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 dewateringanaerobically treated sludges for ammonia-nitrogen removal in the City of New York. The paper describesthe characteristics of centrate, pretreatment required, treatment concerns and most important the variousstrategies evaluated to remove ammonia-nitrogen from centrate. Some of the strategies evaluated includephysical-chemical processes as well as biological centrate treatment processes. Biological centratetreatment was conducted separate and in combination with the raw wastewater. The centrate treatmentinvestigations conducted were at bench, pilot and full scale. Implementation of centrate treatment to datehas been done as plant retrofits. At this time, future centrate treatment selection at City plants will be basedon 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 combinationwith 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 ofcentrate treatment to maximize nitrogen removal and minimize costs.