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A New Twist on an Old Test for Activated Sludge Process Control. Estes Park PWO Seminar October 22, 2004 Greg Farmer – Littleton / Englewood WWTP. L/E WWTP Process Schematic. Aerial View. Phase 2 Construction Project. Phase 2 Construction Project. TF/SC.
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A New Twist on an Old Test for Activated Sludge Process Control Estes Park PWO SeminarOctober 22, 2004 Greg Farmer – Littleton / Englewood WWTP
TF/SC • 40 – 70% of SBOD and 25 – 50% of CBOD is removed in the trickle filter • Aeration basins provide remaining BOD removal and flocculation • SRT < 2 days • SVI around 100 • Not intended for nutrient removal
Typical Activated Sludge Control Methods • Control MLSS Inventory • Dissolved oxygen concentration • And RAS/clarifier blankets To produce a sludge that: • Flocculates • Settles • Compacts
Traditional Performance Indicators • Secondary clarifier effluent TSS and BOD • Final effluent TSS and BOD • SVI / Settleometer • SRT • F/M
But, what if…….. • What if your secondary clarifiers do not function properly due to hydraulic and/or flocculation deficiencies • Too shallow • Short circuiting • RAS return problems • Poor sampling location • Thermal Currents • Floc shear
Temperature Temperature plays a major role: • Biological activity decreases by 50% for every 10° C drop in temperature • Clarifier thermal currents are created with as little as a 0.5° C temperature difference
What Tools Are Available? • Does a tool exist that can be used to predict or forecast the correct MLSS inventory to maintain a healthy biomass? • This tool must not look at deficiencies in the secondary clarifiers
Enter the Wally Meter • Developed by Dr. Eric Wahlberg as the Wahlometer • Consider it a “flocculated settleometer” • Determines the “health” of an activated sludge • Negates the influence of secondary clarifier inefficiencies on process control decisions
Wally Meter in Action Wally Meter • Collect a MLSS grab sample 2 times/day • Pour into square Phipps and Bird flocculation jar or authentic “Wahlometer” • Mix at 50 rpm for 30 minutes • Record the 5 minute SSV5 reading • Settle for 30 minutes and record the 30 minutes SSV30 reading to calculate SVI • Sample subnatant for TSS and/or NTU
Wally Meter Terms • ESS – Effluent Suspended Solids • FSS – Flocculated Suspended Solids, SS that remain in the subnatant after 30 minutes of settling preceded by 30 minutes of flocculation
How to Use the Data • The Wally Meter TSS value is the lowest possible TSS value that can be attained in a perfect environment • Adjust MLSS to maintain low Wally Meter TSS • Adjust seasonally for temperature changes
The Equation Inventory = (21,000lbs MLSS + ((Avg Wally Meter TSS – 6) * 500)) +(21.5 C – Avg Basin temp.) * Lbs MLSS Inventory * .1) - (5-minute Wally Meter reading – 400) * 20
Predictive Chart Spreadsheet
Applicability • Will the equation work for an activated sludge plant? A BNR plant? • Collect data for a period of time • Experiment with equation values to attain a fit