Modeling thermomechanical pulp and paper activated sludge treatment plants to gain insight to the causes of bulking

Abstract

The Activated Sludge Model No. 1 was chosen as the basis for model development and was modified to take into account the specific characteristics of pulp and paper effluents. The model was incorporated to the GPS-X simulation environment (Hydromantis, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) to study operating deficiencies and nutrient transformations, particularly in relation to bulking. The results show that the process of ammonification is not significant at the studied mill and that the process of phosphatification (transformation of soluble organic phosphorus into orthophosphates) seems to be related to settling problems, as indicated by the sludge volume index. The phosphatification rate and the standard oxygen-transfer efficiency were found to decrease as the system entered a bulking state. Understanding the behavior of pulp and paper activated sludge can be improved by the incorporation of industry-specific processes and components to comprehensive models. These models then can be used to gain insight to the causes of bulking.