Influence of Strong Diurnal Variations in Sewage Quality on the Performance of Biological Denitrification in Small Community Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs)

Massimo Raboni, Vincenzo Torretta and Giordano Urbini
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Massimo Raboni: Department of Science and High Technology, Insubria University, Via G.B. Vico 46, Varese I-21100, Italy
Vincenzo Torretta: Department of Science and High Technology, Insubria University, Via G.B. Vico 46, Varese I-21100, Italy
Giordano Urbini: Department of Science and High Technology, Insubria University, Via G.B. Vico 46, Varese I-21100, Italy

Sustainability, 2013, vol. 5, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: The great diurnal variation in the quality of wastewater of small communities is an obstacle to the efficient removal of high nitrogen with traditional activated sludge processes provided by pre-denitrification. To verify this problem, the authors developed a pilot plant, in which the domestic wastewater of community of 15,000 inhabitants was treated. The results demonstrate that average and peak nitrogen removal efficiencies of over 60% and 70%, respectively, are difficult to obtain because of the strong variations in the BOD 5 /NO 3 -N ratios and the unexpected abnormal accumulation of dissolved oxygen during denitrification when the BOD 5 load is low. These phenomena cause inhibitory effects and BOD 5 deficiency in the denitrification process. The results demonstrate the need for a more complex approach to designing and managing small wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) provided with denitrification than those usually adopted for medium- and large-size plants.

Keywords: denitrification; flow variations; pilot plant; small communities; TKN (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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