Preliminary Investigation of an Installed Pilot-Scale Biological Nutrient Removal Technology (BNRT) for Sewage Treatment

¹ Chemical Engineering Department, De La Salle University, Manila, 2401 Taft Ave. Malate, Manila 1004 Philippines
² Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research, De La Salle University, Manila, 2401 Taft Ave. Malate, Manila 1004 Philippines
³ Chemical Engineering Department, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College 4031, Laguna, Philippines
⁴ Chemical Engineering Department, Malayan Colleges Laguna, Pulo Diezmo Road, Cabuyao City, Laguna 4025, Philippines

^* Corresponding author: arnel.beltran@dlsu.edu.ph

Abstract

Water utilities, commercial and industrial establishments are required to upgrade or install new treatment systems to comply with the revised effluent standards issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau (DENR – EMB) which now includes removal and monitoring of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus components). One solution is to utilize a biological nutrient removal technology (BNRT) system capable of removing nutrients from sewage. The on-going study aims to investigate the performance of the pilot-scale system in the removal of nutrients from sewage. The designed pilot-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A²O) process with a total hydraulic retention time of 8.37 hrs. was operated in an existing sewage treatment plant (STP). System modification was adapted to ensure continuous operation. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature of each compartment were evaluated after 45 days of system modification. The DO of the anaerobic and oxic compartment remained within the required range, while the internal recycling flowrate and/or aeration must be adjusted to achieve a DO concentration of 0.20 – 0.50 mg/L in the anoxic compartment. The research is financially supported by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCIEERD Project No. 04176).