Ammonia-Nitrogen Removal from Centrate 10 Years of Testing and Operating Experience in New York City

摘要

This paper summarizes the testing and operating experience of treating centrate from dewatering anaerobically treated sludges for ammonia-nitrogen removal in the City of New York. The paper describes the characteristics of centrate, pretreatment required, treatment concerns and most important the various strategies evaluated to remove ammonia-nitrogen from centrate. Some of the strategies evaluated include physical-chemical processes as well as biological centrate treatment processes. Biological centrate treatment was conducted separate and in combination with the raw wastewater. The centrate treatment investigations conducted were at bench, pilot and full scale. Implementation of centrate treatment to date has been done as plant retrofits. At this time, future centrate treatment selection at City plants will be based on the plant’s level of treatment required and design particulars such as land available and other factors. Biological ammonia removal is the preferred mode of centrate treatment, separate and/or in combination with wastewater treatment. The information presented in the paper will be useful to researchers, municipalities as well as operating and design engineering firms that are considering the implementation of centrate treatment to maximize nitrogen removal and minimize costs.