The sharon process: an innovative method for nitrogen removal from ammonium-rich waste water

Abstract

A new biological process for ammonia removal from flows containing hundreds to thousands milligrams NH+4 per litre has been developed at the Delft University of Technology. The SHARON process operates at a high temperature (30–40 °C) and pH (7–8). The process is performed without sludge retention. This enables the prevention of nitrite oxidation, leading to lower operational costs. Denitrification is used to control the pH. A full scale plant was designed (1500 m3) based on kinetic and stoichiometric parameters determined at 1.5 1. scale and model predictions. Total costs are estimated at about $1.7 per kg removed NH4+-N. The first full scale SHARON plant will be operational at the Dokhaven waste water treatment plant in Rotterdam in the beginning of 1998. This contribution focuses on the principles of the process and evaluates conditions for which application seems feasible.

Thermophilic biological nitrogen removal in industrial wastewater treatment

“…However, at 50 o C the AOB and NOB oxidation activities were practically identical (4.6mgNH 4 -N/gVSS.h versus 4.5 mg NO 2 -N/gVSS.h at 50 o C for AOB and NOB, respectively). The similar AOB and NOB nitrification kinetics led to nitrite accumulation which was somehow expected based on previous studies (inter alia Hellinga et al, 1998;Kim et al, 2008). (Figures 1a and 1b).…”

“…10-20°C sewage temperature), the BNR process has also shown to be capable to treat warm industrial wastewater in activated sludge systems (at a temperature as high as 35-40 o C) from tanneries and oil-refineries (Moussa et al, 2004;and Pinzon-Pardo et al, 2007). The application of BNR at a higher temperature is usually successful because the optimal temperature for the nitrification process in activated sludge systems is between 35 and 38 o C (Buswell et al, 1954;Laudelout and van Tichelen, 1960;Henze et al, 1995;Hellinga et al, 1998) with a maximum observed cardinal temperature at around 40 o C (Henze et al, 1995). As a consequence, to avoid treatment process upsets and deterioration, the temperature of industrial effluents (often having temperatures substantially higher than 40 o C) is kept below 35-37 o C by the application of heat-exchangers and cooling towers.…”

“…between 40 and 60 o C; Henze et al, 2008) may contribute to significant operational and environmental advantages (such as lesser energy requirements, lower water consumption and lower operating costs). It could also favor the nitritation process and lead to additional potential savings with regard to carbon and aeration requirements by performing nitrogen removal over nitrite (Hellinga et al, 1998). Though thermophilic nitrifying activity has been rarely documented in sewage treatment plants (Barrit, 1933;Hellinga et al, 1998), it is often observed in soil, leachate and solid waste treatment applications (Stark 1996;Choi and Eum, 2002;Berge et al, 2007;Maeda et al, 2010).…”

“…It could also favor the nitritation process and lead to additional potential savings with regard to carbon and aeration requirements by performing nitrogen removal over nitrite (Hellinga et al, 1998). Though thermophilic nitrifying activity has been rarely documented in sewage treatment plants (Barrit, 1933;Hellinga et al, 1998), it is often observed in soil, leachate and solid waste treatment applications (Stark 1996;Choi and Eum, 2002;Berge et al, 2007;Maeda et al, 2010). Few recent works have attempted to study the effect of temperature on two-step nitrification by means of laboratory scale bioreactors fed on synthetic wastewater (Guo et al, 2010;Sudarno et al, 2011).…”

“…Whereas nitrification has been often observed in soils, solid waste treatment and composting applications (Stark 1996;Choi and Eum, 2002;Berge et al, 2007;Maeda et al 2010), only a few studies have documented the occurrence of nitrification above 40 o C in activated sludge systems (Barrit, 1933;Hellinga et al, 1998). Usually, nitrification fails at temperatures higher than 40 o C (Sudarno et al, 2011).…”