1. AeRobic Granular Upgrade System Dipl. Ing. V. Matić
ARGUS®
AeRobic Granular Upgrade System
Dipl. Ing. V. Matić

2. Contents Immediate cause for ARGUS application
Background of ARGUS process
Application of ARGUS in WWTP OLAZ
Performance Updates of ARGUS process

3. Immediate cause for ARGUS application
WWTP OLAZ performance:
Sludge volume index > ml/g, washout of MLSS
Nitrogen removal, external C-source
COD recalcitrants
Secondary benefits:
Sensitivity to toxically composition of leachate water reduced
Sludge production reduction, sludge costs

4. ARGUS backgrounds
Granulation phenomenon
Aerobic granulation
ARGUS nitrogen removal process
Benefits of ARGUS process
ARGUS Application

5. ARGUS backgrounds: Granulation Phenomenon
«Spontaneous conglomerate forming phenomenon» is related to the anaerobic wastewater treatment

6. ARGUS backgrounds: Aerobic Granulation
Patented procedure: aerobic granules with designed composition instead of spontaneously developed activated sludge flocks
Technology proven in SBR and CSTR, on synthetic medium, industrial wastewater, sludge treatment reject water
Today attention is given to nitrifying bacteria granulation, which is related to the creation of micro-colonies (4 – 16 bacterial cells)
Other possibilities are e.g. for biodegradation of difficult COD like formaldehyde, phenols, etc.

7. ARGUS: Nitrogen removal
Successful biological removal of Nitrogen with activated sludge occurs only in ULAS - Ultra Low-loaded Activated Sludge system.
In comparison to ULAS, ARGUS is medium to high loaded suspended biomass wastewater treatment system which can successfully remove nitrogen in the main stream. This is realized through:
enhanced bio-augmentation (high % of nitrifiers)
reinforced by aerobic granulation

8. Aerobic dominantly heterotrophic sludge granules

9. Benefits/Disadvantages/ Risks and field of application of ARGUS
Settling properties
Nitrification rates
Sludge production
Resistance to toxicity
Disadvantages/Risks:
Relatively long start period
Granules disintegration:
By long term low loading of WWTP
By significant absence of main-designed component e.g. N
Field of application:
Pharmaceutical
Chemical
Food and Beverage
Leachate wastewater
Sludge treatment reject water

10. Upgrade of existing landfill wastewater treatment plant OLAZ Niuewedorp, The Netherlands
Case WWTP OLAZ:
Wastewater treatment plant OLAZ, Niuewedorp
Problems:
frequent sludge wash out (SVI=> ml/g)
high COD concentration in effluent
high nitrogen-nitrate concentration in effluent
significant addition of external C – source
sludge disposal costs
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11. Ugrade of existing landfill wastewater treatment plant OLAZ Niuewedorp, The Netherlands
Towards full-scale project: 
lab research & selection
go-no go
selected aerobic granular biomass cultivated and scaled up in propagators P1 and P2,
cultivated granular biomass transfered from P2 to the full-scale plant
full-scale plant scaling up via west street – P3
full-scale process testing and optimization
Figure 2.
P1 propagator 5m3
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Figure 3.
P2 propagator 65m3

12. WWTP OLAZ: Laboratory tests
Go No Go Lab research
Acceleration of ammonium oxidation; (between 1,4 -2 faster);
Lowering methanol dosage (goal: reduction %);
Improvement of sludge sedimentation: SVI <150 ml/g;
Lowering sludge production (d.d from ca. 97 kg MLSS - per day; reduction %).
Improvement of COD removal between 20 en 50 % (depends on recalcitrant fraction),
Total improvement ca %;
Increased tolerance on inhibitory effects of toxic substances.
Energy reduction (less O2 for COD oxidation).

13. WWTP OLAZ: ARGUS Process Diagram
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14. WWTP OLAZ: Influent-Effluent
Average INFLUENT
flow
m3/h
7,87
COD
mg O2/l
2034
N-tot
mg N/l
1055
NH4-N
858
P-tot
mg P/l
12,7
Average EFFLUENT
flow
m3/h
West 5,04
East 2,83
COD
mg O2/l
843
N-tot
mg N/l
115
NH4-N
0,0
NO3-N
78,1
MLSS concentration in reactor: activated sludge 2,79 g/l
ARGUS biomass 2,47 g/l
Efficiency:
COD 59 % (recalcitrant fraction of COD is high)
N-tot 89 % (remaining: organic N and N-N03)
N-NH4 100 %

15. WWTP OLAZ: Specific daily COD load

16. WWTP OLAZ: Specific daily N-tot load

17. WWTP OLAZ: Specific daily N-NH4 load

18. WWTP OLAZ: Specific MeOH consumption per Ntot removed (ltr MeOH/kg Ntot removed)

19. WWTP OLAZ: Benefits ARGUS application
Savings per year
methanol
Sludge disposal cost
Energy savings
New capacity
Maximum Minimum
Euro
Euro
Euro %