Advancement in Continuous Flow Densified Sludge System Design and Operation

Nutrient management at water resource recovery facilities is crucial for addressing water quality issues in watersheds burdened by rapid urbanization and growing populations. Conventional biological nutrient removal (BNR) technologies can generally meet water quality goals, but they are energy intensive. Therefore, new approaches are needed to intensify treatment processes and reduce capital and operational costs.

This project aimed to balance sludge settleability, low effluent suspended solids and turbidity, and favorable biological nutrient removal (BNR) kinetics in continuous-flow (CF) densification processes. The project summarized the existing state of knowledge on aerobic granular sludge (AGS), measured the operation and performance of CF densification pilot facilities, and completed a model-based investigation of CF densification biological activity. The findings from both a literature review and performance assessments were synthesized to develop design and operational guidelines. These guidelines are intended to assist practitioners and utilities in implementing full-scale densification processes effectively. Published in 2024.