Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for
a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and
private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without
the permission of the Author.
Thus says the Lorl_':
!lLet not the "rise man glo y i:' his wis(!om,
Let not the mighty man g:_ory in his m�.ght,
Let not the rich man glo�-y i::-: his ric. es;
But et him who g' ories glory ::n this ,
That he kno -s and unders�and3 me,
That I am t,e Lor( who p'. acLse
Steadfast lrwe, jL'stice, and righteour:<ness in the (. �:::-th;
For in thes" things I de� igb ;."
..
, eremiah
9
v
•• 24
STUDI ES I N ANAEROBI C/AEROBI C TREATMEHT
OF
DAI RY SHED EFFLUENT
A thesis p rese n t e d in part ial fu lfilment of the
r equ irement for the d e gree of
DOCTOR OF P HILOSOP H Y
in
Agr i cu l tu ral Engine ering
A t Massey Univers i ty
P alm e rs ton N orth
N ew Z ealand
DAV I D JOHN WARBURTON
1977
A1::S T HACT
I ncreases in herd siz e and enforcement; of water qual ity regulations
have crea�;ed an effluent disposal probl em for the New Zealand dairy
industry. Sp ray disp osal to land and lag,)oning are c ommonly used but
mechanical failures, management requirements and p ressure on land have
limited their suitabil ity in many situati,)ns. This p roject vias
estab lished to consider an alternative system.
Initial studies revealed that anaerobic treatment in unmixed,
non-i nsulated tanks, followed by trickl ing filter aeration, might be
sllitable. Two laboratory scale and one field treatment plant ( 1 / 1 5 1 /20 ful l scale ) were constructed to investigate the system. A
factorial experimental design allowed investigation into three
anae robi c treatment l evels with a 3
3 aerobic treatment interaction
nested wi thin ea ch anaerob i c treatment.
x
Ana e robic residence times o f 5, 7. 5 and 10 days provided loading rates
o f 1. 35 - 0. 63 kg COD/m3_day and 1 . 36 - 0. 67 kg T S/m 3_day. Removals
between inlet and outlet averaged 71% and were insensitive to loading
rate. T otal solids ac cumulation rates of 40-50% TS input rate suggests
that anaerobic tank design should be based on sol ids accumulation rate
and c l eaning frequency.
The stone media trickling fi l ter was loaded at approximately 0 . 61 kg
COD/m3-day. Aeration periods of 1, 2 and 3 days and hydraulic loads of
2. 8, 1 0 . 1 and 1 8. 2 m 3/m2_day were s tudied to determine their i nfluence
on treatment effi ciency. Multiple regression analysis indicated that
the longe r residence times and higher recycle rates improved treatment
e ffi ciency. Removals varied with the mee.sured parameters but ranged
from 42-66% for COD. Design alterations to allow the final discharge
tu be taken from the b ottom of the filter, after settling, would
increase aer obic treatment efficiency above 75't� COD removal .
P rediction of treatment effi ciencies beyc'nd the monitored op erating
cond itio ns suggested that only margillal improvements could be made.
The TS accumulation rate in the aerobic T,hase was approximately 1 3% of
the TS input rate or 5G�� of the BaD removal rate.
Overal l plant treatment effi c iencies of 80-89% were obtained .
Lemovals
in excess of 92% coc;ld be achieved with minor design alterations .
Maintenance and opel'ational requirements were minima l . The only probl em
with the sys tem wa� an a ve rage 15 f old in�rease in N0 3-N and 4 fold
increase in DIP under condi t ions for op timum removal of the o ther
p aram e te rs .
Interm�ttent land disp osal could reduce this p roblem.
Treatment c omparison be tween similar laboratory plar.ts , and b etween
laboratory and f ield p lants which varied by a scal e factor o f 56,
sugges ts tha t identically designed p lants would give a s imilar
p er formance and that there is little scale effec t. Increasing tr._e
scale only impro ved t reatment effi ciencies under unetable aerobic
conditi ons, i . e . , high recycle rates and l ow resideLce times .
Increasing scale gave some d ecrease in maintenance and operational
p roblems .
Des i gn of a full scale p lant, based on daily p ollution loads froffi a
cow dai ry shed , suggests that the system is a viab le: p roposition.
250
- Mr I.R.
Hlcghes,
S ta tisti c ian ,
Dairy Research I n s t i';u t e;
for his
assistanc e i n s ta t istical analys is .
- S taff of the Printery and P h o t o graphi c Depar t m e n tsr Massey U niversi ty;
f o r t he i r assist an c e i n produ c ing thig thesis.
- Mobil Oil New Zealand L td . ;
for the grant of $1, 000 t o assis t i n the
c ons tru c t i o n of the field treatment p lant .
C O N T ENTS
CHAPTER 1 .
INTRODUCTION
1:1 )
The New Zealand Dairy I ndustry
2
1 : 2)
Dairy Effluent Treatment
2
CHAPTER 2.
2: 1 )
2!
DAIRY SHED EFFLUENT TREATMENT - A REVI EW
6
Effluent P ro duction at the Dairy Shed
7
2 ) Treatment 1I1ethods and the Law
2:2 . 1 ) T�e Water and Soil Conservation Act
2:2 . 2 )
2:2 . 3 )
Da i ry Regulations
N�ti onal Surveys of Dairy Shed Effluent
T re atment
Land Disp osal
2: 3. 1 )
I ntroductioY1
2: 3. 2) resign and Loading Rates
2: 3. 2, 1 ) Hydr&ul ic Loads
2: 3. 2,2 ) Sol id Loads
2: 3)
2:
3. 2, 3 )
Nutrj.ent Loads
Treatment Efficiency
2: 3. 3, 1 ) Runoff and Infiltration Qual ity
2: 3. 3 , 2 ) Soil Quality
2: 3.4) Plant Growth Responses
2:3.5) Animal Health
2: 3.5, 1 ) Disease T ransmission
2: 3. 5, 2) Metabolic Disorders
2: 3. 6 ) Pretreatment for Land Disp osal
2 : 3 . 7) Economics of Land Disp osal
2: 3. 3 )
Anaerobic Treatment
2:4. 1 ) Intro duction
2:4. 2 ) Principles of Anaerobic T reatment
2:4.2, 1 ) Biochemical Reactions
2:4 )
2:4;2 , 2) Environmental Requi r ements
2: 4. 3) Anaero bic Lagoons
2:4.3, 1 ) Loading Rates
7
7
10
10
12
12
12
12
13
13
13
13
15
15
15
15
15
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
18
20
P age
2:4.3,2)
Lagoon Op eration
21
2:4.3,3)
Treatmen t Eff ic::. ency
21
2:4.3,4)
Solids A ccumulation and D ispo sal
22
2:4.4)
2:5)
23
2:4.4, 1)
Loading Rates
23
2:4.4,2)
T reatment Eff iciency and Ga s P roduction
24
2:4.4,3)
Design and Development
24
A erobic T rea tment
25
2:5.1)
Introduction
25
2:5.2)
Ox i da t i on P onds
25
2:5.2,1)
De sign C onsiderations
25
2:5.2,2)
T reatment Effi ci ency
26
2:5.3)
Aerated Lago ons
27
2:5.4)
Tri ck l ing F il ters
27
2:5.4,1)
Introdu c tion
27
2:5.4,2)
Design Considerations
28
2:5.4,3)
T emp erature Eff e cts
31
2:5.4,4)
K inetics and Op timizat ion
32
2:5.4,5)
Nu tri ent Remova l
34
2:5.4,6)
Trick l ing Fil ter s in Lives tock Waste
Treatment
34
2:5.5)
Rotating B i ologi cal Dis c s
36
2:5.6)
Oxidation Di tches
36
2:5.6, 1)
Design of Oxidation D i tche s
36
2:5.6,2)
Operation of Ox idation Dit ches
37
2:5.7)
C omp os ting
37
2:5.8)
Odour Control
38
2:6)
Physi cal and Ch emical Treatment
2:6.1)
2:7)
3.
3:1)
Solid/Liquid Separation
38
38
2:6.1, 1)
Sedimentation
38
2:6.1,2)
Sol id/Liquid Separat ors
39
2: 6.2)
CHAPTER
Capp e d Anaerobic Digest ion
Waste
Chemical Trea tme nt
Recycle
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Introdu c t i on
39
39
41
42
CHAPTER
3: 2)
B i o l ogic a l Treatmen t
42
3: 3)
Imp l e�entation of C on c ep ts
43
4.
PLANT DEVELOPMENT - INITIAL SS:UDIES
45
4.1 )
S e l e ct i on of Effluent Sourc e
46
4,2 )
Single Tank T reatm e nt
46
46
4: 2. 1)
I ntroduc t i o n
4: 2 . 2 )
I ni ti a l P i l o t P lant
4 : 2 . 2,1)
Design and C onstruc ti o n
4 : 2 . 2,1 )
P lant Op e ra t i on
4: 2 . 3)
A Gl ass C o lumn Fil ter
4: 2.4 )
C o nclusi o ns from the Single Tank T re a tment
P l ants
4. 3 )
46
46
48
48
49
49
Twin �ank T reatment
4 : 3. 1 )
4: 3. 2 )
=nt r o du c t i on
49
j)e s i gn and C onst ru c t i on
49
4 : 3. 3)
Op e r a t i o n of t h e Twin Tank P lant
51
4: 3 . 4 )
C on clus i o ns f rom the T w i n Tank Treatment
System
54
CHAPTER 5.
PLANT DEVELOP NENT - FINAL DESIGN
57
5: 1)
Lab o ra t ory P l ant C ons truct i on
58
5: 2 )
Fie l d P lant C ons truc tion
58
CHAPTER 6.
64
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
6:1)
65
Samp l e C o llect i on
6 . 1 . 1 ) Raw Was t e
6 : 1. 1 ,1 ) Manual
C o l l ec t i on
6 : 1. 1 , 2 ) Au t oma tic
6 . 1 . 2 ) T r e a t e d Efflu e n t
6:2)
C o ll e c t i on
65
65
65
67
6: 2.1)
Timing of Analyses
69
69
6:2.2)
A naly tical P arameters and Ne thods
69
6:3)
Samp l e Anal ysis
6 : 2 . 2, 1 )
T otal Samp l e Analysis
69
6:2 . 2, 2 )
Sub-Samp l e Analys i s
70
O t h e r Re c o r ds
71
I�:HAPTER
7.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
73
7 : 1)
Initial Studies
74
7 : 2)
Main Trials
74
7: 2 .
1)
7 : 2 . 2)
CHAPTER
8.
Operational Procedure
74
Data Analysis
76
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
79
8: 1 )
Collected Data
80
8: 2)
Characteristics o f Dairy Shed Effluent
80
8: 2 . 1)
8: 2. 2)
8: 2 . 3 )
8: 3 )
Ivleasured Characteristi·::s
00
Pollution Loads from Dairy Shed Effluent
82
Correlation of Pollution Parameters
82
Anaerobic Treatment Phase
8:3. 1 )
8:3.2)
82
Anaerobic Loading Rates
85
Anaerobic Treatment Efficiencies
85
8 : 3 . 3)
Anaerobic Solid Accumulation and Disposal
8:3.4)
88
Comparison of the Laboratory and Field Plants
8: 4 )
Aerobic Treatment Phase
8:4.1)
8: 4 . 2 )
92
93
Aerobic Loading Rates
93
Aerobic Treatment Results
93
8:4. 2 , 1 )
8: 4 . 2 , 2 )
Introduction
93
Regression Equations and Contour
96
Diagrams
8: 4.2,3)
8: 4 . 2 , 4)
Discussion of Aerobic 'llre.:J.tment Resul ts
Anaerobic Influence on Ae�obic
99
113
Treatment
8: 4.2,5 )
8:4.3)
8:4.4)
8 : 5)
CHAPTER
9.
Prediction of Treatment Efficiencies
11 5
Solids Accumulation in the Aerobic Tank
11 5
Treatment Plant Comparisons
1 20
Correlation of BOD and COD
GENERAL DISCUSSION
125
1 26
9: 1 )
Total Plant Trea tment Efficiencies
1 27
9 : 2)
Nitrogen Analysis
130
9:
2. 1 )
Nitrate Nitrogen
130
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
9:2 . 2)
knmoniacal Nitrogen
130
9:2.3)
Kjeldahl Nitrogen
1 32
9 : 2 . 4)
T o tal Nitrogen
1 32
9:3)
Phosphorus Analysis
1 32
9: 4)
Pollution Loads on Natural vlaters
1 36
9:5)
Plant Operation
1 36
1 36
9:5. 1 )
Loading and Daily Maintenance
9:5.2)
Pump Performance Problems
9:5.3)
Line Bl ockages through the Treatment Plants
9:5 . 4)
20lids Cleaning
1 38
1 39
9:5.5)
Plant Scale Effects on Operation
1 39
1 0.
1 42
CONCLUSIONS
W. 1 )
Dairy Shed Effluent
1 43
1 0 . 2)
Anaerobic Treatment
143
1 c;. 3)
Aerobic Treatment
1 44
10.4)
Total Plant Operation
1 44
11,
APPLIChTION OF ANAEROBIC 'l' REATMENT Mm T RICKLING
FILTER AERATION TO THE N. Z.
1 46
DAIRY Il�UI�TRY
11.1)
Design of a Full Scale Anaerobic Ae�cbic
T reatment Plant
1 47
11.2)
Performance and Operation of the Tr8£·.tlllent Plant
1 47
Capital and Operating Costs
1 50
1'1,3)
CHAPTER
136
1 '.2.
/
RECOMMENDATIONS
151
A P P E N D ICE S
APP ENDIX I .
REPORTED CHARACT ERISTICS OF DAIRY SH�D EFFLUENT
APP ENDIX I I.
DEVELOPNENT OF AN AlifAEROB:!.C AER O B I C TREATMENT P Lk1T
/
FOR DAIRY m{ED EFFLU�ifT
APPENDIX
Ill.
WORKING DRAWINGS FOR FIELD S C AL E TRE�TMENT PLANT
APPENDI X I V.
ROTARY T IPPING BUCKET - DESIGN AND OP ERATI ON
APPENDIX V.
COLLECT ED DATA
APPENDIX VI.
LABORATORY P LANT DATA FRO>'! ANAEROBIC AND AER OBIC
SOLIDS REMOVAL
APPENDIX
VII.
APPENDIX VIII.
MONTHLY VARIAT::: ONS IN DAIRY m{ED EFFLUENT
DESIGN
OF AN Al�AEROBIC TANK AND TRICKLING FILTER
A ERATI ON SYSTEl'1 FOR A
250
C OV[ FACTOP.Y SUPPLY SHED.
BIB L lOG RAP H Y
LIS T
o
F
T A B L E S
Page
1:1
S ta tis tics for Factory Supply Dairy Farms in N.Z.
3
1:2
The Number of Fac tory &lpply Herds with more than 300 Cows
3
1:3
stati stics for Town Supply Dairy Farms in N.Z.
4
2: 1
Effluent P rocuction per Cow-Day
8
2: 2
A Summary of Fresh Wa ter Class ificat ion in N.Z.
9
2: 3
A Survey of Dairy Shed Effluent T reatment Syst ems
11
2: 4
Runofl' Qual i�y from Land Disposal A reas
14
2: 5
Envi ronmental Requ ireme�ts for Anaerobic Dige s t i on
19
7: 1
Exp erimental Desi gn
75
7: 2
C onfounding of Fiel d P lant Treatments
77
7: 3
F inal Treatment Alloca t i on to Experimental P lants and
T ime table of Analys is
78
8: 1
M eaned Data for Dairy Shed Effluent
81
8: 2
P ol lu tion L oads from Dairy Shed Efflu ent
83
8: 3
C orrelation of Raw W aste Paramete�s
84
8:4
Anaerobic Tank Load ings
86
8: 5
Anaerobic Treatment in Labora tory P lants
87
8: 6
T S Balance for Laborato ry P lant Anaerobi c Tank
90
8: 7
V S Balance for Labo ratory P lant Anae robic Tank
91
8: 8
Anae robic T reatment Efficienc ies for the Field P lant
94
8: 9
Labo ratory P lants - Dai ly Aerobic Loading Rates
95
8: 1 0
Treatment C ombinations and C ovariates for Aerobi c
Re gress ion Analys is
97
8: 1 1
Regre ssion Equati ons fo r Aerobic Treatment Us i ng
Laboratory P l ant Data
98
8: 1 �
P redic ted T reatment Effic ienc ies for Ae rob ic Treatment
1 09
Using Laboratory P lant Data
8: 1 3
COD C oncentrat ions through the Aerobic T reatment Phase
111
of the Laboratory P lants
8: 1 4
C omp arison of BOD C onc entrations at the B ottom o f the
Filter and Final Discharge of Laboratory P lants
1 12
8: 15
DO Conc entration ( mg/l ) in the Laboratory P lalJ.t Discharge
114
8: 1 6
S olids Ac cumulation in the Laboratory P l ant Aerobic Tanks
121
8: 1 7
Field P lant - Daily Aerobic Loading Rate s
1 23
8 : 1 8 Plant C omparis ons for Aerobic Treaiment
1 24
9: 1
Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment Efficiencies
1 28
9: 2
N0 -H Discharge C o ncentrations Relative to Ae:..n obic
3
Treatment for Laboratory P lants
1 31
9: 3
TEN Removal for Laboratory P l ants
1 33
9: 4
Anaurobic/Aerobi c T reatment Effect on Ni trogen
1 34
9: 5
Anaerobic/Aerobi c Treatment Effe ct on Phospho rus
1 35
9: 6
P ollution Loads o n Receiving Waters after Treatment
1 37
Daily and Annual P ol lu t i on L oads Di.s charged from an
Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment P lant Receiving Effluent
from a 250 Cow Fac tory Supp ly Dairy Shed
149
11 : 1
....
LIS T
O F
FI8-U R E S
Page
4: 1
Anaerobic Tank s t ruc ture
50
4: 2
Schemati c Di&.gram of Tr�ckl ing Filter Collec ting Tray
53
6: 1
Sampl ing P osHions
68
7: 1
Exp erimental P roc edure per Setting
75
8: 1
C o ntour P lo t fo r COD OU�C Using L ab.)ratory P lant Data
1 00
8: 2
Contour P lo t for P er c ent COD Removal Using Laboratory
1 01
P lant Data
8: 3
C ontour P lo t for BOD OU? Us ing L abora tory P l ant Data
1 02
8: 4
C ontour P lo t for TS OUT Us ing Laboratory P lant Data
1 03
8: 5
C ontour P lot fo r P e rcen� TS Removal Us ing Laboratory
P lant Data
1 04
8: 6
C ontour Plot for VS OUT Us ing Laboratory P lant Data
1 05
8: 7
C ontour P lot for Percen·� VS Removal Using Laboratory
P lant Dat a
1 06
8: 8
C ontour P lo t t o P redi c t COD OUT
116
8: 9
Contour Plot to Predict BOD O U T
117
8: 1 0
Contour P lot to P redi c t TS OUT
118
8: 1 1
Contour Plot to p redi c t VS OUT
11 9
8: 1 2
Settl ing Curve for Ae rob i c Sludge Removed from
Laboratory P lants
1 22
Anaerobic/Aerobic Effluent Treatment P lant for a 250
C ow Factory Supply Dairy Farm
1 48
11:1
=
L-,I�;....=..S T
....;O--=; F_..zP--=L A T E S
_ _
P age
4: 1
Singl e 1 95 li tre Tank and Trickl ing iil ter Unit
47
4: 2
L oading and Recycle Pump for the Single Tank Unit
47
4: 3
Twin T ank Anaerob i c/Aerobi c Treatment with the ?ersp ex
T rickl ing Filter Mounted above the Aerobi c Tank
52
4 : 4 Filamentous Growth from the Bo ttom of the Trickli ng Filter
55
4: 5
Close-up of the Filamentous Growth
55
5: 1
Gene ral Arrangement of Laboratory Plant
59
5: 2
Anae ro bic Tank , C ontrol Box and Me tering Tanks of Field
Plant
60
5 : 3 Anaerob i c Tank and Trickling F i l ter Arrangement for F ield
Plant
60
5: 4
Trickling Filter Support S tructure for Fi eld Plant
61
5: 5
Rotary T ipping Bucket Dis tributor o n Top o f the Field
Plant Trickling Filter
61
5:6 Field Plant Trickl i ng Filter , Aerobic Tank , Recycle Pump
Housing and Motor Control
62
6: 1
Effluent C olle c ter Showing Col lec ting Channels and the
C ollecting Tank
66
6: 2
Mono CP 25 Loading Pump T:;:-ansf'erring Efflu e nt from the
Collec t ing Tank to the Input M e te ring Tank
66
9: 1
Visual Appraisal o f Dairy Shed Effluent dur ing Treatment
129
9: 2
Solid Crust on }<'ield Plant Anae robic Tank
1 40
A B B REV I A T I O N S
bioch emical oxygen demand
Mg
magnes illIl
carbon
ml
millilitre
°c
degrees Cels ius
MLVS S
=
Ca
calc ium
mm
=
BOD
C
CH
4
CMD
=
=
CO 2
COD
DIP
DKN
=
=
=
mV
millivo lt
coefficient of mul t iple
determina ticm
N
nitrogen
carbon dioxi de
Na
chemical oxy gen demand
Na 2 0
dis s o lve d inorganic
phosphate
NaOH
dis s olved Kj e ldah l
nitrogen
=
dry mat ter
DO
=
dis solved oxygen
=
F/M
g
h
ha
=
=
diss olved organi c
phosp hate
sodium p eroxide
2
NH4-N
N0 -N
3
=
sodium hydrox ide
=
ammon ia cal ni tro gen
=
n i tra te n itrogen
oxygen
=
phosphorus
ppm
=
parts p er million
=
rotating biological iisc
rpm
=
revolut i ons per minu te
gram
s
=
second
h our
S.T.P.
=
TDN
=
t o tal di ssolved n i trogen
TDP
=
to tal dis solved pho sphate
TEl'JIP
=
temp erature
p o tassium
ki l ogram
to tal Kjeldahl n i trogen
TKN
1
standard temp erature and
pre ssure
ll ec tare
K
kW
sodium
RBD
internal diame ter
=
=
f o od to mi cro organi sm
ratio
I .D.
kg
mill imetre
me thane
DM
DOP
mixed liquor volatil e
susp ende d sol ids
kilowa tt
=
li tre
m
L1 e tre
max .
max imum
mg
mill igram
TN
=
to tal nitrogen
TP
=
to tal phosphate
TPN
TPP
=
total p articulate ni trogen
t o tal part iculate pt osphate
TS
=
total solids
vs
VF A
=
vola tile fatty ac ids
yr
=
vola t ile solids
year