Full Scale SBR Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility Utilization of Simultaneous Nitrification/Denitrification Coupled with Traditional Nitrogen Removal to Meet Water Criterion

Abstract

Simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND) is a well-established phenomenon in biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems. Study at a municipal wastewater treatment facility sought to determine nitrogen removal effectiveness within a full-scale sequential batch reactor (SBR) system utilizing SND in conjunction with traditional nitrogen removal. In addition to characterizing extent of SND, the research examined the ability of SND to meet state-based effluent water quality standards. At the selected facility, the average SND efficiency during a two-month sampling period was 52.8%, paralleling results from similar SBR municipal wastewater systems. The observed SBR system had removal efficiencies > 99% for the influent to effluent -N concentrations. The SND process also resulted in average NO3-NO2-N concentration that was 82% lower than the theoretical concentration under comparable circumstances. Overall, nitrogen removal for this SBR system was >99% which typified results in other SND systems, but at a higher Total Nitrogen removal rate.