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Principles of Wastewater Treatment

The aim of this 30hr course is to introduce wastewater treatment. The course covers the structure of wastewater treatment processes, including the goal of each treatment step and the interaction between steps. Participants will learn about the key enabling scientific and process engineering fundamentals which underpin wastewater treatment processes and will explore real wastewater treatment problems and case studies.

This is the most popular wastewater fundamentals course offered in Australia. The course features site visits, real case study data and exercises.

Issues Addressed

Section 1 – Introduction

  • Objectives of wastewater treatment and understanding discharge requirements
  • Structure of wastewater composition
  • Measurement of wastewater composition
    • Organic contaminants (COD/BOD/TOC)
    • Solids characterisation
    • Nutrients withing wastewater
    • Example compositions of real municipal and industrial wastewater streams
  • Variability in wastewater flow and compositions

Section 2 – Primary Treatment

  • Objectives of primary treatment
  • Structure of primary treatment operations and technology selection
  • Overview of primary treatment technologies
  • Example data and calculations around primary treatment units
  • Workshop problem 1: sampling, characterisation and primary treatment design for an industrial trade waste stream

Section 3 – Secondary Treatment

  • Introduction to secondary treatment and key biological processes:
    • Anaerobic treatment and biogas production
    • Aerobic treatment using activated sludge
    • Biological nutrient removal via nitrification and denitrification
    • Biological phosphorous removal
  • Major differences between aerobic and anaerobic processes:
    • Differences in process conditions and operational requirements
    • Differences in treatment performance
    • Differences in end products and cost factors (sludge production, energy requirements)
  • Common bioreactors used in secondary treatment
  • The Activated Sludge process:
    • How does the activated sludge process work?
    • What is sludge age and why is it important?
    • Calculating sludge production and aeration requirements
    • Sludge settling and secondary clarifiers
    • Activated sludge process variations – SBR, MBR
  • Biological Nutrient Removal
    • Principles of biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal
    • Wastewater characteristics for BNR
    • BNR process configurations
    • What’s new in BNR?
  • Be familiar with some key operational issues and process troubleshooting
  • Workshop problem 2: secondary treatment design exercise

Section 4 – Tertiary Treatment

  • Chemical treatment and aquatic chemistry
    • What is pH and why is it so important?
    • Acids and bases in wastewater systems
    • Critical equilibrium reactions in wastewater systems
    • What is alkalinity and why is it so important?
  • Overview of tertiary treatment technologies
  • Disinfection selection and performance
    • Disinfection requirements
    • Factors impacting disinfection performance
    • Technology selection
  • Overview of disinfection technologies
  • Water Reuse – municipal and industrial case studies

Section 5 – Solids Treatment and Management

  • Explore the origin of organic and chemical sludges
  • Composition of waste solids (biological degradability, water content, contaminants)
  • Introduce regulations that cover the treatment, disposal or reuse of waste sludges
  • Describe a range of treatment/stabilisation technologies
  • Describe a range of dewatering and drying technologies
  • Be familiar with some key operational issues and process troubleshooting

Plant Visits (Face-to-face only)

  • Plant visit 1 – an industrial wastewater treatment plant
  • Plant visit 2 – a municipal wastewater treatment plant

What do you get?

  • Access to a world leading training resource
  • Access to world leading practitioners
  • Downloadable copies of the course notes will be provided
  • Two detailed workshop problem sessions based on real case study material
  • Core engineering skills and tools to take back to your workplace, which will enable you to analyse and trouble-shoot your wastewater problems
  • Real plant data and exercises
  • 30 CPD hours

Who should attend?

Engineers, scientists and managers who require an excellent introduction to the principles of wastewater treatment.

This course is available at these future events: