Samuel Jeyanayagam, PhD, PE, BCEE CH2M HILL
Scott Phipps, PE Hazen and Sawyer
Nutrient Recovery
A Key Component of Sustainable
Nutrient Removal
MR396
2
Phase 1
State of Science
Review of
extractive nutrient
recovery
I. Characterize drivers
& barriers
II. Database of facilities
and technologies
performing nutrient
recovery
III. Market Analysis
Phase 2
Provide guidance on
the implementation
of recovery
technologies at
WWTPs
I. Tool for evaluating
resource recovery
(TERRY)
II. Case Study Guidance
documents
Phase 3
Experimentally
evaluate recovery
technologies
I. Evaluate high priority
embryonic P recovery
technologies
The WERF Nutrient Recovery Project is Designed
to Fill the Knowledge Gap
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Project Team led by:
Hazen and Sawyer
CH2MHILL
Utilities: 20
National & international experts
Universities & research organizations
USA
Australia
Europe
Japan
Technology providers: 6
3 WERF Project Team
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Acknowledgments
Ronal Latimer, Hazen & Sawyer - Principal Investigator (PI)
Sam Jeyanayagam, CH2M Hill - Co-PI
Wendell Khunjar, Hazen and Sawyer
Joe Rohrbacher, Hazen and Sawyer
Vivi Nguyen , Hazen and Sawyer
Glen Daigger, CH2MHill
Todd Williams, CH2MHill
Ron Alexander , Alexander Associates Inc
Utility partners – Columbus & Cincinnati MSD
University of Queensland, Australia
CSIRO, Australia
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Presentation Outline
Background
The (Other) Nutrient Predicament
Extractive Nutrient Recovery
Closing Thoughts
5
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Humanity’s Top Ten Problems for the
Next 50 to 100 years
1. Energy
2. Water
3. Food
4. Environment
5. Climate change
6. Poverty
7. Political stability
8. Disease
9. Education
10.Population explosion
6
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Population Explosion
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100
Year
Po
pu
lati
on
, B
illio
n 7 Billion
(2011)
9 Billion
(2050)
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Tipping Point of Urbanization
8
2007
68% of the population
will be living in Urban
areas by 2050
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Courtesy: Paul Reiter, IWA
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Courtesy: Paul Reiter, IWA
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Courtesy: Paul Reiter, IWA
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Fresh
water
use
Change in
Land Use
Biodiversity
Loss
Climate change
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorous
cycle
Ozone depletion
Aerosol
loading
Chemical
pollution
Ocean
acidification
1Adapted from Rockstrom, J., et al. (2009), Nature 461 (7263), 472-5
Planetary Boundaries are Being Overstepped Due to
Increased Anthropogenic Inputs Adapted from Rockstrom, J., et al. (2009), Nature 461 (7263), 472-5
Adapted from Penuelas, J., et al. (2012), Global Change Biology 18, 3-6
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Presentation Outline
Background
The (Other) Nutrient Predicament
Extractive Nutrient Recovery
Closing Thoughts
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The Phosphorus Predicament
Vaccari, 2009
Primary nutrient required for plant growth
Essential nutrient that cannot be substituted
A non-renewable resource
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Fate of Global Phosphorus
Human
WWTP Plants Industry
Agriculture
Rivers,
Oceans
Sediments
Phosphate
rock
Discharge
Sedimentation Tectonic
uplift
Fertilization
Detergent
Weathering Runoff
Mining
Cornel et al (2009)
Economically extractable reserves
likely to be depleted in 50-100 years.
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The Nitrogen Predicament
Non- Bioavailable
Nutrient Bioavailable
Nutrient
Haber Bosch Process
N2 NH3
12 kWh/kg N
Treatment
0.9 to 2.3 kWh/kg N N2
NH3,
NOx
16
Natural Processes
Human activity is contributing to nitrogen
accumulation in the environment
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Clearly business as usual is not sustainable
and a change in paradigm is needed with
respect to how we manage nutrients.
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Presentation Outline
Background
The (Other)Nutrient Predicament
Extractive Nutrient Recovery
Closing Thoughts
18
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A New Paradigm is Quickly Evolving
New paradigm of nutrient & resource extraction
Energy,
chemicals
Traditional paradigm of meeting limits
Wastewater Meet Effluent
Limits
Energy, nutrients, organics, metals
Wastewater Reclaimed Water
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N2 gas
P- rich Sludge
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Why Should you Care about
Nutrient Recovery?
Regulatory driver - P limits in OH Manage recycle loads – enhance process reliability
Nutrient recovery complements nutrient removal
Achieve chemical & energy savings
Reduced solids production
Control P content of biosolids
Minimize struvite nuisance scaling
Create potential revenue stream
Achieve long term sustainability benefits
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Drivers and Barriers 21
Extractive Nutrient
Recovery
Technology
development
Non-renewable supply of
fertilizer feedstocks
Desire for low cost,
sustainable nutrient
management option
Rising energy
consumption and costs
Potential to minimize
O&M issues
Potential to stabilize nutrient
removal performance
Lack of knowledge about
technical options
Limited capital budget
Long payback periods
Lack of regulatory
drivers
Lack of acceptance by
stakeholders
Staffing constraints
Drivers for Adopting Nutrient
Recovery Barriers against Adopting Nutrient
Recovery
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Effective Nutrient Recovery Requires a
Three Step Framework
Accumulation step to increase N content > 1000 mg N/L and
P content > 100 mg P/L
Release step to generate low flow and high nutrient stream
Recovery step produces high nutrient content product
Recovered nutrient
product
Accumulation Release Extraction Mainstream
Low
nutrient
effluent
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P Recovery Efficiency
From Cornel et al. (2009)
Primary
Sludge
10-15%
EBPR or
Chem - P
Removal
35-50%
Effluent
10%
Feces
33%
Urine
67%
Secondary
Sludge
25-40%
Sludge
Up to 90%
23
% P Minimum Maximum
Accumulation 35 90
Release (into soluble stream) 70 90
Recovery 50 90
Overall % P recovery
efficiency
12 73
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N Recovery Efficiency 24
% N Minimum Maximum
Accumulation 5 20
Release (into soluble stream) 30 60
Recovery 80 99
Overall % N recovery
efficiency
1.2 12
From Phillips et al., (2011)
and Jonsson et al., (2006)
Effluent
13%
Feces
20%
Urine
80%
Sludge
20%
Gaseous emission
67%
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Available Technologies
Accumulation Release Extraction
Enhanced
biological
phosphorus
removal (EBPR)
Algae
Purple non-sulfur
bacteria
Membrane filtration
Adsorption/Ion
exchange
Solvent extraction
Anaerobic
digestion
Thermolysis
WAS release
Sonication
Microwave
Chemical
extraction
Chemical
precipitation
Electrodialysis
Gas permeable
membrane and
absorption
Gas stripping
Solvent
extraction
Numerous options to chose from
Not all systems require all three components
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Struvite Recovery is a Mature
Technology Struvite = Mg + NH4 + PO4
NH4 & PO4 released in digestion
Typically Mg limited
Mg addition for odor control (i.e.
Mg(OH)2) can promote struvite formation
Miami Dade SDWRF
NYC Newtown Creek WPCP
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Intentional Struvite Precipitation Exploits pH
Dependent Chemical Precipitation Phenomena
Magnesium
Caustic
Centrate/Filtrate
Dryer
Effluent
Struvite
Dewatering
Sand (Procorp)
FBR
N:P ratio in filtrate ~ 2.4-2.6, ammonia in excess
N:P ratio in struvite = 0.45
lbs N required per lb P
removed
Fluidized bed reactor or CSTR used for struvite recovery
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Ostara Pearl™
8 full-scale facilities in
operation Durham AWTP OR,
Gold Bar WWTP Canada,
Nansemond WWTP VA,
York WWTP PA,
Rock Creek WWTP OR,
Nine Springs WWTP WI,
HM Weir WWTP Canada,
Slough STW, United Kingdom
27 pilot facilities US, Europe, Mid-East, China,
UK
Resale of products
facilitated by Ostara
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Multiform Harvest
Lower Capital Cost
o Smaller footprint, smaller
reactors
Less refined product
o Blended and refined in
secondary markets
2 full scale municipal
installations Yakima WWTF
West Boise WWTF
2 pilots facilities (US)
Resale of products
facilitated by MFH
Images
courtesy MFH
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Summary of Technology Options for
Struvite Recovery
Name of
Technology Ostara Pearl®
Multiform
Harvest struvite
technology
Phospaq Crystalactor® NuReSys
Name of product
recovered Crystal Green ® struvite fertilizer struvite fertilizer
Struvite,
Calcium‐phosphate,
Magnesium‐phosphate
BioStru®
% Efficiency of
recovery from
sidestream
80-90% P
10-40% NH3-N
80-90% P
10-40% NH3-N
80% P
10-40% NH3-N
85-95% P for struvite
10-40% NH3-N
> 90% P for calcium
phosphate
45% P
5-20% N
Product
marketing/resale Ostara Multiform Harvest N/A
Third party facilitated by
Procorp, DHV N/A
Capital Cost
(US$/capacity)
$2,500-$15,000
Per lb P/d
$2000-$6000
Per lb P/day
$2-4
Per gal/day
$1400-1600
Per lb P/day
$0.43-20
Per gal/day
# of full-scale
installations 8 2 2 30 7
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P Release Prior to Anaerobic Digestion Minimizes
Nuisance Struvite Scaling
Release P
from sludge
using VFA
rich stream
Low P content of
sludge minimizes
nuisance struvite
formation from
digester onwards
Send P rich sidestream to recovery process
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Recovery of Nitrogen only Products
Accumulation Release Extraction
EBPR
Algae
Purple non-sulfur
bacteria
Membrane filtration
Adsorption/Ion
exchange
Solvent extraction
Anaerobic
digestion
Thermolysis
WAS release
Sonication
Microwave
Chemical
extraction
Chemical
precipitation
Electrodialysis
Gas permeable
membrane and
absorption
Gas stripping
Gas stripping is appropriate for NH3 recovery
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Nitrogen Recovery via Gas Stripping and
Ion Exchange
Pre-treatment
Sidestream
Air
AmmoniaRecoveryProcess
Treated wastewater
Concentrated ammonia product
(e.g. NH4SO4, NH4NO3)
Stripping Reactor
1. pH adjustment (pH > 9.3)2. Heating (Temp > 80 0C)
1. Acid scrubber2. (e.g. H2SO4, HNO3)
■ Large capital investment
■ Effective for concentrations > 1000 mg N/L
• Industrial
• Agricultural
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Recovery of Nitrogen only Product not
Favored Currently 34
Low resale value of N only products and high operating and
capital costs makes N recovery challenging
Nitrogen only recovery also limited by more attractive
sidestream N treatment options
Deammonification
N recovery as part of combined N and P product is more
attractive option at present Will need to be revisited as natural gas price/demand varies
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Recovery of N and P from Biosolids and Ash
Involves Multiple Steps
Accumulation Release Extraction
EBPR
Algae
Purple non-sulfur
bacteria
Membrane filtration
Adsorption/Ion
exchange
Solvent extraction
Anaerobic
digestion
Thermolysis
WAS release
Sonication
Microwave
Chemical
extraction
Chemical
precipitation
Electrodialysis
Gas permeable
membrane and
absorption
Gas stripping
Extraction/recovery can involve acidification, thermolysis,
chemical extraction and chemical precipitation
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Nutrient Extraction from Solids & Ash can be
complex and are not yet mature Krepo process 1) sludge thickening (5% DS)
2) acidification (pH 1-3)
3) thermal hydrolysis (140 C, 30-40-min)
5) organic sludge separation (50% DS)
6) phosphate precipitation
7) recycling of precipitant
Seaborne process 1) acidification
2) solids separation
3) solids incinerated
3) heavy metals precipitation
4) de-sulfurized gas -> cogen. plant
5) struvite precipitation
6) ammonia stripping
36
Seaborne piloted at Gifhorn WWTP in
Germany (2006)
KREPO Full-scale facilities at
Helsingborg and Malmo
WWTFs(Sweden)
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Summary of Technologies for Nutrient
Recovery from Solids and Ash Name of Process
Seaborne Krepro SEPHOS BioCon® PASH PHOXNAN
Product recovered
struvite; diammonium sulfate (DAS)
iron phosphate as a fertilizer
aluminum phoshate or
calcium phosphate (advanced SEPHOS)
phosphoric acid
struvite or calcium
phosphate
phosphoric acid
Process feedstock
sludge sludge sewage
sludge ash sewage
sludge ash sewage
sludge ash sludge
Few full-scale applications currently exist
Work is on-going in Europe to make these economical
options
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Presentation Outline
Background
The (Other)Nutrient Predicament
Extractive Nutrient Recovery
Closing Thoughts
38
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Closing Thoughts
Struvite recovery can: ■ Reduce energy and chemical consumption
■ Minimize nuisance struvite formation and
reduce O&M costs
■ Reduce the P content of biosolids
Struvite recovery can be economical: ■ Sidestreams ≥ 20% P load
■ Struvite mitigation
Several commercial technology
providers with proven track record Recovered struvite is marketed as a slow
release fertilizer
Technology providers have different business
models for this purpose
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Closing Thoughts 40
Low resale value of N only products makes N
recovery challenging
N recovery as part of combined N and P
product (struvite) is more economical at
present
Will need to be revisited as natural gas
price/demand varies
Main barriers to wider adoption of nutrient
recovery include:
Lack of regulatory drivers
Poor economics
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Closing Thoughts
WERF Study – next steps
Compilation of data into case studies
Development and beta-testing of TERRY
Demonstration of embryonic or innovative options
41
Purple non-sulfur bacteria Nano-enhanced iron media
Reactor Tank
Organic
Aqueous
Reacted Organic
phase
Phase Separation
Clean aqueous
phase
Stripping
Organic to
recycle
Nutrient rich
solution
Stripping
agent
Liquid extraction Bioelectrochemical cell
Samuel Jeyanayagam, PhD, PE, BCEE
CH2M HILL CH2M HILL [email protected]
Scott Phipps, PE Hazen and Sawyer
Nutrient Recovery
A Key Component of Sustainable
Nutrient Removal
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