Optimization of Nitrification/Denitrification Process for Performance and Reliability
Authors:
- Janice Ruhl Carroll, Paul Pitt, Andre van Niekerk - Hazen and Sawyer
- Allen Sehloff - Brown and Caldwell
- Walter Bailel, Sudhir Murthl, Salil Kharkar, Aklile Tesfaye - DC Water and Sewer Authority
In the 1970’s, before nutrient removal was widely employed, Blue Plains was designed as an advanced wastewater treatment plant with separate, suspended growth systems planned for carbonaceous BOD removal, for nitrification, and for denitrification. The nitrification facilities were placed on-line in the late 1970s/early 1980s; however, the denitrification-specific facilities were never built. In the early 1990s, denitrification was piloted at Blue Plains and from 1996 to 1998 the Denitrification Demonstration Project, which included full-scale denitrification utilizing supplemental carbon feed (methanol) for half of the design flow, was conducted. Based on the results of the Denitrification Demonstration Project, additional methanol facilities were added and full scale denitrification was brought on-line in 2000.
In anticipation of more stringent, future effuent limits for nitrogen, DC W ASA is currently upgrading its nitrification facilities to improve process performance and reliability within the existing structures. This paper presents relevant information on the existing facilities, and identifies the process objectives and design features incorporated to optimize process performance and reliability.
