Wastewater treatment pilot

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the functionality of the wastewater treatment pilot and produce a learning manual-handout, as well as to define the parameters of wastewater clarification by studying the nutrient removal and the effluent clarification level of the processed wastewater. As part of the Environmental Engineering studies, Tampere University of Applied Sciences has invested on a Wastewater Treatment Pilot. The pilot simulates the basic wastewater treatment practices used in the wastewater treatment plants. This research was made to define the functions, parameters and capabilities of the Pilot, in order to incorporate the pilot as a learning tool in wastewater treatment courses for the degree students. While considering some basic guidelines for the use of the pilot, for a four-month period different factors that affect wastewater treatment process were tried out to discover the capabilities of the pilot. Mechanical, chemical and biological means were used for water clarifications and for each change the efficiency of the pilot was tested with a vast variety of methods. MLSS, MLVSS, COD, nitrate, orthophosphate and microbial observation were used as methods of monitoring the concentrations of nutrients and cultivation of microorganisms in wastewater for the biological nutrient removal process. The results of this study suggest that the WWTP can be used as a learning tool for students to become familiar with the biological wastewater treatment. The samples analyzed showed that the balance to maintain a thriving community of organisms is a demanding process. Phosphate removal was performed successfully in many cases and biomass increased was observed after using artificial influent with micronutrients. Further study of the process of the WWTP is advised to widen the result data base while changing some of the observation methods and adding BOD measurements