Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

5. INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SELECTION

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

WHY WASTEWATER TREATMENT IS IMPORTANT - YouTube

Bibliografía empleada:
Metcalf & Eddy (2004). Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse. McGraw-Hill. New York.
M.L. Davis (2010). Water and Wastewater Engineering: Design Principles and Practice. McGraw-Hill. New York.
Ortega, E. et al. (2010) Manual para la implantación de sistemas de depuración en pequeñas poblaciones. Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino, Madrid.
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

What is
‘wastewater’?

Wastewater may be defined as a

combination of the liquid or water-
carried wastes removed from
residences, institutions and
commercial and industrial
establishments, together with
such groundwater, surface water
and stormwater as may be
present.
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Types of collection systems: separate and combined sewers

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Principal constituents of concern in wastewater treatment

Contaminant Source Environmental

significance
Suspended solids Domestic use, industrial Cause sludge deposits and
wastes, erosion by anerobic conditions in aquatic
infiltration/inflow environment
Biodegradable organics Domestic and industrial Cause biological degradation,
wastes which may use up oxygen in
receiving water and result in
undesirable conditions
Pathogens Domestic wastes Transmit communicable
diseases
Nutrients Domestic and industrial May cause eutrophication
wastes
Refractory organics Domestic and industrial May cause taste and odor
wastes problems, may be toxic or
carcinogenic
Heavy metals Industrial wastes, mining, etc. Are toxic, may interfere with
effluent reuse
Dissolved inorganic solids Increases above level in May interfere with effluent
water supply by domestic reuse
and/or industrial use
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Analysis of the main wastewater constituents:

Biodegradable organics: Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5)

The BOD5 test measures the amount of oxygen required to oxidize the organic matter in the
sample during 5 days of biological stabilization at 20oC.

Biodegradable organic matter

+ microorg. + O2 + nutrients

CO2 + H2O + microorg.

[BOD]: mg/L of O2
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Analysis of the main wastewater constituents:

Biodegradable organics: Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
The BOD5 test measures the amount of oxygen required to oxidize the organic matter in
the sample during 5 days of biological stabilization at 20oC.

Additional information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ2UiuSHpuU

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Analysis of the main wastewater constituents:

Total organic matter: Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

The COD is a measurement of the oxygen equivalent of the organic matter content of a sample
that is susceptible to oxidation by a strong chemical oxidant, such as potassium dichromate.

Organic matter + K2CrO7 + Catal. CO2 + H2O + Cr3+

Additional information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGVlKH78uAs

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Analysis of the main wastewater constituents:

Total Suspended Solids (TSS)

TSS is determined by filtering a well-mixed sample through a 0.2 μm pore size. The residue
retained on the filter is dried in an oven for 2 h and weighed. [TSS]: mg/L of TSS

Other chemical constituents: Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)

Total Phosphorus
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

1. WASTEWATER: ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

Typical composition of untreated domestic wastewater

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

 Directive 91/271/EEC (RD-Ley 11/1995 y RD 509/1996)

- It concerns the collection, treatment and discharge of urban wastewater and the
treatment and discharge of wastewater from certain industrial sectors. The objective of
the Directive is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of the
abovementioned wastewater discharges.
- Art. 3: All agglomerations must be provided with collecting systems for urban
wastewater
- Art. 4: Urban wastewater entering collecting systems shall before discharge be subject
to ‘secondary treatment’ or an equivalent treatment (i.e. biological treatment
involving organic carbon removal)
- Art. 5: urban wastewater entering collecting systems shall before discharge into
sensitive areas be subject to more stringent treatment than that described in Article 4
(additional N and P removal). Those so-called sensitive areas are basically water bodies
being eutrophic or tending to be eutrophic
- Exceptions possible in so called less-sensitive areas, i.e. certain coastal areas, and in
high mountain areas
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE (91/271/EEC): Requirements by agglomeration size

p.e.: population equivalent (= 60 mg/L BOD5 per day)

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE
(91/271/EEC): Sensitive areas
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE of 21 May 1991 concerning urban

wastewater treatment (91/271/EEC)

Contaminants Pollutant concentration in Eficiency (% of

effluent reduction)
(mg/L)
Biological Oxygen demand, 25 70 – 90
BOD5
Chemical Oxygen Demand, COD 125 75

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 35 90

Nitrogen (total as N) 15 (10,000 – 100,000 p.e.) 80

(Sensitive areas) 10 (>100,000 p.e.)

Phosphorus (total as P) 2 (10,000 – 100,000 p.e.) 70 - 80

(Sensitive areas)
1 (>100,000 p.e.)
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE
(91/271/EEC):
Compliance rate
2018
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT: OBJECTIVES

EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE
(91/271/EEC):
Compliance
rates (2018)
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design
Servicios Ambientales Urbanos

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: types and definitions

Flowrate Description Purpose for design and operation

Average daily flow The average flowrate occurring over Basis for the development of flowrate ratios.
a 24-h period based on anual flowrate Estimation of pumping and chemical costs. Sizing
data (dry-weather or wet-weather of the biological treatment (usually)
flowrates may be considered)

Peak hour The average of the maximum flows Sizing of the preliminary treatment. Sizing of
sustained for a period of 1 hour pumping facilities and aeration systems.
Developing process control strategies for
managing high flows

Minimum hour The average of the minimum flows Sizing turndown of pumping facilities and
sustained for a period of 1 hour determining low range of plant flowmeter

Minimum day The average of the minimum flows Sizing of influent channels to control solid
sustained for a period of 1 day deposition. Sizing efluent recycle requirements for
trickling filters

Minimum month The average of the minimum flows Selection of minimum number of operating units
sustained for a period of 1 month required during low-flows periods. Scheduling
shutdown for maintenance

Maximum day The average of the maximum flows Sizing of equalization basins and sludge pumping
sustained for a period of 1 day systems

Maximum month The average of the maximum flows Record keeping and reporting. Sizing of chemical
sustained for a period of 1 month storage facilities
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: types and definitions

Weekly
variation of
wastewater
flow rates in
Ciudad Real
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: estimation

 Design flowrate (Q): It is usually the average daily flowrate expressed in m3/d (usually during dry-
weather periods)

Information to take into account:

- Data of drinking water consumption

- Type of sewer system (separated or combined)

- Existence of infraestructures to combined sewer overflows (CSO) management

- Stable or seasonal population (tourist areas)

- Data from cities with similar characteristics

- Estimation of flowrate changes throughout the expected life period of the plant

- Data of wastewater generation from commercial/industrial/farming activities.

- Data of infiltration flowrates

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: estimation of average flowrates

pregunta de examen

 Design flowrate (Q): It is the average daily flow rate expressed in m3/d (usually during dry-weather
periods)

Q (m3/d) = Q domestic wastewater + Qcom/ind/farm + Qinfiltration

Qcom/ind/farm (wastewater coming from commercial, industrial and farming activities) and Qinfiltration
are only considered separately when they are very high as compared with the domestic flowrate.
It is usually difficult to find available data to estimate them.

In general, in Spain both flowrates are included in the term ‘per capita wastewater generation’
that is an estimation of the total wastewater generation dependent on the agglomeration size and
type.

Q (m3/d) = Population (p.e.) x per capita wastewater generation (L/capita.day)/ 1000

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Option 1: Estimation of average flowrates based on drinking water consumption:

Average flowrate wastewater = Average flowrate drinking water x 0.80

Option 2: Estimation of average flowrates based on wastewater generation

(including domestic and commercial/industrial/farming flowrates):

Per capita wastewater generation (L/capita.day) in Spain based on

commercial activity of the city. Source: Orden RD 670/2013

Population High commercial activity Medium commercial activity Low commercial activity
(inhabitants)

330
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: estimation of maximum flowrates (peak hour)

 Maximum or peak hour flowrate (m3/h): It is the highest flowrate that could enter into WWTP
without causing hydraulic problems.

Qmax (m3/h) = (Q (m3/d) / 24) * Peak Factor

Growing flow rate affects badly % of pollutant removal

- Bypass of wastewater within the maximum flowrate should be avoided inside the WWTP
- Process yields depend on operation flows
- Maximum flowrate depends on the the type of sewer system (combined or separate) and/or
the existence of previous CSO (Combined Sewer Overflows) management systems
- Preliminary treatment (bars, grit removal, etc.) design is based on the peak hour flowrate
- Estimation of flowrates can be based on previous data (2 years, at least) or in data coming
from cities with similar population features
- It is interesting to have data about peak hour industrial flowrates (if they are relatively high)
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: estimation of maximum flowrates (peak hour)

Qmax (m3/h) = (Q (m3/d) / 24) * Peak Factor

Peak factor estimation:

 PF = 4 (small communities) – 1.5 (large cities)
 PF = 2.5 1000-2000 p-e
 PF = 3.0 500-1000 p-e
 PF = 3.5 < 500 p-e

Other expressions to estimate maximum flowrates:

2.575
Qmax = Q (1.15 + 1/ 4
) ( m 3 / h)
Q

FP = 5/ P1/6 (P expressed as thousands of inhabitants)

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Flowrates: estimation of minimum flowrates

Qmin (m3/h) = (Q (m3/d) / 24) * Minimum Factor

Minimum factor estimation:

 MF = 0.3 (small communities) – 0.5 (large cities)
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Estimation of mass loadings

Information to take into account:

- Previous data
- Data from cities with similar features
- Existence of small industrial discharges
- Stable or seasonal population (tourist areas)

Mass loading (kg/d) = mass loading (g/capita.day) x population (inhabitants)/ 1000

Pollutant concentration (mg/L) = mass loading (kg/d) / design flowrate (m3/d)

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Estimation of mass loadings: ‘standard’ mean values for Spain OBLIGATORIO USAR

- BOD5
a) Residential areas, separate sewers 50 g/capita/day
food goes to wastewater
b) City centers, separate sewers 60 g/capita/day
c) City centers, combined sewers 75 g/capita/day Typical values in USA

- COD: BOD/COD ratio of untreated wastewater = 0.3-0.8 (typical value 0.5)

- Total suspended solids, TSS:

a) Residential areas, separate sewers 50 g/capita/day
b) City centers, separate sewers 75 g/capita/day
c) City centers, combined sewers 90 g/capita/day

- Nutrients:
a) Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN as N) 8-20 g/capita/day (typical value 13)
b) Total phosphorus (as P) 0.6-4.5 g/capita/day (typical value 3)

Maximum mass loading: mean values x 1.5

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Estimation of mass loadings: Directive 91/271 AS A REFERENCE FOR

THE CALCULATIONS

Concept of population equivalent

1 p.e. (population equivalent) means the organic biodegradable load having a BOD5 of 60 g of
oxygen per day

Activity Equivalence coeficient

(p.e. per number of
employees)
Pastry industry 130
Agrochemical industries 60
Chemistry 37
Textile business 100
Wood industry 30
Metal industry 20
Ceramic, glass and cement industry 10
Rubber and plastic industry 7

Number of p.e. = Q (m3/d) x BOD5 concentration (mg/L) / 60 (g BOD5 / p.e.)

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Concentration of pollutants in untreated domestic wastewater

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

3. ESTIMATION OF FLOWRATES AND MASS LOADINGS

Typical hourly variations in flow and strength of

domestic wastewater
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Levels of wastewater treatment

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Flow chart for wastewater treatment processes

1. Preliminary treatment:
screening and grit removal

2. Primary treatment: settling

3. Secondary treatment:
biological treatment +
secondary clarifier

4. Tertiary treatment:
Disinfection,…

5. Sludge treatment: digestion

and dewatering
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

1. Preliminary treatment:
2. Primary treatment: settling screening and grit removal
5. Sludge treatment: stabilization
and dewatering

4. Tertiary treatment: Disinfection

3. Secondary treatment: biological
treatment + secondary clarifier
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

1. Preliminary treatment:
screening and grit removal
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Preliminary treatment
- Preliminary systems are designed to physically remove the large suspended and floating materials, and to
remove the heavy inorganic solids and excessive amounts of oil and grease.
- Goal: to protect pumping equipment and the subsequent treatment units, to avoid clogging of pipes.
- Operations: ‘coarse well’, screening, grit and grease removal.
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

2. Primary treatment: settling

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Primary treatment

Goal: to remove heavy organic solids by

decreasing the velocity of the wastewater flow.

Circular primary
settling tank
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

3. Secondary treatment: biological

treatment + secondary clarifier
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Secondary treatment: biological

Goals:
- To remove dissolved and particulate biodegradable pollutants by oxidation to carbon dioxide and water.
- To transform or remove nutrients, i.e. nitrogen and phosphorus (‘more stringent ‘treatment of Directive
91/271/CE).

O2 CO2
N2

Water Biological reactor

Biodegradable Treated water
Microorganisms
organic constituents
Nutrients (N, P)

Biomass
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

4. Tertiary treatment: Disinfection

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Tertiary treatment (or advanced one)

Goal: to improve the quality of treated wastewater to meet more stringent discharge and reuse
requirements

Treatments: Disinfection, depth filtration, membrane filtration,…

Chlorine contact Depth filtration by

channel disk filters
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

5. Sludge treatment: stabilization

and dewatering
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

4. AN OVERVIEW OF WWTPs

Sludge treatment

‘Sludge’ is a mixture of solids and biosolids coming from wastewater treatment operations in the form of
liquid or semisolid liquid (0.25-12% wt).

Goals of sludge treatment: (i) to reduce the water and organic content; (ii) to render the processed solids
suitable for reuse or final disposal.

Sludge Thickening Dewatering Sanitary landfill

Stabilization Composting
(aerobic/anaerobic)

Land application

Energy
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

5. INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SELECTION

Important factors in process selection

 Process applicability: Is the selected process capable to meets discharge

requirements considering the characteristics of the inlet wastewater:
chemical properties, flowrate range and daily or stational variations?

 Climatic constraints: Does temperature affect the efficiency of the different

treatment processes?

 Performance: Measured in terms of effluent quality and its variability

 Reliability: Is the operation or process easily upset? If so, how do such

occurrences affect the effluent quality?

 Adaptability: Can the process be modified to meet future treatment

requirements?
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

5. INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SELECTION

Important factors in process selection

 Complexity: How complex is the process? How many people and what
levels of qualification are needed to operate the plant?

 Economic life-cycle analysis: Cost evaluation must consider initial capital

cost and long-term operating and maintenance costs. The plant with lowest
initial cost may not be the most effective with respect operating and
maintenance costs

 Treatment residuals: The types and amounts of solid, liquid and gaseosus
residuals produced must be known or estimated. The cost of their treatment
or management should be considered in the operation costs.

 Land availability: Is there sufficient space to accommodate not only the

facilities currently being considered but also posible future expansion?
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

5. INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SELECTION

WWTPs construction costs in Spain (2008)

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

5. INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SELECTION

WWTPs operating costs in Spain

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Steps to WWTP sizing

- To make a study of the population during the project life (usually 20-25 years)

- To estimate design flowrates, mass loadings and concentrations of pollutants

- To establish the objectives of treatment according to the current legislation or, additionally, based on the
discharge requirements established by the river basin authorities (Confederaciones Hidrográficas)

- To select the most appropiate treatment processes based on the specific features of the city: plant flow
diagrams

- To select one or several water treatment lines based on the total population or its specific features (seasonal or
stable)

Population <10000 p.e. 10000-20000 p.e. 20000-50000 p.e. 50000-200000 p.e.

type
Stable 1 line 1 line 2 lines ≥ 2 lines

Seasonal 1-2 lines 2 lines 2 lines ≥ 3 lines

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Steps to WWTP sizing

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Steps to WWTP sizing

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Steps to WWTP sizing

- To make the calculations to obtain number and size of process units:

 Calculation based on the previous experience: mass loadings, overflow rates, detention times
 Calculation based on biochemical reaction kinetics (biological treatment)

- To take into account the number and size of ancillary units: administration building, laboratory, storage tanks,
buildings for pumping facilities and power supply, roads, parking, etc.
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Plant location and layout

- Once known the necessary total area of the WWTP, we can look for possible plots where to locate the plant:
 The plant should be located more than 2 km from the city (odor problems). Recommended, not compulsory
 In order to avoid pumping, the elevation of the WWTP plot should be, when possible, lower than that of the sewer system
of the city
 Proximity to the final discharge point of the treated wastewater (river, lake, sea)
 When possible, the site should allow for expansion
 Other factors: flooding problems, landscape impact, public acceptance, foundation stability, proximity to power sources
and access roads, etc.

- Some aspect to take into account in plant layout are the following:
 The situation of both the sewage collection pipe and the discharge point of the WWTP.
 To minimize in-plant pumping: piezometric line
 Pretreatment and slugde dewatering units should be located in a building in order to avoid odor problems.
 All process units must be accessible for heavy machinery and operators
 When space is not a constraint, a linear layout generally allows the maximum simplicity and flexibility for expansion
 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Plant location and layout

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Plant location and layout

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Plant location and layout

 Introduction to WWTP’s Design

6. PLANT SIZING AND LAYOUT

Piezometric line
Plant location and layout