4.5 Nutrient Recovery Technologies Across the World
119
consumption, lower carbon footprint treatments and development of environmentally
friendly processes not only to reduce the volume of the wastes but also to convert
them into value-added products.
Numerous nutrient recovery technologies have been developed fast in recent
years; some of them have been implemented at full scale in many wastewater treatment plants around the world. As an example, the nitrification/denitrification process
attracted a significant interest after a successful application of SHARON process. Six
full-scale facilities of the SHARON process for nitrogen recovery were installed in
the Netherlands in the years of 1997–2005, locating in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Zwolle,
Beverwijk, Garmerwolde and Hague. The nitrogen loading of the plants is between
410 and 2500 kg N per day. The capacities of the plants are 200,000–930,000 P.E and
the nitrogen removal efficiency is more than 95%. However, the high temperature and
high ammonium concentration of the process limit its development and application.
In addition, the influents of the process are limited to the rejection water of sludge
digestion and leachate water of landfill sites. Applications of this process for nitrogen
removal on other wastewater types are still under investigation [48]. As mentioned in
the previous sections, ARP is another technology for nitrogen recovery. It has been
commercialized by the ThermoEnergy Corporation. The first pilot plant was built in
New York and was tested in 1998. No recent status of the project is available [13].
Phosphorous recovery technologies have been used in many wastewater treatment
plants as well. As an example, full-scale Crystalactor Technology has been installed
at the Geestmertambacht, Heemsted and Westerbrork wastewater treatment plants in
the Netherlands. In 1994, the capacity reached 230,000 P.E at the Geestmertambacht
plant, whose installation capacity is 250 m
3 /h, with 70 kg/h phosphate production.
Application of the Crystalactor technology does not require much modification to
the existing sludge treatment facilities, although the main drawback of the process
is the higher phosphate production cost compared to the natural sources [13].
The Phostrip method has been used by various wastewater treatment plants. After
the successful installation of the Phostrip technology in Nevada, US in 1970s, many
wastewater treatment plants around the world have used the process for phosphorus
recovery. The first demonstration phase of the process was focused on the production
of a low phosphorous concentration effluent. Thus, phosphorous recovery was not
investigated in detail and the lime precipitated sludge was returned to the primary
sedimentation tank. After the first demonstration phase, at least four full-scale plants
were installed in mid 1980s in: Lansdale, PA; Little Patuxent, MD; Central Contra
Costa Sanitation District, CA and Seneca Falls, NY [13].
The OSTARA’s Pearl Nutrient Recovery process was originally developed by the
University of British Columbia in Canada and the first full-scale facility was operated in 2007 in Edmonton, Alberta. The process recovers phosphorous by growing
high purity crystalline granules of struvite under controlled reaction conditions in a
fluidized bed crystallizer. The influent of the process is the sludge dewatering liquor
(centrate, filtrate and lagoon supernatant). The technology recovers 75% of phosphorous and 10% of nitrogen at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants.
The nutrients are then processed into a granular fertilizer known as Crystal Green
and are ready for commercial sale. The EPCOR Water Services collaborated with
119
consumption, lower carbon footprint treatments and development of environmentally
friendly processes not only to reduce the volume of the wastes but also to convert
them into value-added products.
Numerous nutrient recovery technologies have been developed fast in recent
years; some of them have been implemented at full scale in many wastewater treatment plants around the world. As an example, the nitrification/denitrification process
attracted a significant interest after a successful application of SHARON process. Six
full-scale facilities of the SHARON process for nitrogen recovery were installed in
the Netherlands in the years of 1997–2005, locating in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Zwolle,
Beverwijk, Garmerwolde and Hague. The nitrogen loading of the plants is between
410 and 2500 kg N per day. The capacities of the plants are 200,000–930,000 P.E and
the nitrogen removal efficiency is more than 95%. However, the high temperature and
high ammonium concentration of the process limit its development and application.
In addition, the influents of the process are limited to the rejection water of sludge
digestion and leachate water of landfill sites. Applications of this process for nitrogen
removal on other wastewater types are still under investigation [48]. As mentioned in
the previous sections, ARP is another technology for nitrogen recovery. It has been
commercialized by the ThermoEnergy Corporation. The first pilot plant was built in
New York and was tested in 1998. No recent status of the project is available [13].
Phosphorous recovery technologies have been used in many wastewater treatment
plants as well. As an example, full-scale Crystalactor Technology has been installed
at the Geestmertambacht, Heemsted and Westerbrork wastewater treatment plants in
the Netherlands. In 1994, the capacity reached 230,000 P.E at the Geestmertambacht
plant, whose installation capacity is 250 m
3 /h, with 70 kg/h phosphate production.
Application of the Crystalactor technology does not require much modification to
the existing sludge treatment facilities, although the main drawback of the process
is the higher phosphate production cost compared to the natural sources [13].
The Phostrip method has been used by various wastewater treatment plants. After
the successful installation of the Phostrip technology in Nevada, US in 1970s, many
wastewater treatment plants around the world have used the process for phosphorus
recovery. The first demonstration phase of the process was focused on the production
of a low phosphorous concentration effluent. Thus, phosphorous recovery was not
investigated in detail and the lime precipitated sludge was returned to the primary
sedimentation tank. After the first demonstration phase, at least four full-scale plants
were installed in mid 1980s in: Lansdale, PA; Little Patuxent, MD; Central Contra
Costa Sanitation District, CA and Seneca Falls, NY [13].
The OSTARA’s Pearl Nutrient Recovery process was originally developed by the
University of British Columbia in Canada and the first full-scale facility was operated in 2007 in Edmonton, Alberta. The process recovers phosphorous by growing
high purity crystalline granules of struvite under controlled reaction conditions in a
fluidized bed crystallizer. The influent of the process is the sludge dewatering liquor
(centrate, filtrate and lagoon supernatant). The technology recovers 75% of phosphorous and 10% of nitrogen at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants.
The nutrients are then processed into a granular fertilizer known as Crystal Green
and are ready for commercial sale. The EPCOR Water Services collaborated with