RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

REPORT NO. RD 2038

Application of Hybrid Reactor to Maximize Treatment

Capacity and Nitrification with Short Sludge-age
Operation

(Final Report)

Research and Development Section

Electrical & Mechanical Projects Division
Drainage Services Department

May 2011
Application of Hybrid Reactor to Maximize Treatment Capacity and Nitrification with Short Sludge-age
Operation
R&D Team E&M Projects
RD 2038 Drainage Services Department

Executive Summary

Hybrid technology is a technology for biological wastewater treatment and

HybasTM process is offered by AnoxKaldnes. The technology combines attached
growth as biofilm on carriers and suspended activated sludge in one reactor. The
Stanley Sewage Treatment Works (Stanley STW) was commissioned in 1995, the
plant comprises two bioreactors and two secondary clarifiers. MLE (Modified
Ludzack Ettinger) process was adopted for the two bioreactors. In this study, one
bioreactor would be converted to a hybrid biological process so that the trial run for
the application of HybasTM process can be tested with an aim to maximize treatment
capacity and nitrification with short sludge-age operation at Stanley STW. The
objectives of the study are to verify whether the hybrid technology (introducing
biofilm carriers into the activated sludge system) can be applied for Hong Kong
environment; and to enhance DSDs in-house knowledge and know-how on the design,
operation, maintenance and reliability of hybrid technology with a view to increasing
the treatment capacity of a sewage treatment plant.

The specialist of AnoxKaldnes designed the HybasTM process in Stanley STW

based on the influent characteristics at design temperature of 18oC with one bioreactor
in operation only. The contractor, ECCO, supplied and installed one partition wall and
sieve plates in bioreactor #2 to form the hybrid tank. The volumes of anoxic zone,
HybasTM zone and the rest of aerobic zone are 1350 m3, 847 m3 and 1869 m3
respectively. AnoxKaldnes initially considered an operating MLSS of 3000 mg/L. The
target MLSS was revised to 2500 mg/L range in order to examine the performance of
HybasTM process at relatively shorter suspended sludge age. The HybasTM process
operation was started in March 2009 and stabilized around May 2009. Throughout
trial period (March 2009 Jan 2010), the effluent ammonia was very low and
complete nitrification could be achieved at a lower MLSS, while average ammonia-N
was less than 0.5 mg/L, well below the 5 mg/L 95-percentile standard. Denitrification
also appeared to be adequate throughout the trial period.

Operation of HybasTM process

Reliable nitrification was observed early in HybasTM process operation when
dissolved oxygen (DO) in HybasTM zone was maintained at the recommended 4.0
mg/L level. DO was later reduced to 3.5 mg/L and the reduced DO did not show a
negative impact on ammonia oxidation including the winter months. The total power
for aeration of HybasTM process was reduced due to one-bioreactor operation.

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Application of Hybrid Reactor to Maximize Treatment Capacity and Nitrification with Short Sludge-age
Operation
R&D Team E&M Projects
RD 2038 Drainage Services Department
One-bioreactor operation of HybasTM process allowed the other bioreactor be shut
down so that maintenance works could be carried out. Low MLSS was possible in
HybasTM process and the reduced sludge loading allowed operation of only one final
clarifier so that the other clarifier could be temporarily shut down for maintenance
works.

Attached biomass was determined as 40 mg/carrier. This was equivalent to

9.3g/m2. The quantity of attached biomass could only give a rough indication of the
relative abundance of attached versus suspended growth biomass. Based on 40mg of
attached biomass per carrier, total attached biomass (in 847 m3 HybasTM zone) is 982
kg, and suspended biomass is 1932 kg. Attached biomass was about 51% of suspended
biomass in HybasTM zone. Batch nitrification rates were determined (at 22oC) and
average carrier specific nitification rates (per area) was 0.8 gN/m2.d which is
comparable to 0.784 g NH3N/m3.d assumed by AnoxKaldnes (at 18oC, DO=4.0 mg/L).
Equivalent specific rate based on biomass was 3.6 mg NH3-N/h/gattached biomass and, in
comparison, 1.2 mg NH3-N/h/gsuspended biomass. In the presence of carriers, attached
biomass was taking up a great deal of nitrification activities.

More on verification of performance

Over Feb 2009 to Feb 2010, HybasTM process was proven to be capable of treating
an average sewage flow of more than 8,000 mg/L (design flow 8,400 m3/d) with actual
sewage strength comparable to design. Treatment performance of HybasTM process
was further evaluated by intensive sampling and two stress tests. Ammonia-N stress
was introduced as shock Nitrogen-load dosed in one-hour, the shock is equivalent to
8-times of average N loading. Sodium carbonate was also dosed to prevent pH from
dropping below 6. The purpose of stress test is to provide sufficient data for calibrating
the computer model with biofilm on carriers. Steady-state runs by MATLAB biofilm
model simulation were carried out by modeling specialist.

Results of two Stress Tests in Feb and Mar 2010, each with extra 93 kg N/day
dosed, demonstrated the potential higher capacity in ammonia oxidation. The added
93 kg N was about 40% of the original N-loading on these two days. Full compliance
with effluent ammonia standard was observed.

Evaluation of Maximum treatment capacity

The HybasTM process in Stanley STW has been demonstrated to give good
nitrification with a sewage flow exceeding 8,400 m3/d at about 22oC water temperature.
The nominal maximum capacity at 20oC or 18oC can only be estimated by computer
simulation. At current 25% carrier filling rate (847m3 HybasTM volume), MATLAB

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Application of Hybrid Reactor to Maximize Treatment Capacity and Nitrification with Short Sludge-age
Operation
R&D Team E&M Projects
RD 2038 Drainage Services Department
modeling predicted a 15% nitrification capacity gain relative to the no-carrier case,
whereas AnoxKaldnes, the carrier supplier, predicted a 20% increase. At about 60%
carrier filling rate, the predicted capacity gain was 32% or more (32% by BioWin, 38%
by MATLAB and 60% by AnoxKaldnes).

The Study has verified that hybrid technology (HybasTM) can be applied in Hong
Kong environment. It has also enhanced DSDs in-house knowledge and know-how on
the design, operation, maintenance and reliability of hybrid technology. Hybrid
technology is a feasible option to retrofit existing sewage treatment plant to increase
the treatment capacity in terms of nitrification.

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