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Wastewater Treatment
Operators School
Advanced Treatment Systems
May 13, 2004
Why is it necessary to
treat the forms of
nitrogen?
Why is it necessary to treat
the forms of nitrogen?
Why is it sometimes
necessary to remove P
from municipal
wastewater treatment
plants?
Why is it sometimes necessary to
remove P from municipal WWTPs?
How is P removed by
conventional secondary
(biological) wastewater
treatment plants?
How is P removed by conventional
secondary (biological) WWTPs?
Biological assimilation
BUG = C60H86O23N12P
0.03 lb P/lb of bug mass
GROW BUGS, WASTE BUGS =
REMOVE P
Advanced Treatment Systems
At pretreatment
Before primary clarifiers
After aeration basins
At final clarifiers
Ahead of effluent filters
Considerations:
• Effective mixing
• Flexibility
• Sludge production
Advanced Treatment Systems
How is N removed or
altered by conventional
secondary (biological)
treatment?
How is N removed or altered by
secondary (biological) treatment?
Biological assimilation
BUG = C60H86O23N12P
0.13 lb N/lb of bug mass
Biological conversion by nitrification
and denitrification
Nitrification
Define advanced
treatment…
Define advanced treatment …
Explain circumstances
under which advanced
treatment may be
necessary…
Explain circumstances under which
advanced treatment may be necessary…
Purpose
• Tertiary treatment
• Removal of low concentration organic
compounds
Application:
Influent Primary Trt Biological Trt
Filtration Carbon Disinfection
• Many variations
Continued …
Carbon Regeneration
• 5 to 10% loss
• Less capacity than new carbon
• Hot air @ 350oF
• Chemicals (sodium hydroxide)
• Fire / Explosion
• Carbon usually replaced after 5 regenerations
Mechanism:
• Active sites “Activated Carbon”
• Molecular bonding
• Particles adhere to surface
Chemical Coagulation
Purpose
• Enhanced removal of organics and fine
particles
• Addition of lime, alum, iron, polymer to change
ionic charge
Application
• Chemical feed with rapid mix
• Ahead of final clarifiers
• Ahead of filtration
Continued …
Chemical Coagulation
Purpose
• Produce larger, more dense floc particles that
will settle or filter easily
Application
• Gentle mixing after rapid mix (coagulation)
• Mixing – Mechanical or Aeration
Infl Q Q
Gentle
Mix /
Rapid
Flocculation
Mix /
Coagulation Sludge
Continued …
Flocculation
Mechanism
• Coagulated particles strung together into
larger floc particles (snow flake floc)
+ + + + + + +
+
+ + + +++ + +
+
+ + + ++ + + + + + ++
+ + ++ + + +++ + +
+
+ + + +
+ + +
Phosphorus Removal
Purpose
• Reduce effluent P
• Biological or chemical method
• Reduce nutrient load on stream
• Reduce algae growth
• Reduce oxygen depletion
Application / Mechanism
• Biological
• Chemical
Continued …
Phosphorus Removal
Biological
RAS WAS
P Removal
Continued …
Phosphorus Removal
Chemical
Primary Aerobic Final Effl
Q Clarifier Zone Clarifier
Chemical Chemical
Coagulant Coagulant
RAS WAS
P Removal
Nitrogen Removal
Purpose
• Reduce effluent N (ammonia and nitrates)
• Biological or chemical
• Reduce nutrient load on stream
• Reduce algae growth
• Reduce oxygen depletion
Application / Mechanism
1. Advanced Activated Sludge Processes
Nitrification (remove ammonia)
NH4 NO2 NO3
Continued …
Nitrogen Removal
Denitrification (remove nitrate)
NO3 NO2 NO, N2O or N2 gas
2. Deep Bed Filtration
Anaerobic fixed film bacteria (denitrify)
Q
Media 6-8’
Methanol
(carbon) Q
3. Air Stripping
Removes ammonia
Elevated pH 10.8 to 11.5 NH4 as gas
Effluent Filtration
Purpose
• Remove SS (usually after FC)
• Reduce BOD and insoluble P
Application
1. Deep Bed 2. Traveling Bridge
4-6’ sand and gravel 1-2’ sand and anthracite
Large cells 10’ x 30’ Small cells 1’ x 14’
Similar to WTP Contiuous backwash
(batch backwash) hL = 2 - 3 ft
hL = 4 - 6 ft
$$$
Continued …
Effluent Filtration
Loading Rate
• Backwash
• 2 – 4 gpm/sf
• Frequency depends on loading
• 20 – 25 gpm/sf
• 5 – 15% of throughput
• Must clean beds
• Air scour
Mechanism
• Filtration by granular media
Polishing Lagoons
Purpose
• To further treat or polish the effluent
• After final clarifier
• Facultative pond (aerobic and anaerobic)
Application
• Typical volume = 1 day average flow
i.e., 1 mgd plant = 1 mgd lagoon
24 hour detention time
• Surface aerators
Continued …
Polishing Lagoons
Sunlight
Surface
Aerator
Algae M
Settling
Aerobic
Anaerobic
Mechanism
Algae and bacteria grow in pond consuming organics
and nutrients in FC effluent. Algae settles and
degrades by anaerobic process.
Nitrification
Purpose
• Reduce ammonia on plant effluent
• High ammonia concentrations are toxic to
streams
• Quickest impact on DO versus nitrates
Application
• SRT > 3 days in activated sludge process
• Grow Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter
• NH4 NO2 NO3
Mechanism
Biological conversion of ammonia to nitrate
Denitrification
Purpose
• Reduce nitrate on plant effluent
• Usually in combination with nitrification to reduce
Total N to the stream
Application
1. Activated Sludge Process
Q FC
Anx Oxic
Oxic Recycle
RAS
2. Deep Bed
Filters WAS
Mechanism
Biological conversion of nitrate to N2 gas
Ammonia Stripping
Purpose
• Reduce ammonia either before or after
biological treatment
• Not commonly used in the US
Application / Mechanism
• Raise pH 10.8 to 11.5, usually by adding
lime
• Move equilibrium point to ammonia gas @
250C and pH 11
• NH4 gas = 98%
Continued …
Ammonia Stripping
NH4
Lime Air
Q
Floc NH4
Precip. Stripper
Lime Sludge
Air
Q
Alum or Iron Precipitation
Purpose
• To remove orthophosphate
Application
• As a backup to Bio-P process
• As chemical P removal
• As chemical process
Mechanism
• Al+ or Fe+ + PO4 Aluminum or Iron Phosphate
Al+ or Fe+
Q Filtration
Q
Optional
Rapid Precipitate
Mix
RAS WAS + Precipitate
Lime Precipitation
Purpose
• P removal before primary clarifier or following
biological treatment
Application
• As a backup to Bio-P process
• As chemical P removal
• As chemical process
High pH can be a problem in effluent or in biological
treatment
Mechanism
• Chemical conversion of phosphorus to calcium
phosphate is in pH range of 9.5 to 11.0
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Purpose
• High quality removal of various salts – calcium,
sodium, magnesium
Application
• Water reuse
• AWT
Mechanism
• Chemical separation / filtration across a semi-
permeable membrane
• High pressure
• Tertiary process
Used in Gulf War to treat sea water sodium removal
Electrodialysis
Purpose
• Removal of ionic inorganic compounds
Application
• AWT
• Medical
• WTP
• Clinical
Mechanism
• Apply electrical current between two electrodes
• Water passes through semi-permeable membranes
(ion-selective)
• Alternate spacing of cation and anion permeable
membranes
• Cells of concentrated and diluted salts are formed
Electrodialysis
Purpose Mechanism
• Removal of ionic • Apply electrical current between
inorganic compounds two electrodes
• Water passes through semi-
Application permeable membranes (ion-
• AWT selective)
• Medical • Alternate spacing of cation and
anion permeable membranes
• WTP • Cells of concentrated and
• Clinical
_ diluted salts are formed
+ Sludge – concentrated salt waste
H20 stream as process reject water
Cl- H+ Problems – plugging, fowling of
+ _ membranes, MUST pretreat
OH- Na+ activated carbon, multi-media
filtration
Bipolar Membranes
Advanced wastewater treatment…
What would be the effect on sludge production for
each of the following advanced treatment processes?
TANSTAAFL (tanstaffull)
• “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.”
REMOVE MORE STUFF = GET MORE SLUDGE
More BOD & TSS Removal MORE SLUDGE
Add chemicals MORE SLUDGE
N & P Removal MORE SLUDGE
Some processes produce more sludge than others:
• Electro/mechanical – some sludge
• Biological – more sludge
• Chemical – MOST sludge