Start-up of a full-scale SNAD-MBBR process for treating sludge digester liquor

Abstract A simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) process was started up successfully to treat sludge digester liquor in a full-scale moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). This reactor treated up to 530 kg N/d with a nitrogen removal efficiency of 70%. During the start-up period, efficient and stable partial nitrification was attained by controlling the concentration of DO (0.3–0.5 mg/L), free ammonia (0.6–8.2 mg/L) and free nitrous acid (0.03–1.20 mg/L). The full-scale anammox reactor (832 m3) took about 240 days to start up successfully after inoculation with nitrifying sludge and a small amount of anammox sludge. The preformation of anammox biofilm in the pilot-scale MBBR played a vital role in the fast start-up of the full-scale anammox MBBR. An average nitrogen removal rate of 0.41 kg N/m3/d was achieved. In the SNAD reactor, high-throughput sequencing techniques revealed that the anammox bacteria in the biofilm accounted for a higher proportion than in the suspended sludge, indicating that the carriers effectively protected the anammox from washout. This study provides valuable experience for treatment of wastewater with low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.

[1]  G. Wang,et al.  A pilot-scale study on the start-up of partial nitrification-anammox process for anaerobic sludge digester liquor treatment. , 2017, Bioresource technology.

[2]  Yongzhen Peng,et al.  Enhanced biological nutrient removal in a simultaneous fermentation, denitrification and phosphate removal reactor using primary sludge as internal carbon source. , 2013, Chemosphere.

[3]  Baikun Li,et al.  A novel simultaneous partial nitrification Anammox and denitrification (SNAD) with intermittent aeration for cost-effective nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate , 2017 .

[4]  B Wett,et al.  Development and implementation of a robust deammonification process. , 2007, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[5]  M Christensson,et al.  Integrated fixed-film activated sludge ANITA™Mox process--a new perspective for advanced nitrogen removal. , 2014, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[6]  J. Keller,et al.  Free ammonia and free nitrous acid inhibition on the anabolic and catabolic processes of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. , 2007, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[7]  M. V. van Loosdrecht,et al.  The SHARON-Anammox process for treatment of ammonium rich wastewater. , 2001, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[8]  Peter A. Vanrolleghem,et al.  Engineering aspects and practical application of autotrophic nitrogen removal from nitrogen rich streams , 2010 .

[9]  Mark C M van Loosdrecht,et al.  Outcompeting nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in single-stage nitrogen removal in sewage treatment plants: a model-based study. , 2014, Water research.

[10]  Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown,et al.  The role of anaerobic sludge recycle in improving anaerobic digester performance. , 2013, Bioresource technology.

[11]  R van Kempen,et al.  Overview: full scale experience of the SHARON process for treatment of rejection water of digested sludge dewatering. , 2001, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[12]  A. E. Greenberg,et al.  Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater : supplement to the sixteenth edition , 1988 .

[13]  Anuska Mosquera-Corral,et al.  Applications of Anammox based processes to treat anaerobic digester supernatant at room temperature. , 2009, Bioresource technology.

[14]  S. Lackner,et al.  Comparing different reactor configurations for Partial Nitritation/Anammox at low temperatures. , 2015, Water research.

[15]  Susanne Lackner,et al.  Full-scale partial nitritation/anammox experiences--an application survey. , 2014, Water research.

[16]  N J D Graham,et al.  Sewage sludge-based adsorbents: a review of their production, properties and use in water treatment applications. , 2009, Water research.

[17]  J. J. Heijnen,et al.  The sequencing batch reactor as a powerful tool for the study of slowly growing anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms , 1998, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[18]  Bjørnar Eikebrokk,et al.  Design and operations of the Kaldnes moving bed biofilm reactors , 2006 .

[19]  Y. Ahn,et al.  Autotrophic nitrogen removal from sludge digester liquids in upflow sludge bed reactor with external aeration , 2006 .

[20]  D. Hira,et al.  High-rate partial nitrification treatment of reject water as a pretreatment for anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[21]  R. Loehr,et al.  Inhibition of nitrification by ammonia and nitrous acid. , 1976, Journal - Water Pollution Control Federation.

[22]  Gang Wang,et al.  Study of simultaneous partial nitrification, ANAMMOX and denitrification (SNAD) process in an intermittent aeration membrane bioreactor. , 2016 .

[23]  Fenglin Yang,et al.  The development of simultaneous partial nitrification, ANAMMOX and denitrification (SNAD) process in a single reactor for nitrogen removal. , 2009, Bioresource technology.

[24]  J. G. Kuenen,et al.  Missing lithotroph identified as new planctomycete , 1999, Nature.

[25]  L. Mazéas,et al.  New insights into the key microbial phylotypes of anaerobic sludge digesters under different operational conditions. , 2016, Water research.

[26]  M. V. van Loosdrecht,et al.  Startup of reactors for anoxic ammonium oxidation: experiences from the first full-scale anammox reactor in Rotterdam. , 2007, Water research.

[27]  S Salem,et al.  Biological treatment of sludge digester liquids. , 2006, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.