A Study on the Improvement of Nitrogen Removal Efficiency in Small Size Sewage Treatment Facility Utilizing Zeolite Carrier

Abstract:

The aim of this research was to develop a zeolite carrier for wastewater treatment in a small-size sewage treatment facility. To evaluate the ion-exchange characteristic of zeolite medium, the isotherm equation of both Langmuir and Freundlich model were examined. It was found that the maximum absorption amount (q_m) and adsorption strength (1/n) were about 2.94 mg NH₄⁺-N/g and 0.3854, respectively. In order to validate the adsorption performance by applying the zeolite carrier to the in-situ field, nitrogen removal efficiency was evaluated by a retrofitted process in the small sewage treatment where carbon-nitrogen ratio was especially low in influent. By the application of this proposed method, the effluent TN concentration was in the range of 6.5-20 mg/L (average of 12.9 mg/L) which may satisfy sufficient discharge standard limit. The zeolite medium had ion-exchange capacity of 30-40% of influent NH₄⁺-N concentration, and TN removal efficiency improved about 40% compared to the existing process. Therefore, the renovation of the carrier utilization shows the possibility of pre-treatment of NH₄⁺-N in influent and thus improves the TN removal efficiency of wastewater treatment.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 724)
• Pages: 53-56
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.724.53
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Hyun Jong Joo, Jung Soo Choi, Kwang Hyun Lee, Sung Chul Kim
• Keywords: Ion Exchange, Natural Zeolite, Nitrogen Removal, Retrofitting Process, Zeolite Carrier

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