre-treatment 0.2 0.01

Primary clarifier 1.5 1
Activated sludge tank 10 10
Secondary clarifier 5 2
Sludge thickener 2
Digester 20

<1d > 1 month

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 16

 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 17

 Automatically cleaned trash rack

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 18

 Sedimentation: hydraulic overflow rate qA = Q/A
L
U
(Hazen, 1904)

U
Q VS H

L H
Critical case U VS

L H
Settling condition
U VS
U BH Q
VS V S qA
LB ANB
Independent of H !
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 19
 Grid chamber

In connection with combined systems

Effects of non-organic particles:
Abrasion of steel (e.g. pumps)
Clogging (Sludge hopper, pipes, Pumps)
Sedimentation (activated sludge tank, digester)
High maintenance requirements

Sludge in sand is hindering

Sand in sludge is detrimental for operation !

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 20

 Aerated grid chamber

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 21

 Efficiency of primary clarifier

100
90 settleable
80 solids

70 TSS
Efficiency (%)

60
50
40
30
BOD5
20
10
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Residence time HRT (h)
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 22
 Effects of primary clarifier on wastewater

Cin Cout
Compound Unit Inlet Outlet *
Cin
TSS g TSS / m3 360 180 0.5
BOD5 g O2 / m 3 300 230 0.23
COD g O2 / m 3 600 450 0.25
TKN g N / m3 60 56 0.067
NH4-N g N / m3 40 40 0
NO2-N g N / m3 0 0 0
NO3-N g N / m3 1 1 0
Ptot g P / m3 10 9 0.1
Alkalinity mol HCO3- / m3 = f(Drinking water) + NH4-N
*
Short residence time
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 23
 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 24

 Biological treatment

Suspended biomass Activated sludge system

suspended through turbulence
sludge flocs with 0.1 1 mm diameter
degradation related to biomass

Increase suspended biomass concentration

Sessile biomass Biofilm system

biofilm on carrier
little erosion
degradation related to biofilm surface area

Increase of specific surface area

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 25
 Important micro-biological processes

Growth Implementation of C, N, P in biomass

Decay If external nutrients are rare

Hydrolysis Heavily easily degradable substances, through

encymes
Aerobic organic compounds CH2O + O2 CO2 + H2O
degradation
Nitrification NH4+ + 2 O2 NO3- + H2O + 2 H+

Denitrification 5 CH2O + 4 NO3- + 4 H+ 2 N2 + 5 CO2 + 7 H2O

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 26

 Activated sludge system

Activated Secondary
sludge tank clarifier
Air, O2 Sedimentation Effluent
Inlet
Nutrients

Bacteria

Return sludge Excess

sludge

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 27

 Sludge inventory in activated sludge system

Activated Secondary
sludge tank clarifier
Q XAST Q + QRAS Q
XAST Xe

QRAS = RQ (QWAS)
XRAS (XWAS)

Sludge balance in equilibrium

1 R QRAS
X RAS X AST mit R
R Q
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 28
 Flow scheme of activated sludge system

Hydraulic wash-out of sludge to secondary clarifier

sludge must be returned to activated sludge tank

Activated sludge is circled 20 to 50 times

sludge concentration in activated sludge tank is maintained

Excess sludge is withdrawn from system

equivalent to sludge production

Through increased hydraulic loading (wet-weather condition)

sludge is shifted to secondary clarifier

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 29

 Dynamic sludge shift
3000
Sludge mass (kg COD)

2500

2000

1500

1000

500 Activated sludge tank

0
0 0,5 1 1,5 2
Time (d)
1400
Sludge mass (kg COD)

1200 Sludge bed

1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 0,5 1 1,5 2
Time (d)
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 30
 Dimensioning on sludge loading

Q BOD5,in kg BOD5
Sludge loading F/M in
VAST X AST kg TSS d

BOD5 inlet load is related to sludge mass in

activated sludge tank (AST)

F/M BOD5 loading related to dry sludge mass (Food/Microorganisms)

Q Inflow to WWTP (m3/d)

BOD5,in BOD5 concentration in inlet (kg BOD5 / m3)

VAST Volume of activated sludge tank (m3)

XAST Sludge concentration in activated sludge tank (kg TSS / m3)

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 31

 Dimensioning on sludge age

Sludge SRT VAST X AST VAST X AST

1
age SP ESPBOD Q BOD5,in F / M ESPBOD

Sludge production is related to sludge mass in

activated sludge tank

SRT Sludge age in (d), 3 15 d

ESPBOD Specific excess sludge production per BOD5 converted

(kg TSS / kg BOD5)

SP Sludge production (kg TSS / d)

SP ESPBOD Q BOD5,in
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 32
 Nutrients demand of micro-organisms

Nitrogen iN = 0.04 0.05 (g N / g BOD5)

Phosphorous iP = 0.01 0.02 (g P / g BOD5)

Partial elimination of nutrients

Wastewater composition in the inlet 300 (g BOD5/m3)

60 (g TKN/m3)
12 (g TP/m3)

Effluent concentrations after 100% BOD5 degradation

TKNeff = TKNin iNBOD5,in = 60 0.045300 = 46.5 (g N / m3)
TPeff = TPin iPBOD5,in = 12 0.015300 = 7.5 (g P / m3)

Enhanced nutrients removal is necessary!

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 33
 Nitrification NH4+ NO3-
Nitrifying organisms (autotrophic biomass XA) have a low
growth rate A

With production of autotrophic biomass

SPA rA VAST A X A, AST VAST

and a safety factor SF the necessary sludge age yields

VAST X A,AST VAST X A,AST 1

SRT SF SF SF
SPA A X A,AST VAST A

high sludge age necessary to omit nitrifiers from being

washed out of the system
Volume of activated sludge tank must be large
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 34
 Development of activated sludge system
C-Elimination

aerobic

Nitrification

aerobic

De-nitrification
anoxic aerobic

Bio-P

anoxic anaerobic anoxic aerobic

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 35
 Design rules

Type of Without Nitrification Denitrifi- Simultaneous

biological reactor nitrification >10C cation aerobic sludge
stabilisation

SRT < 20000 PE 5 10 12 18 25

> 100000 PE 4 8 10 16

F/M (kg BOD5 / (kg TS d)) 0.30 0.15 0.12 0.05

ESPBOD (kg TS / kg BOD5) 0.9 1.2 0.8 1.1 0.7 1.0 1.0

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 36

 Trickling filter
Trickling filter Biofilm grown on
internal surface

Primary Secondary
clarification clarification

Recirculation

Return sludge
Sludge
withdrawal

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 37

 Dimensioning of trickling filter

Q BOD5,in
Surface loading BSu
a VTF

BSu Surface loading (g BOD5 / (m2d))

without nitrification 4 (g BOD5 / (m2d)), with nitrifi. 2 (g BOD5 / (m2d))

Q Inflow to trickling filter (m3/d)

BOD5,in BOD5 inlet concentration (kg BOD5 / m3)

VTF Volume of trickling filter (m3)

a Specific biofilm surface per volume of trickling filter (m 2 / m3 TF)

100 140 180 (m2 / m3 TF)
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 38
 Degradation in trickling filter

Concentration

BOD5

Trickling NH4+
filter

N03-

C-degradation and nitrification are separated in space

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 39
 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 40

 Functions of final clarifiers
Separation of sludge and cleaned wastewater through
Sedimentation
Clarification Low effluent concentration

Storage of sludge shifted from actibated sludge tank,

namely under wet-weather conditions

Thickening High return sludge concentration

Geometry Circular, flow from centre to periphery

Rectangular, longitudinal flow
Rectangular, lateral flow
Vertical, upward flow
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 41
 Classification of sedimentation processes

Primary clarifier Final clarifier,

separation zone

low
Free Flocculating
settling settling
Concentration

Final clarifier, sludge

Hindered
bed
settling

Final clarifier,
Thickening
high bottom
none flocculating
Particle-Interaction

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 42

 Sludge volume index SVI

SVI is an indicator for volume of sludge flocs and their

settling characteristics

0.5 h
Sludge volume
hS
SV V (ml/l)
H
X0

V H
SV
SVI (ml / g TSS)
X0

hS

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 43

 Final clarifier, idealised functions

Inlet zone Effective zone

Clear water layer

Separation layer
>3m
Storage layer

Thickening layer

ATV A131 (2000)

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 44
 Dimensioning of surface

Q qSV qSV
Surface overflow rate qA
AFC SV X AST SVI

Sludge overflow rate qSV q A X AST SVI

Limit values
qA qSV
(m/h) (l/(m2h)
Horizontal flow tanks 1.6 500
Vertical flow tanks 2.0 650

ATV A131 (2000)

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 45
 Dimensioning of water depth

Clear water layer h1 0.5 m

0.5 q A 1 R
Separation layer h2
1 SV 1000

1.5 0.3 qSV 1 R

Storage layer h3
500
X AST q A 1 R tth 1000 1 3
Thickening layer h4 X BS tth
X BS SVI
XBS Sludge concentration at bottom
tth Thickening time 1.5 2.0 h without nitrification
1.0 1.5 h with nitrification
2.0 (2.5) h with denitrification ATV A131 (2000)
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 46
 Circular tank

Scum skimmer

Flocculation
chamber

Sludge Inlet
scraper

With scraper or suction removal device

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 47
 Rectangular tank, longitudinal flow, flight scraper
system

Chain motor Effluent launder

Water level
Effluent
Inlet

Sludge

Sludge
hopper

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 48

 Rectangular sedimentation tank

Primary / secondary clarifier

Flight scraper

Effluent weir

Inlet
Effluent to
activated sludge
tank or to
receiving water

Sludge
withdrawal

Surface:
Primary clarifier qA = 2 to 6 m/h
Secondary clarifier qA = 0.5 to 1.5 m/h
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 49
 Rectangular tank, lateral flow, suction system

Inlet
Removal bridge
channel

Scum skimmer

Inlet baffle

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 50

 Vertical flow tank

Effluent
launder

Effluent
Inlet Pump Return
Filter sludge

Thickening

Return sludge

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 51

 Peter Krebs
Department of Hydro Science, Institute for Urban Water Management

Environmental management

3 Wastewater Treatment

3.1 Boundary conditions

3.2 Layout of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)
3.3 Physical treatment
3.4 Biological treatment
3.5 Final clarification
3.6 Sludge treatment

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 52

 Composition of sludge

Predominantly water

Micro-organisms

Viruses, pathogens, germs

Inert and heavily bio-degradable organic particles energy

Nitrogen, renewable resource ev. use as fertiliser

Phosphorous, non-renewable resource recovery

Heavy metals, micro-pollutants

All non-degraded compounds removed from wastewater are

in the sludge

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 53

 Goals of sludge treatment

Volume reduction Thickening

Dewatering

Elimination of If used in agriculture as fertiliser or

pathogenic germs compost

Stabilisation of organic Gas production

substances Reduction of dry content
Improvement of dewatering characteristics
Reduction of odour

Recycling and use Nutrients, fertiliser

of substances Humus
Biogas

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 54

 Atmosphere
Overview
Wastewater treatment

Primary, secondary, tertiary sludge

Process water

Thickening Energy

Hygienisation

Stabilisation Biogas

Thickening Agriculture

Dewatering Disposal site

Drying Construction industry

Gujer (1999) Incineration

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 55
 Volume reduction

Water content of stabilised sludge > 95% !

reduction of water content and volume

Sludge volume
VW
VS VDS VW VDS WVS With water content W
VS

1
VS VDS
1 W

non-linear
relation!
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 56
 Anaerobic mesophilic sludge stabilisation

Heated to 33 37C process rates are higher

Content of digester is mixed Sludge and water obtain a similar residence time

2 C5H7NO 2 8 H2O 5 CH4 3 CO 2 2 NH4 2 HCO3

Degradation of organic substances of app. 50%

Biogas production: 63% CH4 (Methane)

35% CO2
2% other gases (N2, H2, H2S)
electricity and heating

Organic nitrogen is converged to NH4+

N-loading of WWTP
UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 57
 Sketch of an anaerobic digester (egg shape)

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 58

 Construction of a digester

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 59

 Incineration

Use of energy content, and eventually of P

Mono incineration (sludge exclusively)

Calorific value of sludge high enough no biogas use before, no stabilisation
Water content not minimised (no full drying)

Incineration at 800 950C in fluidised sand bed

Expensive!

Co- incineration
In coal power station

In solid waste incinerators

In cement production, ash is bounded to cement

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 60

 Incineration: calorific value of sludge

Stone cole

Waste Brown
cole

but: Energy investment for dewatering and drying

UNEP Water and Climate 3 Wastewater treatment PK, 2014 page 61