Comparison of TIN removal percentages for varied total ammonia loading rates and influent ammonia-nitrogen concentrations (bottom) and comparison of the percentage of nitrite consumed by NOB for varied total ammonia loading rates and influent ammonia-nitrogen concentrations (top). Starred points correspond to the scenarios described in Table 1. The air loading to the reactor in each figure was maintained at a 1:1 ratio of influent oxygen to total ammonia nitrogen.
Comparison of TIN removal percentages for varied total ammonia loading rates and influent ammonia-nitrogen concentrations (bottom) and comparison of the percentage of nitrite consumed by NOB for varied total ammonia loading rates and influent ammonia-nitrogen concentrations (top). Starred points correspond to the scenarios described in Table 1. The air loading to the reactor in each figure was maintained at a 1:1 ratio of influent oxygen to total ammonia nitrogen.
Staging scenarios at different total ammonia loadings and concentrations
Scenario . | NHx loading rate (g N/m2/d) NHx concentration (mg N/L) . | O2 Loading (g O2/m2/d) . | Concentration in the biofilm layer closest to the membrane . | TIN removal % TIN removal rate (g N/m2/d) . | ![]() | Outcome . | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
O2 (mg O2/L) . | NHx (mg N/L) . | ![]() | ||||||
A | 2.0 40 | 2.0 | 0.0050 | 1.4 | 0.15 | 71 1.4 | 0.023 | Optimal amount of membrane surface area |
B: Equivalent NHx loading as Scenario A, but lower NHx concentration | 2.0 20 | 2.0 | 0.0057 | 0.29 | 0.24 | 52 1.0 | 20 | Not enough membrane surface area: large NOB activity |
C: Equivalent NHx concentration as Scenario A, but larger NHx loading | 4.6 40 | 4.6 | 0.0064 | 0.34 | 2.9 | 48 2.2 | 23 | Not enough membrane surface area: large NOB activity |
D: Larger NHx loading rate and concentration | 4.6 70 | 4.6 | 0.0065 | 0.43 | 3.9 | 67 4.4 | 0.27 | Acceptable amount of membrane surface area (given the large NHX concentration), but AMX beginning to be outcompeted |
E: Equivalent NHx concentration as Scenario A, but smaller NHx loading rate | 0.66 40 | 0.66 | 0.0035 | 7.2 | 0.024 | 71 0.47 | 0.00 | Too much membrane surface area: low removal rate |
Scenario . | NHx loading rate (g N/m2/d) NHx concentration (mg N/L) . | O2 Loading (g O2/m2/d) . | Concentration in the biofilm layer closest to the membrane . | TIN removal % TIN removal rate (g N/m2/d) . | ![]() | Outcome . | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
O2 (mg O2/L) . | NHx (mg N/L) . | ![]() | ||||||
A | 2.0 40 | 2.0 | 0.0050 | 1.4 | 0.15 | 71 1.4 | 0.023 | Optimal amount of membrane surface area |
B: Equivalent NHx loading as Scenario A, but lower NHx concentration | 2.0 20 | 2.0 | 0.0057 | 0.29 | 0.24 | 52 1.0 | 20 | Not enough membrane surface area: large NOB activity |
C: Equivalent NHx concentration as Scenario A, but larger NHx loading | 4.6 40 | 4.6 | 0.0064 | 0.34 | 2.9 | 48 2.2 | 23 | Not enough membrane surface area: large NOB activity |
D: Larger NHx loading rate and concentration | 4.6 70 | 4.6 | 0.0065 | 0.43 | 3.9 | 67 4.4 | 0.27 | Acceptable amount of membrane surface area (given the large NHX concentration), but AMX beginning to be outcompeted |
E: Equivalent NHx concentration as Scenario A, but smaller NHx loading rate | 0.66 40 | 0.66 | 0.0035 | 7.2 | 0.024 | 71 0.47 | 0.00 | Too much membrane surface area: low removal rate |