Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are nutrients for the growth of living cells. Their presence is essential for biological treatment of domestic wastewater. However, uncontrolled discharge of nutrients with treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants leads to eutrophication– a condition that promotes growth of undesirable aquatic plants and adversely impacts the quality and aesthetic of the receiving bodies water. To address the increasing regulatory requirements for nutrient control from treatment plant discharges utilities around the globe implement advanced wastewater treatment processes for N and P removal. Among various configurations of biological wastewater treatment reactors Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) have been demonstrated as an effective technology for nutrient control. SBR conducts all functions of treatment process including BOD oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and clarification of the mixed liquor in the same reactor tank. SBR operates in repeating cycles, each consisting of the above steps in series. Each step carries out a specific biochemical reaction to fulfill the overall treatment goal. The cyclic and stepwise operation of an SBR is precisely controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This paper presents a case study of successful nutrient control by SBR with the help of automatic real time process control by a PLC. It discusses the working principle of SBR and the function of each process step. The test program consisted of continuous monitoring of multiple process parameters to monitor the removal of BOD, TSS and nutrients, in each cycle of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at the wastewater treatment plant. On-line, real time, monitoring of pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia-N, nitrite-N, nitrate-N and orthophosphate-P demonstrated excellent correspondence between these parameters and the individual biochemical reactions in each step. Subsequently, the SBR cycle control logic was changed from time and DO based, to ORP based. This demonstrated the potential for a higher energy efficiency in plant operation while maintaining the effluent quality in compliance with the state regulation for BOD, TSS, TN, TP of 5, 5, 3 and 1 mg/L, respectively.
Published in | American Journal of Water Science and Engineering (Volume 8, Issue 4) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12 |
Page(s) | 79-88 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group |
SBR, ORP, DO, Biological Treatment, Nutrients Control
[1] | Basu, S. (2020) Chemical Engineering Progress, April 2020, 41-47. |
[2] | APHA, AWWA and WEF (1998). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th Edition, Washington, DC. |
[3] | Charpentier, J., et al. (1998) “ORP regulation and activated sludge” Proceedings of the 19th Biennial Conference IAWQ; Vancouver, BC, 1-12. |
[4] | Sawyer, C. N.; McCarty, P. L. and Parkin, G. F. (2003) Chemistry for Environmental Engineering, 4th ed.; McGraw Hill, Inc.; New York, NY. |
[5] | Koch, F. A. and Oldham, W. K. (1985) “Oxidation-reduction potential – a tool for monitoring, control and optimization of biological nutrient removal systems” Water Science and Technology, Vol. 17, 259–281. |
[6] | Goronszy, M. C., et al. (1992) “Oxidation reduction potential for nitrogen and phosphorus removal in a fed-batch reactor” Proceedings of the 65th WEF Conference; New Orleans, LA, 87-98. |
[7] | Demoulin, G., Goronszy, M. C., Wutscher, K and Forsthuber, E. (1997) “Co-current nitrification/denitrification and biological P-removal in cyclic activated sludge plants by redox controlled cycle operation” Water Science and Technology, Vol. 35, 215-224. |
[8] | Zipper, T., Fleischmann, N. and Haberl, R. (1998) “Development of a new system for control and optimization of small wastewater treatment plants using oxidation – reduction potential (ORP) “Water Science and Technology, Vol. 38, 307 – 314. |
[9] | Kim, H. and Hao, O. J. (2001) “pH and oxidation-reduction potential control strategy for optimization of nitrogen removal in an alternating aerobic-anoxic system. Water Environ. Res., 73, 95. |
[10] | Geraney, K., Vanderhasselt, A., Bogaert, H., Vanrolleghem, P. and Verstraete, W. (1998) “Sensors to monitor biological nitrogen removal and activated sludge settling” Journal of Microbiological Methods, 32, 193-204. |
[11] | Peng, Y. Z., Gao, J. F., Wang, S. Y. And Sui, M. H. (2002) “Use of pH and ORP as fuzzy control parameters of denitrification in SBR process” Water Science and Technology, Vol. 46, 131-137. |
[12] | Gupta, M., Gupta, A., Suidan, M. T., Sayles, G. D., Flora, J. R. V. (1994) “ORP measurement in anaerobic systems using flow – through cell” J. Envir. Engrg. ASCE, 120 (6), 1638-1645. |
[13] | Stensel, H. D., Coleman, T. E., Denham, W. B. and Fleischman, D. S. “Oxidation ditch modifications and automated control system for nitrogen removal and sludge settling improvements” U. S. Patent 5, 582, 734. |
[14] | Applegate, C. S. and Dubey, D. W. (2005) “Wastewater treatment Control” U. S. Patent 0,133,443 A1. |
[15] | Jimenez, J., P. Regmi and M. Miller (2018) “Understanding Simultaneous Nutrie Removal through Low Dissolved Oxygen Operation”, Presented at WEF Nutrient Removal and Recovery Conference, June 18 to 21, Raleigh, NC. |
[16] | Basu, S. and Schucking, G. (2022) “Nitrogen Removal and Recovery from Municipal and Industrial Wastewater” Blue Tech Research Insight Report, April 2022, Vancouver, BC. |
APA Style
Somnath Basu. (2022). On-Line Monitoring and Process Control of SBR Cycles for Nutrient Control from Wastewater. American Journal of Water Science and Engineering, 8(4), 79-88. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12
ACS Style
Somnath Basu. On-Line Monitoring and Process Control of SBR Cycles for Nutrient Control from Wastewater. Am. J. Water Sci. Eng. 2022, 8(4), 79-88. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12
@article{10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12, author = {Somnath Basu}, title = {On-Line Monitoring and Process Control of SBR Cycles for Nutrient Control from Wastewater}, journal = {American Journal of Water Science and Engineering}, volume = {8}, number = {4}, pages = {79-88}, doi = {10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajwse.20220804.12}, abstract = {Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are nutrients for the growth of living cells. Their presence is essential for biological treatment of domestic wastewater. However, uncontrolled discharge of nutrients with treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants leads to eutrophication– a condition that promotes growth of undesirable aquatic plants and adversely impacts the quality and aesthetic of the receiving bodies water. To address the increasing regulatory requirements for nutrient control from treatment plant discharges utilities around the globe implement advanced wastewater treatment processes for N and P removal. Among various configurations of biological wastewater treatment reactors Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) have been demonstrated as an effective technology for nutrient control. SBR conducts all functions of treatment process including BOD oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and clarification of the mixed liquor in the same reactor tank. SBR operates in repeating cycles, each consisting of the above steps in series. Each step carries out a specific biochemical reaction to fulfill the overall treatment goal. The cyclic and stepwise operation of an SBR is precisely controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This paper presents a case study of successful nutrient control by SBR with the help of automatic real time process control by a PLC. It discusses the working principle of SBR and the function of each process step. The test program consisted of continuous monitoring of multiple process parameters to monitor the removal of BOD, TSS and nutrients, in each cycle of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at the wastewater treatment plant. On-line, real time, monitoring of pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia-N, nitrite-N, nitrate-N and orthophosphate-P demonstrated excellent correspondence between these parameters and the individual biochemical reactions in each step. Subsequently, the SBR cycle control logic was changed from time and DO based, to ORP based. This demonstrated the potential for a higher energy efficiency in plant operation while maintaining the effluent quality in compliance with the state regulation for BOD, TSS, TN, TP of 5, 5, 3 and 1 mg/L, respectively.}, year = {2022} }
TY - JOUR T1 - On-Line Monitoring and Process Control of SBR Cycles for Nutrient Control from Wastewater AU - Somnath Basu Y1 - 2022/12/29 PY - 2022 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12 DO - 10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12 T2 - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering JF - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering JO - American Journal of Water Science and Engineering SP - 79 EP - 88 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2575-1875 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajwse.20220804.12 AB - Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are nutrients for the growth of living cells. Their presence is essential for biological treatment of domestic wastewater. However, uncontrolled discharge of nutrients with treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants leads to eutrophication– a condition that promotes growth of undesirable aquatic plants and adversely impacts the quality and aesthetic of the receiving bodies water. To address the increasing regulatory requirements for nutrient control from treatment plant discharges utilities around the globe implement advanced wastewater treatment processes for N and P removal. Among various configurations of biological wastewater treatment reactors Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) have been demonstrated as an effective technology for nutrient control. SBR conducts all functions of treatment process including BOD oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and clarification of the mixed liquor in the same reactor tank. SBR operates in repeating cycles, each consisting of the above steps in series. Each step carries out a specific biochemical reaction to fulfill the overall treatment goal. The cyclic and stepwise operation of an SBR is precisely controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This paper presents a case study of successful nutrient control by SBR with the help of automatic real time process control by a PLC. It discusses the working principle of SBR and the function of each process step. The test program consisted of continuous monitoring of multiple process parameters to monitor the removal of BOD, TSS and nutrients, in each cycle of the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at the wastewater treatment plant. On-line, real time, monitoring of pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia-N, nitrite-N, nitrate-N and orthophosphate-P demonstrated excellent correspondence between these parameters and the individual biochemical reactions in each step. Subsequently, the SBR cycle control logic was changed from time and DO based, to ORP based. This demonstrated the potential for a higher energy efficiency in plant operation while maintaining the effluent quality in compliance with the state regulation for BOD, TSS, TN, TP of 5, 5, 3 and 1 mg/L, respectively. VL - 8 IS - 4 ER -