Zeolite Anammox Pilot Plant

Randy Schmidt, P.E.Senior Engineer

Plant Operations Department

October 15, 2014

Background on Zeolite Anammox• Patent-pending system by Collison Engineering

– Researcher - Robert Collison, Ph.D, P.E.• Single-stage process for converting ammonia to

nitrogen gas

Step 1• Zeolite immobilizes ammonium by cation

exchange capacity

Step 2• Anammox bacteria colonizes ammonium-

coated zeolite

Step 3• Bacteria consumes NH4 and regenerate

the zeolite in-situ

Why Zeolite Anammox?

Less Energy

Less GHGs

Reduced Sludge

Production

Lower Construction

and O&M Costs

No external carbon

Volume Method

• Fixed film zeolite reactor in a tank• Blown Aeration• Trickling Filter Aeration

• Operates downward flow• Foot print 10% of conventional

Nitrification/Denitrification• No need for carbon source• Higher infrastructure and energy

costs

Surface Area Method

• Horizontal layer of zeolite that behaves like thin trickling filter

• Low construction cost• Robust system – USD stopped flow for 3 weeks w/o

disruption• Large area required (Ex: 5MGD- 5-10acres)• No aeration

Zeolite Anammox Volume Method

• Approx. 5,000 gal/day volume method system

• Two different aeration methods –blown aeration and re-circulating trickling filter aeration

• Timeline– Bacteria Maturation August 2014 – January 2015– Adjustment and Balancing February – June 2015– Phase 2 – July 2015 ?

Final Effluent Treatment Recycled Water Treatment

Ammonia-Nitrogen < 2mg/L Ammonia-Nitrogen < 0.5mg/L

Nitrate-Nitrogen < 10mg/L Nitrate-Nitrogen < 10mg/L

Zeolite Anammox Surface Area Method

• Surface area tanks act can act as final polishing tanks for removing low levels of ammonia

• Determine the surface area requirement• Construct and operate surface area (non-

aerated) method in a second semi-trailer• Optimize energy demand and treatment

efficiency by testing both aerated and non-aerated methods

To Be Constructed

ZA trailer arriving on site

Inside ZA Trailer

Blown Aeration Tank – Side View

VIDEO- Blown Air Tank

Re-circulating Trickling Filter Tank – Side View

VIDEO- Re-circ TF Tank

Sampling/Monitoring Plan

• Combination of manual sampling and continuous monitoring to evaluate performance

• Parameters being tracked:– NH4, NO3, NO2, TN, TKN, Total P – Flow rate, D.O., Alkalinity, pH, COD– Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Cl

Questions?