The sludge flotation/thickening apparatus equipped a micro-bubble generating pump was used to investigate micro-bubble generating properties on operational parameters. We evaluated micro-bubble generating properties as results to be operated the apparatus by operational parameters which are pump discharge pressure, air/water ratio(A/W ratio), air flow rate, and water flow rate. Micro-bubble generating efficiencies in pumps without recycling flow and with 50% of recycling flow was found to be very efficient on optimum A/W ratio from 1.06 to 3.62% and optimum A/W ratio from 1.05 to 4.06%, respectively. In condition of 3.6% of A/W ratio, we showed that the apparatus could be generated 36,000 ppm of micro-bubble concentration to be optimum treatment efficiency in sludge thickening process.

The performance of EF (electroflotation) on the thickening of activated sludge were investigated using laboratory scale batch flotation reactor. In this paper, the effects of parameters such as electrode material, NaCl dosage, initial sludge concentration and electrode distance were examined. The results showed that the performance for sludge thickening of the five electrodes lay in: Pt/Ti > Ru/Ti > Ir/Ti > Ti mesh > Ti plate. The more NaCl dosage was high, the more sludge was thickened and the shorter thickening time was obtained. However, considering the final thickening time and sludge concentration, optimum NaCl dosage was 0.5 g/L. Thickening time and sludge concentration was not affected by electrode distance. In DAF (dissolved air flotation) system, optimum recycle ratio was 40% and thickening performance was lower than that of the EF.

For a membrane bio-reactor, it is possible to filter and separate activated sludge and effluent by head loss of centimeters, if non-woven fabric material is used as filtration media. However, if non-woven fabric material is used to thicken high-concentration sludge, excessive sludge attachment causes the rapid decrease of flux. Mesh with pore sizes of 100μm, 150μm, and 200μm allows for easy separation of attached sludge. This study examined the possibility of mesh as filtration media. Existing close-flow filtration process, which requires maintaining sludge movement, makes it difficult to obtain high thickening rate. With a view of complementing this weakness, this study has made an experimental examination on how high-concentration sludge (about 3,000mg/L to 10,000mg/L) will be filtered and thickened when mesh module is submersed in the bio-reactor. Effluent flowed from the bottom of the bio-reactor by head loss of 65cm. In case of pore size of 100μm, SS showed high recovery of 80% to 96%; therefore, it has been decided that mesh can be used as filtration media. Filtration lasted for more than 9 hours, until sludge with 9,000mg/L in MLSS concentration was thickened 9 times as dense. In the range from 3,610mg/L to 9,060mg/L in MLSS concentration, it was possible to obtain effluent with less than 2mg/L in MLSS concentration within 10 minutes.

An effective technique of sludge separation is required for excess sludge of sewage or wastewater plant. The separation of bulking sludge of paper manufacturing plant was studied using DAF(Dissolved Air Flotation) system. The effects of parameters such as nozzle type, A/S(air/solid) ratio, pressure, injection time of pressured water and saturation time were examined. The results showed that the best nozzle type was flat which had small orifice hole. The optimum A/S ratio and pressure were 7.070×10-3(recycle ratio of pressured water : 20%) and 5 atm, respectively. Injection times of pressurized water around 20-25 sesc and flotation time of 30 min appeared to be optimal for the DAF operation. The order of performance of packing was 18 mm > 22 mm > 32 mm.