OPERATION, CONTROL AND DYNAMIC MODELING OF
THE TENNESSEE EASTMAN COMPANY INDUSTRIAL
WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
Richard A. Poduska, Senior Environmental Engineer
Tennessee Eastman Company
Kingsport, Tennessee 37662
INTRODUCTION
The industrial wastewater treatment facility at Tennessee Eastman Company is used, along
with in-plant abatement, to achieve all the required effluent quality criteria in the Company's
EPA and Tennessee State Discharge Permits. The treatment system is an activated sludge
process and treats only the industrial wastewater generated from the manufacture of organic
chemicals, plastics and fibers at a facility employing approximately 12,000 persons.
The average biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) load to the treatment system is nearly
114,000 kg/day (250,000 lb/day) at an average daily flow of 68,130 m3/day (18 MGD). Gas
chromatographic analyses have shown that approximately 80-85% of the total BOD5 is
attributed to acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, acetone, and isopropanol, all of which are
readily biodegradable. The remaining waste is composed of other organic compounds resulting from manufacturing operations (e.g., aniline derivations, ketones).
This paper will describe the operation and control techniques utilized in the treatment
system that are significant for maintaining effluent quality. A dynamic mathematical model
has also been developed for this treatment system and verified using operating results. Using
computer simulation, the model has been utilized to investigate operating alternatives and
the treatment system response to various overload conditions.
DESCRIPTION OF INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
Prior to completion of the activated sludge system, an aerated lagoon system was used for
wastewater treatment. The aeration basins provided the nucleus around which the expansion
to an activated sludge process was centered. The final design incorporated the aeration basins
into the system, and no additional aeration volume was required. Increased aeration capacity,
clarification, and sludge digestion and disposal were the major components added to the
original lagoon system. A schematic diagram of the activated sludge system is shown in
Figure 1.
The individual components in the activated sludge system are: a diversion basin, three
aeration basins and clarifiers with polymer addition, a post-aeration basin, aerobic sludge
digestion, and both spray irrigation and belt filter dewatering sludge treatment. Additionally,
a fish survival testing laboratory and a wastewater treatment development laboratory have
been incorporated into the system. A description of each major component is presented
prior to the discussion regarding Operation and Control of the system.
Since the wastewater treated contains soluble and dispersed organic compounds with
almost no inert solids, no primary clarification exists in the system. However, a single low-
volume inert solids-containing wastewater is pretreated. The solids from this wastewater are
removed in a settling basin and clarified supernatant is returned to the activated sludge basins.
The main industrial wastewater sewer consists of 24- and 30-inch interceptor lines. There
are several 12-, 18-, and 20-inch branch sewers running from the interceptor lines into each
manufacturing operations area with subsequent laterals that extend to each individual processing area.
The collected wastewater is transferred from a pumping station to the industrial wastewater treatment plant through approximately 1200 m (4000 feet) of 18-and 24-inch
pressure lines. The pumping station is equipped with pressure differential pump controls and
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