1. Nitrogen Removal from Yamuna River (India) using MBBR – Pilot Summary
IPN-ISRAEL WATER WEEK
Nitrogen Removal from Yamuna River (India) using MBBR – Pilot Summary
Keren Nof
Presented by: Ramiro Garza
September 2014

2. Introduction
Aqwise Technology
Material and Methods
Results and Discussion
Summary and Conclusions
Questions

3. Introduction

4. River Water Pollution River Water Pollution – How? The problem
Due to fast urbanization and industrial growth – without appropriate infrastructure for wastewater treatment
The problem
Threat to Natural Environment and human health
Odor problems
High Nitrate –
Blue baby syndrome
Agriculture sewage
Industrial sewage
Domestic sewage
Drinking Water
Algae Bloom

5. Case Study: Surface Water Treatment
Municipality of Agra
Yamuna River, Agra, India
163,000 m3/d
Need to provide safe drinking water for population of 2 million people
Cost-efficient surface water treatment
AGAR® MBBR and UF membrane polishing
Adaptive to variable loads
River Water Treatment - Agra, India
Secondary effluent from WWTP’s was discharged into the river for years resulting in elevated levels of soluble pollutants (BOD, TAN and NO3)

6. Nitrogen Compounds Removal Technologies
Physico-chemical methods
Ion-Exchange (IX)
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
Electrodialysis (ED)
Biological methods
Conventional Activated Sludge (CAS)
Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR)
Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR)
Moving Bed Bio-Reactor (MBBR)
Main Disadvantages:
Product brine
Membrane: Scaling & Fouling
Advantages:
Cost effective
Environmental friendly
Nitrogen gas, N2 → Harmless

7. Pilot Plant
After the technology was selected a scaled down pilot (100m3/day) was operated for a year

8. Aqwise Technology

9. Moving Bed Biological Reactor
MBBR Technology
Free-Floating polyethylene media (Aqwise Biomass Carriers)
Moving Bed Biological Reactor
AGAR® MBBR Solutions
Simple, single-through process
Reduces soluble pollutants with minimal process complexity
Requires a significantly smaller footprint

10. Effective surface area
Innovation That Works
Aqwise Biomass Carriers protect biofilm against abrasion and ensure mass transfer efficiency
Recycled, high-density polyethylene
Highly open
external design
> 650 m2/m3
Effective surface area
Optimal oxygen and
nutrients transfer
Applicable for various biological processes

11. Customer Benefits SMALL FOOTPRINT COST EFFICIENT SCALABLE & FLEXIBLE/
SMALL FOOTPRINT
Suitable for both new applications and existing plant upgrades.
COST EFFICIENT
Requires minimal civil works, short project life cycle and lower Capex/Opex.
SCALABLE & FLEXIBLE
Smooth upgrade or gradual expansion based on just-in-time investment.
DURBLE & STABLE
Highly resistant to hydraulic shock loads with short recovery time after toxic loads.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Simple maintenance and low operational costs.
ECO FRIENDLY
Recycled materials, less land usage, no scenery obstruction and less sludge.

12. Materials and Methods

13. Schematic pilot plant flow diagram
System Description
The system consists the following treatment units
Pretreatment units: fine screen (5mm) and tube settler
Moving Bed Bio Reactor (MBBR)
Ultrafiltration for solids separation
Chlorination
Schematic pilot plant flow diagram

14. Design Data Influent Characteristics Effluent Requirements Parameter
Unit
Inlet to the MBBR
Design Temperature °C
15/30
COD
mg/l 99
BOD5 29
TSS 34
TAN
17.95
Nitrate as N
5.1
Nitrite as N
0.7
Effluent Requirements
Parameter
Unit
Value
TAN
mg/l
1.65
Nitrate as N
9.0

15. Sampling Procedure
Grab samples were taken daily from each of the following sampling points: raw river water, tube-settler, MBBR stages, membrane filtration effluent and final effluent following chlorination.
Each of the sampling point was analyzed for pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), TAN, nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), soluble COD, TSS and alkalinity

16. Results

17. Water Characteristics
Water temperature
Average 31.9°C
Max. 34.6°C
Average 14°C
Min. 13°C

18. Temperature Effect Average TAN effluent: 0.1±0.04 to 1.5±1.5mg/l
TAN removal
Average TAN effluent: 0.1±0.04 to 1.5±1.5mg/l
% removal
% removal

19. Temperature Effect
Nitrate removal
Average Nitrate influent: 2.2 mg/l; after stages 1&2: 6.7 mg/l
Average Nitrate effluent: 4.3 mg/l < 9 mg/l

20. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage 1 & (Aerobic )
Removal Rates (RR) across the aerobic stages ranged between 0.45 to 2.6 gNH4/m2/d
Relatively high removal rates in both aerobic stages emphasize the importance and the need of two aerobic stages in sequence
TAN effluent still above the required value  Additional aerobic stage is required
Although nitrification was the major mechanism for ammonia removal, about mg/l TAN was assimilated to bacteria cells in each aerobic stage (about 1% to 14%).

21. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage (Deox )
For reduction of DO concentration

22. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage (Deox )
In order to ensure anoxic conditions, the addition of ethanol was required
The Deox stage was not suitable for denitrification but
allowed good conditions for the following anoxic stage
mg/l Ammonia was assimilated in to the cells

23. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage (Anoxic )
Removal Rates (RR) across the anoxic stage are below 1 gNO3/m2/d, despite:
Low DO concentration
High C:N ratio
Nitrite may disturb nitrate measurements (influent mg/l)
In order to prove this assumption, the denitrification was calculated based on the change in the Alkalinity values

24. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage (Anoxic )
Higher nitrate removal should be obtained

25. Evaluation of each stage
MBBR stage (Aerobic )
Stage 5 was designed in order to reduce the residual carbon source and ensure final removal of ammonia
Relatively low COD and TAN removal ; during the warmer months COD and ammonia inlet concentrations were lower due to high activity in the previous stages
Assimilation was the main mechanism for TAN removal

26. Summary & Conclusions

27. Aqwise – Clear and Simple
The system can consistently produce high drinking water quality, reducing pollutants levels to below the required concentrations
The nitrification- denitrification processes were able to cope very well with the changes in the contaminants concentration in the water (temperature range between to 34.6°C)

28. Questions ?
Anoxic stage
Aerobic stage

29. Contact Information
Contact us for further information about Aqwise solutions
Keren Nof
Senior Process Engineer
Website
Telephone