Robust control of the activated sludge process

In this work, a robust control strategy is proposed for maintaining the oxygen concentration in the aerobic tank and the pollutant, i.e., ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, concentrations at acceptable levels in the effluent water at the outlet of the activated sludge process. To this end, the Activated Sludge Model no. 1 (ASM1) is first reduced using biological arguments and a singular perturbation method, and a simplified model of the secondary settler is included. In contrast with previous studies that make use of piecewise linear models, an average operating point is evaluated using available data (here data from the COST Action 624) and the reduced‐order model is linearized around it using standard techniques. Finally, a H₂ robust control strategy acting on the oxygen injection and the recirculated flow rate is designed and tested in simulation. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Simultaneous estimation of sludge biological activity and influent nitrogen load using ORP and DO dynamics

This paper proposes a new optimization strategy to estimate nitrifiable nitrogen concentration in wastewater, nitrification rate, denitrification rate and/or COD available for denitrification of an activated sludge process submitted to intermittent aeration. The approach uses the oxydo-reduction potential and dissolved oxygen measurements only. The parameter identification is based on a Simplex optimization of a cost function related to the error between an experimental cycle (an aerobic period followed by an anoxic one) and a simulation of a reduced model derived from ASM1. Results show very good prediction of experimental oxygen, ammonium and nitrate profiles. The estimation of nitrifiable nitrogen and removal rates has been validated both on simulated data obtained from COST action 624 benchmark and on experimental data.     

Feasibility of nitrification/denitrification in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor with liquid circulation applied to post-treatment

An investigation was performed on the biological removal of ammonium nitrogen from synthetic wastewater by the simultaneous nitrification/denitrification (SND) process, using a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). System behavior was analyzed as to the effects of sludge type used as inoculum (autotrophic/heterotrophic), wastewater feed strategy (batch/fed-batch) and aeration strategy (continuous/intermittent). The presence of an autotrophic aerobic sludge showed to be essential for nitrification startup, despite publications stating the existence of heterotrophic organisms capable of nitrifying organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds at low dissolved oxygen concentrations. As to feed strategy, batch operation (synthetic wastewater containing 100 mg COD/L and 50 mg N-NH(4)(+)/L) followed by fed-batch (synthetic wastewater with 100 mg COD/L) during a whole cycle seemed to be the most adequate, mainly during the denitrification phase. Regarding aeration strategy, an intermittent mode, with dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.0mg/L in the aeration phase, showed the best results. Under these optimal conditions, 97% of influent ammonium nitrogen (80% of total nitrogen) was removed at a rate of 86.5 mg N-NH(4)(+)/Ld. In the treated effluent only 0.2 mg N-NO(2)(-)/L,4.6 mg N-NO(3)(-)/L and 1.0 mg N-NH(4)(+)/L remained, demonstrating the potential viability of this process in post-treatment of wastewaters containing ammonium nitrogen.     

Continuous ‐ discrete interval observers for monitoring microalgae cultures

Algorithms estimating unmeasured component concentrations play a key role in bioprocess applications where only a few on‐line measurements are usually available. In this article, interval observers are designed to provide guaranteed intervals for the key components involved in cultures of microalgae. In contrast with most of the published studies focusing on continuous‐time measurements, this study considers discrete‐time measurements with possibly long and irregular sampling and defines predictors based on model equations and state transformations to ensure the enclosure of the state variables between two measurement times. The methods are validated with experimental data where the remaining inorganic nitrogen and the microalgal internal quota are estimated. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

Evaluation of Anammox and denitrification during anaerobic digestion of poultry manure

Two approaches based on ne w process development and biological nitrogen transformation were investigated in a bench study for removing nitrogen as N2 gas from poultry waste while stabilizing the wastes. The process, known as "Anammox", was explored in batch anaerobic culture using serum bottles. The Anammox process involves the use of nitrite as an electron acceptor in the bacterially mediated oxidation of ammonia to yield N2. Studies are described wherein nitrite was added to poultry waste and the effects on ammonium levels were monitored. About 13-22% ammonium removal was observed with the inoculation of returned activated sludge, and the total ammonium reduction was not proportional to the reduction of nitrite, thereby suggesting that Anammox was less competitive under the conditions in our studies. The addition of nitrite and nitrate was not inhibitory to the process based on gas generation and COD reduction. The classical nitrogen removal process of nitrification followed with denitrification offers a more reliable basis for nitrogen removal from poultry wastes.     

Modeling of anammox process with the biowin software suite

Mathematical modeling of the biotechnology for the removal of ammonium nitrogen from wastewater based on the anammox process was performed with the specialized BioWin software suite (EnviroSim Associates Ltd., Canada). Nitrogen removal by means of the transformation of ammonium nitrogen to molecular nitrogen was conducted in a continuous stirred bioreactor carrying both suspended and immobilized activated sludge. Both basic values of the kinetic and stoichiometric coefficients are incorporated in the BioWin software, and those that changed based on the results of the experimental studies were used for the calculations. The optimal temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration revealed by mathematical modeling were 35°C and 0.14 mg/L. The results obtained from calculations were similar to those obtained in the experiments. The calculated and experimental concentrations of ammonium, nitrites, and nitrates in the treated water were similar and comprised 10.7 and 11.7% of the initial concentration entering the bioreactor, respectively. The selected mathematical model possessed a high predictive ability for the calculation of biotechnologies based on the anammox process     

The effect of pH on the efficiency of an SBR processing piggery wastewater

To treat piggery wastewater efficiently, the hydrolysis of urea (mainly derived from swine urine) in piggery wastewater with the change of sewage pH must be considered. Using activated sludge, piggery wastewater was treated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), and the effects of influent pH on SBR processing efficiency, sludge settle ability, and sludge activity were investigated. The results showed that a high influent pH value contributed to the improvement of the removal rate of ammonia nitrogen and reduction of the chemical oxygen demand (COD). When the influent pH was between 9.0 and 9.5, the removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was higher than 90%, and the reduction of COD from its original value was 80%. The influent pH had a greater influence on sludge concentration and sludge activity. When the influent pH increased from 7.0 to 9.5, the sludge concentration increased from 2,350 to 3,947 mg/L in the reactor, and the activities of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) first increased and then decreased. When the influent pH was 9.0 and 8.0, the maximum values (0.48 g O₂/(g MLSS/day) and 0.080 g O₂/(g MLSS/day)) were reached, and the sludge settling ratio was nearly steady between 20 and 35% in each reactor.     

Assessment of physiological state of microorganisms in activated sludge with flow cytometry: application for monitoring sludge production minimization

Many sludge reduction processes have been studied for the minimization of sludge production in biological wastewater treatment. The investigations on most of these processes have monitored the increase of the soluble chemical oxygen demand, the sludge mass reduction, or the decrease of the floc size, but little information has been obtained on cell lysis and the change of the biological cell activity. However, employing any strategy for reducing sludge production may have an impact of microbial community in biological wastewater treatment process. This impact may influence the sludge characteristics and the quality of effluent. The objective of this study concerns the determination of the physiological state of activated sludge microorganisms during a sludge minimization process. A thermal treatment at 80 °C for 5, 20, 40 and 60 min was chosen in this study. Staining bacteria with CTC and SYTOX green was used to evaluate biological cell activity and viability of cell types contained in activated sludge, respectively. The monitoring of cell activity and viability was performed using flow cytometry (FCM) analysis before and after thermal treatment of activated sludge. Results indicated an increase in the number of permeabilized cells and a decrease in the number of active cells, subsequent to the thermal treatment. The study also confirms the potential of FCM to successfully evaluate the physiological heterogeneity of an activated sludge bacterial population. Moreover, the experimentally observed correlations between the FCM results and the organic matter solubilization in activated sludge samples during thermal treatment revealed that the increase in the soluble organic matter concentration was predominantly due to an intracellular material release. Identifying the increase in activated sludge hydrolysis requires a precise knowledge of the involved mechanisms, and this study indicated that the FCM, used in conjunction with specific probes, could be a useful tool.     

生物废水处理系统的细胞自动机模型

建立了活性污泥处理生物废水的细胞自动机模型,对活性污泥生物量与有机物浓度动态进行了研究,提出了计算活性污泥回流循环比的方法.结果表明,在Moore邻居模型下废水达标排放所需时间较Von. Neumann邻居模型少,不同生长阶段的微生物浓度波动具有时滞性.稳定期有机物浓度和生物量不受活性污泥初始浓度的影响.活性污泥处理生物废水的细胞自动机模型有助于为污水处理提供理论依据.     

Comparison of biological removal via nitrite with real-time control using aerobic granular sludge and flocculent activated sludge

The process of nitrification–denitrification via nitrite for nitrogen removal under real-time control mode was tested in two laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with flocculent activated sludge (R1) and aerobic granular sludge (R2) to compare operational performance and real-time control strategies. The results showed that the average ammonia nitrogen, total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal during aeration phase were 97.6%, 57.0%, and 90.1% in R2 compared with 98.6%, 48.7%, and 88.1% in R1. The TIN removed in both SBRs was partially due to the presence of simultaneous nitrification–denitrification via nitrite, especially in R2. The specific nitrification and denitrification rates in R2 were 0.0416 mgNH₄⁺–N/gSS-min and 0.1889 mgNO_X⁻–N/gSS-min, which were 1.48 times and 1.35 times that of R1. The higher rates for COD removal, nitrification, and denitrification were achieved in R2 than R1 with similar influent quality. Dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and oxidization reduction potential, corresponding to nutrient variations, were used as diagnostic parameters to control the organic carbon degradation and nitrification–denitrification via nitrite processes in both SBRs. The online control strategy of granular SBR was similar to that of the SBR with flocculent activated sludge. However, a unique U-type pattern on the DO curve in granular SBR was different from SBR with flocculent activated sludge in aerobic phase.     

Enhanced biological nitrogen removal and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emission characteristics of the intermittent aeration activated sludge process

Enhanced biological nitrogen removal processes are necessarily required to cope with more stringent wastewater discharging regulations, especially for wastewater with low level of organic carbon to nitrogen ratios. The intermittent aeration activated sludge process has been received comprehensive attention over the past decades, due to its excellent performance in nitrogen removal and remarkable reduction of energy consumption. Recent advances for this technology was reviewed from aspects of characteristics of system, factors affecting nitrogen removal, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission and its control, and application of the technology and its operation control. Finally, future development was proposed. In the intermittent aeration activated sludge process, aeration duration should be controlled for adequate nitrification and non-aeration duration should be adequate for complete denitrification, and these would benefit both nitrogen removal and N₂O mitigation. The step feed strategy could be applied to enhance the better utilization of influent organic carbon for nitrogen removal. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and aerobic duration both affected nitrogen removal in particular that via nitrite in the intermittent aeration process. Nitrite should be removed efficiently to avoid a high N₂O emission under both anoxic and aerobic conditions. Intermittent aeration activated sludge process has been applied in the treatment of various wastewaters, such as municipal wastewater, swine wastewater, anaerobic effluents and landfill leachate. For practical application, DO, pH and oxidation–reduction potential could be used as indices for controlling nitrogen removal and N₂O mitigation. Microbial ecology in the intermittent aeration activated sludge process should be specifically focused in future studies.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel heterotrophic nitrifying and aerobic denitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri KTB for bioremediation of wastewater

A novel heterotrophic nitrifying and aerobic denitrifying bacterium, KTB, was isolated from activated sludge flocci collected from a biological aerated filter according to the modified Takaya method and identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. When shaking-cultured in the presence of 4.331 mmol/L of nitrate, 4.511 mmol/L of nitrite and 4.438 mmol/L of ammonium, the strain grew fast, with μ_max being 0.42, 0.45, and 0.56/h, and displayed high nitrogen removal efficiency, with nitrogen removal rate being 0.239, 0.362, and 0.361 mmol/L/h and nitrogen removal ratio being 99.1, 100.0, and 100.0% in 18 h, respectively. The removal mainly occurred in the logarithmic phase. Nitrite accumulation did not affect denitrification performance. Nitrate concentration was below the detectable limit during the whole growth cycle when ammonium was used as sole nitrogen source. It tolerated high DO level and exhibited excellent aggregation ability. A possible pathway involved in the nitrogen removal process, which demonstrated a full nitrification and denitrification route, was speculated. The strain might be a great candidate for biological removal of nitrogen compounds from wastewater.     

Nutrients release and phosphorus distribution during oligochaetes predation on activated sludge

Release of nitrogen and phosphorus into effluent of activated sludge process was reported in the recent researches of sludge reduction induced by oligochaetes. In this study, batch test and radioisotope ³²P tracer test were therefore carried out to further investigate nutrients release and phosphorus distribution among supernatant, sludge and worm during predation of oligochaetes on sludge. Results showed that more nutrients release into supernatant occurred in the tests of worms with sterilized sludge than that of worms with activated sludge, and release of nitrogen and phosphorus was few in the tests of worms with activated sludge. Statistical analysis showed that no factor was significantly correlated with phosphorus concentration in the supernatant, but time and worm were only two factors significantly affecting total nitrogen (TN) concentration in the supernatant in the test of worms with activated sludge. Through test of radioisotope ³²P tracer, ³²P mainly distributed in activated sludge and supernatant, and more release of ³²P into the supernatant occurred in the test of sludge with worms. After 24 h, ³²P concentration of supernatant in the test of sludge with worms was 9% higher than that in the test of sludge without worms, and ³²P concentration of worm increased by 2.7%. Additionally, the release rate of phosphorus into supernatant caused by worm's predation on activated sludge was 0.1211 mgTP/gWorm (wet weight) h.     

Modeling and simulation of oxygen-limited partial nitritation in a membrane-assisted bioreactor (MBR)

Combination of a partial nitritation process and an anaerobic ammonium oxidation process for the treatment of sludge reject water has some general cost-efficient advantages compared to nitrification-denitrification. The integrated process features two-stage autotrophic conversion of ammonium via nitrite to dinitrogen gas with lower demand for oxygen and no external carbon requirement. A nitrifying membrane-assisted bioreactor (MBR) for the treatment of sludge reject water was operated under continuous aeration at low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations with the purpose of generating nitrite accumulation. Microfiltration was applied to allow a high sludge retention time (SRT), resulting in a stable partial nitritation process. During start-up of the MBR, oxygen-limited conditions were induced by increasing the ammonium loading rate and decreasing the oxygen transfer. At a loading rate of 0.9 kg N m(-3) d(-1) and an oxygen concentration below 0.1 mg DO L(-1), conversion to nitrite was close to 50% of the incoming ammonium, thereby yielding an optimal effluent within the stoichiometric requirements for subsequent anaerobic ammonium oxidation. A mathematical model for ammonium oxidation to nitrite and nitrite oxidation to nitrate was developed to describe the oxygen-limited partial nitritation process within the MBR. The model was calibrated with in situ determinations of kinetic parameters for microbial growth, reflecting the intrinsic characteristics of the ammonium oxidizing growth system at limited oxygen availability and high sludge age. The oxygen transfer coefficient (K(L)a) and the ammonium-loading rate were shown to be the appropriate operational variables to describe the experimental data accurately. The validated model was used for further steady state simulation under different operational conditions of hydraulic retention time (HRT), K(L)a, temperature and SRT, with the intention to support optimized process design. Simulation results indicated that stable nitrite production from sludge reject water was feasible with this process even at a relatively low temperature of 20 degrees C with HRT down to 0.25 days.     

Simultaneous saccharification and co‐fermentation of paper sludge to ethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae RWB222. Part II: Investigation of discrepancies between predicted and observed performance at high solids concentration

The simultaneous saccharification and co‐fermentation (SSCF) kinetic model described in the companion paper can predict batch and fed batch fermentations well at solids concentrations up to 62.4 g/L cellulose paper sludge but not in batch fermentation at 82.0 g/L cellulose paper sludge. Four hypotheses for the discrepancy between observation and model prediction at high solids concentration were examined: ethanol inhibition, enzyme deactivation, inhibition by non‐metabolizable compounds present in paper sludge, and mass transfer limitation. The results show that mass transfer limitation was responsible for the discrepancy between model and experimental data. The model can predict the value of high paper sludge SSCF in the fermentation period with no mass transfer limitation. The model predicted that maximum ethanol production of fed‐batch fermentation was achieved when it was run as close to batch mode as possible with the initial solids loading below the mass transfer limitation threshold. A method for measuring final enzyme activity at the end of fermentation was also developed in this study. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 932–938. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

新异养硝化菌Colloides sp.JZ1-1的鉴定及其硝化性能

从驯化后的活性污泥中筛分、诱变出一株性能较好的异养硝化菌JZ1-1.经形态及生理生化特性分析,鉴定菌株JZ1-1为胶样菌属(Colloides sp.).分别考察了碳源、C/N、pH、溶解氧、温度和铵态氮初始浓度对JZ1-1硝化性能的影响.结果表明:菌株对柠檬酸钠的利用较好;C/N为10 ～14、30℃、pH 6-9和转速150 r·min-1以上有利于铵态氮的降解;菌株对中高浓度铵态氮废水(100 mg·L-1≤铵态氮浓度≤500 mg·L-1)的降解效果显著.经5次继代培养,菌株的稳定性较好.     

Optimization of free ammonia concentration for nitrite accumulation in shortcut biological nitrogen removal process

A shortcut biological nitrogen removal (SBNR) utilizes the concept of a direct conversion of ammonium to nitrite and then to nitrogen gas. A successful SBNR requires accumulation of nitrite in the system and inhibition of the activity of nitrite oxidizers. A high concentration of free ammonia (FA) inhibits nitrite oxidizers, but unfortunately decreases the ammonium removal rate as well. Therefore, the optimal range of FA concentration is necessary not only to stabilize nitrite accumulation but also to achieve maximum ammonium removal. In order to derive such optimal FA concentrations, the specific substrate utilization rates of ammonium and nitrite oxidizers were measured. The optimal FA concentration range appeared to be 5–10 mg/L for the adapted sludge. The simulated results from the modified inhibition model expressed by FA and ammonium/nitrite concentrations were shown very similar to the experimental results.     

活性污泥积累PHB (Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate)及其菌群多样性分析

【目的】通过调整活性污泥在驯化过程中碳、氮、磷比例以及供氧模式, 以提高其积累PHB的能力。应用PCR-DGGE定期对驯化期间菌群动态进行分析。【方法】以乙酸钠为碳源, 在SBR (Sequencing batch reactor) 内以厌氧/好氧 (A/O) 交替的驯化模式, 逐级提高碳源浓度, 限制氮源浓度, 人为创造营养不均衡条件来逐步提高活性污泥积累PHB的能力。【结果】当碳浓度逐步提高, COD升高至1 200 mg/L, COD/N/P为1 200/9.6/30时, 活性污泥中PHB积累量达到最大, 占细胞干重的64.2%。【结论】驯化过程中逐步提高COD负荷, 并增加COD/N的值有利于PHB积累, 利用苏丹黑和Albert法染色显示菌群内产PHB菌占很大比例, 透射电镜显示菌体胞内含有大量白色PHB颗粒。经DGGE菌群动态分析, 发现驯化过程中菌群种类出现较为明显的演替, 而在一个反应周期(6 h)内菌种数量也有一定改变。驯化获得的高产PHB的菌群中含Acinetobacter、Bacillus、Bacteroidetes、Chryseobacteria 及proteobacteria等5个属的微生物, 菌群多样性较为丰富。     

A MODEL APPROACH FOR SIZE-SELECTIVE COMPETITION OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON FOR FLUCTUATING NITRATE AND AMMONIUM1

Phytoplankton size-selective competition for fluctuating nutrients was studied with the use of a numerical model, which describes nitrate and ammonium uptake, nitrate reduction to ammonium, and growth as a function of cell she under fluctuating nitrogen limitation. The only size-dependent parameter in the model was the cell nutrient quota. Related to this, the cell surface area per biomass was negatively correlated to cell volume, and the vacuole volume per biomass ratio was positively correlated to cell volume. Simulations showed an inverse correlation between the maximum specific growth rate and cell size under steady-state conditions. With nitrate as the limiting nitrogen source, nitrogen quotas were always higher than with ammonium at the same specific growth rate. Net passive transport of ammonium due to unspecific diffusion of ammonia across the plasma membrane decreased the affinity for ammonium, whereas the affinity for nitrate was not influenced. Transient state-specific ammonium uptake was not dependent on cell size. However, small algae always have the highest specific growth rate in ammonium-controlled systems according to our model. Transient state nitrate uptake rate was positively correlated to cell size because larger algae have a higher vacuole volume per biomass, in which nitrate can be stored. Despite their lower maximum growth rate, larger algae became dominant during simulations under fluctuating nitrate supply when amplitude of and the period between nitrate pulses were high enough. Results from model simulations were qualitatively validated by earlier observations that large diatoms become dominant under fluctuating conditions when nitrate is the main nitrogen source.     

Rapid startup and high rate nitrogen removal from anaerobic sludge digester liquor using a SNAP process

In this study, a single-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal reactor, packed with a novel acrylic fiber biomass carrier material (Biofix), was applied for nitrogen removal from sludge digester liquor. For rapid start-up, conventional activated sludge was added to the reactor soon after the attachment of anammox biomass on the Biofix carriers, which allowed conventional activated sludge to form a protective layer of biofilm around the anammox biomass. The Nitrogen removal efficiency reached 75% within 1 week at a nitrogen loading rate of 0.46 kg-N/m³/day for synthetic wastewater treatment. By the end of the synthetic wastewater treatment period, the maximum nitrogen removal rate had increased to 0.92 kg-N/m³/day at a nitrogen loading rate of 1.0 kg-N/m³/day. High nitrogen removal rate was also achieved during the actual raw digester liquor treatment with the highest nitrogen removal rate being 0.83 kg-N/m³/day at a nitrogen loading rate of 0.93 kg-N/m³/day. The thick biofilm on Biofix carriers allowed anammox bacteria to survive under high DO concentration of 5–6 mg/l resulting in stable and high nitrogen removal performance. FISH and CLSM analysis demonstrated that anammox bacteria coexisted and surrounded by ammonium oxidizing bacteria.