Design Considerations

Strength Reduction of Waste

1. Process modification
2. Equipment modification
3. Segregation of waste
4. Pre-treatment of waste
5. By-product recovery
6. Proportioning of waste
7. Monitoring
Primary Treatment
Primary Treatment
• raw sludge – mass of settled sludge in primary settling tank
• removed using mechanical scrapers and pumps
• FOGs (fats, oils, grease)
• removed by skimming

• Type II flocculant settling

• Change in size, shape and even specific gravity
Primary Settling Tanks
Rectangular Tanks Circular Tanks
• Typical size: • Diameter: 3-60 meters
• 15-100 meters (length) • Depths:3-5 meters
• 3-24 meters (width)
• Recommended length-to-width
ratio: 3:1-5:1
• Width is determined by the
availability of sludge collection
equipment
• Depths: 3-5 meters
Overflow Rate Hydraulic Detention Time
• Controlling parameter in the
design of 1° settling tanks 𝑉 volume of tank
𝜃= =
Q flowrate
𝑄 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝑣0 = =
𝐴𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 • 1.5-2.5 hours
• If 𝜃 < 1.5 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠, width has no
• Typical range: significant effect on design
𝑚3 𝑚
• 25 − 60 2 25 − 60
𝑚 ∙𝑑 𝑑
𝑚
• With return sludge: 25-35
𝑑
Weir Loading Rate
• Hydraulic flow over the effluent weir

𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑚3
𝑊𝐿 = =
𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑠∙𝑚

𝑚3 𝑚3
• For 𝑄 ≤ 0.04 , 𝑊𝐿 ≤ 120
𝑠 𝑑∙𝑚
𝑚3 𝑚3
• For 𝑄 > 0.04 , 𝑊𝐿 = 190
𝑠 𝑑∙𝑚
 Range Typical Values
L/W ratio 3:1 -5:1
Side Water Depth (SWD), meters 3-5 4
𝑚3
Overflow Rate (𝑣𝑜 ), 𝑑∙𝑚
Without recirculation 25-60
With recirculation 25-35
Hydraulic Detention Time (𝜃), 1.5-2.5 2
hours
𝑚3
Weir Loading Rate (WL),𝑑∙𝑚
𝑚3 𝑚3
𝑄 ≤ 0.04 ≤ 120
𝑠 𝑑∙𝑚
𝑚3 𝑚3
𝑄 > 0.04 190
𝑠 𝑑∙𝑚
Exercise
Evaluate the following primary tank design with respect to detention
time, flow rate, and weir loading.
Design data:
Flow 𝑚3
0.150
𝑠
Influent SS 𝑚𝑔
280
𝐿
Sludge Concentration 6.0%
Efficiency 60%
Effective Length 40.0 m
Width 10.0 m
Liquid Depth 2.0 m
Weir Length 75.0 m
Secondary Treatment
Biological Treatment
How to degrade Organic Matter?
1. Availability of many microbes
2. Good contact between microbes and organics
3. Enough supply of oxygen
• HOW: agitate mixed liquor (wastewater and microbes)
4. Maintenance of favorable conditions for degradation
Activated Sludge
• activated: biological obtained or formed when air is continually
injected into the WW

• mixture of WW and biological sludge is agitated and treated

• suspended growth process
• mixed liquor
• return sludge
• 20-30% of the wastewater flow returns as sludge
Activated Sludge
• Detention time: 6-8 hours
𝑚3 𝑎𝑖𝑟
• Air supplied by diffusers: 8 3
𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑊 𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑

• wasting: a portion of the microorganisms is discarded from the

process
• WAS: waste activated sludge, discarded microorganisms
• mean cell residence time (θc)/solids retention time (SRT)/sludge age:
average amount of time that microorganisms are kept in the system
Population dynamics in WW Treatment
Monod equation
• because of the difficulty of direct measurement of μ in mixed cultures
• assumes that the rate of food utilization, and rate of biomass production, is
limited by the rate of enzyme reactions involving the food compound that is
in shortest supply relative to its need
• the growth of the biomass follows a hyperbolic function
 Completely Mixed Activated Sludge Process

𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 + 𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ = 𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 + 𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑

𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋
𝑄𝑋𝑜 + 𝑉 − 𝑘𝑑 𝑋 = 𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑒 + 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 + 𝑁𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ = 𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 + 𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑
𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋
𝑄𝑋𝑜 + 𝑉 − 𝑘𝑑 𝑋 = 𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑒 + 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟 (𝑎)
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆
𝑚3
𝑄 = 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘,
𝑑
𝑚𝑔
𝑋𝑜 = 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑉𝑆𝑆 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘,
𝐿
𝑉 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘, 𝑚3
𝜇𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, 𝑑−1
𝑚𝑔
𝑆 = 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡,
𝐿
𝑚𝑔
𝑋 = 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑀𝐿𝑉𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘,
𝐿
𝐾𝑠
𝑚𝑔
= ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 − ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒,
𝐿
𝑘𝑑 = 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚𝑠, 𝑑−1
𝑚3
𝑄𝑤 = 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑,
𝑑
𝑚𝑔
𝑋𝑒 = 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑉𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘,
𝐿
𝑚𝑔
𝑋𝑟 = 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑉𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑑,
𝐿
 𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋
𝑄𝑋𝑜 + 𝑉 − 𝑘𝑑 𝑋 = 𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑒 + 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟 (𝑎)
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆
𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒕 − 𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒅 = 𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒕 + 𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝑾𝑨𝑺
𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋
𝑄𝑆𝑜 − 𝑉 = 𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑆 + 𝑄𝑤 𝑆 (𝑏)
𝑌(𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆)

Assumptions:
1. The influent and effluent biomass concentrations are negligible compared to that in the
reactor.
2. The influent food (So) is immediately diluted to the reactor concentration.
3. All reactions occur in the CSTR.

• From assumption 1,
𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋
𝑉 − 𝑘𝑑 𝑋 = 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟 (𝑐)
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆
• Simplifying equation b and expressing b and c in terms of the Monod equation,
 𝜇𝑚 𝑆 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟
= + 𝑘𝑑 𝑑
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆 𝑉𝑋
𝜇𝑚 𝑆 𝑄𝑌
= 𝑆 −𝑆 𝑒
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆 𝑉𝑋 𝑜

−1
𝑄
=𝜃
𝑉
𝑽
ℎ𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑐 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 𝜽 = 𝑓
𝑸
−1
𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟
= 𝜃𝑐
𝑉𝑋
𝑽𝑿
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 − 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 𝜽𝒄 = 𝑔
𝑸𝒘 𝑿𝒓
If Xe is not negligible,
𝑉𝑋
𝜃𝑐 = ℎ
𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟 + 𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑒
• From (d),
𝐾𝑠 1 + 𝑘𝑑 𝜃𝑐
𝑆= 𝑖
𝜃𝑐 𝜇𝑚 − 𝑘𝑑 − 1
𝑆 = 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 − 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 (𝑗)
𝜃𝑐 𝑌 𝑆𝑜 − 𝑆
𝑋= (𝑘)
𝜃 1 + 𝑘𝑑 𝜃𝑐
Values of growth constants for domestic wastewater (from Metcalf and
Eddy).
Value (for T=20°C)
Parameter Basis
Range Typical
𝑚𝑔
𝐵𝑂𝐷5 25-100 60
𝐾𝑠 𝐿
𝑑−1 0-0.30 0.10
𝑘𝑑
𝜇𝑚 𝑑−1 1-8 3

𝑚𝑔 𝑉𝑆𝑆
𝑌 0.4-0.8 0.6
𝑚𝑔 𝐵𝑂𝐷5
A town has been directed to upgrade its WWTP which can meet an effluent standard of
𝑚𝑔 𝑚𝑔
30.0 BOD5 and 30.0 suspended solids (SS). The technology selected was
𝐿 𝐿
completely mixed activated sludge system.
Assuming that the BOD5 of the SS may be estimated as equal to 63% of the SS
concentration, estimate the required volume of the aeration tank. The ff data are
available from the existing plant:
𝑚3
𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 0.150
𝑚𝑔𝑠
𝐵𝑂𝐷5 = 84.0
𝐿
𝑚𝑔
Assume the following values for the growth constants: Ks=100 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 ; 𝜇𝑚 =
𝐿
𝑚𝑔 𝑉𝑆𝑆
2.5 𝑑 −1 , 𝑘𝑑 = 0.050 𝑑 −1 , 𝑌 = 0.50 .
𝑚𝑔 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑
Plug Flow with Recycle
• A kinetic model for PF is difficult t Design equation:
develop from basic mass balance . 𝟏 𝒀𝝁𝒎 𝑺𝒐 − 𝑺
= − 𝒌𝒅
• Useful assumptions (Lawrence & 𝜽𝒄 𝑺
𝑺𝒐 − 𝑺 + 𝟏 + 𝜶 𝑲𝒔 𝒍𝒏 𝒊
McCarty): 𝑺
1. Concentrations of microbes in
influent to aeration tank and 𝑋𝑎𝑣𝑔 = 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑠
effluent from the aeration tank 𝑄𝑟
𝛼 = 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜,
𝜃𝑐 𝑄
𝑋𝑖 = 𝑋𝑒 𝑖𝑓 > 5 𝑆𝑖 = 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘
𝜃 𝑚𝑔
2. Rate of soluble 𝐵𝑂𝐷5 (S) utilization 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤,
as waste passes through tank 𝐿
𝑆𝑜 + 𝛼𝑆
𝜇𝑚 𝑆𝑋𝑎𝑣𝑔 =
𝑟𝑢 = − 1+𝛼
𝐾𝑠 + 𝑆
F/M Ratio
𝐹 𝑄𝑆𝑜 • F/M 𝑚𝑔
values typically range from 0.1 to
= (𝑘) 1.0 for the various modifications
𝑀 𝑉𝑋 𝑚𝑔∙𝑑
𝑚𝑔 𝐵𝑂𝐷𝑠 /𝑑 𝑚𝑔 of the activated sludge process
=
𝑚𝑔 𝑀𝐿𝑉𝑆𝑆 𝑚𝑔 ∙ 𝑑
• Ratio is controlled by wasting part of • High F/M ratio, low 𝜃𝑐
the microbial mass, thereby reducing • Low F/M ratio, high 𝜃𝑐
the MLVSS
• High rate of wasting causes a high F/M
ratio, high F/M yields organisms that
are saturated with food
• Low rate of wasting causes low F/M
ratio, yields organisms that are
starved, complete degradation of the
waste
Exercise
Compute the F/M ratio for the plant from the preceding problem.
Sludge Return
• Maintain a sufficient concentration of activated sludge in the reactor
basin
• Sludge Volume Index (SVI): basis of the method used to control the
rate of sludge return to the reactor basin
• Procedure involves measuring the MLSS and sludge settleability
• A one-liter sample of mixed liquor is obtained from the aeration tank at the discharge
end
• Settleability: filling a standard one-liter graduated cylinder to the 1.0-liter mark, allowing
undisturbed settling for 30 minutes and then reading the volume occupied by the settled
sludge
• MLSS: filtering, drying, and weighing a second portion of the mixed liquor
Hypothetical relationship between settled sludge volume from
SVI and return sludge
 SVI
𝑆𝑉𝐼 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝐿 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 1 𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛

𝑆𝑉 1000 𝑚𝑔
𝑆𝑉𝐼 = × (12)
𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆 1𝑔
𝑚𝐿
𝑆𝑉𝐼 = 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑥,
𝑔

𝑚𝐿
𝑆𝑉 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑛 1 − 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 30 min 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔,
𝑚𝑔 𝐿
𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆 = 𝑚𝑖𝑥𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠,
𝐿
• Can be used as an indicator of the settling characteristics of sludge
• Typical value of SVI for activated sludge plants operating with an MLSS
concentration of 2,000 to 3,500 mg/L range from 80 to 150 mL/g
• As sludge concentration is increased, there is a need for a lower SVI or
large settling basin is required to avoid the loss of solids caused by
“washout” or hydraulic displacement
Accumulation = inflow-outflow
0 = 𝑄 + 𝑄𝑟 𝑋 ′ − 𝑄𝑟 𝑋𝑟′ + 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟′
𝑚3
𝑄 = 𝑊𝑊 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒,
𝑑
𝑚3
𝑄𝑟 = 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒,
𝑔 𝑑
𝑋 ′ = 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆, 3
𝑚 𝑔
′
𝑋𝑟 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 3
3
𝑚
𝑚
𝑄𝑤 = 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒,
𝑑
 𝑄𝑋 ′ − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟′
𝑄𝑟 =
𝑋𝑟′ − 𝑋 ′
If the effluent suspended solids are not negligible,
0 = 𝑄 + 𝑄𝑟 𝑋 ′ − 𝑄𝑟 𝑋𝑟′ + 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟′ + (𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑒 )
𝑄𝑋 ′ − 𝑄𝑤 𝑋𝑟′ − (𝑄 − 𝑄𝑤 )𝑋𝑒
𝑄𝑟 =
𝑋𝑟′ − 𝑋 ′
Maximum return sludge concentration in relation to the SVI is,
𝑚𝑔 𝑚𝐿
1000 1000 10 6 𝑚𝑔
𝑔 𝐿
𝑋𝑟′ = =
𝑆𝑉𝐼 𝑆𝑉𝐼 𝐿
Design MLSS versus SVI and return sludge ratio (taken from Davis 2009).
 o The maximum achievable underflow concentration is also a function
of temperature
 Temperature affects zone settling velocity, as well as SVI

Recommended maximum MLSS design versus temperature and

SVI (taken from Davis 2009).
Considering the same conditions from the preceding problems, we now
wish to consider the return sludge design and given the ff data:
Design Data:
𝑚3
𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 0.150
𝑠 𝑚𝑔
𝑀𝐿𝑉𝑆𝑆(𝑋) = 2,000
′
𝐿
𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆 𝑋 = 1.43 𝑀𝐿𝑉𝑆𝑆
𝑚𝑔
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑠 = 30
𝐿
𝑊𝑊 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝 = 18.0°𝐶