PURE O2

ACTIVATED
SLUDGE

BACKGROUND
As early as 1949 there has been reported research work being
done using pure oxygen as a substitute for air in the activated
sludge process. The process was put into commercial use in
1970.
The use of pure oxygen for activated sludge treatment has
become competitive with the use of air owing to the
development of efficient oxygen dissolution systems.
The pure oxygen system is a high rate activated sludge
system

ADVANTAGES
Reduced power requirement for dissolving oxygen in the
waste water
Reduced aeration tank volume requirement
Improved biokinetics of the activated sludge system
The ability to treat high-strength wastewaters
Decreased sludge volume and
Better settling sludge and decrease in bulking problems.

PURE OXYGEN
ACTIVATED SLUDGECOVERED TYPE

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

COVERED TYPEPROCESS DESCRIPTION

In the covered system, oxygenation is performed in a staged,
covered reactor in which oxygen gas is recirculated within
the system until it reaches a reduced level of purity and a
decreased undissolved mass at which it can no longer be used
and is vented to the atmosphere
High-purity oxygen gas (90% to 100% volume) enters the
rst stage of the system and ows concurrently with the
wastewater being treated through the oxygenation basin.
Pressure under the tank covers is essentially atmospheric,
being held at 2 to 4 inches water column, sufcient to maintain
oxygen gas feed control and prevent back-mixing from stage to
stage

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
CONTS-COVERED TYPE
Effluent mixed liquor is separated in conventional gravity
clarifiers, and the thickened sludge is recycled to the first
stage for contact with influent wastewater.
Mass transfer and mixing within each stage are
accomplished either with surface aerators or with a
submerged-turbine rotating-sparge system. In the first
case, mass transfer occurs in the gas space; in the latter,
oxygen is sparged into the mixed liquor where mass transfer
occurs from the oxygen bubbles to the bulk liquid. In both
cases, the mass-transfer process is enhanced by the high
oxygen-partial pressure maintained under the tank covers in
each stage.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
CONTS-COVERED TYPE
Volatile compounds are driven off to a certain extent in the
oxygenation process and removed in the vent gas. Metals
may also be expected to be partially removed, with accumulation
in the sludge.
High purity oxygen may be produced on-site by cryogenic or
PSA (pressure swing adsorption) generators, or purchased as
liquid oxygen produced off-site and stored at the treatment
plant. Cost effectiveness of oxygen source depends upon plant
size and process train.

Although flexibility is claimed to permit operation in any of the

normally used flow regimes, i.e., plug flow, complete mix, step
aeration, and contact stabilization, the method of oxygen contact
employed favors the plug flow mode. Process may be designed to
achieve: optimum carbonaceous oxidation only, combined
carbonaceous and nitrogenous oxidation or optimum nitrogenous
oxidation as a separate stage after secondary treatment.

APPLICATIONS(COVER
ED TYPE)
Domestic and biologically degradable industrial wastewaters
Upgrading existing air activated sludge plants
New facilities to reduce construction cost whenever any of
the following conditions are required:
1. Effective odor control
2. High effluent dissolved oxygen
3. Reduced quantity and higher concentration of waste
sludge
4. Reduced aeration detention time
5. More compact foot prints

DESIGN CRITERIA(COVERED
TYPE)
Typical design criteria for carbonaceous BOD5 oxidation are
as follows:
Volumetric loading, lb BOD5/d/1000 ft3-

100 to 200

F/M ratio, lb BOD5/d/lb MLVSS-

0.5 to 1.0

MLSS, mg/L -

1000 to 6000

Aeration detention time, hr-

1 to 3

Mixed liquor dissolved oxygen, mg/L-

4 to 8

Oxygen required, lb O2/lb BOD5 removed-

0.9 to 1.3

PERFORMANCE(COVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

ENERGY
REQUIREMENT(COVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

ENERGY
REQUIREMENT(COVERED TYPE)
The requirements are based on the following assumptions:
Carbonaceous oxidation
Operating parameters: Oxygen requirement = 1.2 lb O2/BOD5 removed.
Water quality: Influent BOD5 = 130 mg/L; Effluent BOD5 = 20 mg/L.
Oxygen transfer rate (OTR) includes oxygen production and oxygen
dissolution.
With cryogenic oxygen gas generation and surface aerators, OTR = 2.5 lb
O2/hp/h (wire to water) in wastewater.
With pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen gas generation and
surface aerators, OTR = 2.0 lb O2/hp/h (wire to water) in wastewater
Liquid O2 supply and surface aerators, OTR = 6.5 lb O2/hp/h (wire to
water) in wastewater

COST(COVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

COST(COVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

PURE OXYGEN
ACTIVATED SLUDGEUNCOVERED TYPE

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

UNCOVERED TYPEPROCESS DESCRIPTION

In the uncovered system, oxygenation is performed in an
open reactor in which extremely fine porous diffusers are
used to develop small oxygen gas bubbles that are
completely dissolved before breaking surface in normal depth
tanks. The basic principles which apply in the transfer of
oxygen in conventional diffused air systems also apply to
the open tank pure oxygen system.

The pure oxygen open tank system produces ultra-fine

bubbles with a correspondingly high gas surface area.
These ultra-fine bubbles are of micron size, whereas fine
bubbles normally produced in diffused air systems are in
millimeter sizes.

UNCOVERED TYPEPROCESS DESCRIPTION

CONTS
The complete oxygenation system is composed of an
oxygen dissolution system comprised of:
(a) Rotating diffusers.
(b) A source of high-purity oxygen gas (normally, an onsite oxygen generator).
(c) Oxygen control system, which balances oxygen supply
with oxygen demand through use of basin-located
dissolved
oxygen probes and control valves
High purity oxygen may be produced on-site by cryogenic
or PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) generators, or
purchased as liquid oxygen produced off-site and stored at
the treatment plant.

APPLICATIONS(UNCO
VERED TYPE)
The most favorable situations for the application of uncovered pure
oxygen activated sludge process include the following:
Domestic and biologically degradable industrial wastewaters.
Plant flows greater than 1 MGD.
Upgrading existing air activated sludge plants.
New facilities to reduce construction cost whenever any of the
following conditions are required:
1. High effluent dissolved oxygen.
2. Reduced quantity and higher concentration of waste
sludge.
3. Reduced aeration detention time.

DESIGN CRITERIA(UNCOVERED
TYPE)
The reported design criteria for uncovered systems are as follows:
Volumetric loading, lb BOD5/d/1000 ft3-

100 to 200

F/M ratio, lb BOD5/d/lb MLVSS-

0.5 to 1.0

Oxygen requirement,
i. lb O2/lb BOD5 removed 0.9 to 1.3
ii. lb O2/lb COD removed 0.6 to 0.8
MLSS, mg/L -

3000 to 6000

Aeration detention time, hr-

1 to 3(based on
ave.
daily flow)

Mixed liquor dissolved oxygen, mg/L-

2 to 6

PERFORMANCE(UNCOVERED
TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

ENERGY
REQUIREMENT(UNCOVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

ENERGY
REQUIREMENT(UNCOVERED TYPE)
The requirements are based on the following assumptions:
Carbonaceous oxidation
Operating parameters: Oxygen requirement = 1.2 lb O2/BOD5 removed.
Water quality: Influent BOD5 = 130 mg/L; Effluent BOD5 = 20 mg/L.
Oxygen transfer rate (OTR) includes oxygen production and oxygen
dissolution.
With cryogenic oxygen gas generation and surface aerators, OTR = 2.5 lb
O2/hp/h (wire to water) in wastewater.
With pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen gas generation and
surface aerators, OTR = 2.0 lb O2/hp/h (wire to water) in wastewater
Liquid O2 supply and surface aerators, OTR = 6.5 lb O2/hp/h (wire to
water) in wastewater

COST(UNCOVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

COST(UNCOVERED TYPE)

Image source: Biological Treatment Processes

Volume 8 of the series Handbook of Environmental Engineering pp 283-314

DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS
Input Data
Design Parameters
Design Procedure
Output Data

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS

The input data required for a design problem includes the following:

(a) Wastewater flows (average and peak). In case of high variability, a statistical distribution
should
be provided.
(b) Wastewater strength.
(1) BOD5 (soluble and total), mg/L.
(2) COD and/or TOC (maximum and minimum), mg/L.
(3) Suspended solids, mg/L.

(4) Volatile suspended solids (VSS), mg/L.

(5) Nonbiodegradable fraction of VSS, mg/L.
(c) Other characteristics.
(1) pH.
(2) Acidity and/or alkalinity, mg/L.
(3) Nitrogen, mg/L.
(4) Phosphorus (total and soluble), mg/L.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS
The input data required for a design problem includes the
following:
(d) Effluent quality requirements.
(1) BOD5, mg/L.
(2) SS, mg/L.
(3) TKN, mg/L.
(4) P, mg/L.
(5) Total nitrogen (TKN + NO3-N), mg/L.
(6) Settleable solids, mg/L.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS
The design procedure for a pure oxygen activated sludge
process uses the following methods:
1. McKinneys Approach
2. Eckenfelders Approach

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS
Design parameters which are either to be known or to be assumed include
the following:
(a) Reaction rate constants and coefficients.
McKinney
Km = 15/h at 20C
Ks = 10.4/h at 20C
Ke = 0.02/h at 20C
Eckenfelder
k = 0.0007 0.002 L/mg/h
a = 0.73
a = 0.52
b = 0.075/d
b = 0.15/d
f = 0.40
f = 0.53

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS
Design parameters which are either to be known or to be

assumed include the following:

(b) F/M = 0.25 to 1.0
(c) Volumetric loading = 150200
(d) t = 24 h
(e) ts = 320 d, depending on application
(f) MLSS = 40007000 mg/L, mean 5000 mg/L
(g) MLVSS = 32005600 mg/L
(h) Qr/Q = 0.250.50 = recycle ratio
(i) lb O2/lb BODr = 1.01.5
(j) lb solids/lb BODr = 0.300.45
(k) = 1.01.03
(l) Efficiency => 90%

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
CONTS
Output Data:
(a) Aeration tank.
(b) Diffused Aeration System.
(c) Mechanical aeration system.

EXISTING TECHNOLOGY
AVAILABLE IN MARKET
Activated sludge treatment with pure
oxygen (UNOX System)

An efficient and stable activated

sludge treatment process that
uses pure
oxygen aeration to activate sludge
for applications such as the
removal of persistent substances or
the reduction of biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD).

Image source: http://www.veolia.jp/en/our-services/industrial/epc/unox

ACTIVATED SLUDGE TREATMENT

WITH PURE OXYGEN (UNOX
SYSTEM)
Features

Compact aerators
One third the size of aerators needed for conventional processes

Accommodates fluctuating BOD

Stable treated water quality
No bulking even under high BOD sludge load
Good sedimentary and aggregability
Generate low volumes of excess sludge
Good dewaterability of excess sludge

Prevents pollution
Closed aerators prevent the release of odor pollutants into the
local environment

Nitrogen removal (Optional)

Aeration tank can be converted into an anaerobic digester by the
installation of an axis-elevation aerator

ACTIVATED SLUDGE TREATMENT

WITH PURE OXYGEN (UNOX
SYSTEM)
Delivery Record

Total: 165
Japan: 150 (Industry: 100; Municipality: 45; Night soil: 5)
Overseas: 15 (Korea: 8; Taiwan: 2; Singapore: 2; Philippine:
1; China: 1; Russia: 1)

THANK YOU..