A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1976

The concept of solid retention time was applied in the activated sludge, trickling filter and anaerobic contact processes. A comparison has been made based on the process performances such as COD removal efficiency, sludge production and SVI in the treatment of synthetic sucrose wastewater by the laboratory pilot plant. The SRT of the trickling filter has been evaluated and the design of trickling filter based on bacterial performance was formulated. Several phenomena such as the variation of SRT by hydraulic loading at constant organic loading and the variation of observed half velocity coefficient, Ks by hydraulic loading were observed, With the foundation for trickling filter based on bacterial performance, it was shown that an unifying formulation for the activated sludge, trickling filter and anaerobic contact processes could be established, Based on the results of this study, a selection of process for different types of treatment was made. As a partial treatment process, both trickling filter and anaerobic contact processes could possibly be used. While high effluent quality was required, activated sludge process was shown to be pertinent to single secondary treatment. As a tertiary treatment process trickling filter process was found to be technically and economically suitable.