Activated Sludge Training

Alternative energy options analysed

Considering that the monthly BVI Electricity Corporation bill now shows a 45 percent fuel surcharge and the cost of a barrel of crude oil remains in the $95 to $105 range, it would seem reasonable to consider the possibility of alternative sources of energy — specifically electrical energy.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle in the short term is the BVIEC itself. According to BVIEC General Manager Leroy Abraham, the corporation may take steps to make it possible for locally generated power to be fed back into the grid sometime in the next ten years. I suspect this translates into “Never! We are not interested.”

There are a variety of possible alternative energy sources that are in some varying degrees practical. All involve a relatively high degree of technology, and all depend on careful operation and a reasonable degree of operational and maintenance care.

Solar energy is the current star of the alternative energy sources. It is used in the United Kingdom, where a system allows private individuals to generate power that can be fed back into the power grid for credit. According to the Beacon, this system is also in play in the United States Virgin Islands.

The solar panels are not especially new, and the technology is well known. But the system is illegal in this territory. It also requires a battery storage system, an automatic transfer switch (if used instead of a diesel generator as a back-up system), and an inverter to convert the stored energy from DC to AC. A recent installation in West End cost close to $16,000 for a moderate-sized residence. That system, however, is functional.

Currently, even with the high fuel surcharge, the economics may not be all that attractive.

Wind generation

The Beacon also reported that two wind turbines have been operating on Peter Island. This resort is noted for its high-tech responses to environmental problems. In fact, the management has won awards for its work in this area.

The wind turbines are not especially pretty, but they are effective.

There are three similar turbines in St. Thomas, close to Tutu Mall.

The turbines at Peter Island were damaged in Earl, but that does not make them any less of a viable option as an alternative energy source

As a note, with the current price of diesel fuel, a saving of 100,000 gallons of fuel annually would be worth almost $500,000. This is a figure not to be sneezed at!

BM Respirometry study about low nitrification in one activated sludge

BM Respirometer

The respirometer utilized for the study was a BM-T, provided with external thermostatic unit (bath)

This “batch system” respirometer consists of: a single reactor vessel, divided into two interconnected compartments with closed recirculation loop between the two. Both compartments are kept completely mixed by means of paddle stirrers and a peristaltic recirculation A constant air flow is supplied via a ceramic diffuser in the conditioning compartment, and a combined oxygen/temperature sensor in the reaction compartment controls the DO and monitors temperature. The temperature is controlled by means an external thermostatic unit (bath) connected to the reactor vessel.

The BM-T is doted by three different operation modes (Static, Cyclic and Dynamic).

In this study we are only making use of the dynamic R mode for toxicity, biomass yield, rbCOD fraction and nitrification rate. The R mode is based on the addition of one or several small sample doses in the activated sludge previously aerated in the reactor vessel. For R mode the measuring system was previously calibrated to get the corresponding offsets and factors with the purpose to determine the corresponding CO and bCOD results in mg/l units.

Microscopic analysis of activated sludge : training manuel

Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation of Activated Sludge Systems

Methods for wastewater characterization in activated sludge modeling

Activated Sludge Process Control Training Manual

Microbial ecology of activated sludge