Development of a Methodology for Sizing Activated Sludge Reactor Volumes for Treating Wastewater from the Recycled Paper Industry

Henrique Mendonça; Conan Ayade  Salvador; Monica Silva dos Santos

doi:10.4025/actascitechnol.v47i1.73328

Authors

Henrique Mendonça Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7242-5110
Conan Universidade Federal Rural do Rio De Janeiro https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5503-9573
Monica Universidade Federal Rural do Rio De Janeiro https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2661-6660

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascitechnol.v47i1.73328

Keywords:

Pollutant removal; reaction volume; pulp and paper; removal kinetics.

Abstract

Although the activated sludge system has been in use since the last decade, many industrial typologies still lack a precisely adjusted equation for sizing the optimal volume of these reactors. In response to the need for obtaining size parameters for activated sludge reactors used for treating effluents from the recycled paper industry, a new procedure, in batch mode, reactors were tested at 20°C under different hydraulic retention times (HRT) and 3 ranges of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentrations. Kinetic equations for removing BOD₅ and COD were obtained, along with a model equation for calculating the volume of activated sludge reactors. Removals above 90% for BOD₅ and COD were achieved with 72 hours of aeration and MLVSS concentrations above 4 g L^-1. This new method with standardized equations specific to recycled paper industry wastewater can be considered validated and ready for use by users such as undergraduates and graduates, as well as wastewater treatment plant designers. Finally, it is advisable to use aerobic biological sludge from textile mills for inoculation of activated sludge systems in the paper industry.

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