ENVE 309
FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGICAL
TREATMENT
2 0 2 1- 2022 FA L L
M ET U
ENV I RO NM ANTA L EN GI N EERI NG D EPA RT MENT
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INTRODUCTION
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Prerequisite situation
EnvE 202 EnvE 309
EnvE 309 is not a prerequisite for any other
course.
But;
It helps you in EnvE 304 and maybe in Enve
407&408
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Objective:
The course aims to introduce environmental
engineering students to the fundamentals of
biological wastewater treatment processes.
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Wastewater (WW)
Domestic WW
• From residential areas
Industrial WW
• From industries (textile, paper, chemical, food
etc)
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Domestic Wastewater
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Domestic Wastewater Composition
Concentration
Contaminants Unit Weak Medium Strong
Solids, total (TS) mg/L 350 720 1200
TDS mg/L 250 500 850
Fixed mg/L 145 300 525
Volatile mg/L
105 200 325
SS mg/L 100 220 350
Fixed mg/L 20 55 75
Volatile mg/L
80 165 275
Settleable Solids mL/L 5 10 20
BOD5 mg/L 110 220 400
TOC mg/L 80 160 290
COD mg/L 250 500 1000
Nitrogen (total as N) mg/L 20 40 85
Organic mg/L 8 15 35
Free Ammonia mg/L 12 25 50
Nitrites mg/L 0 0 0
Nitrates mg/L
0 0 0
Phosphorus (total P) mg/L 4 8 15
Organic mg/L 1 3 5
Inorganic mg/L 3 5 10
Chlorides* mg/L 30 50 100
Sulfate* mg/L 20 30 50
Alkalinity as CaCO3 mg/L 50 100 200
Grease mg/L 50 100 150
Total Coliform #/100mL 106-107 107-108 107-109
Volatile Organic
µg/L <100 100-400 >400
Compounds (VOCs)
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Wastewater Treatment: Objective
To reduce the amount of pollutants in the
water to such a level that the water can be
returned to the environment without
causing stress on aquatic life and be of
sufficient quality for subsequent users.
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Regulations
WPCR, 1988 (revized in 2004)
(Water Pollution Control Regulation)
UWTR, 2006
(Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulation)
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Typical domestic WW characteristics and related regulation
Parameter Typical domestic WW value Discharge criteria regulation
weak medium strong
COD 250 500 1000 90-180* WPCR, 2004
125 UWTR, 2006
BOD5 110 220 400 35-50* WPCR, 2004
25 UWTR, 2006
SS 100 220 350 25-70* WPCR, 2004
35 UWTR, 2006
P 4 8 15 2 mg/l P UWTR, 2006
(10000-100000 PE)
1 mg/l P
(>100 000 PE)
N 20 40 85 15 mg/l N UWTR, 2006
(10000-100000 PE)
10 mg/l N
(>100 000 PE)
* depending on PE and sample composite type
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Concern of this course
Biological N&P
removal
fundamentals of biological wastewater treatment processes
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Course catalogue description
Introduction to continuous culture kinetics, inhibited
growth kinetics. Chemostat cultures, deviation from ideal,
chemostat cultures with biomass recycle. Plug-flow
cultures. Fed-batch and repeated batch cultures.
Introduction to activated sludge process kinetics.
Nitrification and denitrification systems. Basics of anaerobic
suspended culture systems. Microbiology of wastewater
treatment.
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Course Outline (for further detail please
visit https://odtusyllabus.metu.edu.tr)
Growth Kinetics - Batch cultures
Batch Growth Kinetics - Review
Growth Kinetics - Continuous cultures
Plug flow and CSTR (chemostat) culture kinetics.
Cultures with biomass recycle.
Deviation from ideal case: Maintenance energy
requirement, wall growth, death, inhibited growth
kinetics, competition of the organisms, nutrient
requirements.
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Course Outline (Cont’d)
Activated Sludge Cultures
Kinetics of activated sludge cultures; Introduction to
sludge-age concept; Substrate uptake kinetics.
Modifications of activated sludge (Conventional,
tapered aeration, completely mixed, high-rate,
contact-stabilization, step-aeration, sequencing batch
reactors, Membrane bioreactors)
Activated sludge microbiology; Bulking and foaming
in activated sludge; Use of filamentous microorganism
identification as a tool for diagnosing the causes of
bulking; Bulking and foaming control
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Course Outline (Cont’d)
Biological Nutrient Removal
Biological N Removal: Nitrification – Denitrification;
Kinetics and processes
Biological P removal and Processes
Combined C, N, P removing processes
Anaerobic Treatment
Anaerobic digestion of wastewater and sludge
Kinetics of anaerobic contact process; Process
modifications
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Student Learning Outcomes
Students will have an understanding of microbial kinetics
& its relationship to bioreactor kinetics with emphasis to
CSTR kinetics.
Students will relate the basics of bio-reactor kinetics to
activated sludge process & its modifications; Develop
relevant design skills as required in professional
environmental engineering practice.
Students will develop skills to operate the complex
biological reactors, especially activated sludge.
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Reference Books:
S.J. Pirt,"Principles of Microbe and Cell Cultivation", Blackwell
Publication, 1975.
M. L. Shuler and F. Kargi, “Bioprocess Engineering”, Pearson Publication,
2014.
N.J. Horan, "Biological Wastewater Treatment Systems", Wiley
Publications, 1990.
L.D. Benefield and C.W. Randall, "Biological Process Design for
Wastewater Treatment", Prentice-Hall Inc., 1980.
Metcalf&Eddy, “Wastewater Engineering”, Mc Graw Hill, 2003.
G. Bitton, “Wastewater Microbiology” John Wiley Sons, 1994.*
B.E. Ritmann & P.L. McCarty, “Environmental Biotechnology”, Mc Graw
Hill, 2001.
* Available online... Also, please note that there are numbers of some other related e-
books available through METU-Library.
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Grading & Course Policy:
Two mid-terms (50%), one final (40%), homeworks (10%)
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemics situation, classes will be
held online in a synchronized manner. Video recording of
the lessons will be taken, lecture presentations will also be
shared via odtu-class.
Students have to attend 70% of all classes in order to be
eligible to take the final exam, so not to get the grade NA.
Any missing exam and/or homeworks without an acceptable
excuse will also lead to the grade NA.
Exams will be conducted online.
Homeworks 5 or 6!
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Recitation Hours
To be conducted by the assistants of the course, namely,
Sarp Çelebi and Bahar Evren.
Scheduling will be arranged together with you.
Attendance is not a must but, strongly reommended.
Ofice Hours
For me:
Tuesday 16:40 Sec 1 & Thursday 14:40 Sec 2
For your assistants:
To be announced..
Also, a forum activity on ODTUClass for your questions.
19/19
With wishes for a successfull semester...
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