This diploma thesis is focused on the topic of membrane technologies used in wastewater treatment. The research part of the thesis deals with membrane separation of activated sludge, and the focus is on the submerged membrane modules. The thesis contains basic principles of MBR systems, an overview of used membrane modules, modes of operation, advantages and disadvantages of using this process. The practical part of the thesis proposes the intensification of WWTP Perná with using MBR technology. This part includes the technical-economic assessment of the activation WWTP with the third stage of treatment and activation WWTP with MBR.

The topic to Diploma Thesis is design of Biological Wastewater Treatment for 450 PE in Hvozd Commune (Region Olomoucký). First part is dedicated to description of multiple possible variants of design. In the following part is more detailed described chosen technology. Except from description of technology are also shown parameters calculations proposal. Some of the main reasons for preference of Biological Wastewater Treatment are low maintenance requirements, independence of energy supply or possibility of future sludge treatment. Foundational materials for the design were first, Local Zoning Plan which describes current and future drainage and wastewater disposal situation. Second, study aims at parameters calculations of French system. Project documentation is part and parcel of this thesis. Documentation will also be a basis for planning building permission.

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.

In recent decades, there has been a rapid expansion in the use of manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs). Experimental evidence and material flow models predict that MNPs enter wastewater treatment plants and partition to sewage sludge and majority of that sludge is land applied as biosolids. During wastewater treatment and after land application, MNPs undergo biogeochemical transformations (aging). The primary transformation process for silver MNPs (Ag-MNPs) is sulfidation, while zinc oxide MNPs (ZnO-MNPs) most likely undergo phosphatation and sulfidation. Our overall goal was to assess bioavailability and toxicogenomic impacts of both pristine, defined as-synthesized, and aged Ag- and ZnO-MNPs, as well as their respective ions, to a model organism, the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We first investigated the toxicity of pristine Ag-MNPs, sulfidized Ag-MNPs (sAg-MNPs), and AgNO3 to identify the most sensitive ecologically relevant endpoint in C. elegans. We identified reproduction as the most sensitive endpoint for all treatments with sAg-MNPs being about 10-fold less toxic than pristine Ag-MNPs. Using synchrotron x-ray microspectroscopy we demonstrated that AgNO3 and pristine Ag-MNPs had similar bioavailability while aged sAg-MNPs caused toxicity without being taken up by C. elegans. Comparisons of the genomic impacts of both MNPs revealed that Ag-MNPs and sAg-MNPs have transcriptomic profiles distinct from each other and from AgNO3. The toxicity mechanisms of sAg-MNPs are possibly associated with damaging effects to cuticle. We also investigated the effects pristine zinc oxide MNPs (ZnO-MNPs) and aged ZnO-MNPs, including phosphatated (pZnO-MNPs) and sulfidized (sZnO-MNPs), as well as ZnSO4 have on C. elegans using a toxicogenomic approach. Aging of ZnO-MNPs reduced toxicity nearly 10-fold. Toxicity of pristine ZnO-MNPs was similar to the toxicity caused by ZnSO4 but less than 30% of responding genes was shared between these two treatments. This suggests that some of the effects of pristine ZnO-MNPs are also particle-specific. The genomic results showed that based on Gene Ontology and induced biological pathways all MNP treatments shared more similarities than any MNP treatment did with ZnSO4. This dissertation demonstrates that the toxicity of Ag- and ZnO-MNPs to C. elegans is reduced and operates through different mechanisms after transformation during the wastewater treatment process.

Grundämnet fosfor är essentiellt för alla levande organismer men kan i överskott leda till problem med övergödning. Det finns därför höga krav på halten avloppsreningsverk släpper ut till recipienter. Idag sker stora delar av fosforreningen kemiskt genom dosering av fällningskemikalier. Det finns dock fördelar med att istället använda en biologisk metod som bygger på att reningsförhållandena premierar tillväxt av bakterier med möjlighet att ta upp mer fosfor än de behöver för sin cellväxt.  Bakterierna gynnas genom omväxlande anaeroba och aeroba zoner samt en god tillgång på lättillgänglig kolkälla och fosfor. Många reningsverk kombinerar den kemiska och biologiska fosforreningen men de är inte alltid kompatibla och den kemiska kan störa ut den biologiska. På Kungsängsverket finns sedan 2010 förutsättningar för en biologisk fosforreduktion men processen har inte fungerat tillfredsställande. Anledningen tros vara höga halter järn i slammet. Järnet fäller delar av den fosfor som är nödvändig för processen. Arbetet har därför syftat till att undersöka om det går att tvätta bioslammet på järn och på så sätt nå en fungerande fosforrening; vid vilka järnhalter detta sker och vilka besparingar det skulle kunna leda till för Uppsala Vatten och Avfall AB. För vidare utredning genomfördes ett pilotförsök där två reaktorer byggdes, en referensreaktor och en försöksreaktor. Reaktorerna matades sedan med vatten med olika sammansättning, främst gällande järnhalt. Även befintlig data för verket och uppgifter kring förutsättningarna på andra reningsverk med en fungerande biologisk fosforreduktion undersöktes. Pilotförsöket visade att det går att tvätta bioslammet på järn då en sjunkande halt sågs under försökets gång. Halten sjönk från 40 mg Fe/g TS till 18 mg Fe/g TS i försöksreaktorn. En fungerande fosforrening uppnåddes aldrig så inga slutsatser gällande besparingar, eller vid vilka järnhalter en fungerande rening sker, kan dras. Andra reningsverk med biologisk fosforrening har kring 10 mg Fe/g TS vilket ger en indikation på vad halten bör vara. Pilotförsöket visade också att dosering av polymer ledde till att stora delar av den inkommande kolkällan fälldes, kolkälla som behövs för fungerande fosfor- och kväverening. Recirkulation av nitratkväve sågs hämma det fosforsläpp som vid fungerande rening ska ske i den anaeroba zonen och tros ha stört reningen under försökets gång. Förutsättningarna för biologisk fosforrening på Kungsängsvrket anses inte vara optimala gällande avloppsvattnets sammansättning, recirkulering av nitratkväve till den anaeroba zonen och mängden lättillgänglig kolkälla från hydrolysbassängen. / Phosphorus is an essential element but can cause eutrophication when present in high concentrations. Emission requirements from municipal wastewater treatment plants are therefore strict. Today chemical precipitation is common but there are advantages to using a biological method. It is based on creating conditions that favor growth of a special type of bacteria. These bacteria absorb more phosphorus than they need for growth. To do this they need alternating anaerobic and aerobic zones and access to carbon and phosphorus. A combination between the two methods are common but the precipitation chemicals can under some conditions disturb the biological removal.   At Kungsängsverket the process of biological phosphorus removal has been in place since 2010. It has not worked adequately and the reason could be high concentrations of iron in the biological sludge. The purpose of this thesis has therefore been to investigate whether it is possible to wash out the iron from the bio-sludge and as a result reach a satisfying reduction of phosphorus, to see at which iron content this might happen and what kind of savings a functioning biological phosphorus removal might lead to for Uppsala Vatten och Avfall AB.  To test the hypothesis two reactors were built, a reference reactor and an experimental reactor. The two were fed with water with different compositions, primarily regarding iron content. Also, existing data was examined from the plant and records regarding sludge composition at plants with working biological phosphorus removal. The pilot test showed that it was possible to wash out the iron from the biological sludge. Iron content in the experimental reactor went down from 40 mg Fe/g DM to 18 mg Fe/g DM. A satisfying reduction of phosphorus was never achieved and no conclusions can be drawn regarding savings or at which iron content a reduction might happen. Other wastewater treatment plants with biological phosphorus reduction have shown to have a content of about 10 mg Fe/g DM which can be used as an indication. According to the pilot test dosing of polymer can lead to a large precipitation of carbon source. Lack of carbon will inhibit phosphorus and nitrogen removal. Circulation of nitrate repressed the release of phosphate in the anaerobic zone and is believed to have disturbed the removal during the pilot. The conditions for biological phosphorus removal at Kungsängsverket are not ideal as to the composition of the wastewater, the circulation of nitrate to the anaerobic zone and the amount of carbon source from the hydrolysis.

This critical overview document (COD) presents, discusses and brings together the selected portfolio of publications that the author believes make a significant contribution to the field of wastewater treatment, focusing on the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in wastewater treatment applications. The aim of the research within this COD was to investigate the fate, mechanisms and optimisation of EDCs removal in wastewater treatment applications. The key objectives were to: 1. Investigate and understand the mechanisms of removal of EDCs in wastewater and sludge treatment processes. 2. Evaluate novel methods for the removal of EDCs in water and wastewater treatment applications. 3. Establish the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of the removal processes to inform process modelling of full scale design of treatment processes.

Thesis (MScEng (Process Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The thesis reports the investigation of various distillery processes and wastewater streams. The aim was to evaluate the processes and thereafter design interventions for improved wastewater treatment at the respective distilleries. An integrated environmental approach was adopted based on the principle that prevention of pollution is the preferred option and end-of-pipe treatment the least favoured option. As such, feed material to the processes was studied to determine whether some of the components that are not required in the distillation process could in fact be removed prior to entering the system. The results indicate that organic constituents such as phenol and tartaric acid could be removed using physico-chemical and biological treatment methods. The treatment of effluent was studied using an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) set-up to determine the reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in the wastewater. Thereafter the UASB treated effluent was exposed to aeration for further treatment. Summary of conclusions • Pretreatment of wine feed material with calcium hydroxide is effective in removal of 98% tartaric acid, 30% COD and a total phenol content of 57%. • Bio-augmentation results showed that the soil inoculum was the most effective treatment method with reductions of 61% COD at a temperature of 30°C, tartaric acid removal of 98% at the same temperature and 25% reduction in total phenol at 26°C. • UASB was effective with soil inoculum and removed approximately 90% of COD although operational problems were experienced and hindered the operation of the plant. • Aeration of UASB effluent further reduced the COD by a further 60% with a total COD reduction of 96% after both UASB and aeration treatment. • Effective reduction of total phosphorus by 70% and the total phenol content by 80% was achieved by UASB treatment followed by aeration.

Thesis (M.Phil. (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water and sanitation is one of the key factors in the socio-economic development of a nation and people. Billions of people worldwide do not have access to clean water or basic sanitation leading to many health problems and developmental issues. This article discusses the challenges facing the world, South Africa and in particular the Western Cape and Cape Town in the provision of water and sanitation. For most people the desire is to have access to their own private portable water supply and their own private flush toilet connected via costly bulk water services to sewage treatment plants far away. The question posed is whether this model is sustainable into the future, given the water demands in many parts of the world affected by droughts and more violent weather cycles as a result of climate change and global warming. These factors will affect water supplies in South Africa and in particular the Western Cape and Cape Town. To answer some of the questions raised the Lynedoch EcoVillage development is discussed in detail in terms of sustainable neighbourhood planning and implementation. Sustainable Development is discussed, also various options in terms of applying ecological sanitation. The on-site water and sanitation system of the Lynedoch EcoVillage is discussed as a case study. The results of influent and effluent tests conducted by the CSIR are analysed to see whether the system is conforming to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry standards for the use of effluent water in irrigation and re-use of water in toilets. Localised models of water and sanitation provision might thus be a way forward to satisfy the increasing demand for such services made on national and local authorities as urban areas increase in size and population.

The intensified greenhouse effect is the biggest cause for a negative climate change. Global warming is a result of enhanced greenhouse effect and poses a potential threat for humans and its surrounding environment that can result in disastrous consequences. The rise in temperature is driven by increased human activity whereas the leading cause for emissions of greenhouse gases is the combustion of fossil fuels. The prominent source of emissions is from the following sectors: transport, industrial and energy. The task of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases is both globally and internationally prioritized. Progress has been made although every potential source for emissions has to be investigated in order to reduce the total climate impact. Based on scientific research, wastewater treatment plants are also a contributing factor to the greenhouse effect by emissions of gases. This bachelor’s thesis is investigating two wastewater treatment plants and identifying which processes contribute to the climate impact. The climate impact is calculated with an Excel-based analyzing tool and the results show the Carbon Footprints for the treatment plants. The purpose of this paper is to present result acquired from the treatment plants and identify the processes that have the biggest impact on our climate. Afterwards, solutions derived from the analysis of results will be suggested to improve and bring additional help to the treatment plants with their climate work. In conclusion, it is determined that the treatment plants both have net emissions of greenhouse gases. The biggest contributor is the wastewater treatment and the use of biogas. Results from analysis show that some of the assumptions on emissions made in the tool make the initial results doubtful. Therefore, further research is needed on this subject in order to produce more reliable facts.

<p>The most common way to treat wastewater in Sweden today is by a combination of an activated sludge process and a chemical treatment. These processes are not very energy efficient and may not be the most environmentally friendly. That is why it is interesting to evaluate new alternative methods to see if they can be less harmful to the environment and help to a lower resource consumption. New techniques are tested in a pilot installation at Hammarby Sjöstad, Sjöstadsverket. To be able to evaluate these techniques in a wide perspective system analyses are conducted where different impacts can be considered, advantages and disadvantages in the systems.</p><p>Five system structures for water treatment have been constructed in Matlab/Simulink in this study. The URWARE (URbanWAter REsearch) model was used to conduct a system analysis, which made a comparison of the different systems possible. Four of the systems contained a new technique for water treatment, consisting of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) combined with a VSEP (Vibratory Shear Enhanced Process) unit. This is one of the techniques that now are tested in Sjöstadsverket. The fifth system was a reference system designed as a conventional treatment plant. The wastewater treated in the different systems was in some cases mixed wastewater, in other source sorted, with or without food waste from kitchen waste disposers.</p><p>Results from the system analysis shows that the MBR technique gives some advantages compared to the conventional water treatment. A large part of the nutrients in incoming materials are recycled. The highest recycling percent is reached when the MBR technique is combined with compost that handles the food waste. The total impact on the environment by greenhouse gases and eutrophic substances is lower in all the alternative systems compared to the reference system. The system with the source sorted urine has the most favourable exergy turnover. When reversed osmosis is used in the treatment a lot of energy is needed which leads to a poor exergy turnover and the conventional technique is more advantageous in these cases. All the alternative systems give a larger acidification which is a disadvantage with the MBR technique.</p> / <p>Vid behandling av avloppsvatten i Sverige används idag i de flesta fall en aktivslamprocess kompletterad med kemiskfällning. Denna process är inte så energieffektiv och kanske inte heller den mest optimala ur miljösynpunkt. Därför kan det vara intressant att utvärdera nya alternativa metoder för att se om dessa kan vara skonsammare mot miljön och bidra till en minskad resursförbrukning. I Sjöstadsverket, som är en försöksanläggning vid Hammarby Sjöstad, undersöks flera nya tekniker i mindre skala. För att kunna utvärdera dessa tekniker utifrån ett helhetsperspektiv görs systemanalyser, där för- och nackdelar och andra effekter kan vägas in.</p><p>I föreliggande studie har fem systemstrukturer för vattenrening byggts upp i Matlab/Simulink. Substansflödesmodellen URWARE (URban WAter REsearch) användes för att utföra en systemanalys, som gjorde en jämförelse av de olika systemen möjlig. Fyra av systemen innehöll ny reningsteknik bestående av en anaerob membranbioreaktor (MBR) kopplad till en VSEP- enhet (Vibratory Shear Enhanced Process). Det är en teknik som nu testas i Sjöstadsverket. Det femte systemet var ett referenssystem utformat som ett konventionellt reningsverk. De vatten som behandlades i reningsverken var i vissa fall blandat avloppsvatten, i andra källsorterat, med och utan matavfall från köksavfallskvarnar.</p><p>Utifrån systemanalysen kan det konstateras att MBR-tekniken ger en del fördelar gentemot den konventionella reningen. Bland annat eftersom en stor andel av näringsinnehållet i avloppsvattnet kan fångas upp och återföras till åkermark. Bäst kretsloppspotential fås när membranbioreaktorn kombineras med en kompost som tar hand om allt matavfall. Totalt sett bidrar också alla de nya reningssystemen till lägre växthusgasutsläpp och lägre utsläpp av eutrofierande ämnen än referenssystemet med konventionell rening. Ur exergisynpunkt är den nya tekniken bättre än den konventionella i det fall då urin källsorteras. I de fall då omvänd osmos används vid behandling är den konventionella processen mer fördelaktig. En nackdel med MBR-tekniken är att utsläpp av försurande ämnen är markant större än för den konventionella tekniken.</p>