STARTUP AND INITIAL OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR
ACTIVATED SLUDGE FACILITIES FOR TREATMENT OF
A COMPLEX WASTEWATER
Gary M. Davis, .Project Manager
Carl E. Adams, Jr., President
Associated Water and Air Resources Engineers, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee 37204
INTRODUCTION
The major objective of this chapter is to provide discussion of considerations and factors to be evaluated in initiating an activated sludge plant.   Startup of industrial activated
sludge systems no longer involves dumping municipal waste-activated sludge into the aeration basin and treating a split stream until the treatment plant stabilizes.   Bypassing wastewater is no longer a part of startup; the startup program must be fully developed in
advance so that an unexpected upset of the treatment plant does not shut down the
production unit.
An activated sludge plant can be started up at the design mixed liquor volatile suspended solids concentration, or with sufficient sludge for lower or higher initial suspended
solids.   Aeration basins can be started up partially or completely filled.   A basin can be
gradually filled using treated surplus feed, acclimation chemical wastes or the plant wastewater.   These alternative startup modes are discussed in this chapter.
A recommended outline for developing a startup program for an activated sludge plant
is shown in Figure 1.   The general tasks listed below the major activities in Figure 1 are
discussed in subsequent sections of this chapter.
:j2EVELOP~5TARTCP~50lE
Experience with actual or a similar wastewaters
Production plant startup type and schedule
Availability of startup sludge and feed
Size and type of activated sludge plant facilities
Personnel requirements
Stabilization time
i.
2.
Define alternative production plant startup modes
Define feasibility of alternative activated sludge startup
schedules
Define startup schedule for production and activated sludge
plants
Develop experimental investigation for startup simulation
Conduct the startup simulation and revise startup schedule
Translations required for full-scale plant
Figure I.   Procedure for developing an activated sludge plant startup program.
DEVELOP STARTUP GUIDELINES
To develop startup guidelines it is important to begin developing the program as early
as possible in order to provide sufficient time for organizing the logistics of alternative
production and treatment plant startup schedules and to arrange for sufficient startup
sludge and feed.
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