This paper presents an analysis of the operation of activated sludge sequencing batch reactors (SBR) for sewage treatment. Emphasis is placed on the operational cycle of those reactors, which includes the phases of aeration and sedimentation, indicating the settling time corresponding to the maximum operational efficiency. An explanation is made of a calculation method to determine this optimum settling time. The work includes a review of the literature concerning the subject of the present study, considering the concepts of hindered (zone) settling and solids flux, together with the derivation of the proposed calculation method.
Sewage treatment; wastewater treatment; activated Sludge; sequencing batch reactors; sedimentation; settling time
