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Innovative PACT Activated Sludge, CAPTOR Activated Sludge, Activated Bio-Filter, Vertical Loop Reactor, and PhoStrip Processes

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Waste Treatment in the Biotechnology, Agricultural and Food Industries

Part of the book series: Handbook of Environmental Engineering ((HEE,volume 26))

Abstract

This publication introduces some selected innovative suspended growth biological processes, such as innovative PACT activated sludge, CAPTOR activated sludge, activated bio-filter, Vertical Loop Reactor, and PhoStrip processes. The authors’ introduction includes each process system’s description, modifications, applications, limitations, design criteria, performance, and some cost data, if available. Useful glossary terms, updated references, and a current 2020 cost index table are also included.

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Abbreviations

ABF:

Activated bio-filters

BOD:

Biochemical oxygen demand

CAST:

CAPTOR in activated sludge treatment

CBOD:

Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand

COD:

Chemical oxygen demand

DAF:

Dissolved air flotation

F/M ratio:

Food-to-microorganism ratio

HRT:

Hydraulic retention time, d

MF:

Membrane filters

MG:

Million gallons

MGD:

Million gallons per day

MLSS:

Mixed liquor suspended solids

NH3-N:

Ammonia nitrogen

NO2-N:

Nitrite nitrogen

NO3-N:

Nitrate nitrogen

NSFC:

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

PAC:

Powdered activated carbon

PACE:

Effluent PAC concentration, mg/L

PACI:

Influent PAC concentration, mg/L

PACR:

Mixed liquor PAC concentration in the reactor, mg/L

PACT:

Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment

SRT:

Design solids retention time, d

TKN:

Total Kjeldahl nitrogen

TSS:

Total suspended solids

UMIST:

University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology

UNIDO:

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

USACE:

US Army Corps of Engineers

USEPA:

US Environmental Protection Agency

VLR:

Vertical Loop Reactor

WRC:

British Water Research Centre

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lenox Institute of Water Technology, Latham, NY, USA

    Lawrence K. Wang, Mu-Hao Sung Wang & Nazih K. Shammas

  2. Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA

    Lawrence K. Wang

Authors
  1. Lawrence K. Wang
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  2. Mu-Hao Sung Wang
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  3. Nazih K. Shammas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lawrence K. Wang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lenox Institute of Water Technology, Latham, NY, USA

    Lawrence K. Wang

  2. Lenox Institute of Water Technology, Latham, NY, USA

    Mu-Hao Sung Wang

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Yung-Tse Hung

Appendix 1: US Yearly Average Cost Index for Utilities [83]

Appendix 1: US Yearly Average Cost Index for Utilities [83]

Year

Index

Year

Index

1967

100

1995

439.72

1968

104.83

1996

445.58

1969

112.17

1997

454.99

1970

119.75

1998

459.40

1971

131.73

1999

460.16

1972

141.94

2000

468.05

1973

149.36

2001

472.18

1974

170.45

2002

486.16

1975

190.49

2003

497.40

1976

202.61

2004

563.78

1977

215.84

2005

605.47

1978

235.78

2006

645.52

1979

257.20

2007

681.88

1980

277.60

2008

741.36

1981

302.25

2009

699.70

1982

320.13

2010

720.80

1983

330.82

2011

758.79

1984

341.06

2012

769.30

1985

346.12

2013

776.44

1986

347.33

2014

791.59

1987

353.35

2015

786.32

1988

369.45

2016

782.46

1989

383.14

2017

803.93

1990

386.75

2018

841.84

1991

392.35

2019

866.18

1992

399.07

2020

867.71

1993

410.63

2021

893.02a

1994

424.91

2022

918.91a

  1. aProjected future cost index values

Glossary

Activated bio-filter (ABF)

Activated bio-filters are a recent innovation in the biological treatment field. This process consists of the series combination of an aerobic tower (bio-cell) with wood or other packing material, followed by an activated sludge aeration tank and secondary clarifier. Settled sludge from the clarifier is recycled to the top of the tower. In addition, the mixture of wastewater and recycle sludge passing through the tower is also recycled around the tower, in a similar manner to a high-rate trickling filter. No intermediate clarifier is utilized. Forward flow passes directly from the tower discharge to the aeration tank. The use of the two forms of biological treatment combines the effects of both fixed and suspended growth processes in one system. The microorganisms formed in the fixed growth phase are passed along to the suspended growth unit, whereas the suspended growth microorganisms are recycled to the top of the fixed media unit. This combination of the two processes results in the formation of a highly stable system that has excellent performance and good settling biological floc when treating wastewaters that have variable loads.

Carrier-activated sludge processes (CAPTOR and CAST systems)

There has been a substantial interest in recent years in the potential benefits of high biomass wastewater treatment. The major obstacle for achieving this has been the inability of biosolids separation in secondary clarifiers. For the most part, this has been overcome by using various forms of support media or carriers that have the ability to attach high concentrations of aerobic bacterial growth. The increase in immobilized biomass reduces the process dependence on secondary settling basins for clarification. In such hybrid systems where attached growth coexists with suspended growth, one gets more stable systems which possess the combined advantages of both fixed and suspended growth reactors.

PACT activated sludge process

The powdered activated carbon (PAC) activated sludge system is a process modification of the activated sludge process. PAC is added to the aeration tank where it is mixed with the biological solids. The mixed liquor solids are settled and separated from the treated effluent. In a gravity clarifier, polyelectrolyte will normally be added prior to the clarification step to enhance solids-liquid separation. If phosphorus removal is necessary, alum is often added at this point also. Even with polyelectrolyte addition, tertiary filtration is normally required to reduce the level of effluent suspended solids. The clarifier underflow solids are continuously returned to the aeration tank. A portion of the carbon-biomass mixture is wasted periodically to maintain the desired solids inventory in the system.

PhoStrip process

“PhoStrip” is a combined biological-chemical precipitation process based on the use of activated sludge microorganisms to transfer phosphorus from incoming wastewater to a small concentrated substream for precipitation. The activated sludge is subjected to anoxic conditions to induce phosphorus release into the substream and to provide phosphorus uptake capacity when the sludge is returned to the aeration tank. Settled wastewater is mixed with return activated sludge in the aeration tank. Under aeration, sludge microorganisms can be induced to take up dissolved phosphorus in excess of the amount required for growth. The mixed liquor then flows to the secondary clarifier where liquid effluent, now largely free of phosphorus, is separated from the sludge and discharged. A portion of the phosphorus-rich sludge is transferred from the bottom of the clarifier to a thickener-type holding tank: the phosphate stripper. The settling sludge quickly becomes anoxic and, thereupon, the organisms surrender phosphorus, which is mixed into the supernatant. The phosphorus-rich supernatant, a low-volume, high-concentration substream, is removed from the stripper and treated with lime for phosphorus precipitation. The thickened sludge, now depleted in phosphorus, is returned to the aeration tank for a new cycle.

Vertical Loop Reactor (VLR)

A Vertical Loop Reactor (VLR) is an activated sludge biological treatment process similar to an oxidation ditch. The wastewater in an oxidation ditch circulates in a horizontal loop; the water in a VLR circulates in a vertical loop around a horizontal baffle. A typical VLR consists of an 18 ft deep concrete or steel basin with a horizontal baffle extending the entire width of the reactor and most of its length. Operating basins are reported to have sidewall depths which range from approximately 10–22 ft. The length and width of the VLR are determined by the required capacity but, as a rule, the length is at least twice the width. The baffle is generally 5–11 ft below the surface of the water. Because a VLR is typically deeper than an oxidation ditch, the VLR requires less land area.

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Wang, L.K., Wang, MH.S., Shammas, N.K. (2022). Innovative PACT Activated Sludge, CAPTOR Activated Sludge, Activated Bio-Filter, Vertical Loop Reactor, and PhoStrip Processes. In: Wang, L.K., Wang, MH.S., Hung, YT. (eds) Waste Treatment in the Biotechnology, Agricultural and Food Industries. Handbook of Environmental Engineering, vol 26. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03591-3_5

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