Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

Department of Civil Engineering

Course : CE 6304
Title : Theory of Sewage Treatment

Lecture 6: Activated Sludge Process: Suspended Growth

Process -1

Lecture by
M. Feroze Ahmed Ph.D., FIE, FBAS, MASCE
Former Professor of Civil Engineering
BUET
Learning Objectives

1. Basic Principles of sewage treatment by activated sludge

process
2. Advantages and disadvantages of activated sludge and
Trickling Filters
3. Design of aeration tank for activated sludge process
ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS

Activated sludge is defined as the sludge settled out of previously agitated

sewage ( Sewage- sludge mixed liquor) in presence of abundant oxygen.

The activated sludge process is a system of biological waste-treatment in

which biologically active growths are continuously circulated and contacted
with organic wastes in presence of oxygen.

Settling Tank Reactor Settling Tank

Aeration
Influent Primary Tank Final Effluent for
Sewage Clarifier Clarifier Disposal

Return Waste Sludge

Activated Sludge Sludge Treatment
Primary Sludge

Fig.1 : Schematic Diagram of Activated Sludge

Process
Treatment Process
Activated sludge method is very
effective method of sewage treatment.
The sludge recirculated in the reactor Bacteria Level
is actually flocks of microorganisms Maintained
which was inactive due to lack of
enough food. When settled sludge
from final clarifier composed of these
inactive bacteria enter into the reactor
they become very active in presence of
Abundant food (organic matter) and
immediately start reproduction T
and removal of organic mater. Fig.2: Growth of Return Sludge
Since these bacteria are habituated to in the Reactor
the food and environment present in the reactor, they do not require lag time
or growth phase. The microorganisms are always in contact with food due to
continuous agitation of the whole content in the reactor. It has been observed
that a large fraction of BOD is immediately absorbed by extracellular enzyme
produced by bacteria. A steady-state condition is maintained depending on the
influent substrate (Food). The bacteria start to form flocs in food constrained
condition. Activated sludge process does not wait for long endogenous phage,
the content is transferred to final clarifier as shown in Fig.1. Thus, the retention
time,” Ɵ” in the reactor is very small, usually 4-8 hours.
Aeration

The process need a lot of oxygen for rapid oxidation of organic matters. At least 0.5 mg/l of
oxygen is required to be present for efficient operation of the system. The oxygen is supplied by
(a) diffused Aeration and (b) Surface aeration.

Diffused aeration

In diffused aeration , air is pumped and released at the4 bottom of the aeration tank. The raising
bubbles create an agitation in the content of the tank. Oxygen transfer from air bubbles to
sewage depend on the level of oxygen in sewage and size of the bubbles. Many types of
commercial aerators are available on the market.

Compressed
Air

Sewage

Diffusers

Diffused Aerator
Fig. 3 : Diffused Aerator
Surface Aerator

In surface aerator, sewage is sprinkled in the air by some type of rotating impellers to
get oxygen from the air. The sewage is collected from top of a bell mounted vertical
column to create an upward movement of the sewage in the column. The aerated
sewage thrown away from the column moves downwards to enter into the column at
the bottom . Thus a complete circulation of sewage is maintained in the aeration
chamber and the system helps to maintain dissolve oxygen at all levels.

Motor

Fig. 4: Surface (Mechanical) Aerator

Requirements for Efficient Treatments

Oxygen Requirement :
0.5 mg/l (Minimum)

Nutritional Requirement :
Nitrogen (N) = 10% of volatile organic matter
Phosphorus (P) = 1/5 the of Nitogen
Others nutrients such as K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Co etc required in trace amount.

Environmental Factors :
pH : 6.5 –9.0 for normal bacterial growth
<6.0, Fungi will compete with bacteria with predomination at pH 4.5.
>9.0 , Retardation of process will take place
Temperature : Increasing temperature by 10oC will double the biological
activities
Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Activated Sludge Over Trickling
Filters

Advantage :
▪ More efficient method of Sewage treatment;
▪ Lesser land area is required;
▪ Higher degree of treatment is achieved; the effluent produced is clear, sparkling and
non-putrescible;
▪ Greater flexibility of treatment permitting a control over the quality of effluent desired;
▪ Freedom from odour or fly nuisance as the process operates under water.

Disadvantages:
▪ Relatively high cost of operation and construction;
▪ Greater skilled attendance is required;
▪ It is more sensitive to change in quality of influent and other environmental conditions;
▪ Difficulty in handling large quantity of sludge produced.
 Design of Aeration Tank
Some empirical formula can be used for the design of aeration tank and smooth
operation of secondary clarifiers. These are sludge volume index, sludge density index,
return activated sludge

Sludge Volume Index (SVI)

Where SVI = Sludge Volume Index
= Volume of activated sludge in ml for 1 gm. of dry sludge
𝑺𝑽 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈/𝒈
SVI = (5)
𝑴𝑳𝑺𝑺
SV = Sludge volume in ml after settling 1000 ml of sludge for 30 min.
MLSS= Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids in aeration tank (Reactor), mg/L

Percentage of return Sludge

The rational method of design of Aeration Tank is based on the solids to be maintained
in the aeration tank (MLSS) and the BOD loading per 100 gms of solids with a provision
for additional capacity for return sludge.
𝟏𝟎𝟎
Percentage of return sludge (%RAS) = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 (6)
𝑺𝑽𝑰 𝑷
−𝟏

Where P = Percent of solids in mixed liquor

Sludge Density Index
Sludge density index is the weight of 1 ml of sludge after 30 min settling used to
understand the settleability of the sludge n the secondar clarifier.
𝟏𝟎𝟎
Sludge density Index, SDI = (7)
𝑺𝑽𝑰
Waste Activated Sludge (WAS)
In activated sludge process a part of the settled sludge is returned to the reactor
(aeration tank) to maintain the level of MLSS in the reactor and excess sludge is
discharged to sludge storage tank for further treatment and disposal. The excess sludge
is commonly referred as Waste Activated Sludge (WAS). WAS or RAS cam be calculated
from mass balance of the secondary clarifier assuming no change in sludge in the
clarifier and the slid content of the effluent is negligible. The mass balance relationship
can be written from Fig. 1:
(Q + Qr) MLSS = Qwa (WAS) + Qr(RAS) and
𝑄 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆 −𝑄𝑤𝑎(𝑊𝐴𝑆)
𝑄𝑟 = (8)
𝑅𝐴𝑆 −𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆
Where Qr= return activated sludge flow, m3/d, Qwa=waste activated sludge flow,m3/d;
WAS=SS of waste activated sludge, mg/L; RAS =SS of return activated sludge, mg/L
Sludge Bulking
Sludge bulking is caused by filamentous and foam forming organisms that do not easily
settle in the clarifier. Sludge bulking hinders settling characteristics of sludge resuling in
te increase of sludge volume and poor effluent quality. Chlorination and pH adjustment
can improve settleability of sludge.
Example 1

Design a aeration tank to treat 6.8 Million Litre per Day (MLD) of sewage having
a BOD of 200mg/l if the Mixed Liquor suspended solids is to be maintained at
2500 mg/l and the BOD loading 40 gms per 100 gms of suspended solids. The
return sludge is 35%.

Solution:
BOD Load = 6.8 x 106 x 200 mg/l =1,360 x 106 mg = 1,360,000 gm
Solid content of mixed liquor = 2,500 mg/l = 2.5 gm/l
Design BOD load = 40 gms BOD /100 gms Solids = 0.4 gm/gm of MLSS
Design BOD load / litre =(0. 40gm/gm MLSS) x 2.5 gm MLSS/l= 1 gm/l
Volume of the aeration tank = 1,360,000/1 = 1,360,000 litre = 1,360 m3
Return sludge = 35 %
Volume of the Thank, V = 1.35 x 1,360 = 1836 m3
Detention time = V/Q = 1,836 / 6.8 x103 = 0.27 day = 6.48 hrs.
Problem 2
Calculate the Sludge Volume Index (SVI) for a mixed liquor with 2,500 mg/l of suspended solid when a litre of
such mixed liquor produces 190 ml of sludge when settle down.

Solution:
MLSS = 2,500 mg/l
Volume after settling l litre = 190 ml.
SVI = 190 x 1000 / 2,500 = 76

Alternatively;
Suspended solids of 1 litre of mixed liquor = 2.5 gm
2.5gm suspended solids settles to 190 ml sludge
SVI = ml of settled sludge / gm of MLSS = 190/2.5 = 76

Problem 3
What shall be the volume of aeration tank and detention time for the sewage in Problem 1, If the BOD loading
is 25 gms /100 gms of suspended solids and SVI is maintained at 80.

Solution :
P = % solids of the mixed liquor = 2,500 mg/l = 2,500 mg/kg = 0.25%
Percent return sludge = 100/ [(100 /SVI) x P –1] = 100/ [100/(80 x.25) –1]
= 100/4 = 25%
If net volume of the tank required is V
Solid contents = 2,500 x V mg = 2.5 V gms
BOD loading is 25 gms/100gms = 0.25 gms / gm of solids = 1,360,000/ (2.5V)
Or V = 2,176,000 l = 2176 m3
Total Volume required = 2176x 1.25 = 2720 m3
Hydraulic detention Time, 𝜃 = 2720 /( 6.8 x 103 ) = 0.4 days = 9.6 hrs.
Worked Problem
The influent flow rate (Q) of a retirn activivated studge process is 40,000
m3/d, MLSS (X) in aeration tank is 3,000 mg/L, and settling sludge volume (SV)
in 30 min. is250 ml in the secondary clarifier. Compute (1) sludge volume
index (2) % return flow and rate (3) suspended solids (SS) concentration in
return activated sludge.

Solution
1. Sludge Volume Index
𝑺𝑽 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈/𝑳 𝟐𝟓𝟎 𝒎𝒍/𝑳 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝒈/𝒈
Using Eqn.(5) SVI = = = 𝒎𝒈 =84 ml/g
𝑴𝑳𝑺𝑺 𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝑳
2. % Return flow and return flow rate (Qr)
𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝟏𝟎𝟎
Using Eqn. (6 ) % 𝑅𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 33.69
−𝟏 −𝟏
𝑺𝑽𝑰 𝑷 𝟖𝟒 𝒙 𝟎.𝟑
Return Flow rate , Qr = 0.3369 Q = 13,476 m3/d
3. Suspended solids (SS) concentration Xr in the return sludge
𝑚𝑔
𝑋( 𝑄+𝑄𝑟) 3000 𝐿 𝑥 40000+13476 𝑚3/𝐿
Using Eqn. , 𝑋𝑟 = 𝑄𝑟
= 13476 𝑚3/𝐿
= 11,905 mg/L
Chemical Treatment of Sewage

Chemical treatment od sewage is accomplished with the help of chlorine or chlorine compound to achieve the
following objectives:

1) To disinfect sewage (kill pathogenic organism) where ti effluent is discharged into a body of water to be
used for water supply, bathing and recreational purposes.
2) To control odours due to hydrogen sulphide (H2S) by either preventing formation or reducing or
neutralizing the amount that has been produced.
3) To reduce the BOD , 10 – 35 percent by oxidizing organic matters and killing the microorganisms engaged
in decomposition of organic matters.
4) To kill the filter flies.
5) To reduce ponding in the case of trickling filters
6) To form flocks in coagulation in combination with other chemicals.

The chlorine dose required is higher because of presence of much oxidize able matters in sewage.
Although chlorination reduces pathogenic microorganisms and protect the water bodies but it cannot be
considered a total treatment process. The high unoxidized organic fraction of matters remains after
chlorination start delayed decomposition in natural body of water to cause water pollution.
Exercise

1. Explain the basic principles of sewage treatment by activated sludge

process.
2. What are the basic requirements of sewage treatment by activated
sludge process
3. Explain the processes of aeration in activated sludge process
4. What are relative advantages and disadvantages of activated sludge
process and Trickling filter processes of sewage treatment
5. Design a aeration tank to treat 8 Million Litre per Day (MLD) of sewage
having a BOD of 250mg/l if the Mixed Liquor suspended solids is to be
maintained at 3000 mg/l and the BOD loading 50 gms per 100 gms of
suspended solids. The return sludge is 40%.