Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal at the

Marquette Area WWTP

2012 MWEA Administrators Conference

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Outline

• the City and the plant

• Tankage, a good candidate.

• Process Specifics and Control

• Conditions to watch for

• Performance Summary: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

The real Marquette…

Marquette Area WWTP

• Original construction 1953

• Secondary Treatment upgrade 1978

• Second, Secondary Treatment upgrade 2008

• Discharge

• Flow Rate

RAW

SEWAGE

PLUME

Selected Permit Limits

Phosphorus 1.0 mg/L

Ammonia (seasonal) 10 mg/L daily max

CBOD5 / TSS (varies seasonally)

17 mg/L / 30 mg/L

D.O. 4.0 mg/L

History of the Bio-P Tanks

• Original construction 1953: primary clarifiers, 2 x 115,000 gallons

• New Purpose: modified UCT bio-P tanks

• Cartoon illustrations

RAS

Primary Clarifier #1

Primary Clarifier #2

Started with this…

To aerationbasins

RAS

PrimaryEffluent

RAS

Z-1Z-2Z-3

Z-4 Z-5 Z-6

• 6 Baffled zones

• 3 RAS addition points

• Cut a RCR hole in the wall

To aerationbasins

RAS

PrimaryEffluentMixer

MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer

Pump

RAS

Z-1Z-2Z-3

Z-4 Z-5 Z-6

• 1 High Volume Submersible pump

• 6 Mixers

• 1 ORP probe

To aerationbasins

RAS

PrimaryEffluentMixer

MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer

Pump

RAS

Z-1Z-2Z-3

Z-4 Z-5 Z-6

UCT Enhanced Bio-P system

To aerationbasins

RAS

FromPrimariesMixer

MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer MixerMixerMixer

Mixer Mixer

Pump

RAS

Bio-P Configuration Min Anaerobic, Max Anox.

Anaerobic Zone, Anoxic Zone

Flow Diagram

Bio-P Process

Anaerobic ConditionP Release

Anoxic Condition

Denitrification

Aerobic Condition

Phosphorus Uptake

ORP

OxygenCondition

0 mg/L DOConcentration

0 –~8 mg/L

DO

ORP, -500 mV

To +1000- mV

Anoxic Condition

Anaerobic Condition

Aerobic Condition

OxidizersFree elemental oxygen, O2NO3…any other type of oxidantReducersBiomass, ML bacteria

What ORP tells us

• Denitrification is complete

• Anaerobic conditions will exist, phosphorus will be released.

• Assumptions

– Influent strength sufficient to support release

– AS aerobic conditions will uptake

Precautions

Phosphorus Removal Mechanisms

• Chemical coagulation

– Chemical sludge

– Bound up, dead end

• Biological uptake

– Phosphorus rich W.A.S.

• This can come back to haunt you!

328mg/L

Problematic Encounters

• Clarifier Collector Failures

• WAS tank aeration diffuser failure

• Root control

Marquette Area wastewater Treatment Plant

Impact of Root Control on

Final Effluent Phosphorus and Ammonia Concentrations

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

6/1/

2011

6/8/

2011

6/15

/201

1

6/22

/201

1

6/29

/201

1

7/6/

2011

7/13

/201

1

7/20

/201

1

7/27

/201

1

Co

ncen

trati

on

, m

g/L

Total-P

NH3-N

Ro

ot

Co

ntr

ol 6/2

2 -

6/2

5

Marquette Area Wastewater Treatment Plant

Effluent Phosphorus Concentration

July 2011 - December 2011

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

7/15

/201

1

7/22

/201

1

7/29

/201

1

8/5/

2011

8/12

/201

1

8/19

/201

1

8/26

/201

1

9/2/

2011

9/9/

2011

9/16

/201

1

9/23

/201

1

9/30

/201

1

10/7

/201

1

10/1

4/201

1

10/2

1/201

1

10/2

8/201

1

11/4

/201

1

11/1

1/201

1

11/1

8/201

1

11/2

5/201

1

12/2

/201

1

12/9

/201

1

12/1

6/201

1

12/2

3/201

1

12/3

0/201

1

Date

Eff

luen

t P

ho

sp

ho

rus C

on

cen

trati

on

, m

g/L

Total-P

Marquette Area Wastewater Treatment Plant

Effluent Phosphorus Concentration

July 2011 - December 2011

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

7/15

/201

1

7/22

/201

1

7/29

/201

1

8/5/

2011

8/12

/201

1

8/19

/201

1

8/26

/201

1

9/2/

2011

9/9/

2011

9/16

/201

1

9/23

/201

1

9/30

/201

1

10/7

/201

1

10/1

4/201

1

10/2

1/201

1

10/2

8/201

1

11/4

/201

1

11/1

1/201

1

11/1

8/201

1

11/2

5/201

1

12/2

/201

1

12/9

/201

1

12/1

6/201

1

12/2

3/201

1

12/3

0/201

1

Date

Eff

luen

t P

ho

sp

ho

rus C

on

cen

trati

on

, m

g/L

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Total-P

Ferric Chloride

Averages for 6 Months

• 0.50 mg/L phosphorus

• 41 gallons per day for ferric

Summary

• Incredibly power biological tool…but

• Beware of non aerated ML sludge potential

• Be wary of keeping any excess WAS

• Added complexity: Increased likelihood of permit violation

• Have a Hair Trigger response with chemical addition

• Sidestream load equalization and ferric chloride addition to the process

• Layperson understanding of process.

The End