Enhanced denitrification with methanol at WWTP Zürich-Werdhölzli

In coordination with the EU-guidelines the large wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland have to be extended with enhanced nitrogen removal. Due to the existing plant configuration, the low COD/N ratio and dilute wastewater, denitrification supported by an external carbon source instead of extending the plant may be an interesting and cost effective solution for municipal wastewater treatment.

At the wastewater treatment plant Zürich-Werdhölzli different experiments were performed with methanol addition to predenitrification from March to July 1994. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of methanol as an alternative to plant extension to achieve a higher nitrogen removal efficiency. Therefore, two parallel denitrifying lanes were investigated, one served for methanol addition experiments and the other as a control. The effect of oxygen input into the anoxic zone due to influent, return sludge and mixing was investigated, too.

The results show that nitrogen removal efficiency can be substantially increased as compared to the reference lane. The adaptation period for methanol degradation was only a few days and the process was relatively stable. Based on total nitrogen in the inflow, the average denitrification was 55% with methanol addition and 35% without methanol. The yield coefficient Y_COD was 0.4 g CODX g⁻¹ COD_Me. Due to the small net growth rate of the methanol degraders the denitrification capacity is relatively low and nitrate peak loads cannot be fully denitrified. Hence, methanol as a carbon source requires more or less constant dosing. To prevent nitrate limitation, methanol addition should be controlled by the anoxic nitrate concentrations.