~ Pergamon Wat. Sci. Tech. Vol. 35. No. 2-3. pp. 235-243.1997.

Copyright © 1997 IAWQ. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd

Printed in Great Britain.
0273-1223/97 $17'00 + 0'00
PH: S0273-1223(96)00936-5

ACTIVATED SLUDGE PLANTS IN

FINLAND

R. Saunamaki
Department of Environmental Protection, The Finnish Pulp and Paper Research
Institute, Tekniikantie 2, P.O. Box 70,02151 Espoo, Finland

ABSTRACT

The perfonnance of Finnish activated sludge plants (primary clarifier. equalization basin. buffer basin.
aeration basin, secondary clarifier and sludge handling) was surveyed. Perfonnance was generally found to
be excellent. BOD7 removal averaged 94% at paper mills (21mg/1 effluent concentration, 0.43 kg/t
discharge) and 95% at chemical pulp mills (18 mg/l, 0.83 kg/t). COD Cr removal averaged 82% at paper mills
(158 mg/1 effluent concentration. 3.52 kg/t discharge) and 60% at pulp mills (531 mg/l. 20.7 kg/t). Treated
effluent from paper mills contained 0.57 mg/1 (13.3 g/t) of total phosphorus and from pulp mills 1.31 mg/1
(47.3 g/t). AOX removal was 45-65% and discharge 0.15-0.90 kg/t. Suspended solids removal averaged 91 %
at paper mills and 76% at pulp mills, the average overflow concentration in primary clarifier being about 150
mg/1 at both types of mill. All activated sludge plants are designed according to either the low load or
extended aeration principle; high load plants are no longer in use. The average sludge load was 0.15 kg
BOD/(kg MLSS d), the sludge age at the extended aeration plants ranging from 20 to 50 d. Low load
appearance to be the main reason for the good perfonnance of the plants. Other factors included the
introduction of equalization and buffer basins at many plants, and particularly the fact that aeration factors
and nutrients were under control. All paper mill activated sludge plants use nitrogen and phosphorus
additions, whereas pulp mill plants manage without phosphorus. Optimization of nutrient addition is vital
because almost every mill in Finland has a limit for its phosphorus discharge. Total sludge production at the
paper mill plants averaged 40.9 tid, 15% of which (5.9 tid, 6.0 kg/t) was biosludge. At the pulp mills the
figures were 27.2 tid (11.5 tid biosludge, 9.5 kg/tp). Belt filter presses are used for dewatering at most plants
and dry solids contents are usually 25-35%. New-generation screw presses have been introduced. mainly at
new pulp mill activated sludge plants, yielding dry solids contents of 40%. Combined and dewatered sludge
is nonna1ly burned in bark-fired boilers, although some mills still landfill their sludge. © 1997 IAWQ.
Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

KEYWORDS

Activated sludge; treatment; BOD; COD; AOX; removal; sludge.

INTRODUCTION

In Spring 1996, 27 of Finland's 46 pulp and paper mills were using activated sludge plants to treat their
waste waters. In the very near future, one aerated stabilization basin (of which three are in use at present)
and one anaerobic plant (two in use) will be converted into activated sludge plants. This means that the
activated sludge process will soon be used as the final stage of waste water treatment at about 30 mills. At
the remaining mills (a few fine paper or board mills), chemical flocculation or merely sedimentation is
sufficient because the load of oxygen-consuming matter is fairly low even before external treatment.

235
236 R. SAUNAM.AK.I

It is now 10 years since the last survey of the activated sludge treatment plants used by Finland's forest
industry (Saunamaki, 1988). In 1986, when there were 13 treatment plants, a detailed study was made of
biosludge handling together with a general survey of the treatment process itself. As the number of activated
sludge plants has doubled and some of those included in the last survey have been modified, it was
considered time to look at the capacities and operating figures of today's activated sludge treatment plants.
Although information on the operation of individual plants is available from papers presented both in
Finland (e.g. INSKO 1989, 1991) and abroad (Gergov et ai., 1988; Saunamaki et ai., 1991; Simpura and
Pakarinen, 1993; Punta and Suppola, 1995, the overall picture is not particularly clear.

Although discharge loadings in Finland are at present extremely low, even tighter restrictions are being
imposed at many mills on phosphorus, Chemical Oxygen Demand (CODer) and other discharges. This
represents an increasing challenge for the future performance of treatment plants. One aim of this survey
was to create a database for use when planning new treatment plants or improving existing ones.

METHODS

This study was performed by sending questionnaires to the persons in charge of the treatment plants and
performing a statistical analysis of the replies. The response rate was good: 23 out of the 25 plants in
operation at the time replied. Detailed information about the sewerage, capacity and performance of each
treatment plant was stored both on paper and in a computer. Data were divided into that from pulp mills
(some of them integrated to paper production) and that from paper mills. Average values were calculated for
treatment plants, and curves such as treatment results as a function of loading were plotted to indicate
performance. In "designing the questionnaire, the aim was to obtain information that was as fresh as possible
and that depicted the plants normal operations as closely as possible. In practice, this meant gathering data
from a specific period in 1994 when the plant in question was functioning more or less normally.

The information requested included: dimensions, loading and solids reduction for the primary clarifier; size
of the equalization and buffer basins; dimensions and loadings of the aeration section and secondary
clarifier; dimensions of the stabilization basin; concentrations, total loads and reductions for Biological
Oxygen Demand (BOD?), COD, suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and Adsorbable Organic Halogens
(AOX) for activated sludge treatment and for the treatment process as a whole; sludge handling equipment,
sludge volumes, dewatering results and the method of final sludge disposal.

RESULTS

Primary clarification

The first stage at every mill to allow the waste water to settle in circular clarifiers, most of which were built
in the 1970s (Saunamaki et ai., 1980). Only those clarifiers that formed the first stage of the activated sludge
treatment process were included in this study. The results (Table 1 in Appendix 1, and Figure 1 in the text)
show that substantial amounts of solids leave the paper mills with the waste water (average 1435 mg/l,
33t1d) entering the clarifiers. At some paper mills, solids were over 50 tid. At the pulp mills, the
concentrations and daily loads were about half these figures. Solids removal by clarification was higher at
paper mills (average 91 %) than at pulp mills (76%). The average surface load was about the same, i.e. 0.87
m3/(m 2 h). This meant that the average amounts of solids entering the aeration section were 3.5 tid (paper
mills) and 4.8 tid (pulp mills). This material is of no use in relation to bioactivity and is an unnecessary
burden on the treatment plant. Some is discharged into the recipient with the water from the secondary
clarifier (or into the stabilization basin if in use), and some is taken with the excess biosludge for burning or
landfill.
 Activated sludge plants in Finland 237

100
• ••
.. . - .. - ... •• o I••PAPER
90
0 I-
80 ..
0
~U~
r--. ..
0 0 ~. ·0
~ 70
..J
~60
g50
~40
~30
20

10
o
o 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.8
SURFACE LOAD m3l(m2·h)

Figure 1. Suspended solids removal in the primary clarifier as a function of surface load.

Equalization and buffer basins

Many activated sludge plants employ an equalization basin to even out sharp changes in the quality and
quantity of waste water before the key part of the process-aeration. The capacity of a typical equalization
basin was about half of the daily flow, Le. the retention time was about 12 hours. Some equalization basins
corresponded to only about one-fifth of the daily flow, and the retention time was therefore just a few hours.
Buffer basins, to which unexpectedly high discharges can be diverted and then returned gradually to the
process, were more common at pulp mills. These basins also varied in size, ar some mills they were big
enough to take a whole 24 hours' abnormal waste water, but at others only enough for 12 hours or less.

Aeration section and activated slud&e plant loadin&

The aeration sections of the activated sludge plants were generously dimensioned. It was common that the
waste water retention time was about 24 hours (Table 2 in Appendix 1). Another feature was their relatively
low organic loading. The activated sludge plants were divided into the traditional high, normal and low-load
aeration, and extended aeration based on the volumetric and sludge loads and sludge age. Most plants
operated at low or normal loads, while many of those at pulp mills employed extended aeration in which the
sludge age was at high as 40 or 50 days and the sludge load less than 0.1 kg BOD/(kg MLSS d). No real
high-load plant was in operation according to the criteria used, although some plants had sludge loads of
0.30-0.45 kg BOD/(kg MLSS d), a sludge age of 5-7 days and a hydraulic retention time of less than 5
hours, which is close to the criterion for high load. Some of these plants are scheduled for capacity
expansions.

BOD7 and CODer The average results obtained for BOD and COD reductions at the activated sludge plants
are shown in Tables 3 and 4 in Appendix 2. BOD was removed about equally effectively at the pulp and
paper mills, the average reduction being 94% and the BOD of the treated effluent 20 mg/l. The average
specific discharge was 0.43 kg BOD per tonne of paper at the paper mills and 0.91 kg BOD per tonne of
pulp at the pulp mills. COD reduction was better at the paper (82%) than at the pulp mills (57%). A few
paper mill treatment plants achieved COD reductions of over 90%, while two pulp mill plants achieved
about 80% reductions. Mill no.5 is a CTMP facility. The concentration of oxygen-consuming organic matter
there was high but the reductions were excellent: for example, incoming COD was 4000 mgll, of which 84%
was removed. The average discharge from the paper mill plants was 3.5 kg CaDIt (158 mg/l) and from the
pulp mill plants 24.1 kg CaDIt (517 mgll).

Figure 2 shows BOD and COD reductions as a function of sludge load. BOD reductions were high (over
90%) at all loadings at both pulp and paper mills. The poor reductions at paper mill no. 12 (BOD 74% and
238 R. SAUNAMAKI

COD 50%) are due to the very low concentrations in the incoming water, as the primary clarifier at this plant
removes not just solids but also much of the oxygen-consuming organics. At the pulp mills, COD reduction
would appear to fall slightly as the treatment plant loading increased. This includes the CTMP mill, where
the COD removal was good even at fairly high loads. The specific BOD discharge was extremely low at all
loads at both pulp and paper mills (Figs. la, band c in Appendix 3). Even those treatment plants operating at
close to high load removed BOD so effectively that the discharge was only about 1 kg/t or less. The specific
COD discharge at the paper mills was generally under 5 kg CaDit, even at the highest loads reported in this
survey. The highest value (8.3 kg/t) was for a slndge load of 0.26 kg BOD/(kg MLSS d). For some reason
the discharge values for the pulp mill plants were somewhat higher at lower volumetric and sludge loads.

100 ' ' . ·.

""~""to' · ·ll ..li----'~' .., , .., ,,' '..' ,.. '6' ,. ~ , .-- .....
>::00

;i.
90
80
70
60
•
~c - c ..

+----+--_=-t----+--t---+--~_=--_+_-__t--+_-_i
I"
+----+---~-ll.+--+_-_+_--+-------t--t_-__t_-_+-______i
--0 -
-
~50+----+-----ot-----+--t---+----+--_+_-__t--+_------i
== 40 t_-__t_-_+_--+-----I-L---+--_+_-__t--t--+-------+--------j
~ 30 t_-__t_-_+_--+-------t--t-----t-------t-------j---t---------j
2O+----+-----+---+--f-----+----+---+---f--+-----i
10 +---f---+---+-------t--+--__t_--t----+--t----------i
O+----+-----+----+--f---+-------+----+----I--+-------i
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50
SLUDGE LOAD kgBOD/(kgMLSS*d)

ll. BOD REMOVAL, PAPER MILLS c COD REMOVAL, PAPER MILLS

.. BOD REMOVAL, PULP MILLS _ COD REMOVAL, PULP MILLS

Figure 2. An example of the results achieved: BOD and COD removals as a function of sludge load.

AOX results are shown in Appendix 2, Tabl~ 5. The average AOX reduction was 55% and the discharge
0.34 kg/t (670 kg/d, 6 mg/l). Discharges fell further as the bleaching process was modified towards ECF or
TCF bleaching. The best AOX reduction was 65% and the poorest 40%. Switching over to ECF bleaching
(no elemental chlorine) seems to have improved AOX reductions for total waste water at the activated
sludge plants. Typical reductions earlier were 25-45% (Gergov et aI., 1988; Saunamliki et al., 1991).

Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). The average phosphorus discharge from the paper mill treatment
plants was 0.57 mg/l (13 kg/d, 13 g/t of paper). The corresponding values for the pulp mill plants were 0.64
mg/l, 35 kg/d and 27 g/tonne of pulp. Most pulp mills do not add phosphorus to their waste water, whereas
the paper mills almost always do. The nitrogen content of treated effluent averaged 4.2 mg/l (88 kg/d, 106
g/t) at the paper mills and 4.4 mg/l (275 kg/d, 190 g/t) at the pulp mills. Nitrogen addition (usually as urea)
was essential at both pulp and paper mills.

Suspended solids. An average of 530 kg/d (28 mg/l, 0.72 kg/t) of suspended solids escaped from the
secondary clarifiers at the paper mills, comprising mainly very small suspended biomass particles. At the
pulp mills, the figures were much higher (2570 kg/d, 59 mg/l, 2.2kg/t). At a few plants the suspended solids
content was 100-150 mg/l and the discharge fairly high (4-7 tid). The surface load of the secondary clarifier
varied between 0.20 and 0.75 m 3/(m 2 h). Low contents were achieved even at relatively high surface loads.

Sludges. At the paper mills, the total amount of sludge (primary sludge, bark sludge and biosludge) was 40.9
tid, of which 15% (5.9 tid, 6.0 kg/t of paper) was biosludge (Appendix 2, Table 6). At the pulp mills the
corresponding figures were 27.2 tid (11.5 tid of biosludge, i.e. 9.5 kg/t of pulp). The amount of biosludge
was in some cases actually greater at lower sludge loads. One reason for this is probably the solids carried
over from the primary clarifier. In most cases sludge was dewatered (Fig.3) using belt filter presses, the dry
solids obtained being around 25-35%. New types of screw press, which allow dewatering to be improved
with steam, have been introduced, particularly at the most recent treatment plants. These have given dry
solids contents of 40% or more. Dewatering 100%-biosludge with a centrifuge has given dry solids contents
 Activated sludge plants in Finland 239

of 10-15%. Sludge was burned in the bark-fired boiler at 17 of the 25 mills surveyed. At the others, sludge
was used as landfill.

IDRY SOLIDS CONTENT OF THE MIXED SLUDGE I

80 ,-----,----~---,_---,.._-----.- ..,

70 t----+----+----+----J------!
~
I- 60 +-- -f-- +---Ilscrew preaa: 01
ifi IBelt IIIter press: ._11---+------;
!z' 50 ICentrlfuge: ·1
8 Cc c
:g 40 ...-=
r.-:-:-.-"'..--< ..~..-.I!II+~-... -...-.
-u -+----+------+-------i
......

::::l30-tc---l:I--_If--,r==..~+:_---+_---+_--_____j
~ • ii···.. ·
~ 20 - j - -.....--+----+----1o---+-~'___,..+------i
C 10 - j - +- +- + _ - - - + -..- ..~
..-..-.. -...-......... !
O+-----+----+_---I---------j~-----i
I.
o 20 40 60 80 100
BIOSLUDGE PRESENT IN THE COMBINED SLUDGE %

Figure 3. The results from dewatering biosludges with different methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Most Finnish pulp and paper mills rely on the activated sludge process for external treatment of their waste
waters. Close to 30 activated sludge plants are currently in operation. Generally speaking, these are working
well. Most have adequate capacities and are handled by skilled operators. Other factors include constmction
of equalization and buffer basins, division of the aeration section into compartments (selector principle),
where the sludge load is under 0.1 kg BOD/(kg MLSS d) and sludge age as high as 20-50 d. BOD is
removed almost completely from both pulp and paper mill waste waters. At several paper mills, the COD
reduction is over 90% and the average discharge under 5 kg/t, the figures for pulp mills ranging from 35% to
85% (average 57%) and 24 kg/to The average AOX reduction is 55% and the discharge only 0.3 kg/to
Phosphorus discharges are generally low, usually about 0.5-0.7 mg/l or even less.

The nitrogen discharge is below 5 mg/l in most cases. Under normal operating conditions, the water from the
secondary clarifier is fairly clear and its suspended solids content low (average 30 mg/l at paper mills, 60
mg/l at pulp mills). Waste water from the papermaking process arriving at the primary clarifier at times
contained up to 50 tid of solids, and although solids removal was in general very high, the water coming to
the aeration section often had too high a solids content, a fact reflected in the large volumes of excess
sludge. At the paper mills, the total amount of sludge (primary, bark and biosludge) was 40.9 tid, of which
15% (5.9 tid, 6.0 kg/t of paper) was biosludge. At the pulp mills, the figures were 27.2 tid (11.5 tid of
biosludge, i.e. 9.5 kg/t of pulp). Belt filter presses are widely used for sludge dewatering, typically giving
dry solids levels of 25-35%. New types of screw press, which use steam to improve dewatering, have been
introduced, especially at the newest treatment plants. These give dry solids contents of 40% or higher, even
when the proportion of biosludge is high. Sludge is burned in the bark-fired boiler at 17 of the 25 mills
surveyed. At the others, sludge is used as landfill.

REFERENCES
Gergov, M., Priha, M., Talka, E., Viilttilii, 0., Kangas. A. and Kukkonen, K. (1988). Chlorinated organic compounds in effluent
treatment at kraft mills. Tappi J. 71(12), 175-184.
INSKO (1989, 1991). The operation of activated sludge plants. INSKO: The Education Centre for Finnish Engineers. Courses:
131-89,20.-21.9.1989, Hyvinkiiii, Finland and 108-91,9.-10.10.1991, Hyvinkiiii, Finland (in Finnish).
Punta, E. and Suppola, J. (1995). Toxicity reduction of a modern Finnish bleached kraft pulp mill by effluent treatment plant.
Tappi 1995 Environmental Conference. May 7-10, Atlanta, GA, Book 1,49-54.
240 R. SAUNAMAKI

Saunamiiki, R., Kuoppamaki, R., Kiimariiinen, V., Lehtola, S., Kalliola, P., Wirkkala, R.-S., Panula, E., Vuontela, J., Orivuori, 1.
and Pekkanen, M. (1980). Helsinki. The operation of primary clarifiers in the Finnish pulp and paper industry (in
Finnish). Industrial Waste Water Project. (TESI 3).
Saunamiiki, R. (1988). Sludge handling and disposal at Finnish activated sludge plants. Waf. Sci. Tech. 20( I), 171-182.
Saunamaki, R., Jokinen, K., Jarvinen, R. and Savolainen, M. (1991). Factors affecting the removal and discharge of organic
chlorine compounds at activated sludge plants. Waf. Sci. Tech. 24(3/4), 295-307.
Simpura, E. and Pakarinen, K. (1993). Super loaded activated sludge process incorporating an aerobic selector for the treatment of
pulp and paper waste water. Tappi 1993 Environmental Conference. March 28-31, Boston, MA, Book 2, 865-877.
 Activated sludge plants in Finland 241

APPENDIX 1

Table 1. Primary clarifiers

PAPER MILLS
RETENTION
h
SURFACE LOAD
-.3/(.-% eh) ..,.
SS1n SS1n
bid
SSout
••n
SSout
bId
RnMmoI
%
MILLJ U 0.47 1085 18970 73 1949 93J
MILLJ 4.7 0.81 11110 56110 ~ 1340 97.6
MILIA 11.9 0.57 1800 48600 UO JZ40 9JJ
MILLS 4.6 1.05 1000 31000 1~ 3875 87.5
MILIA 1.4 1.64 l1Z0 41300 580 8700 79.4
MILL7 9.0 O.~ 1310 14763 59 658 95.5
MILLS n.o 0.44 1640 46000 160 4480 90J
MILL9 6.4 0.88 685 16400 135 565 96.5
~ULLI0 3.0 1.37 58J 54000 118 11000 10.0
MILLlI 6.1 0.79 1300 19890 109 1668 91.6
MILLll 5.7 1.01 456 6156 41 554 91.0
vtl'ERAGE 6.5 0.87 1435 33124 163 3457 ICU
RETENTION SURFACE LOAD SS1n SSln SSout SSoat Re.oVllI
PULP MILLS h -.311111Z eh) mRII .../d m.1I .../d %
MILLl lI.Z 0.61 170 175~ ~ JZ~ 81.5
MILLJ 4.1 0.77 ~ 14898 65 1918 87.1
MILLJ 3.5 1.10 1~ 31375 45 58Z8 IZ.O
MILIA 4.0 US ND ND 10 9UO ND
MILLS 9.5 0.58 1000 ~ ND ND ND
MILIA 9.3 0.43 1000 13000 500 6500 ~.O
MILL7 11.6 0.45 510 15860 145 4413 n.l
MILLS 5.3 0.76 195 105ZJ 79 1818 7J.l
MILL9 5.4 0.94 1500 n7~ 100 l1Z0 91.0
MILLlO 1.7 1.74 300 3‫סס‬oo 10 8000 7JJ
AVERAGE 6.3 0.86 738 171115 138 48" 76,4
NO: NO DATA AVAILABLE

Table 2. Aeration section loadings and modifications according to the criteria below
VOLUM.LOAD SLUDGE LOAD SLUDGE AGE MODIFICAnON
PAPER MILLS bBOD/la'ed) bBOD/lUMLSSed) d
MILLI 0.79 o.z6 ND NORMAL LOAD
MILLJ 0.54 0.18 7.5 NORMAL LOAD
MILLJ 0.56 0.17 10.1 NORMAL LOAD
MILIA 0.31 0.09 17.5 EXTENDED AERATION
MILLS 0.95 o.zO U.l NORMAL LOAD
MILU 1.35 0.14 9.0 NORMAL LOAD
MILL7 0.40 0.10 10.0 LOW LOAD
MILLS 0.34 0.07 14.7 EXTENDED AERATION
MILL9 OJ9 0.09 6.5 LOW LOAD
MILLI0 0.47 O.U 30.0 EXTENDED AERATION
MILL11 1.67 0.41 5.1 NORMAL LOAD
MILLll 0.15 0.09 7.5 LOW LOAD
IAVERAGE 0.67 0.J6 11.8
VOLUM. LOAD SLUDGE LOAD SLUDGE AGE MODlFlCAnON
PULP MILLS !laBOD/lmJed) bBOD/lUMLSSed) d
MILLI 0.18 0.08 18.7 EXTENDED AERATION
MILU 1.61 OJI lU NORMAL LOAD
MILLJ 0.18 0.04 ~.9 EXTENDED AERATION
MILIA 0.31 0.08 10.5 EXTENDED AERATION
MILLS 1.19 0.46 5.8 NORMAL LOAD
MILU 0.94 O.Jl 6.5 NORMAL LOAD
MILL7 0.19 0.Q7 11.6 LOW LOAD
MILLS 0.14 0.08 38.8 EXTENDED AERATION
MILL9 0.91 0.17 U.9 LOW LOAD
MILLI0 0.50 0.10 U.7 LOW LOAD
MILLIIA(TWO-STAGE) 0.85 0.08 11.0 LOW LOAD
MILL11BlTWO-STAGEl 0.75 0.15 11.5 LOW LOAD
AVERAGE 0.77 0.J7 J7.8
ND • No ala .VIlII.ble
MODIFICATION SPECIFICAnON:
VOLUM.LOAD SLUDGE LOAD SLUDGE AGE
bBODltm'ed) bBOD/tUMt,ssed) d
mGHLOAD >1.5 >0.65 <2.0
NORMAL LOAD 0.50 - 1.5 0.15 - 0.65 1.0 - 10.0
LOW LOAD <0.5 <0.15 10.0 -15.0
EXTENDED AERATION <0.5 <0.15 >15
242 R. SAUNAMAKI

APPENDIX 2

Table 3. BOD and COD removals and loadings. Paper mills

BODIn BODIn BODout BODout BODout Rno. COOIn CODIn COOouI CODout COOout Re..
PAPER 1-.11 k&!d lad1I :U1d UII % laaaII U1d .111I U1d UII %
MILL I 1000 lSOOO SO I1SO 1.04 95.0 3100 64000 SOO 1‫סס‬oo U3 84.4
MILU 711 1680J 6 141 O.IJ 99.1 1000 U600 78.0 1...1 I.... 91.1
MILLJ 7SO 17850 10 1J8 O.IS 98.7 1700 40460 190 4S11 1.&l 88.1
MILU 480 11960 4 100 0.06 99.1 1040 lllO8O 100 1700 1.67 90.4
MILLS 1100 170s0 100 I SSG U9 90.9 UOO 3S6S0 100 3100 US 9U
MILl' 660 9900 II 16S 0.11 98J 1700 lSSOO 110 JJOO 4.1J 87.1
MILL7 no 3sn IS 169 0.43 95.J 810 9100 IU 1400 3.60 IS.O
MILLS 310 8960 10 170 8.15 97.0 1000 38000 110 3360 3.05 91.1
MILU 44 960 4 100 0.41 90.0 1J7 n90 49 1180 4.90 ....0
MILLiO 303 11680 3 IJI 0.08 98.9 780 316S0 101 4170 1.SO 86.9
MILLiI 415 6SOO 18 400 0.74 93.8 7SO IlSOO 170 1600 4." 77.4
MILLil 34 459 9 111 0.45 73.5 90 1115 4S 608 1.14 SO.O
AIof:RAGE 512 11058 21 387 0.43 94.2 1210 26095 158 3140 3.52 82.4

Table 4. BOD and COD removals and loadings. Pulp mills

BODIn BODIn BODout BODoul BODout ReID. CODln CODIn CODout CODout CODout Rno.
PULP IDKII Ik&!d IDKII Ik&!d lkalt % laaaII Ik&!d laaaII Ik&!d lkalt %
MILLI J45 11415 9 600 0.47 97.3 1091 71000 3U 11000 1604 70.4
MILU 310 ISSOO 49 1~ 1.80 ....0 1180 59000 780 38800 44.1 34.0
MILLJ 160 33670 6 777 0.33 97.7 1100 1414S0 144 31080 1J.1 71.1
MILU JOO 34100 5 S70 0.30 98.3 IOSO 119700 344 38760 10.1 67.6
MILLS(' 1000 16000 6 48 0.16 99.7 4400 31000 6SO SlOO 17.3 &l.1
MILl' 600 lSSOO 30 1175 0.77 !IS.O 1800 76SOO 800 34400 10.6 SM
MILL7 180 1S480 I 688 0.S4 !IS.6 910 78160 370 31810 14.9 S9.3
MILLS 170 6064 10 71J 0.71 88.1 990 3531J 580 10689 10.6 41.4
MILL 9 510 13998 30 IJIS UI 9U 1410 6SOn 700 31305 31.3 SO.4
AIof:RAGE 336 22105 20 1058 0.91 93.8 1192 80912 517 31057 24.1 57.1
1('.cntP _ _ _ _

Table 5. AOX removals and loadings. Pulp mills

AOXln AOXln AOXout AOXout AOXout RelDoval
PULP IDKII k&!d IDKII Ik&!d lUll 'I.
MILLI 7.5 488 1.9 189 O.IS 6U
MILLJ 7.0 907 1.S 314 0.14 64.3
MILU 14.0 1596 6.0 6lU 0.44 57.1
MILl' 15.0 1063 15.0 6SO 0.91 40.0
MILL7 3.7 311 1.0 171 0.13 45.9
MILLS DL DL 9.9 3S4 0.35 DL
MILL9 13.0 600 5.0 131 0.13 6t.5
AIof:RAGE 11.7 '28 6.2 372 1.34 55.'

Table 6. Amount of sludges, dewatering and final disposal

PRIM. BIOI.. TOT. PRIM. BIOI.. TOT. DEW. 1'8 DISP.
PAPER tid tid tid lkalt lkalt UII %
MILLI 17.0 14.4 41.4 11.5 11.0 34.S BFP NO B
MILU 33.8 7.7 4U 30.3 6.9 37.1 BFP 36 B
MILLJ 90.0 8.0 98.0 S6.3 S.O 6U BFP+SP 41 B
MILU SI.O 8.0 59.0 31.S 4.9 3604 BFP+SP 41 B
MILLS 31.0 7.0 39.0 14.6 S.4 30.0 BFP NO B
MILL6 37.0 7.9 44.9 46.3 9.9 S6.1 SP/CF(' lS1IS B
MILL7 11.0 3.0 15.0 30.1 7.7 31.6 BFP 3S L
MILLS Sl.O 7.0 S9.0 47.3 604 53.6 BFP 44 L
MILL9 11.0 1.0 13.0 SO.O 4.1 S4.1 SP JO L
MILLiO S4.0 3.0 S7.0 31.4 1.7 33.1 SP 43 B
MILLII 14.1 J.1 17.3 16.1 s.9 31.0 BFP 30 L
MILLil M 0.7 6.3 10.7 1.5 13.1 BFP 11 L
AIof:RAGE 35.' 5.9 40.9 34., 6.0 41.3 3S
PRIM. BIOI.. TOT. PRIM. BIOI.. TOT. DEW. 1'8 DISP.
PULP tid tid tid lkalt lkalt kaIt %
MILLI 14.0 IS.0 19.0 10.9 11.7 11.7 BFP 10 B
MILU 6.0 4.0 10.0 6.8 4.S 11.4 BFP 33 B
MILLJ 16.5 14.3 40.8 11.3 6.1 17.4 SP 40 B
MILU 44.0 11.0 6S.0 13.0 11.0 3J.9 SP 39 B
MILLS 7.0 S.O 11.0 13.3 16.7 44.0 BFP+CF lS B
MILl' 15,S 11,S 18.0 9.4 7.6 17.0 BFP 17 B
MILL7 16.1 10.0 46.1 l00S IS.6 36.1 BFPICF(' 41/10 B
MILLS 7.7 1.0 9.7 7.7 1.0 9.7 BFP 3S B
MILL9 10.0 10.0 30.0 10.0 10.0 30.0 BFP 30 B
AIof:RAGE 15.7 11.5 27.2 JJ.J 9.5 22.7 31
PRIM. - Prbnary .audle Includes barldnl plant clarifier aludle
ND - No lIata avaDable
BFB - Belt ~r prna
SP - Screw prna
CF - Cmtrlru,e
.) Screw prea or belt ~r prna for primary Iludle, centrlt'llJe for blosludle
 Activated sludge plants in Finland 243

APPENDIX 3
BOD AND COD DISCHARGES AS A FUNCTION OF SLUDGE LOAD
~40
.B' 35
w
~ 30
•
x
~ 20
25
. .
Q 15 • •
~ 10 •
0
~ 5 IfJ
~
o 0 c 1t..9 D
~t;I b A

0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50
SLUDGE LOAD kgBOD/{kgMLSS·d)

a)

BOD AND COD DISCHARGES AS A FUNCTION OF VOLUMETRIC

LOAD
40
35
30 •
25
20 - -
• •
15
10 • t!
5
o
1,Q1"C o 119 ... .I;!
u

o 0.5 1.5 2 2.5

VOLUMETRIC LOAD kgBOD/{kgMLSS·d)
b)

BOD AND COD DISCHARGES AS A FUNCTION OF SLUDGE AGE

It. BOO DISCHARGE, PAPER MILLS o coo DISCHARGE, PAPER MILLS

ilt.BOD DISCHARGE, PULP MILLS • COO DISCHARGE, PULP MILLS

i40

I 30
- •.
•
~ 20
• • •
~
IL
10
0 I

I o
o
.0 0

10
A.lL 0 c

20 30 50 60
SLUDGE AGE d
c)

Figure I. Specific BOD and COD discharges as a function of aeration section loading a) sludge load, b) volumetric
load and c) sludge age. (The symbols are identified in Fig. 2.)