Effect of nitrate concentration on filamentous bulking under low level of dissolved oxygen in an airlift inner circular anoxic-aerobic incorporate reactor

This laboratory research investigated a possible cause of filamentous bulking under low level of dissolved oxygen conditions （dissolved oxygen value in aerobic zone maintained between 0.6-0.8 mgO2 /L） in an airlift inner-circular anoxic-aerobic reactor. During the operating period, it was observed that low nitrate concentrations affected sludge volume index significantly. Unlike the existing hypothesis, the batch tests indicated that filamentous bacteria （mainly Thiothrix sp.） could store nitrate temporarily under carbon restricted conditions. When nitrate concentration was below 4 mg/L, low levels of carbon substrates and dissolved oxygen in the aerobic zone stimulated the nitrate-storing capacity of filaments. When filamentous bacteria riched in nitrate reached the anoxic zone, where they were exposed to high levels of carbon but limited nitrate, they underwent denitrification. However, when nonfilamentous bacteria were exposed to similar conditions, denitrification was restrained due to their intrinsic nitrate limitation. Hence, in order to avoid filamentous bulking, the nitrate concentration in the return sludge （from aerobic zone to the anoxic zone） should be above 4 mg/L, or alternatively, the nitrate load in the anoxic zone should be kept at levels above 2.7 mg NO-3N/g SS.

Study on Limited Filamentous Sludge Bulking Test in A/O Activated Sludge Process

[Objective] This study aimed to make use of the limited filamentous sludge bulking characteristics to purify water quality and save energy. [Method] The effects of dissolved oxygen （DO） on sludge bulking were explored by changing the DO con- centration in the aerobiotic pool of NO system from the low load （0.25 kg COD/（kg MLSS.d）） and the medium to high load （0.55 kgCOD/（kg MLSSod））. [Result] In the NO activated sludge system, when the sludge load was 0.25 kg COD/（kg MLSS.d）, DO=1.5 mg/L, the sludge index was at around 250, while when the sludge load- ing was 0.55 kg COD/（kg MLSS.d）, DO=1.5 mg/L, the sludge index was close to 300, occurring the limited filamentous bulking. The bulked sludge still showed high removal rates to COD, SS, nitrogen and phosphorus. [Conclusion] It could improve the oxygen transfer rate and reduce the aeration rate at low DO conditions to achieve energy-saving.

Control of sludge settleability and nitrogen removal under low dissolved oxygen condition

Low dissolved oxygen （DO） is an energy- saving condition in activated sludge process. To investi- gate the possible application of limited filamentous bulking （LFB） in sequencing batch reactor （SBR）, two lab-scale SBRs were used to treat synthetic domestic wastewater and real municipal wastewater, respectively. The results showed that prolonging low DO aeration duration and setting pre-anoxic （anaerobic） phase were effective strategies to induce and inhibit filamentous sludge bulking, respectively. According to the sludge settleability, LFB could be maintained steadily by adjusting operation patterns. Filamentous bacteria content and sludge volume index （SVI） were likely correlated. SVI fluctuated dramatically within a few cycles when around 200 mL-g~, where altering operation pattern could change sludge settleability in spite of the unstable status of activated sludge system. Energy consumption by aeration reduced under low DO LFB condition, whereas the nitrification performance deteriorated. However, short-cut nitrification and simultaneous nitrification denitrification （SND） were prone to take place under such conditions. When the cycle time kept constant, the anoxic （anaerobic） to aerobic time ratio was determining factor to the SND efficiency. Similarity keeping aerobic time as constant, the variation trends of SND efficiency and specific SND rate were uniform. SBR is a promising reactor to apply the LFB process in practice.