Chemical Phosphorus Removal 101

Bruce R. Johnson, P.E., BCEE Global Wastewater Process Technology Leader

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Outline
What is chemical phosphorus removal? Mechanisms of phosphorus precipitation Other Impacts Methods of metal salt addition Locations of Metal Salt addition: Details and impacts at each point

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

What is Chemical Phosphorus Removal?

There are two steps to chemical phosphorus removal:
The adsorption of soluble (PO4-3) phosphate into metal hydroxide floc h dro ide floc. The subsequent separation of the metal hydroxide/phosphate floc from the liquid p y p p q phase
by settling/clarification by filtration

It is NOT precipitation!
FePO4 and AlPO4 only exists at very low pH, less than 5 5.
2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

What is Chemical Phosphorus Removal?

The most commonly used metal salts are y
Iron: Ferric (+3) and Ferrous (+2) chloride and sulfate (FeCl3, FeCl2, Fe2(SO4)3, FeSO4) Al i Aluminum: Al Alum or P l Al i Poly-Aluminum Chl id Chloride

Calcium was once the preferred precipitant, but is only effective at high pHs i e >10 pHs, i.e. >10. The precipitation of Struvite (MgNH3PO4) also occurs in wastewater treatment plants: p
Unintentionally in anaerobic digesters and the downstream equipment/piping Intentionally in struvite recovery systems.
2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

What is Chemical Phosphorus Removal?

This presentation is focused on the use of metal salts (iron and aluminum) to reduce plant effluent phosphate levels. C t Contrary to previous b li f f i i t i beliefs, ferric iron and d aluminum have similar abilities to remove phosphorus. phosphorus

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Mechanisms of Phosphorus Removal

Adsorption
Metal Hydroxide Flocs form by the bonds between the metal and oxygen. Ph Phosphate can replace th t b d and b h t l that bond d be adsorbed into the floc As floc size increases, the ability of the iron to bond with the phosphate is reduced
Fewer iron atoms are near the surface of the floc d fl and available t b d with soluble il bl to bond ith l bl phosphate

Adsorption will continue after the initial dosage p g point!

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Mechanisms of Phosphorus Removal

Solid - Liquid Separation
Adsorption of phosphate into metal hydroxide flocs does not remove phosphorus. Th flocs must be removed. Th contain th The fl tb d They t i the phosphorus and will increase effluent total p phosphorus levels if not separated p p Solids Dilution
Higher dosages reduce the phosphorus content of TSS f

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Mechanisms of Phosphorus Removal

Solid - Liquid Separation
Clarification and Settling
Handles high metal salt dosages, which allows more removal in that unit process Lower effluent quality

Filtration a o
Conventional: Higher Effluent Quality, Low Solids handling M b Membrane: Hi h t Effluent Quality, High Solids Highest Effl t Q lit Hi h S lid Handling

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Other Impacts of Metal Salt Addition

The addition of metal salts affects many other y aspects of wastewater treatment
pH: Metal salts are acids and reduces both pH and alkalinity alkalinit Total Suspended Solids:
1 mg/L Iron Dosage = 1 9 mg/L TSS 1.9 1 mg/L Aluminum Dosage = 2.9 mg/L TSS

Volatile Suspended Solids:

1 mg/L Iron Hydroxide = 0.25 mg/L TSS 1 mg/L Aluminum Hydroxide = 0.35 mg/L TSS Affects Digester VSS Destruction
2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

Other Impacts of Metal Salt Addition

Residuals and Biosolids
Iron generally improves dewaterability Aluminum generally decreases dewaterability Both metal salts reduce mobility of phosphorus in land applied solids

Reduces Struvite formation Iron reduces H2S in liquids and in digester biogas Operational challenges of Chemical Handling

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

10

Other Impacts of Metal Salt Addition

Liquid Stream Addition
Primary Clarifier colloidal BOD removal
Coagulation

Co-precipitation of metals
Copper Mercury etc.

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

11

Methods of Metal Salt Addition

There are many places metal salts can be y added
Metal Salt Metal Salt Metal Salt Metal Salt

Raw Sewage

Primary Clarifier s

Bioreactor and Clarifier

Tertiary Clarifier s

Tertiary Filtration

Plant Effluent

Primary Sludge Thickener

WAS Thickener

Metal Salt Metal Salt Anaerobic Digester Dewaterin g Biosolids to Land Application

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

12

Methods of Metal Salt Addition

You can add at a single point g
Metal Salt

Raw Sewage

Primary Clarifier s

Bioreactor and Clarifier

Tertiary Filtration

Plant Effluent

Primary Sludge Thickener

WAS Thickener

Anaerobic Digester Dewaterin g Biosolids to Land Application

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

13

Methods of Metal Salt Addition

You can add to multiple points
Metal Salt Metal Salt

Raw Sewage

Primary Clarifier s

Bioreactor and Clarifier

Tertiary Filtration

Plant Effluent

Primary Sludge Thickener

WAS Thickener

Anaerobic Digester Dewaterin g Biosolids to Land Application

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

14

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Raw Sewage g
Iron controls odor Gives more contact time prior to primary or secondary t t d treatment t Usually done for either odor control or prior to chemically enhanced primary treatment

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

15

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Primary Clarifier y
Chemically Enhanced Primary Treatment Improves removal of
Phosphorus TSS BOD (Colloidal removal)

Need to avoid removing too much phosphorus. Nutrient limitations in bioreactor is possible

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

16

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Bioreactor
Normally added prior to clarification Gives very long contact time since the metal hydroxides build h d id b ild up i th bi in the bioreactor t Can be difficult to work with biological phosphorus removal Not subject to nutrient limitations since the metal phosphate is bio-available

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

17

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Tertiary Clarification y
Many different types Needed to remove high phosphorus levels in secondary effluent d ffl t Provides a considerable level of flexibility

Tertiary Filtration
Conventional and Membrane Conventional filters have limits on influent TSS loads Membranes can handle higher TSS levels Highest level of TSS removal.
2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

18

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Prior to digestion g
Normally done only with iron Reduces digester gas H2S levels (<200 ppmv possible) ibl ) Binds phosphorus once sulfide is removed
reduces struvite formation reduces recycle of phosphorus in the recycle stream

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

19

Metal Salt Addition Locations

Prior to dewatering g
Controls phosphorus Reduces dewatering centrate struvite by both binding h bi di phosphorus and b reducing pH h d by d i H Iron can improve dewaterabily, alum normally reduces dewaterability Phosphorus is removed in the dewatering system

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

20

Chemical Phosphorus Removal 101

QUESTIONS?

Bruce R. Johnson, P.E., BCEE Global Wastewater Process Technology Leader

2/8/2009

POTW Nutrient Removal Seminar Salt Lake City, UT

21