As aeration is an energy-intensive process, its control has become more important to save energy and to meet strict effluent limits. In this study, predictive aeration control based on the respirometric method has been applied to the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process. The variation of the respiration rate by nitrification was great and obvious, so it could be a very useful parameter for the predictive aeration control. The maximum respiration rate due to nitrification was about 60 mg O2/L‧h and the maximum specific nitrification rate was about 7.5 mg N/g MLVSS‧h. The aeration time of the following cycle of the SBR was daily adjusted in proportion to that which was previously determined based on the sudden decrease of respiration rate at the end of nitrification in the respirometer. The aeration time required for nitrification could be effectively predicted and it was closely related to influent nitrogen loadings. By the predictive aeration control the aerobic period of the SBR has been optimized, and energy saving and enhanced nitrogen removal could be obtained.

Recent focus on wastewater treatment includes energy-saving and renewable energy generation for energy-independence of water infrastructures. Aeration and pumping in biological wastewater removal processes account for nearly 30-60% of the total electricity cost in real wastewater treatment plants. In this study, the performance and microbial characteristics were investigated in sequencing batch reactor under typical oxygen and oxygen limited condition. Under typical DO (7.55±0.99 mg/L) and low DO (0.23±0.08 mg/L) conditions, COD removal was stable over 91 % during SBR operation. Ammonia removal efficiency was reduced from 95.6 % to 89.2 % when DO concentration was dropped sharply. Phosphorus removal efficiency also reached 77% at oxygen-limited condition. The results indicated that removal efficiency both ammonia and phosphorus was influenced by DO condition. Microbial analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes at phylum level was dominant in typical DO and low DO conditions and DO concentration did not much affect phylum distribution. Population decrease of genera of nitrifying bacteria(Dokdonella) and Dechloromonas spp. affect removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus at low DO condition.

The respirometric technique has been used to analyze the nitrification process in a sequencing batch reactor(SBR) treating municipal wastewater. Especially the profile of the respiration rate very well expressed the reaction characteristics of nitrification. As the nitrification process required a significant amount of oxygen for nitrogen oxidation, the respiration rate due to nitrification was high. The maximum nitrification respiration rate, which was about 50 mg O2/L･h under the period of sufficient nitrification, was related directly to the nitrification reaction rate and showed the nitrifiers activity. The growth rate of nitrifiers is the most critical parameter in the design of the biological nutrient removal systems. On the basis of nitrification kinetics, the maximum specific growth rate of nitrifiers in the SBR was estimated as 0.91 d-1 at 20℃, and the active biomass of nitrifiers was calculated as 23 mg VSS/L and it was about 2% of total biomass.

As the sequencing batch reactor process is a time-oriented system, it has advantages of the flexibility in operation for the biological nutrient removal. Because the sequencing batch reactor is operated in a batch system, respiration rate is more sensitive and obvious than in a continuous system. The variation of respiration rate in the process well represented the characteristics of biological reactions, especially nitrification. The respiration rate dropped rapidly and greatly with the completion of nitrification, and the maximum respiration rate of nitrification showed the activity of nitrifiers. This study suggested a strategy to control the aeration of the sequencing batch reactor based on respirometry. Aeration time of the optimal aerobic period required for nitrification was daily adjusted according to the dynamics of respiration rate. The aeration time was mainly correlated with influent nitrogen loadings. The anoxic period was extended through aeration control facilitating a longer endogenous denitrification reaction time. By respirometric aeration control in the sequencing batch reactor, energy saving and process performance improvement could be achieved.

There are several serious problems in treating shipboard wastewater due to special environmental conditions of ship, such as confined space, rolling and pitching, change of temperature and so on. It was suggested that Sequence Batch Reator (SBR) process might be suitable for overcoming above problems in terms of small size, high capacity of treating wastewater and full automation. In this study the SBR process was used for the secondary treatment of shipboard wastewater. The average removal efficiency of DOC, nitrogen, phosphorus and surfactants(MBAS) were studied and the effects of various C/N ration on the efficiency of treatment were investgated. From the experimental results it was convinced that the SBR process would be able to be used as a suitable process for removing organic matters and nitrogen in reuse system of shipboard wastewater.

본 연구에서는 선박에서 발생하는 오․폐수의 처리를 위하여 SBR공정에 유효미생물을 주입하는 변법을 이용하여 Lab scale 실험을 수행하였다. 유해물질 유입에 따른 생물학적 처리 장치의 효율 저하 문제를 해결하기 위하여 SBR공정에 유효미생물을 주입하는 변법은 크루 즈선이라는 특수 환경과의 접목성과 생물학적 처리 시 야기될 수 있는 문제를 대비하기 위한 대안으로 선박환경에 매우 적합한 공정으로 평가 되었다. 슬러지 관찰 결과 기존의 활성슬러지에 유효미생물의 주입함으로써 슬러지의 안정성을 확보할 수 있었으며, 슬러지의 EPS 함량도 40% 이상 높아진 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 슬러지의 미생물 분석 결과 유효미생물 주입으로 인해 수처리에 유리한 미생물종이 다수 출현 하여 휘발성 유기화합물과 같은 유기 유해물질이 생분해되어 안전한 물질로 전환되는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며. 중금속과 같은 무기 유해물질 도 중금속의 종류와 유입농도에 영향을 받지 않고 70% 이상의 안정적인 처리 효율도 확보할 수 있는 것으로 확인되었다.