Retrofitting a Wastewater Treatment Plant

Published on by in Academic

I am acquiring about the feasibility of converting an SBR sewage treatment system to an Extended Aeration system.

The SBR system is a two unit reactor system with reactor units placed in series. The internal mechanisms for each reactor tank are enclosed in fiberglass chambers.

Is it feasible to strip the internal mechanisms of the reactor units and replace with the applicable components for an extended aeration system? 

Taxonomy

13 Answers

  2. Have you considered adding IFAS fixed media to your SBR?  That can increase capacity without the change from an SBR.  You need additional oxygen, but the SBR operation would not change.  There are many manufacturers around that sell the fixed media, and the installation may be fairly simple.

  4. Hello MR Darius,First of all footprints should be match to retrofit EA process.The F.M ratio for both process are same 0.04 to 0.1.SBR process no secondory clarifier.MLVSS point of view there is some difference.Aesthetic point of view also difference.For EA effluent quality also low than SBR and generated sludge are difficult to dewater in EA.

  5. I am not sure that it is beneficial to go for an SBR especially if there is a current or future phosphate and ammonia consent.  The aerobic stage of the SBR will remove these species but the settlement stage can reverse the phosphate removal.  When they go wrong extended time can be required for settlement and this is where issues can occur.  Unless there is good aeration and you have the correct carbonate level and the correct ammonia oxidising bacteria ammonia is not successfully removed.  

  7. Of course there are practical considerations based on the actual installation, but we have a neat tool (Novedar_EDSS) that can quickly compare the two alternatives based on your specific requirements... http://www.lequia.udg.edu/dissemination/news/item/2634-novedar.html . As Randal mentioned there are other possibilities, which the tool can also consider and rank based on your priorities.  Feel free to contact me if you think you might want to apply this tool.

  8. Darius, Of course you could convert a SBR to extended aeration with addition of solids separation by a clarifier or membrane unit. But had you considered the possibility of continuing to operate in SBR mode but encouraging aerobic granular sludge? This could permit higher SRT plus nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Take a look at the Nereda process (https://www.royalhaskoningdhv.com/nereda). Cheers, Randal

  10. May you add more oxygen with enrichment by membrane or Activated Carbon enrichment.

  11. Yes, it is feasible, and as some posters comments you must do some calculation for the HRT, clarifiers, sludge handling  and some others

  12. The hydraulic retention time should be appropriate since SBR is similar to Extended Air.  The problem will be separating liquids from solids since you will be converting from Batch operation (SBR) to continuous flow with EA.  You will require either secondary clarifiers or membrane filtration to separate liquids and solids. 

    The advantage with membranes would be improved effluent quality, however there will be higher operating costs. 

    Good Luck

    2 Comments

    1. The membrane system will require a greater power input than normal clarifiers. However, overall it may be cheaper than having the build extra assets required for secondary settlement. Will be dependent on the size of the assets, as you may be able to buy something of the shelf if the unots are small enough

    2. I am grateful for your response. Can you provide me with an example of where the higher operation cost will be accured?

  13. its important to bind Cobber and poisont metals the air is good for combustion and other means