TRAINING

Nutrient Removal
Jan Bos Van Hemelrijck July 2013

CONTENTS
1.

Why aerobic wastewater treatment?

2.

Nutrients

3.

Nutrient removal

4.

1.

Fundamental process steps

2.

Extra process steps

Biological nitrogen removal

1.

Conventional nitrogen removal

2.

LUCAS time controlled nitrogen removal

5.

Biological phosphorus removal

6.

Combined nutrient removal

7.

Trouble shooting

1. WHY AEROBIC WASTEWATER

TREATMENT?

1. WHY AEROBIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT?

Produces a clear effluent, harmless for the environnement:

Removes organic compounds from the wastewater (low
effluent COD)
Removes NUTRIENTS like N and P (partially)
Eutrophication risk!

Economical most feasible way

2. NUTRIENTS

2. NUTRIENTS

MACRO-NUTRIENTS

Nitrogen & phosphorus

Assimilative Removal =
biomass incorporation
Biological removal possible

MICRO-NUTRIENTS

Minerals:
Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, K,

Trace elements:
S, Co, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni,
Mo, Se, W,..

Biological removal
impossible

2. NUTRIENTS
2.1 NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS
Kjeldahl-N

Ammonium-N

org. bound-N + NH4+-N

NH4+-N (mg N/l)

Nitrate-N

NO3--N

(mg N/l)

Nitrite-N

NO2N

(mg N/l)

Total-N

KjN-N + NO3-N + NO2-N

Total P (mg P/l) = org. bound P + PO43--P

Orthophosphate (mg P/l)

2. NUTRIENTS
2.2 MACRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrients are essential nutrients for healthy growth of

biomass. N & P required depends on loading of WWTP
Anaerobic pathway:
COD/N/P-ratio: 400/5/1
Aerobic pathway:
COD/N/P-ratio: 100/2,5/0,3 100/5/1
Too little nutrients nutrients added
Too much nutrients nutrients removed

3. NUTRIENT REMOVAL

3. NUTRIENT REMOVAL

Why nutrient removal?

To prevent eutrophication (algae blooms) in surface water
Excessive growth of algae can cause:

Oxygen shortages (fish mortality)

Toxine production (fish mortality)
Problems with drinking water facilities (quality and treatability)
Aesthetical nuisance (tourists, inhabitants,..)
Odour problems

3. NUTRIENT REMOVAL

Occurrence of eutrophication
Algea blooms occur in combined presence of:

light energy
CO2
macronutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus)
micronutrients (Cobalt, Iron, Molybdene, Manganese)

Bering
sea

The absence of one of the first 3 factors will limit growth

For this reason european and world-wide discharge limits are
N < 10 mg N/l
P < 1 or 2 mg P/l

3. NUTRIENT REMOVAL
3.1 FUNDAMENTAL PROCESS STEPS
Feeding + Aeration
Accumulation-Regeneration
Reduce Filaments
Active Volume
Settling + Discharge
Passive Volume

3. NUTRIENT REMOVAL
3.2 EXTRA PROCESS STEPS
NITROGEN REMOVAL
Nitrification (aerated)
Denitrification (mixed + fed of fresh COD) in anoxic step
Nitrate recycle from aerobic to anoxic compartment
PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
Alternation between aerobic and anaerobic steps

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN
REMOVAL

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

Nitrogen removal due to sludge growth

Removal ratio is low: BOD/N 100/5
Incorporation of N in cell mass
Nitrogen removal due to dissimilative metabolism
Removal ratio up to: BOD/N 100/35
Nitrogen is biologically transferred via nitrification and denitrification to
inert N2 and released into the atmosphere

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

Nitrification
NH4+ + 2 O2

NO3 + H2O + 2 H+

Nitrosomonas & Nitrobacter: autotrophic bacteria

Aeration
atmosphere

Denitrification
NO3- + 5 e- + 6 H+
CH2O + H2O

N 2 + 3 H 2O
CO2 + 4 e- + 4 H+

No O2 = No Aeration!!!=> NO3- !!!

Easy biodegradable COD: Feeding + Mixing

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

Activated sludge can be adapted for biologic nitrogen

removal by continuous alternation between aerobic
and anoxic conditions
Conventional systems: sludge recycle from the aerated
tank to the anoxic (mixed) tank
Cyclic operating systems: alternation in time between
aeration and mixing in the same tank
Or combinations

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

4.1 CONVENTIONAL BIOLOGICAL N-REMOVAL
Influent
Recycle of nitrate rich sludge

denitrification

nitrification +

Effluent

carbon oxidation

sludge recirculation

waste sludge

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

4.1 CONVENTIONAL BIOLOGICAL N-REMOVAL
Influent

Anoxischefaze

supernatant
Effluent

bezonkenslib

faze1denitrificatie(anoxie)

Influent

Influent

Aerobefaze

supernatant
bezonkenslib

faze2nitrificatie+koolstofoxidatie

Aerobefaze

Effluent
Spuislib

bezonkenslib
faze2nitrificatie+koolstofoxidatie

Influent

Anoxischefaze
faze1denitrificatie(anoxie)

supernatant

supernatant
bezonkenslib

Effluent

Effluent
Spuislib

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

4.2 LUCAS TIME-CONTROLLED N-REMOVAL
Influent
Accumulation

Regeneration

Discharge
Final effluent

LUCAS-3:

Main phase 1

Influent
Settling

LUCAS-3:
intermediate phase 1

Accumulation

Discharge

Effluent

4. BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL

4.2 LUCAS TIME-CONTROLLED N-REMOVAL
Influent

Effluent
Discharge

Regeneration

Accumulation

LUCAS-3:

Main phase 2

LUCAS-3:
intermediate phase 2

Effluent

Influent
Settling

Discharge
Accumulation

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS
REMOVAL

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Biological: Alternation anaerobic phases/zones aerobic

phases/zones
Anaerobic: P release, VFA-uptake
Aerobic: P surplus uptake
Physical-chemical by addition of FeCl3, Ca(OH)2, Al3+, ...
Pre-precipitation: before aeration tank
Simultaneous: in aeration tank
Post-treatment: after aeration tank

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

P-removal due to sludge growth (assimilation):

Removal ratio is low : BOD/P = 100/1
Incorporation of P in cell mass
P-removal due to bioP metabolism:
Removal ratio is still rather low : BOD/P = 100/5
Incorporation of P in internally stored
polyphosphate granules (up to 25% of cell mass)
Often combined with physico chemical P-removal

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Anaerobic phase (mixed/stirred phase):

Poly-P (internal) PO4-P (external) + energy
VFA (external) + energy PHB-polyhydroxybutyric acid (internal) + aerobic bioP mo

Aerobic phase (aerated phase):

PHB (stored) + O2 CO2 + H2O + Energy
PO4-P (external) + Energy Poly-P (internally stored) + aerobic bioP mo

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Bio-P removal by continuous anaerobicaerobic alternation:

Acinetobacter
species

Anaerobic conditions:
polyphosphate is hydrolysed (energy production)
ortho-phosphates are released from cells
acetate and VFA are taken-up, stored as C-source

Aerobic conditions:
stored C-source is rapidly
used (growth advantage)
large PO4-P uptake
large Poly-P storage
net PO4-P uptake

Advantage:
Acinetobacter
in aerobic
phase/zone

P-granules inside
Sludge flock

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Biological P-removal by Acinetobacter species

Phosphate release

Phosphate uptake +

+ C-uptake

C-metabolism

Net P-uptake

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Influent
Recycle of polyphosphate rich sludge

phosphorus release,
anaerobic state

phosphorus uptake
and carbon oxidation,
aerobic state

C
supernatant
sedimentatedsludge

Effluent

sludge recycle 1
waste sludge

Sludge recycle from the aerated tank to the anaerobic tank

Acidification: BODVFA
VFA-uptake

5. BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL

Influent

A
anaerobic

B
aerobic

C
Efluent
Excess
Biosolids

PHASE 1

Influent

Influent

Effluent

B
anaerobic

C
aerobic

Effluent

A
aerobic

C
anaerobic

Excess
Biosolids

Excess
Biosolids
PHASE 3

PHASE 2

LUCAS : TIME CONTROLLED BIO-P REMOVAL

6. COMBINED NUTRIENT
REMOVAL

6. COMBINED NUTRIENT REMOVAL

Influent
sludge recycle

phosphorus release,
anaerobic state

sludge recycle

B
denitrification

phosphorus uptake
and carbon oxidation,
aerobic state

D
supernatant
sedimentatedsludge

Effluent

sludge recycle
waste sludge

Sludge recycle from aerated tank to anoxic tank

Sludge recycle from anoxic tank to anaerobic tank

6. COMBINED NUTRIENT REMOVAL

Influent

Influent

Anoxic phase
MLSS is mixed

Anaerobic phase
MLSS is mixed

Effluent

Decantation phase

Aerobic phase
MLSS is aerated

Waste sludge

SBR:
A: Anoxic/anaerobic/aerobic

6. COMBINED NUTRIENT REMOVAL

NOTE: For better N-removal efficiencies the

aerated main phase can be subdivised into
several Aerobic-Anoxic subphases

7. TROUBLESHOOTING

7. TROUBLESHOOTING

N-removal

Recirculation Aerobic-Anoxic comp. big enough?

Aeration: NO3- in effluent? DO: 1-3 mg O2/l
pH: Optimum 7-8
Temperature:
Optimum 30-35C
Minimum 10-15C

Toxic compounds?
Sludge age (nitrifyers: slow growing!): 6 days if >20C (more
at lower temperature)
Sb (sludge load): < 0,2 0,4 kgCOD/kg MLSS.day
Nitrite concentration? Aerobic-Anoxic subphases

7. TROUBLESHOOTING

P-removal
pH: Optimum 6,5-8
Temperature: > 10-15C
Availability of VFA in anaerobic phase/zone
DO in aerobic phase + alternation between
aerobic-anaerobic
Sludge loading hich enough: higher Sb more
sludge production more P accumulated!
Length aerobic phase: > 0,5 1 hour