Wastewater management is increasingly emphasizing economic and environmental sustainability. Traditional methods in sewage treatment plants have significant implications for the environment and the economy due to power and chemical consumption, and sludge generation. To address these challenges, a study was conducted to develop the Intermittent Cycle Extended Aeration System (ICEAS). This approach was implemented as the primary technique in a full-scale wastewater treatment facility, utilizing key operational factors within the standard Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process. The optimal operational approach, identified in this study, was put into practice at the research facility from January 2020 to December 2022. By implementing management strategies within the biological reactor, it was shown that maintaining and reducing chemical quantities, sludge generation, power consumption, and related costs could yield economic benefits. Moreover, adapting operations to influent characteristics and seasonal conditions allowed for efficient blower operation, reducing unnecessary electricity consumption and ensuring proper dissolved oxygen levels. Despite annual increases in influent flow rate and concentration, this study demonstrated the ability to maintain and reduce sludge production, electricity consumption, and chemical usage. Additionally, systematic responses to emergencies and abnormal situations significantly contributed to economic, technical, and environmental benefits.

It is essential to decrease energy consumption and excess sludge to economically operate sewage treatment plant. This becomes more important along with a ban on sea dumping and exhaustion of resource. Therefore, many researchers have been study on energy consumption reduction and strategies for minimization of excess sludge production from the activated sludge process. The aeration cost account for a high proportion of maintenance cost because sufficient air is necessary to keep nitrifying bacteria activity of which the oxygen affinity is inferior to that of heterotrophic bacteria. Also, additional costs are incurred to stabilize excess sludge and decrease the volume of sludge. There were anoxic, aerobic, membrane, deairation and concentration zone in this MBR process. Continuous aeration was provided to prevent membrane fouling in membrane zone and intermittent aeration was provided in aerobic zone through ammonia sensor. So, there was the minimum oxygen to remove NH4-N below limited quantity that could be eliminated in membrane zone. As the result of this control, energy consumption of aeration system declined by between 10.4 % and 19.1 %. Besides, we could maintain high MLSS concentration in concentration zone and this induced the microorganisms to be in starved condition. Consequentially, the amount of excess sludge decrease by about 15 %.

두 개의 간헐반응조, 막분리조, 탈기조로 구성된 생물학적 MBR고도처리 공정에 동일한 유입수량과 수질의 하수가 유입되는 경우 운전 온도 및 SRT (Sludge Retention Time)변화에 따른 질소제거 특성을 컴퓨터 시뮬레이션을 통해 파악하였다. SRT가 25일이고 운전온도가 25℃인 경우 간헐반응조를 간헐폭기 시키는 경우에 운전온도 13℃의 59%에서 31%로 질소제거효율이 급격히 떨어지는데, 이는 운전온도 13℃에 비해서 간헐반응조의 RBO (Readily Biodegradable Organic) 농도가 낮아져서 발생한 현상으로 파악되었다. 운전온도 25℃에서 SRT를 12.6일로 운전하는 경우 간헐반응조 RBO농도는 증가하고 질소제거 효율은 회복되었다. 간헐반응조를 갖는 MBR시스템에서 SRT와 운전온도가 간헐반응조 RBO농도에 미치는 영향은 좀더 깊게 연구되어야 한다.

A laboratory experiment was performed to investigate phosphorus and nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater by intermittently aerated activated sludge process packed with aluminum and silver plate. Three continuous experimental processes, i. e. an intermittently aerated activated sludge process(Run A), an intermittently aerated activated sludge process with an aluminum and silver plate packed into the reactor(Run B), and a reactor post stage(Run C) were compared. In the batch experiments, the phosphorus removal time in the reactor packed with aluminum and silver plate simultaneously was faster than that of the reactor packed with only an aluminum plate. More phosphorus was removed with an increase of NaCl concentration. The pitting corrosion of aluminum does not affect the performance of the biological treatment. The total nitrogen removal efficiency in Run B was 57% and 43.6% at the HRT of 12 and 6 hours respectively. The effluent PO4-P concentration as low as 1.0 mg/L could be obtainable through the continuous experiment in Run B at HRT of 6 hours.