Design of aeration systems in activated sludge plants at different wastewater temperatures

The standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR) is the decisive factor in the dimensioning of activated sludge plants. It depends on the required oxygen uptake rate (OUR) by microorganisms. The dependencies of the SOTR and OUR on the wastewater temperature (range 5–30 °C) are discussed. It is shown that the absolute values of the SOTR depend only slightly on the wastewater temperature, while the specific values, in relation to the aerated tank volume, increase considerably as a function of the wastewater temperature. Within this context, the decisive dimensioning temperature is discussed. In addition, two design approaches for determining the SOTR, temperature-dependant and temperature-independent, are presented and compared, showing the impact of the water dependency. Finally, the sensitivity of the decisive factors for determining the SOTR is discussed, particularly addressing the influence of the α-value.