Enhancing biological nitrogen removal in a small wastewater treatment plant by regulating the air supply

Abstract

Most of the small wastewater treatment plants in Catalonia were not designed to remove nutrients. However, the large safety margins built into their original engineering design has meant that, in many cases, it has been possible to remove part of the nitrogen without being controlled. This paper focuses on the practical experience carried out in one of these facilities, the Bisbal wastewater treatment plant, aimed at enhancing the biological nitrogen removal using simple, low-cost, easy-to-operate measurement and control. The control strategy, which is based on air supply regulation, was previously designed using simulation studies. A dissolved oxygen monitoring system was installed into the facility, while nitrogen concentrations were analysed every day. Optimal dissolved oxygen profiles in the oxidation ditch were identified, while the air supply strategy was modified according to the variations in the influent.