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A combined approach of biological treatment, solids digestion and nutrient recovery was tested on dairy manure. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was operated in three modes, in order to optimize nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removals. The highest average removal efficiencies of 91% for NH4-N, 59% for PO4-P and 80% for total chemical oxygen demand (COD) were achieved. Staining experiments suggested the coexistence of glycogen and phosphorus accumulating organisms. Anaerobic digestion of wasted bio-solids was able to produce a PO4-P concentration of 70 mgL-1 in the supernatant. A pilot-scale experiment, designed to recover phosphorus in the supernatant as struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate), was able to remove 82% of soluble PO4-P.

In this investigation, a laboratory-scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process was operated under controlled conditions to study the impact of varying the influent ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP), and the consequential biochemical reactions on oxygen transfer parameters. The data showed that the experiment with high influent phosphorus relative to nitrogen (COD/TP = 51 and TKN/TP = 3.1) achieved higher alpha and oxygen transfer efficiency (OTE(f)). On the other hand, the experiment with high influent nitrogen relative to phosphorus (TKN/TP = 14.7 and COD/TP = 129) resulted in approximately 50% reduction in alpha and OTE(f) under similar organic loading. This suggested that the intracellular carbon storage and the enhanced biological P removal phenomenon associated with the phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) had a positive influence on OTE(f) in the high phosphorus experiment compared to an active population of nitrifying and denitrifying organisms in the high nitrogen experiment. The intracellular carbon storage by the glycogen-accumulating organisms also appeared to have had a positive effect on oxygen transfer efficiency, although to a lesser extent in comparison to the PAOs. It was also found that oxygen uptake rate (OUR) was not a good indicator of the measured alpha and OTE(f), because it was a combined effect of several biochemical reactions, each having a varying degree of influence. It is difficult to underestimate the crucial role of flocs in mass transfer of oxygen, because microorganisms associated with flocs carry out the biochemical reactions. It seems that the combination of influent characteristics and biochemical reactions in each experiment produced a unique biomass quality (determined by the biomass N to P ratio), ultimately affecting the mass transfer of oxygen. A theoretical explanation for the observed oxygen transfer efficiency under the process conditions is also proposed in this article.

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In this study, a laboratory scale Univ. of Cape Town enhanced biological phosphorus removal process was operated under controlled conditions at a solids retention time of 15 days. Results are presented for the process performance and oxygen transfer parameters determined by applying the steady state oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and the changing power level (CPL) techniques, as per ASCE standard guidelines. The testing periods were temporally separated to eliminate interference of the tests. During the application of the CPL method, the sludge volume index gradually increased and higher values of the oxygen transfer rate and alpha were measured, in comparison to the data from the steady state OUR method, under similar process performance. Furthermore, the mass transfer rate decreased as the CPL method of testing continued. In contrast, the oxygen transfer parameters remained uniform during the time when the OUR method was applied. The data indicated that the CPL method resulted in higher and variable oxygen transfer parameters, even though the process performance remained unchanged. Therefore, a more rigorous evaluation of the CPL method is recommended to clarify the validity of the test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, the mass transfer of oxygen was determined using four different testing methods in three activated sludge processes, as per the guidelines established by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE 1997). The testing methods applied included the steady-state oxygen uptake rate (OUR), the non-steady-state changing power level (CPL), the non-steady-state hydrogen peroxide addition (HPA) and the off-gas methods. The analysis indicated that steady-state OUR and off-gas methods resulted in comparable estimates of oxygen transfer parameters, with somewhat higher variations observed in the data from the off-gas method. The application of HPA and CPL methods produced variable results under the same process conditions and these testing methods affected the process. Based on the comparative evaluation conducted in these controlled experiments, the validity of HPA and CPL tests to measure the oxygen transfer under process conditions is questionable. Overall, the off-gas method appears to be superior, as it does not require steady-state process conditions. However, under suitable conditions the steady-state OUR method may be an economical option to study oxygen transfer under process conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was conducted in three laboratory-scale activated sludge processes, namely, the conventional completely mixed activated sludge process (CMAS), the modified Ludzack-Ettinger process (MLE), and the University of Cape Town (UCT) process. These systems were operated under controlled conditions by feeding a uniform influent at a single 10-d solids retention time (SRT). The oxygen transfer parameters (KLaf, α, OTRf, and OTEf) determined indicated that the alpha (α) and oxygen transfer efficiency (OTEf) in processes where the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) mechanism was active were higher than in the conventional completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS) process, where such a mechanism was absent. Thus, presenting a clear evidence of improved oxygen utilization in activated sludge processes containing unaerated, anoxic, and anaerobic selector zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the results of a 2005 study regarding the comparison of oxygen-transfer measurement methods under sludge process conditions. Variations in the results in pilot-plant studies under constant organic load and oxygen-uptake rate; Laboratory scale processes used in conducting oxygen-transfer studies, with the goal of understanding the effect of major reactions on oxygen-transfer efficiency and alpha-factor; Implication of the studies for the importance of the reactor hydrodynamic conditions and the sensitivity of the mass-transfer coefficient to mixing or turbulence.