Conventional WWTP Design question

Hi everyone,

Can anyone tell me, for a domestic treating WWTP, what would be a generally accepted peak coefficient for nitrogen? Also, can anyone tell me (again for a conventional WWTP) what an approximate proportion of overall construction costs nitrogen treatment represents?

I know there are sooooooooooooooo many variables that would come into play, but I don't have all the data to make it representative, so I'm looking for a general idea.

TIA!

Taxonomy

• Wastewater Treatment
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Design
• Water & Wastewater
• Water & Wastewater
• wastewater
• On-site wastewater

3 Answers

1. From a recent project I've worked on (as inlet parameters):

   	BOD	NH4+	BOD/NH4+
   Jan	90	35	2.6
   Feb	126	33	3.8
   March	95	32	3.0
   April	80	29.2	2.7
   May	78	30.8	2.5
   June	176	39.4	4.5
   Avg.			3.2

    

   Peak would be 39.4

   1 Comment

   1. Thanks for the input!

2. Hi Jonathan, so it depends on the housing type being served - more dense housing will have higher peaks than low dense more affluent housing (who will have greater dilution with grey water). Generally though TKN (total kjeldal nitrogen) is between 60 and 85 mg/l in the raw sewage for domestic users.  during the aeration stage the ammonia component is converted to nitrates, while in the anoxic stage the nitrates are converted to nitrogen gas.  The anoxic stage is usually constructed prior to the aeration stage requiring recirculation from the aeration stage back to the anoxic stage, so the design requires larger basins for both the anoxic and aeration stages.  Also the aeration stage must be large enough to allow firstly usage of the readily available carbon source (COD) before nitrification can occur (ammonia to nitrates).  So to achieve nitrification may require an additional 20 to 25% in costs for the aeration stage, and to achieve denitrification the anoxic basin may be about 20% the size of the aeration basin and requires additional low lift pumps and channels for recirculation.  All other components of the WWTW are of course still required.

   1 Comment

   1. Thanks that's really useful. Much appreciated!

3. The main measures concerned with an effluent consent for a WWTP are suspended solids (SS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). If a further degree of treatment is required, this will normally concern ammonia (NH4) which will take account of the nitrogen content. Some go even further and bring in a phosphorus limit in order to prevent algal growth in the receiving waters.

   1 Comment

   1. Thanks a lot for the inputs!