Excessive nitrogen in wastewater. Need treatment.

[bobhearn11]

My electronics mfg. plant is increasing the amount of ammonia compounds used in the process. We are approaching the nitrogen limit on our discharge permit. I am interested in hearing about treatment technologies that would allow reduction of N. We operate a pretreatment (primarily neutralization) plant prior to sending to sewer authority. Thanks in advance.

 

[25362]

Ammonia-derived chemicals could be oxidized, for example, with strong oxidants such as permanganate or chlorine compounds.

If all other pollutants have been eliminated in your pretreat station, and only excess nitrogen (N) is to be dealt with, effluent waters could be used to enrich N-deficient grounds. N is considered essential for growing vegetables. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and cabbage benefit from fertilizers with a high N content.

If such a disposal isn't convenient or practical, consider percolating your water through a bed of a N-deficient vegetal substrate, which could then be used as mulch to enrich soils.

Suggest you post your query in the Civil/Environmental Engineers' "waste disposal & treatment" forum to get first-class expertise. Good luck.

 

[oxilume]

bobhearn11,

Please provide the following the information so that I can give you a suggestion:
(1) Daily flowrate into city sewer
(2) pH
(3) conductivity (TDS)
(4) TSS
(5) BOD
(6) COD

 

[aussiemike]

Nitrification / denitrification in an activated sludge process may work.

[Ammonia to Nitrates (aerobic) to Nitrogen gas (anoxic).]

Standard configurations may be time based (intermittent eg. SBR) or continuous (MLE, A2O etc etc).

Post your wastewater details and give us a look!

Cheers.

 

[jmj5152]

Depending on your ammonia levels and discharge limits, it may be feasible for you to add some NaCl to the wastewater and use anodic oxidation through an EC cell. Chlorides will form the chlorine compounds in-situ and oxidize the NH3.