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Optimization of a nitrogen‐removing biological wastewater treatment plant using on‐line measurements
Author(s) -
Sorensen John,
Thornberg Dines E.,
Nielsen Marinus K.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/wer.66.3.9
Subject(s) - effluent , aeration , nitrogen , activated sludge , denitrification , nitrate , wastewater , sewage treatment , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , environmental engineering , volume (thermodynamics) , biosorption , ammonium , mixed liquor suspended solids , environmental science , environmental chemistry , adsorption , engineering , physics , sorption , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The installation of continuous on‐line measurements of ammonium and nitrate in the aeration tanks of a nitrogen removing activated sludge plant has reduced the nitrate amount in the effluent by 60%. This corresponds to a drop in the average total nitrogen concentration in the effluent from 7.8 mg/L to 5.1 mg/L. The operation of the nitrogen removal process and thereby the effluent concentrations has become more stable. By combining operational changes in the biosorption with on‐line control of the process, it is possible to maintain full and stable denitrification at a BOD/N ratio of 3 to 4 without the use of any external carbon source, despite great variations in the loading of the plant. Monitoring of the microscopic characteristics of the sludge can be closely correlated with macroscopic characteristics such as sludge volume index.