Demonstrating Compliance with Stringent Nitrogen Limits Using a Biological Nutrient Removal Process in California's Central Valley.

The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (District) must be compliant with stringent nitrogen limits by 2021 that the existing treatment facilities cannot meet. An 11-month pilot study was conducted to confirm that these limits could be met with an air activated sludge biological nutrient removal (BNR) process. The pilot BNR treated an average flow of 946 m(3)/d and demonstrated that it could reliably meet the ammonia limit, but that external carbon addition may be necessary to satisfy the nitrate limit. The BNR process performed well throughout the 11 months of operation with good settleability, minimal nocardioform content, and high quality secondary effluent. The BNR process was operated at a minimum pH of 6.4 with no noticeable impact to nitrification rates. Increased secondary sludge production was observed during rainfall events and is attributed to a change in wastewater influent characteristics.

Process Performance of Secondary Effluent Granular Media Filtration with and without Preozonation.

A 10-month pilot study compared the performance of conventional granular media filtration (CGMF) with granular media filtration with preozonation (OGMF) to determine the effects of preozonation on filter performance. Filtration recoveries were lower for OGMF compared to CMGF when operated at a loading rate of 18.3 m/h. Operation at 18.3 m/h met turbidity requirements for California Department of Public Health Title 22 unrestricted reclaimed water requirements for both OGMF and CGMF. Preozonated secondary effluent at a transferred dose of 3 mg/L resulted in an increase in ultraviolet transmissivity (UVT) of approximately 6% and greater than 5-log inactivation of male-specific bacteriophage MS2. Wet weather flow events resulted in UVT decrease and a decline in MS2 inactivation to less than 3 log attributed to higher ozone demand in the secondary effluent. Preozonation increased N-nitrosodimethlyamine (NDMA) concentration approximately 10 times, but subsequent filtration reduced levels to secondary effluent values. A net increase in NDMA was observed at times.

A critical review of nuisance foam formation and biological methods for foam management or elimination in nutrient removal facilities.

The classifying selector was introduced to the wastewater industry in 2001, after several successful full-scale applications. The classifying selector concept distinguishes itself from the earlier surface foam wasting schemes in that negative selection pressure is maintained so that nuisance foam-causing organisms cannot gain a foothold in sufficient numbers to cause nuisance foams. The propensity of the nuisance-causing organism to attach to bubbles and establish a rising velocity is used to enrich them in a surface mixed liquor layer, where they are wasted. Neither standard texts nor the Water Environment Federation's Manuals of Practice adequately describe this, and as a result, the benefits of foam elimination obtainable through use of the classifying selector concepts have not been broadly obtained in our industry. In certain types of processes that are inherently foam trapping situations, the only solution is surface foam wasting, as foam cannot be eliminated. Potential efficiency gains possible in these situations are addressed.

Analysis of organic nitrogen removal in municipal wastewater by reverse osmosis.

The results of a pilot study that was conducted to determine the total nitrogen removal by the reverse osmosis process are presented. The organic nitrogen removal rates are compared with removals observed from three full-scale reverse osmosis facilities and four pilot studies. The results of this analysis suggest that organic nitrogen removal is variable and that reverse osmosis may not consistently produce total nitrogen levels less than 1.0 mg/L without additional treatment. Three hypotheses to explain the variability in organic nitrogen removal in the different data sets are presented.

WEF/WERF study of BNR plants achieving very low N and P limits: evaluation of technology performance and process reliability.

The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) funded a two-year comprehensive study of nutrient removal plants designed and operated to meet very low effluent total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. WERF worked with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to solicit participation of volunteers and provide a forum for information exchange at workshops at its annual conferences. Both existing and new technologies are being adapted to meet requirements that are as low as 3.0 mg/L TN and 0.1 mg/L TP, and there is a need to define their capabilities and reliabilities in the real world situation of wastewater treatment plants. A concern over very low daily permits for ammonia caused the work to be extended to include nitrification reliability. This effort focused on maximizing what can be learned from existing technologies in order to provide a database that will inform key decision makers about proper choices for both technologies and rationale bases for statistical permit writing. To this end, managers of 22 plants, 10 achieving low effluent TP, nine achieving low effluent TN, and three achieving low effluent NH(3)-N, provided three years of operational data that were analyzed using a consistent statistical approach. Technology Performance Statistics (TPSs) were developed as three separate values representing the ideal, median, and reliably achievable performance. Technological conclusions can be drawn from the study in terms of what can be learned by comparing the different nutrient removal and nitrification processes employed at these 22 plants.

Performance of a pilot-scale continuous flow microbial electrolysis cell fed winery wastewater.

A pilot-scale (1,000 L) continuous flow microbial electrolysis cell was constructed and tested for current generation and COD removal with winery wastewater. The reactor contained 144 electrode pairs in 24 modules. Enrichment of an exoelectrogenic biofilm required ~60 days, which is longer than typically needed for laboratory reactors. Current generation was enhanced by ensuring adequate organic volatile fatty acid content (VFA/SCOD ≥ 0.5) and by raising the wastewater temperature (31 ± 1°C). Once enriched, SCOD removal (62 ± 20%) was consistent at a hydraulic retention time of 1 day (applied voltage of 0.9 V). Current generation reached a maximum of 7.4 A/m(3) by the planned end of the test (after 100 days). Gas production reached a maximum of 0.19 ± 0.04 L/L/day, although most of the product gas was converted to methane (86 ± 6%). In order to increase hydrogen recovery in future tests, better methods will be needed to isolate hydrogen gas produced at the cathode. These results show that inoculation and enrichment procedures are critical to the initial success of larger-scale systems. Acetate amendments, warmer temperatures, and pH control during startup were found to be critical for proper enrichment of exoelectrogenic biofilms and improved reactor performance.

Introduction of new process technology into the wastewater treatment sector.

Innovative wastewater treatment technologies are developed to respond to changing regulatory requirements, increase efficiency, and enhance sustainability or to reduce capital or operating costs. Drawing from experience of five successful new process introductions from both the inventor/developer's and adopter's viewpoints coupled with the application of marketing analysis tools (an S curve), the phases of new technology market penetration can be identified along with the influence of market drivers, marketing, patents and early adopters. The analysis is used to identify measures that have increased the capture of benefits from new technology introduction. These have included funding by the government for research and demonstrations, transparency of information, and the provision of independent technology evaluations. To reduce the barriers and speed the introduction of new technology, and thereby harvest the full benefits from it, our industry must develop mechanisms for sharing risks and any consequences of failure more broadly than just amongst the early adopters. WEF and WERF will continue to have the central role in providing reliable information networks and independent technology evaluations.

The effect of degree of recycle on the nitrifier growth rate.

The nitrifier maximum specific growth rate, mu(A),max, is a critical parameter for the design and performance of nitrifying activated sludge systems. Although many investigations studied mu(A),max, only a few have dealt with the effect of the reactor configuration on this important kinetic parameter. Bench- and full-scale trials were devised to study the effect of the internal mixed-liquor recycle (IMLR) on the nitrifier growth rate constant. The nitrifier growth rate constant for an existing activated sludge plant was determined at different operational conditions using the high food-to-microorganism ratio (F/M) test and by process model calibration. Overall, the results obtained during this study indicate that high IMLR values have a negative effect on mu(A),max. Based on the results obtained during this investigation, a 15% decrease in mu(A),max was observed at an IMLR of 4Q or higher. It is surmised that, at high IMLRs, the reactor behavior shifts from a plug-flow configuration to a "quasi" complete-mix configuration, influencing either the species selection in activated sludge population or at least the adaptation of specific species. These results have a tremendous effect on the design of activated sludge processes that incorporate IMLR for denitrification, such as the Bardenpho, Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE), University of Cape Town (UCT), and Phoredox or anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2/O) processes.

Analyzing wet weather flow management using state of the art tools.

Optimal secondary clarifier performance is crucial to meet treatment requirements, especially when treating peak wet weather flows (PWWFs), to prevent high effluent suspended solids (ESS) concentrations and elevated sludge blankets. A state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was successfully used as a design and diagnostic tool to optimize performance for municipal wastewater treatment plants subject to significant PWWFs. Two case studies are presented. For Case Study 1, the model was used to determine the number of secondary clarifiers that will be necessary to treat future PWWF conditions for a plant under design. For Case Study 2, the model was used to identify modifications that are currently being made to increase the clarifier capacity for handling PWWF.

Effect of operational parameters on the removal of particulate chemical oxygen demand in the activated sludge process.

The removal of particulate material in the aeration basin of the activated sludge process is mainly attributed to bioflocculation and hydrolysis of particulate substrate. The bioflocculation process in the aeration tank of the activated sludge process occurs only under favorable conditions in the system, and several common operational parameters affect its performance. The principal objective of this research was to observe the effect of mixed liquor suspended solids, solids retention time (SRT), and extracellular polymer substances on the removal of particulate substrate by bioflocculation. A first-order particulate removal expression, based on flocculation, accurately described the removal rates for supernatant suspended solids and colloidal chemical oxygen demand. Based on the results presented in this investigation, a mixed liquor concentration of approximately 2200 mg/L, an SRT of at least 3 days, and a contact time of 30 minutes are needed for relatively complete removal of the particulate substrate in a plug-flow reactor.

Kinetics of removal of particulate chemical oxygen demand in the activated-sludge process.

The existing theories incorporated to state-of-the-art, activated-sludge-consensus models indicate that the removal of particulate substrate from the liquid in the activated-sludge process is a two-step process: instantaneous enmeshment of particles and hydrolysis followed by oxidation. However, experimental observations indicate that the removal of particles is not instantaneous and needs a more accurate description. This removal process can actually be described as a three-step process: flocculation, hydrolysis, and oxidation. The principal objective of this research was to observe and model the kinetics of the removal of suspended particles and colloidal particles. A first-order, particulate-removal expression, based on flocculation, accurately described the removal rates for supernatant suspended solids and colloidal chemical oxygen demand (COD). The rate of reaction for removal of colloidal COD was slow and comparable to that for soluble organic matter.

Quantification of denitrification potential in carbonaceous trickling filters.

Biofilm samples from a carbonaceous trickling filter (TF) were evaluated in bench scale reactors to determine their maximum potential denitrification rates. Intact, undisturbed biofilms were placed into 0.6 L bench-scale reactors filled with sterilized, primary clarifier effluent spiked with nitrate to a final concentration of 16-18 mg/L as N. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were maintained between 2 and 4 mg/L in the bulk aqueous phase. Nitrate loss from the reactors was monitored over a 5h period. Denitrification rates of 3.09-5.55 g-N/m(2)day were observed with no initial lag period. This suggests that the capacity for denitrification is inherent in the biofilm and that denitrification can take place even when oxygen is present in the bulk aqueous phase. There were no significant differences in denitrification rates per unit area of media (g-N/m(2)day) either between (a). experimental runs or (b). sampling locations over the trickling filter. This suggests that denitrification potentials are uniform over the entire volume of the full-scale TF. For wastewater treatment plants with TFs that currently nitrify downstream, this approach may be used to meet less stringent permitted discharge concentrations and may allow some facilities to postpone or eliminate construction of additional unit processes for denitrification.

A new process for enriching nitrifiers in activated sludge through separate heterotrophic wasting from biofilm carriers.

A new process, the biofilm-activated sludge innovative nitrification (BASIN) process, consisting of a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) with separate heterotrophic wasting, followed by an activated-sludge process, has been proposed to reduce the volumetric requirements of the activated-sludge process for nitrification. The basic principle is to remove chemical oxygen demand on the biofilm carriers by heterotrophic organisms and then to waste a portion of the heterotrophic biomass before it can be released into the activated-sludge reactor. By this means, the amount of heterotrophic organisms grown in the activated-sludge reactor is reduced, thereby reducing the volume of that tank needed for nitrification. For nitrification applications, the simplest method for stripping biomass was to use an in-tank technique using high shearing rates with aeration. Bench-scale testing showed sludge yields in the BASIN process were one-half of that in a control activated-sludge process and twice that of a process line with intermediate settling between the MBBR and activated-sludge stage. Critical washout solids retention times for nitrifiers were the same for all three lines, so activated-sludge volumes for the BASIN process could be reduced by 50% compared with the control. Originally conceived process concepts for the BASIN process were confirmed by the experimental work.

Making classifying selectors work for foam elimination in the activated-sludge process.

Classifying selectors are used to control the population of foam-causing organisms in activated-sludge plants to prevent the development of nuisance foams. The term, classifying selector, refers to the physical mechanism by which these organisms are selected against; foam-causing organisms are enriched into the solids in the foam and their rapid removal controls their population at low levels in the mixed liquor. Foam-causing organisms are wasted "first" rather than accumulating on the surface of tanks and thereby being wasted "last", which is typical of the process. This concept originated in South Africa, where pilot studies showed that placement of a flotation tank for foam removal prior to secondary clarifiers would eliminate foam-causing organisms. It was later simplified in the United States by using the aeration in aeration tanks or aerated channels coupled with simple baffling and adjustable weirs to make continuous separation of nuisance organisms from the mixed liquor.