title: Energy efficient treatment of A-stage effluent: pilot-scale experiences with shortcut nitrogen removal.
abstract: Energy autarky of sewage treatment plants, while reaching chemical oxygen demand (COD) and N discharge limits, can be achieved by means of shortcut N-removal. This study presents the results of a shortcut N-removal pilot, located at the biological two-'stage (high/low rate) wastewater treatment plant of Breda, The Netherlands. The pilot treated real effluent of a high-rate activated sludge (COD/N = 3), fed in a continuous mode at realistic loading rates (90-100 g N/(m(3)·d)). The operational strategy, which included increased stress on the sludge settling velocity, showed development of a semi-granular sludge, with average particle size of 280 μm (ø(4,3)), resulting in increased suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. The process was able to remove part of the nitrogen (51 ± 23%) over nitrite, with COD/N removal ratios of 3.2 ± 0.9. The latter are lower than the current operation of the full-scale B-stage in Breda (6.8-9.4), showing promising results for carbon-efficient N-removal, while producing a well settling sludge (SVI(30) < 100 mL/g).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium E-mail: Siegfried.Vlaeminck@UAntwerpen.be.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seuntjens
authors.affiliation: Colsen International bv., Kreekzoom 5, 4561 GX Hulst, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B L M
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bundervoet
authors.affiliation: Waterschap Brabantse Delta, Bouvignelaan 5, 4836 AA Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mollen
authors.affiliation: Biomath, Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Mulder
authors.affiliation: Waterschap Brabantse Delta, Bouvignelaan 5, 4836 AA Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wypkema
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group (PaInt), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verliefde
authors.affiliation: Biomath, Department of Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nopens
authors.affiliation: Colsen International bv., Kreekzoom 5, 4561 GX Hulst, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J G M
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Colsen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium E-mail: Siegfried.Vlaeminck@UAntwerpen.be; Department of Bioscience Engineering, Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Faculty of Science, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Vlaeminck
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors; D002244:Carbon; D058440:Denitrification; D009426:Netherlands; D009573:Nitrites; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D009573:Nitrites; D009584:Nitrogen; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical