PROJECT DETAILS


  • Project No 4522
  • Project Name Optimisation of granular sludge for energy efficient wastewater treatment and reuse
  • Lead Organisation SA Water
  • Research Lead UNSW Sydney
  • Main Researcher Benjamin John Thwaites
  • Completion Year 2021

Status: Complete

Focus Area: Circular Economy

National Research Priority: Circular Economy

Project Description

Conventional activated sludge (CAS) has been widely used for biological nutrient removal in the secondary treatment stage of the wastewater process for well over 100 years. Until recently, this technology has remained relatively unchanged until the emergence of aerobic granular sludge (AGS). This new technology has been identified as a potential replacement to the traditional microbial floc. AGS results in the biomass forming dense microbial granules with greater settling velocity, this can allow for greater volumes of wastewater to be treated by reducing the cycle times. This project will investigate several facets of the process  including impacts on water recycling (pathogen removal and tertiary disinfection), energy use or greenhouse gas emissions.

PhD Thesis completed by Benjamin John Thwaites in February 2021.