• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.579-589
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• 2012

To reduce extensive energy costs of the internal recycling for the purpose of denitrification in the advanced wastewater treatment, a post-treatment process using an electro-coagulation to treat nitrate in the secondary effluents is evaluated in this study. Removals of phosphorus and organics in the secondary effluents by the electro-coagulation were also evaluated to propose an alternative advanced wastewatert treatment process. A series of experiments of the electro-coagulation were carried out with the following 4 different samples: synthetic solution containing nitrate only, synthetic solution containing nitrate as well as phosphorus, secondary effluents from activated sludge cultivated in laboratory, and secondary effluents from real wastewater treatment plants. Removals of nitrate and phosphorus in the synthetic solution were 30 and 97 % respectively, which verified the feasibility of the process. Removals of nitrate, phosphorus and COD in the secondary effluents from the cultivated sludge in laboratory were 49, 90 and 19 % respectively. Removal efficiency of the total nitrogen, nitrrate, phosphorus and COD in the secondary effluent from real wastewater treatment plant were 50, 61, 98 and 80 % respectively. The removal of the total nitrogen was less than the nitrate as expected, which is due to the formation of ammonia nitrogen in the cathode. But the proposed scheme could be an energy saving and alternative process for the advanced wastewater treatment if further studies for the process optimization are carried out.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.113-118
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• 1988

Laboratory aerobic and anaerobic digesters were operated to determine the nonbiodegradable fractions in PS (Primary Sludge) and WAS (Waste Activated Sludge)from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Seoul. Nonbiodegradable fractions were determined to be 45 to 47% in PS and 58 to 68% in WAS. Ultimate $CH_4$ gas production rates were estimated to be 0.76 for PS and $0.54m^3/kg$ VS removed for WAS. $CH_4$ contents were respectively 63% for PS and 65% for WAS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.815-826
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• 2013

Using a developed mathematical model and calibrated kinetic constants, numerical experiments for a aerobic digestion of wastewater sludge by SBR aerobic digestion process combined with ultrasonication (USSBR) were performed in this study. It simulated well the phenomena of the decomposition of particulate organics and the release of organic nitrogen and transformation. To achieve 40 % of particulate organics removal, USSBR process requires only 6 days of SRT and 14 W/L of ultrasonic power whereas SBR aerobic digestion process requires 12 days of SRT. Based on the model simulation results, an empirical equation was presented here. This equation will be used to predict digestion efficiency for the given variables of SRT and ultrasonic power dose. USSBR aerobic digestion process can reduce the nitrogen concentration. The optimal operation strategy for the simultaneous removal of solids and soluble nitrogen in this process is estimated to 7 days of SRT with 14 W/L of ultrasonic power dose while anoxic period was 6 hours out of 24 hours of cycle time. In this condition, 40 % of particulate organics as well as 36 % of total nitrogen will be removed and the soluble nitrogen concentration of the centrate will be lower less then 40 mg/L.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.238-247
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to develop kinetic model for the MBR and investigate kinetic characteristics of the gravitational flow transverse direction MBR system. Kinetic model was derived by mass balance of substratc and biomass combined with empirical membranc filtration rerm for the MBR. To find kinctic values, permeale flux and COD removal were analyzed through the laboratory, MBR operation as different solids retention times. Permeate flux was ranged 2.5-5.0 LMH (L/m$^2$/hr) as sludge characteristics in each run. Although the soluble COD in the bioreactor was changed, the effluent COD was stable as average 99% removal rate during the experimental periods. Y$_g$ of this MBR system was higher than those of cross-flow MBR processes. The kinetics of this MBR showed that smaller k, larger b, and larger K$_s$ values than the conventional activated sludge process. These results indicated that substrate was used for cell maintenance rather than growth in this MBR system.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.186-194
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• 2009

Understanding the environmental fate of human and animal pharmaceuticals and their risk assessment are of great importance due to their growing environmental concerns. Although there are many potential pathways for them to reach the environment, effluents from sewage treatment plants (STPs) are recognized as major point sources. In this study, the removal efficiencies of the 43 selected priority pharmaceuticals in a conventional STP were evaluated using two simple models: an equilibrium partitioning model (EPM) and STPWIN$^{TM}$ program developed by US EPA. It was expected that many pharmaceuticals are not likely to be removed by conventional activated sludge processes because of their relatively low sorption potential to suspended sludge and low biodegradability. Only a few pharmaceuticals were predicted to be easily removed by sorption or biodegradation, and hence a conventional STP may not protect the environment from the release of unwanted pharmaceuticals. However, the prediction made in this study strongly relies on sorption coefficient to suspended sludge and biodegradation half-lives, which may vary significantly depending on models. Removal efficiencies predicted using the EPM were typically higher than those predicted by STPWIN for many hydrophilic pharmaceuticals due to the difference in prediction method for sorption coefficients. Comparison with experimental organic carbon-water partition coefficients ($K_{ocs}) revealed that log KOW-based estimation used in STPWIN is likely to underestimate sorption coefficients, thus resulting low removal efficiency by sorption. Predicted values by the EPM were consistent with limited experimental data although this model does not include biodegradation processes, implying that this simple model can be very useful with reliable Koc values. Because there are not many experimental data available for priority pharmaceuticals to evaluate the model performance, it should be important to obtain reliable experimental data including sorption coefficients and biodegradation rate constants for the prediction of the fate of the selected pharmaceuticals.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2020

Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that causes serious health problems. Nonetheless, it is increasingly being used for industrial applications and is often discharged into the environment without adequate purification. In this study, Pb(II) was removed by powdered waste sludge (PWS) based on the biosorption mechanism. Different PWSs were collected from a submerged moving media intermittent aeration reactor (SMMIAR) and modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) processes. The contents of extracellular polymeric substances were similar, but the surface area of MLE-PWS (2.07 ㎡/g) was higher than that of SMMIAR-PWS (0.82 ㎡/g); this is expected to be the main parameter determining Pb(II) biosorption capacity. The Bacillaceae family was dominant in both PWSs and may serve as the major responsible bacterial group for Pb(II) biosorption. Pb(II) biosorption using PWS was evaluated for reaction time, salinity effect, and isotherm equilibrium. For all experiments, MLE-PWS showed higher removal efficiency. At a fixed initial Pb(II) concentration of 20 mg/L and a reaction time of 180 minutes, the biosorption capacities (q_e) for SMMIAR- and MLE-PWSs were 2.86 and 3.07 mg/g, respectively. Pb(II) biosorption using PWS was rapid; over 80% of the maximum biosorption capacity was achieved within 10 minutes. Interestingly, MLE-PWS showed enhanced Pb(II) biosorption with salinity values of up to 30 g NaCl/L. Linear regression of the Freundlich isotherm revealed high regression coefficients (R² > 0.968). The fundamental Pb(II) biosorption capacity, represented by the K_F value, was consistently higher for MLE-PWS than SMMIAR-PWS.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2020

Because of the intensified environmental problems such as climate change and resource depletion, sewage treatment technology focused on energy management has recently attracted attention. The conversion of primary sludge from the primary sedimentation tank and excessive sludge from the secondary sedimentation tank into biogas is the key to energy-positive sewage treatment. In particular, the primary sedimentation tanks recover enriched biodegradable organic matter and anaerobic digestion process produces methane from the organic wastes for energy production. Such technologies for minimizing oxygen demand are leading the innovation regarding sewage treatment plants. However, sewage treatment facilities in Korea lack core technology and operational know-how. Actually, the energy potential of sewage is higher than sewage treatment energy consumption in the sewage treatment, but current processes are not adequately efficient in energy recovery. To improve this, it is possible to apply chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT), high-rate activated sludge (HRAS), and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to the primary sedimentation tank. To maximize the methane production of sewage treatment plants, organic wastes such as food waste and livestock manure can be digested. Additionally, mechanical pretreatment, thermal hydrolysis, and chemical pretreatment would enhance the methane conversion of organic waste. Power generation systems based on internal combustion engines are susceptible to heat source losses, requiring breakthrough energy conversion systems such as fuel cells. To realize the energy positive sewage treatment plant, primary organic matter recovery from sewage, biogas pretreatment, and co-digestion should be optimized in the energy management system based on the knowledge-based operation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1001-1009
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• 2000

This study is to find the utilization of intermittent aeration system, around S-COD, T-COD, SS, timewise changes of treatment performance, sludge conversion yield, changes of temperature and pH, etc. In consequence of this study, factors of temperature correction showed 1.052 on continuous aeration, and 1.056 on intermittent aeration which is more sensitive to temperature through a minute degree. Meanwhile, sludge conversion yield on intermittent aeration showed lower and more economical than that on continuous aeration. In case of changing pH, treatment water of both reactors worsened slightly in acid but improved in alkali. In general. considering the quality of effluent water, variation pH of effluent water, etc. the case of intermittent aeration was more favorable than that of continuous aeration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1132-1138
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• 2008

The study was carried out to investigate adsorption characteristic on hydrogen sulfide (H$_2$S) and methylmercaptan (CH$_3$SH) odor gas using the char made by a thermal decomposition of sewage sludge. The fixed bed adsorption experiments of the optimum L/D ratio could be 1.0, and adsorption capacity and break point increased with the increase of temperature. A simultaneous adsorption characteristic of H$_2$S and CH$_3$SH increased in breakthrough time and adsorption capacity more than single adsorption experiment, and CH$_3$SH had higher effective diffusivities than H$_2$S in same condition. The adsorption capacity of CH$_3$SH increased with fast velocity. When it was compared the produced absorbent with commercial activated carbon, As to adsorbent amount, it was H$_2$S 77% and CH$_3$SH 80% of commercial activated carbon.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.190-195
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• 2004

A new technology for advanced wastewater treatment was developed using a modified Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) process, named as Rotating Activated Bacillus Contactor (RABC) process that utilizes Bacillus sp., the facultatively anaerobic or activated microaerophilic bacteria on multiple-stage reticular rotating carriers, as a predominant species. The RABC process for a municipal wastewater with relatively low concentrations of organics, nitrogen, and phosphorus showed stable and high removal efficiencies, less than $BOD_5$ 10 mg/L, T-N 15 mg/L, and T-P 1.5 mg/L in final effluent. The performance load of RABC process was shown to be $1.23kg{\cdot}BOD/m^2{\cdot}day$ for the first stage (average $0.31kg{\cdot}BOD/m^2{\cdot}day$ for the total stages) based on both removed BOD and converted disc area corresponding to the reticular one. The sludge produced in the RABC process is characterized by low generation rate (about $0.18kg{\cdot}MLSS/kg{\cdot}BOD$) and excellent settleability. The number ratio of Bacillus ($2.4{\times}10^6CFU/ml$) to heterotrophic bacteria ($3.6{\times}10^7CFU/ml$) inhabiting in the biofilms of the RABC process was 6.7 %, indicating that Bacillus sp. was a predominant species in the biofilms. The RABC process with reticular rotating carriers showed its excellent performance for the advanced wastewater treatment without any offensive odor problem due to organic overloading.