Publication: Impact of sequencing batch reactor configurations on aerobic granular sludge formation and stability in treating sewage
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Date
2024-09-01
Authors
Nur Ain, Hamiruddin
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Abstract
Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) faces significant challenges in managing over 7,000 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) due to the limited infrastructure available for centralized treatment. Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS) technology, implemented in Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs), presents a promising solution to minimise land requirements for STP construction. However, the impact of flow regimes on AGS stability in different SBR configurations is not well understood. This study investigates AGS formation and its effect on producing high-quality effluent in both column-type and rectangular-type SBR with a 10 L working volume using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) analysis. Key findings include the formation of mature AGS in 57 days within the rectangular-type SBR under laminar flow, which showed enhanced multi-metal biosorption due to increased surface accessibility (2736 μm). In contrast, AGS formation was delayed in the column-type SBR (88 days) under transitional flow, resulting in reduced biosorption efficiency (2505 μm). The results, supported by a p value of 0.263 and an F-statistic of 2.49, highlight the variability and importance of the decay rate constant (kd), with values of 0.04-0.05 l/d for laminar flow and 0.06- 0.13 l/d for transitional flow. This indicates faster decay rates lead to a reduction in particle size which affect biosorption efficiency. This underscoring the importance of effective mixing and controlled agitation in optimising AGS stability and efficiency.