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RE: Carbon Source for Denitrification

WaterPlanet — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:18:15 GMT

We use sugar to provide synthetic influent to a seasonally under loaded SBR. It is a small plant and we only add 25-30 pounds per week. Each pound of sugar is approximately equal to 500 gallons of 250 mg/l BOD influent. Pros: cheap, readily available 24/7 at Wal-Marts everywhere. Cons: a drag to buy and mix, slime grows in mixing tank and piping, will ferment. (Will also freeze.) Cannot speak to sludge production...

We use Micro-C for denite at four small treatment plants. Is more costly and can get sticky if you are sloppy, but otherwise is a good product.

I've been told that sodium acetate can be used, but know little about it.

RE: Carbon Source for Denitrification

fixedfilmenr — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:25:15 GMT

See January 2008 issue of WEF WE&T article : Got Carbon? - Widespread biological nutrient removal is increasing the demand for supplemental sources for comparisons.

RE: Carbon Source for Denitrification

fixedfilmenr — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:20:52 GMT

Does anyone have experience with the use of sugar water as a carbon source? Also I am looking for relative sludge production rates from various carbon sources. I am being told sugar water will produce more sludge than methanol (avoiding due to flammability).

Thanks

RE: Carbon Source for Denitrification

WaterPlanet — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:33:53 GMT

The January 2008 WE&T had an article on this very subject: pages 9-53. I reworked the numbers and checked them with my Micro-C distributor.

If you need, for example, 100 gallons of Micro-C to get the carbon you need, you will need the following amount of various other products to feed the same amount of carbon...

Methanol: 53, Ethanol: 38, Acetic Acid (100%): 50, Acetic Acid (20%): 288, Sugar: 92, UnicarbDN: 84, Sludge supernate: 105,000.

Having said this, I am against using alcohols (methanol or ethanol). They are flammable, potentially explosive. Not worth the risk in the plants my company operates.

RE: Carbon Source for Denitrification

Milos — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:05:39 GMT

Briefly comments based on our experiences and conditions (Slovak & Czech Republic) :

methanol - good price ($/kg COD), good physical /storage properties (melting point, possibility for pumping), difficulties with manipulation (safety rules), flammable, technological limitation (need adaptation time for biocenosis ~ 1-2 sludge age)

ethanol - moderate price, good physical /storage properties, no problems with manipulation, flammable, good technological properties (nature like couple 2 carbons in molecule)

acetic acid - high price, moderate physical /storage properties (meting point 16 °C, corrosion), moderate problems with manipulation (corrosion), good technological properties

G-phase (glycerine phase, rest from biofuel production) - good price, good/moderate physical / storage properties (melting point depend on technology), minimal problems with manipulation, good technological properties

Carbon Source for Denitrification

yoyoyuri — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:34:21 GMT

Where can I access a comprehensive evaluation (relative strengths, cost, dosage rates, COD value, dis/advantages, etc) of Carbon Sources (methanol, ethanol, MicroC, glycerin, etc.) for denitrification? If there isn't such a source, I'd appreciate if some members could summarize what they know about each.

Thank you.