Mutual Interaction between Temperature and DO Set Point on AOB and NOB Activity during Shortcut Nitrification in a Sequencing Batch Reactor in Terms of Energy Consumption Optimization

Mehdi Sharif Shourjeh, Przemysław Kowal, Jakub Drewnowski, Bartosz Szeląg, Aleksandra Szaja and Grzegorz Łagód
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Mehdi Sharif Shourjeh: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Przemysław Kowal: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Jakub Drewnowski: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Bartosz Szeląg: Faculty of Environmental, Geomatic and Energy Engineering, Kielce University of Technology, Tysiąclecia Państwa Polskiego 7, 25-314 Kielce, Poland
Aleksandra Szaja: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 40B, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Grzegorz Łagód: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 40B, 20-618 Lublin, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-21

Abstract: Recently, many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have had to deal with serious problems related to the restrictive requirements regarding the effluent quality, as well as significant energy consumption associated with it. In this situation, mainstream deammonification and/or shortened nitrification-denitrification via nitrite (so-called “nitrite shunt”) is a new promising strategy. This study shows the mechanisms and operating conditions (e.g., dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, temp.), leading to the complete domination of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) over nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) under aerobic conditions. Its successful application as shortcut nitrification in the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology will represent a paradigm shift for the wastewater industry, offering the opportunity for efficient wastewater treatment, energy-neutral or even energy-positive facilities, and substantial reductions in treatment costs. In this study, under low and moderate temperatures (10–16 °C), averaged DO concentrations (0.7 mg O 2 /L) were preferable to ensure beneficial AOB activity over NOB, by maintaining reasonable energy consumption. Elevated temperatures (~30 °C), as well as increased DO concentration, were recognized as beneficial for the NOB activity stimulation, thus under such conditions, the DO limitation seems to be a more prospective approach.

Keywords: DO set point; aeration strategy control; temperature; shortcut nitrification; AOB-NOB competition; sequencing batch reactor; energy consumption optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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