Biological Nutrient Removal 101

Glen T. Daigger, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, NAE Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

BN(itrogen)R Removal Occurs by Nitrification and Denitrification

NO3 Supply NRCY Food

RAS

WAS

Nitrification: NH3 + O2 NO3 Denitrification: Food + NO3 CO2 + H2O + N2

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Heres Whats Needed to Do This:

Nitrification:
Adequate Aerobic SRT Adequate Oxygen Supply Adequate Buffering (Alkalinity)
M in im u m S R T (D a y s ) 10 8 6 4 2 0 10
No Nitrification Nitrification Operating Factor
NO3-N (mg/L)

Denitrification:
Adequate Anoxic SRT Recycle of Nitrate to Anoxic Zone Exclude DO Enough Food
High-Rate Denitrification, Readily Readil Biodegradable (Dissolved) Organic Matter Low-Rate Denitrification, Slowly Biodegradable (Colloidal and Particulate) Organic Matter

Endogenous Respiration

15

20 Temp (Deg Cent)

25

30
0 0 Time
3

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Six Key Biological Nitrogen Removal Principals Include:

Use Influent Carbon First Design for Good Sludge Settleability Use Physical Foam Control Not All Supplemental Carbon is Created Equal SNdeN Becomes Predictable How Much GHGs are We Creating?

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Sludge Settleability Dramatically Affects Bioreactor Inventory

300

Allowa able MLSS (% of Value at 300 mL/g) %

250

200

150

Double MLSS Improved SVI

100

50

0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

SVI (mL/g)
POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT
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2/8/2009

Anoxic Selector Sized Based on Anoxic SRT

SRT = 2-3 Days, Depending on Temperature 23 Staging Further Improves Selection
5 mg BOD5/mg NO3-N (8 mg COD/ NO3-N)

Designed to Nitrify Staging Improves Selection

Clarifier

RAS
2/8/2009

WAS
6

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Required Aerobic Zone DO Correlates with Respiration Rate

F/M, kg COD Rem g moved/kg MLVSS, da M ay 1.6

38 1.2 12 32 28 0.8 22 16 0.4 10 4 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Aeration Basin DO, mg/l

2/8/2009

DO Uptake Rate mg O2/g VSS, hr e,

7

Bulking Occurred Bulking Did Not Occur

44

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Six Key Biological Nitrogen Removal Principals Include:

Use Influent Carbon First Design for Good Sludge Settleability Use Physical Foam Control Not All Supplemental Carbon is Created Equal SNdeN Becomes Predictable How Much GHGs are We Creating?

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Two Professionals Study Foam Problem!

Nocardia Can Be Fun!

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Principal Cause of Nocardiform Foaming is Trapping

Demonstrated at Laboratory and Full-Scale y Growth Form Varies with Trapping:
No Trapping System Trapping System

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

10

Selective Foam Wasting is a Proven Technique

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Six Key Biological Nitrogen Removal Principals Include:

Use Influent Carbon First Design for Good Sludge Settleability Use Physical Foam Control Not All Supplemental Carbon is Created Equal SNdeN Becomes Predictable How Much GHGs are We Creating?

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

12

Denitrification Can Occur Inside Activated Sludge Flocs

Aerobic Anoxic

Aerobic

Low DO and/or High F/M

High DO and/or Low F/M

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Denitrification Can Also Occur Due to Bioreactor Mixing Pattern

Aerator Anoxic Aerobic Aerobic or Anoxic

RAS Influent

To Cl ifi T Clarifiers

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Denitrification Can Also Occur Due to Bioreactor Mixing Pattern

High DO

Low DO Controlling Oxygen Input K to Reliable Performance! C t lli O I t Key t R li bl P f !

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Six Key Biological Nitrogen Removal Principals Include:

Use Influent Carbon First Design for Good Sludge Settleability Use Physical Foam Control Not All Supplemental Carbon is Created Equal SNdeN Becomes Predictable How Much GHGs are We Creating?
Ni Nitrate Ni i NO N2O N2 Nitrite 310 x CO2

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

16

BP(hosphorus)R Requires Anaerobic Zone

Anaerobic Zone Anoxic Zones Mixed Liquor Recirculation Aerobic Zone NRCY

RAS Location

RAS Johannesburg Process

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

WAS

2/8/2009

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Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms (PAO s) (PAOs) Include:

Polyphosphate Granules: PO4 PO4 PO4 PO4 PO4 PO Phosphate Storage Energy Storage Poly--hydroxy butyrate: Lipid Li id Carbon Storage

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

18

PAOs Have Unique Anaerobic/ Aerobic Metabolism

Anaerobic Conditions C diti
PO4-3 Energy Acetate

Aerobic Conditions
PO4-3 Energy CO2 + H2O O2
2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Four Key Biological Phosphorus Removal Principals Include:

Exclude Nitrate From Anaerobic Zone Its Not the Process, Its the Wastewater If VFAs Insufficient, Make Your Own A Fat Bug is a Happy Bug

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Stoichiometry Controls Phosphorus Removal

Efficiency Depends on Organic Matter:
Expressed as BOD5/TPO4 Ratio; Typically Requires 15 to 25 mg BOD5/mg TPO4, Depending on Process.

Specifically Requires VFAs: p y q

Acetic and Propionic Acid; 7 to 10 mg VFA/mg P Removed by Bio-P

Sufficient VFAs
Influent Wastewater (Produced in Collection System) Produce in Anaerobic Zone Produce From Influent Organics Purchase and Add

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Sludge Fermentation Increases VFA Feed to BNR Systems

PE
Elutriation of VFAs

PSD S
3 Day SRT to Hydrolyze t H d l and Ferment Particulate Matter

FO O

FSD 0.1 to 0.2 0 1 t 0 2 mg VFA / VFAs/mg VS F d Fed

Many Other Configurations are Possible

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Four Key Biological Phosphorus Removal Principals Include:

Exclude Nitrate From Anaerobic Zone Its Not the Process, Its the Wastewater If VFAs Insufficient, Make Your Own A Fat Bug is a Happy Bug

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

23

Several Reactions Occur in Bio-P Systems

Anaerobic Conditions
PO4-3 Energy Acetate
VFA Uptake and PHA Formation (Phosphorus Release) Fermentation of Readily Biodegradable Organic Matter Denitrification (Undesirable)

Aerobic Conditions
PO4-3 Energy CO2 + H2O O2
2/8/2009

PHA Oxidation Poly-P Formation Poly-P Lysis y y PAO Growth Heterotroph Growth Decay Nitrification

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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Biological Nutrient Removal 101

Glen T. Daigger, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, NAE Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

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