Thesis (M.Tech.: Chemical Engineering)-Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, 2005 1 v. (various pagings) / In bubble-less aeration oxygen diffuses through the membrane in a molecular form and dissolves in the liquid. Oxygen is fed through the lumen side of silicone rubber tube. On the outer surface of the membrane there is a boundary layer that is created by oxygen. This then gets transported to the bulk liquid by convective transport created by water circulation through the pump. The driving force of the convective transport is due to concentration difference between the dissolved oxygen in water and oxygen saturation concentration in water at a particular temperature and pressure. The design of a membrane aerated bioreactor needs an understanding of the factors that govern oxygen mass transfer. It is necessary to know the effects of operating conditions and design configurations. Although various methods of bubble-less aeration have been reported, there still exists a lack of knowledge on the immersed membrane systems. This study is aiming at contributing to the development of an immersed membrane bioreactor using silicone rubber tubular membrane as means of providing oxygen. The secondary objective was to investigate the influence that the operating conditions and module configuration have on the system behaviour. From the experimental study, the characteristic dissolved oxygen -time curve show that there is a saturation limit equivalent to the equilibrium dissolved oxygen concentration, after which there is no increase in dissolved oxygen with time. At ambient conditions the equilibrium dissolved oxygen is approximately 8 mg/L. This is when water is in contact with air at one atmospheric pressure. At the same conditions the equilibrium dissolved oxygen concentration when water is in contact with pure oxygen is approximately 40 mg/L. This is why all the experiments were conducted from 2mg/L dissolved oxygen concentration in water, to enable enough time to reach equilibrium so as to determine mass transfer coefficient. The most important parameters that were investigated to characterise the reactor were, oxygen supply pressure, crossflow velocity, temperature and module orientation. Observations from the experimental study indicated that when the system is controlled by pressure, crossflow does not have a significant effect on mass transfer. When the system is controlled by the convective transport from the membrane surface to the bulk liquid, pressure does not have a significant effect on mass transfer. All four effects that were investigated in the study are discussed.

Research was performed at a pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant operating an adsorption/bio-oxidation (A/B) process at 20C. The study compared B-Stage performance under DO Control, Ammonia Based Aeration Control (ABAC), and Ammonia vs. NOx (AvN) control. AvN in 1) fully-intermittent and 2) intermittently-aerated MLE configurations was compared to DO Control and ABAC, each with continuous aeration, in an MLE configuration. The study also examined operation of each aeration strategy with two different feed types: A-Stage effluent (ASE) and primary clarifier effluent (PCE). Operating modes were compared on the basis of nitrogen removal performance, COD utilization efficiency for denitrification, and alkalinity consumption. AvN was found to provide comparable nitrogen removal performance to DO Control and ABAC. The highest nitrogen removal performance was seen when operating DO Control (81.4 ± 1.2%) and ABAC (81.1 ± 1.2%) with PCE. High nitrogen removal efficiency (77.5 ± 6.1%) was seen when fully-intermittent AvN operation was fed ASE containing a high particulate COD fraction. A high effluent nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR = NO2-/(NO2-+NO3-)) was seen during this period (46 ± 15%) accompanied by the out-selection of Nitrospira. Feeding effluent from AvN control to an Anammox MBBR improved removal efficiency. Increased soluble COD loading resulted in greater nitrogen removal with strategies operating in an MLE configuration while particulate COD was found to be important for processes where removal was designed to occur in downstream reactors. Efficiency of COD for denitrification was found to vary based on the amount and type of influent COD; however AvN in an MLE configuration was found to use COD more efficiently than fully-intermittent AvN. In either configuration, AvN required less alkalinity addition than DO Control or ABAC. High sCOD concentrations in PCE led to increased nutrient removal as compared to ASE but increased heterotrophic growth and mixed liquor concentrations in the B-Stage making the A-Stage an attractive option for its ability to control the C/N ratio fed to BNR processes. / Master of Science

The most common type of nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plant is to use abiological treatment. When biological treatment is used, the two most common processes fornitrogen removal is pre and post denitrification. In the biological treatment A (BA) atKungsängsverket the nitrogen removal process used is intermittent aeration. Whenintermittent aeration is used, the wastewater is aerated at specific time intervals. This allowsboth nitrification and denitrification to occur in the same water volumes. It is of great interestto find a control strategy for controlling the air supply which is both cost effective and leadsto low emissions of nitrogen. The aim of this project was to improve the intermittent aeration at Kungsängsverket, Uppsala.The project was divided into two parts. The first part consisted of experiments carried out infull scale on the plant and the second part was a simulation study. In the experimental partdifferent time intervals for aeration were evaluated. The aim of the simulation part was toevaluate different control parameters and to find which parameters that should be used for anoptimal control strategy. The results showed that the best combination of aerated time and un-aerated time is 50minutes aerated and 50 minutes unaerated. It is recommended that the wastewater should beadded in the beginning and after half of the plant. The simulation results showed that thecontrol strategy can be improved by using a PI-regulator. The experiments and thesimulations both showed clear signs of variations in the inflow during the day. Because of thisit is recommended to establish a control strategy which easily can change the aeration timedepending on low and high flows. / Biologisk rening av avloppsvatten är den vanligaste typen av kväverening vidavloppsreningsverk. Bioblock A, Kungsängsverket Uppsala, har efter en renovering fått dettidigare driftsättet, kaskadkväverening, utbytt mot intermittent luftning. Intermittent luftninginnebär att nitrifikation och denitrifikation sker i samma zoner. Luftningen startas och stängsav med jämna tidsintervall vilket skapar en miljö för både nitrifikation och denitrifikation. Detär av stort intresse att finna en fungerande styrstrategi för luftningen som både ärkostnadseffektiv och som ger låga halter av kväve i utgående vatten. Syftet med examensarbetet var att effektivisera den intermittenta luftningen vid bioblock Avid Kungsängsverket, Uppsala. Tillvägagångsättet var att genom en utvärdering av detnuvarande driftsättet se vad som kunde förbättras. Det ställdes därefter upp ett antal försöksom var inriktade på att finna bättre driftparametrar. Dessa experiment genomfördes ifullskala. Därefter genomfördes en simuleringsstudie där dagens relästyrning jämfördes medtre regleralternativ. Det första alternativet var att reglera luftningen med hjälp av en PIregulator.De andra två alternativen var att styra luftningsperioderna efter utgåendeammonium-respektive nitrathalt. Fullskaleförsöken indikerade att luftning påslagen i 50 minuter följt av avslagen i 50 minutergav den högsta kvävereduktionen av de undersökta alternativen. Bioblock A är uppdelad ifem olika linjer vilka i sin tur är uppdelade i zoner. Utifrån försöken kan det rekommenderasatt avloppsvattnet tillsätts till första zonen och efter hälften av linjen, istället för som vid dennuvarande driften då vattnet tillsätts efter en fjärdedel och efter hälften av linjen. Simuleringsstudien visade att om dagens relästyrning byttes ut mot en PI-regulator skullesyretopparna minskas och syrehalten stabiliseras vid det förinställda börvärdet. Resultatenfrån både simuleringsstudien och fullskaleförsöken visar att en tidsstyrning avluftningsperioderna är av intresse för att spara energi och få en bättre kväverening.

No description available.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of the dissolution time – time for the liquid to absorb the gas till the saturation state - on the behaviour of positivedisplacement vane pumps, in terms of pressure peaks within internal chambers and forces applied to the stator ring. The chamber pressurization depends on the volume variation and fluid Bulk modulus in the pre-compression phase during which the volume is trapped between the suction and the delivery port rims. If the dissolution time is short, then the entrained air is quickly absorbed and the fluid Bulk modulus sharply increases just before opening the connection to the outlet; as a consequence, pressure peaks may appear thus degrading the NVH characteristics of the pump. Moreover the pressure within internal chambers generate i) a torque demand to the driver (the combustion engine or an electrical motor) and ii) a total force applied to the stator ring. In case of fixed displacement designs, the resultant pressure force simply represents a load for support bearings; while in case of variable designs, it contributes to the displacement regulation. Simulation results show that the pump behaviour is very sensitive to the dissolution time when it is quite close to the duration of the trapped period.

Este trabalho apresenta a calibração e o desenvolvimento de um tanque de reaeração, equipamento que gera turbulência com intensidade controlável por meio de grade oscilante. Foram realizadas adequações ao projeto inicial de construção do tanque, idealizado por ROMA, onde se buscou o equilíbrio e as limitações de funcionamento para que, em futuros trabalhos, o tanque possa ser utilizado sob condições adequadas sem a presença de \"ruídos\" que venham a interferir nos resultados. A calibração do tanque foi realizada levantando-se o coeficiente de reaeração \'K IND.2\' para dois tipos de grades, 256 malhas/\'M POT.2\' e 1024 malhas/\'M POT.2\' constituídas por barras de seção medindo 10 x 10 mm, em diversas freqüências de oscilações sob condições controladas de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar. Com auxílio de um medidor eletroquímico de oxigênio dissolvido e de um contador de rotação, pôde-se acompanhar a reoxigenação da água e avaliar a freqüência de oscilação das grades. A desaeração da massa de água, necessária para a calibração do tanque, foi promovida por Stripping provocado por cavitação forçada à temperatura ambiente com injeção de nitrogênio. A taxa de reaeração \'K IND.2\' foi calculada por medidas da variação do oxigênio dissolvido em função do tempo provocada por agitação mecânica para determinada freqüência de oscilação da grade. Os resultados obtidos forneceram as curvas de reaeração em função da freqüência de oscilação e do tipo de grade utilizada em cada ensaio que, através do uso de planilha eletrônica, determinaram-se os valores de concentração de saturação (Cs) e coeficiente de reoxigenação (\'K IND.2\') com o uso de regressão não linear. / This work presents a reaeration tank development and its calibration, equipment that generates controlled intensity turbulence produced by oscillating grid. An adaptation on the original design idealized by Roma was made improving the equilibrium of the oscillating grid mechanism and defining the limits of functionality of the device. These are important aspects for future research on experimental turbulence generation since that the use of equipment free of undesirable disturbing noise are of fundamental importance. Tank calibration was obtained through the evaluation of the reaeration coefficient \'K IND.2\' using two types of oscillating grids, 256 and 1024 meshes/\'M POT.2\', constructed with 10 x 10 \'MM POT.2\' square section bars. Experimental runs were conducted under controlled conditions of air temperature and humidity, for several oscillating frequencies for each grid. The necessary water mass desaeration was obtained by ambient temperature stripping, induced by forced cavitation and nitrogen injection. Reaeration coefficients were calculated from data obtained from dissolved oxygen concentration measurements as function of time for each grid size and oscillating frequency combination. As results, reaeration curves with reaeration coefficients as function of oscillating frequency and grid type are presented.

A ocorrência da redução biológica do sulfato resulta na formação de um produto indesejado, o sulfeto de hidrogênio, que pode ser removido sob condições limitadas de oxigênio. Os fatores que podem afetar a oxidação do sulfeto não estão bem elucidados e o processo de microaeração é pouco utilizado devido a limitações tecnológicas. Desta forma a oxidação química e bioquímica do sulfeto foi estudada em duas configurações de reatores que utilizam membrana polimérica porosa (membrana de silicone) como alternativa para microaeração. As configurações apresentam duas formas de microaeração, por pressão interna (Reator de membrana Submersa-RMS) e outra externa (Reator de Membrana Externa-RME) com aeração por troca atmosférica. Foram realizados ensaios de transferência de massa para determinação do coeficiente volumétrico global de transferência (KLa). Os resultados médios obtidos para o KLa foram de 0,10 h-1 para o RMS e 0,154 h-1 para o RME, confirmando a microaeração do meio. Os reatores foram operados a fim de avaliar a oxidação do sulfeto a enxofre elementar por via química e bioquímica em diferentes faixas de pH, pressão (para o RMS) e velocidade no interior da membrana (para o RME) por meio de planejamento fatorial. A oxidação química apresentou alta conversão do sulfeto a enxofre com percentual médio de 91,3% no RMS e 79,2% no RME e percentual médio de conversão a sulfato de 2,3% no RMS e 15,7% no RME. A oxidação bioquímica no RME apresentou valores médios de conversão de sulfeto a enxofre de 41,6% e de 52,8% para a conversão a sulfato. A oxidação de efluente de reator sulfetogênico também foi avaliada atingiu valores médios de 48,7% para a conversão a enxofre elementar 46,7% para a conversão de sulfeto a sulfato. O estudo das variáveis demonstrou que a variável que influenciou a oxidação foi o pH. A configuraçõa RMS apresentou problemas operacionais inviabilizando seu uso. O uso de membranas apresentou viabilidade de controle da microaeração através das variáveis operacionais, raio e espessura da membrana. Desta forma, devido à viabilidade operacional e os resultados obtidos, as configurações se mostraram uma alternativa viável a conversão do sulfeto a enxofre elementar. / The occurrence of biological sulfate reduction results in the formation of unwanted hydrogen sulfide, which can be removal under oxygen-limiting conditions. Detailed knowledge of this process remains unclear and the micro aeration process was prevented by technological limitations. For these reasons, the chemical and biological oxidation of sulfide was studied in two configurations of reactors using porous polymer membrane (silicon membrane) as an alternative to micro aeration. The configurations present two forms of micro-aeration by internal pressure (Submerged Membrane Reactor- SMR) and an external one (External Membrane Reactor EMR) with aeration by air exchange. The micro aeration was evaluated through the global oxygen mass transfer coefficient (KLa). The average results obtained for KLa were 0.10 h-1 for SMR and 0.154 h-1 for EMR, confirming the micro aeration. The settings were operated to evaluate the chemical and biochemical oxidation of sulfide to elemental sulfur by different variables: pH, pressure (for SMR) and flow/membrane area (for EMR) through factorial design. The chemical oxidation showed high sulfide conversion to sulfur, with mean value of 91.3% in SMR and 79.2% in EMR and conversion to sulfate of 2.3% in SMR and 15.7% in EMR. The biochemical oxidation in EMR showed mean values of sulfide conversion to sulfur of 41.6% and 52.8% for sulfate. The oxidation of sulfidogenic reactor effluent was evaluated and obtained mean values of 48.7% for conversion to elemental sulfur and 46.7% to sulfate. The variable studies showed that the variable pH is significantly for sulfide oxidation. The SMR presented operational problems invalidating their use. The use of membranes, showed a high viability due to its ability to micro aeration especially because of the operating variables, radius and membrane thickness. In general the reactors were efficient due the low sulfate yields. Thus the reactors proved are viable settings to the conversion of sulfide to elemental sulfur.

Sistemas de aeração são amplamente utilizados em estações de tratamento de esgotos sanitários e efluentes industriais, sendo a configuração mais utilizada os sistemas de lodos ativados. Neste trabalho, buscou-se a implementação e o teste de uma estratégia de controle avançado em um sistema de aeração. Foi utilizado um canal de aeração com recirculação de água como simulação de um tanque de aeração. Para consumir o oxigênio dissolvido na água, foi realizada a dosagem de hipossulfito de sódio na entrada de água do canal. Um algoritmo de controle preditivo tipo QDMC (\"Quadratic Dynamic Matrix Control\") foi implementado. Para estabelecer o \"set-point\" de OD (oxigênio dissolvido) pela manipulação da rotação do soprador de ar, foi utilizado um microcomputador com programação desenvolvida em linguagem C. Foi instalado na saída do canal uma sonda com sensores de OD e temperatura e um inversor de freqüência foi ligado ao soprador, ambos conectados ao microcomputador para armazenamento das informações geradas e envio dos comandos gerados pelo algoritmo de controle. Foram avaliadas a performance e estabilidade da estratégia de controle adotada, mostrando que o controlador desenvolvido é robusto e estável para utilização em sistemas de aeração. Isto indica que é interessante desenvolver o estudo para reatores biológicos operando em estações de tratamento de efluentes. / Aeration systems are widely used in wastewater treatment plants, and the configuration more common is activated sludge plant. In this study, we sought to implement and test an advanced control strategy in an aeration system. We used a channel aeration with recirculation of water as a simulation of an aeration tank. To consume the dissolved oxygen in water was performed dosage of sodium thiosulphate in water entering the channel. A predictive control algorithm type QDMC (\"Quadratic Dynamic Matrix Control\") was implemented. To establish the set-point of DO (dissolved oxygen) by manipulating the rotation of the air blower was used with a microcomputer program developed in C language. It was installed onto the end of channel a sensor of DO and temperature and a frequency converter was connected to the blower, both connected to the computer for storing information generated and transmission of information generated by the control algorithm. We evaluated the performance and stability of the control strategy adopted, showing that the developed controller is robust and stable for use in aeration systems. This indicates that it is interesting to further explore the biological reactors operating in sewage treatment effluents.

O objetivo desse projeto de pesquisa foi avaliar a redução do sulfato e promover a remoção do sulfeto, por via de conversão a enxofre elementar, em reatores combinados anaeróbio/microaerado. Para tanto foram utilizados três sistemas com objetivos específicos. A primeira configuração foi um reator anaeróbio de leito fixo e ordenado integrado a um reator microaerado com membrana externa (ABFSB-RME) com o qual se avaliou a influência do tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH) e da presença de biomassa aderida na remoção do sulfeto. A segunda configuração avaliada foi um reator UASB com um reator microaerado de membrana helicoidal externa (UASB-RMHE), com o qual se avaliou a formação de biofilme no interior da membrana e a alteração do pH para a remoção do sulfeto em sua fase gasosa. A terceira configuração foi um reator anaeróbio de leito fixo e ordenado combinado a um reator microaerado com membrana helicoidal e submersa ao meio liquido (ABFSB-RMHS) com a finalidade de avaliar a remoção do sulfeto com aplicação de fluxo de ar no interior da membrana e avaliar a influência do TDH na eficiência de conversão do sulfeto. Os resultados indicam que a troca periódica das membranas tem influência na eficiência da conversão do sulfeto para o sistema ABFSB-RME. O sistema UASB-RMHE apresentou dados de remoção de sulfeto estáveis durante 35 dias, com remoção de até 90%, porém a retro lavagem da membrana é essencial para o aumento da vida útil do sistema A alteração do pH provocou a deslocamento de equilíbrio do sulfeto, e apresentou remoção do sulfeto no biogás de 98% para pH 7,5 e 50% para pH 7,0. O sistema ABFSB-RMHS propiciou remoção estável de sulfeto e a formação em camadas de enxofre elementar ao redor da membrana que se rompiam permitindo, assim, a sedimentação e recuperação do material sólido. Os resultados obtidos na pesquisa mostraram que os sistemas apresentam viabilidade e potencial no tratamento de águas ricas em compostos de enxofre e para a recuperação de enxofre elementar, além de apresentar versatilidade por meio de variáveis operacionais, com as quais se podem obter o controle e aperfeiçoamento do sistema. / The aim of this research study is to evaluate the reduction of sulfate and promote the removal of sulfide by conversion to elemental sulfur in anaerobic/micro-aerobic reactors. Therefore, were used three reactors settings combined with specific aims. The first configuration is an anaerobic fixed-structured bed reactor integrated to a micro-aerobic with external membrane reactor (ABFSB-RME) to evaluate the influence of HRT and the presence of biomass adhered to the removal of sulfide. The second configuration evaluated was an UASB reactor with a micro-aerobic reactor with external and helically wound membrane (UASB-RMHE), in which the biofilm formation within the membrane and the change in pH for the removal of sulfide in a gaseous phase were evaluated. The third configuration was a combination of an anaerobic fixed-structured bed reactor to a micro-aerobic reactor with helically wound and submerged membrane (ABFSB-RMHS) in order to evaluate the removal of sulfide with air flow application within the membrane and to evaluate the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) in sulfide removal efficiency. The results indicate that the periodic exchange membranes have influence on the conversion efficiency of the sulfide to ABFSB-RME system. The UASB-RMHE system showed a stable sulfide removal efficiency for 35 days, with removal of up to 90%, but the backwashing of the membrane is essential for increasing the life of the system. The pH changing caused the equilibrium displacement of the sulfide and removal of sulfide introduced into the biogas 98% and 50% and pH 7.5 and pH 7.0. The ABFSB-RMHS removal system has provided stable sulfide removal and sulfur formed around the membrane layers were broken allowing sedimentation and recovering the solid material. The results of the study showed that the systems are versatile and which, by means of the operating variables, can be improved viability and presenting potential in the treatment of water rich in sulfur compounds and for the recovery of elemental sulfur.

O tratamento de efluentes através de processos de lodos ativados destaca-se dentre os diversos métodos de tratamento de águas residuárias devido a uma série de fatores, tais como a área reduzida e alta eficiência na remoção de poluentes. O tratamento por lodos ativados é composto por um tanque de aeração e um decantador secundário. No tanque são fornecidas condições adequadas, como a injeção de oxigênio por difusores de ar, que aumentam a velocidade da degradação da matéria orgânica, tornando assim o processo mais eficiente. Apesar da eficácia do método, o uso deste tipo de tanque demanda grande consumo de energia, tornando necessária a criação de medidas de supervisão e controle das principais variáveis de processo de modo que torne o tratamento eficiente. O presente trabalho visou contribuir com experimentação de controle de pH e oxigênio dissolvido em um tanque de aeração. O sistema de controle foi implementado com controle preditivo (QDMC) aplicado sobre um processo de aeração e correção de pH no tanque aerado, a fim de garantir um nível adequado de oxigênio dissolvido e pH necessários à remoção de poluentes de forma automática. A principal conclusão alcançada é que o controle QDMC no processo em questão se revelou estável e robusto. / The wastewater treatment using activated sludge processes stands out among the various methods of wastewater treatment due to a number of factors, such as reduced area and high efficiency in removing pollutants. The activated sludge treatment comprises one aeration tank and a secondary sedimentation tank. Suitable conditions are provided in the tank, such as the injection of oxygen for air diffusers which increase the rate of degradation of organic material, making the process more efficient. Despite the efficacy of the method, using this type of tank demand large power consumption, making it necessary to provide measures for supervision and control of the key process variables so that the processing becomes efficient. This study aims to contribute to experimentation control pH and dissolved oxygen in an aeration tank. The control system was implemented with predictive control (QDMC) applied to a process of aeration and pH correction tank aerated, to ensure an adequate level of dissolved oxygen and pH required to remove pollutants automatically. The main conclusion reached is that the control QDMC the proceedings proved stable and robust.