Black liquor and alkaline shocks in a multiple stage biological treatment plant

To find the impact that alkaline and black liquor spills have on multiple stage biological treatment plants, trials were made in a MultiBio lab-scale treatment plant. It was shown that the concentration of black liquor was diluted between the multiple stages. The initial bacterial stages were inhibited by high concentration of black liquor but recovered when the concentration decreased. Low pH in the feed contaminated with black liquor gave less inhibition than high pH. In a MultiBio treatment plant the active sludge stages, which are sensitive to toxic spills, are placed after the fast growing bacterial stages and are therefore protected. During normal conditions the activated sludge stages receive low concentrations of biodegradable COD. During the trials extra COD in the form of diluted black liquor induced the COD reduction. To evaluate the results, measured concentrations were compared with a computer model.