Making waves: Riding the densification wave from current understanding to advancement

Abstract

Densification is a novel intensification strategy with the potential to improve treatment capacity within existing continuous-flow (CF) water resource recovery facilities at low capital and operating costs and at relatively small particle sizes compared to typical aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. To achieve densification, biological selection principles derived from selector design and AGS concepts have been coupled with physical selection via hydrocyclones at full-scale CF facilities to promote the growth and retention of granules. This combination lowers the sludge volume index (SVI) through superior sludge settling and paves the way for optimized nutrient removal and energy efficiency in low dissolved oxygen conditions. This paper sheds light on the benefits of densification. It delves into areas of advancement to further its implementation: hydrocyclone design, selector zone design, operational guidelines, and the target range for particle sizes and granule fractions.

Keywords: Aerobic granular sludge; Densification; Intensification; Wastewater treatment.