Treatment of N, P of Auto-Thermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion Filtrate with Struvite Crystallization

Recently, auto-thermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) has a great attention for destruction of wasted sludge biomass in wastewater treatment plant. Reduction of sludge concentration has been successfully achieved with pilot scale ATAD and ceramic filtration process in field condition. However, high concentration of COD, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) was observed in filtrate, which should be treated before recirculation of filtrate to biological wastewater treatment plant. This study was focused on removal of nitrogen and phosphorus contained in the filtrate of ATAD, using struvite crystallization method. The effect of operational and environmental parameters (such as, N, P and Mg ion concentration and molar ratio, pH, reaction time, agitation strength, seed dosage, and reaction temperature) on the treatment of TN and TP with struvite crystallization were evaluated. Magnesium (as MgCl26H2O) and phosphorus (as K2HPO4) ions were, if necessary, added to increase nitrogen removal efficiency by the crystal formation. Average concentration of NH4-N and PO4-P of the filtrate were 1716.5 mg/L and 325.5 mg/L, respectively. Relationship between removal efficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus and molar ratios of Mg and PO4-P to NH4-N was examined. Crystal formation and nitrogen removal efficiencies were significantly increased as increasing molar ratios of magnesium and phosphorus to nitrogen. As molar ratio of Mg : PO4-P : NH4-N were maintained to 2 : 1 : 1 and 2 : 2 : 1, removal efficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus were 71.6% and 99.9%, and 93.8% and 98.6%, respectively. However, the effect of reaction time, mixing intensity, seed dose and temperature on the struvite crystallization reaction was not significant, comparing to those of molar ratios. Settled sludge volume after struvite crystallization was observed to be reduced with increase of seed dose and to be increased at high temperature.