An Approach to Design of Biological
Oxidation Treatment Facilities
for Paper Machine Waste Waters
C. NEVIN BETTS
W. WESLEY ECKENFELDER, JR., DONALD J. O'CONNOR
and
ROY F. WESTON
Chemist and Engineers
Sonoco Products Co., Hartsville, South Carolina
Weston, Eckenfelder & Associates, Newtown Square, Pa.
The Sonoco Products Company discharges a portion of its industrial
wastes into Black Creek. Industrial wastes originate from three major
sources. These are chipboard repulping and paper machine wastes, semi-
chemical paper machine wastes, and semi-chemical pulping wastes. A
portion of the chipboard waste receives pretreatment for solids removal
by filtration through Waco filters. A variable portion of the filter
effluent receives treatment in an existing experimental Bio-oxidation
plant. The remainder is directly discharged to Black Creek. The semi-
chemical paper machine waters are pretreated by sedimentation. A variable portion of this clarified effluent receives treatment in the Bio-oxidation plant. The remainder is disposed of on land or discharged to Black
Creek depending upon stream conditions. The semi-chemical pulping
black liquor is disposed of into lagoons.
As a part of an abatement program, studies have been conducted to
ascertain the feasibility of aerobic biological treatment and allowable
pollutional BOD loading in Black Creek.
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the capacity of Black Creek
to receive allowable BOD pollutional loading under various conditions,
to present a critical evaluation of the BOD removal capacity of Bio-
oxidation process, to derive engineering data relative to the design and
operation of these facilities under anticipated plant loading conditions,
and to evaluate the feasibility of pretreatment of the semi-chemical
wastes by high rate biological sludge treatment.
These studies included: oxygen transfer capacity of the wastes;
oxygen utilization rates; sludge production rates; nutrient requirements;
sludge settling characteristics; mixed liquor solids separation by flotation.
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