Use of a seeder reactor to manage crystal growth in the fluidized bed reactor for phosphorus recovery

Water Environ Res. 2007 Apr;79(4):406-13. doi: 10.2175/106143006x111899.

Abstract

The authors have been engaged in the development of a phosphorus recovery system capable of maintaining high recovery efficiencies, with the chemical cost suppressed. This time, they conducted demonstration tests of a fluidized bed magnesium ammonium phosphate reactor provided with a seeder reactor for the supernatant from anaerobic digestion using a pilot experimental plant with a wastewater treatment capacity of 20 m3/d. For the digestion supernatant with a phosphorus concentration of approximately 300 mg/L, the treated water phosphorus concentration was 10 to 25 mg/L, and the phosphorus recovery efficiency was more than 90%. Relative to the chemical cost in the case of magnesium chloride, the chemical cost in the case of magnesium hydroxide is approximately 40%. Thus, with the new system, it was possible to reduce the running cost while maintaining high recovery efficiencies.

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Bioreactors
  • Crystallization
  • Magnesium Chloride / chemistry
  • Magnesium Compounds / chemistry
  • Magnesium Compounds / metabolism
  • Magnesium Hydroxide / chemistry
  • Phosphates / chemistry
  • Phosphates / metabolism
  • Phosphorus / chemistry*
  • Phosphorus / isolation & purification*
  • Struvite
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid*

Substances

  • Magnesium Compounds
  • Phosphates
  • Magnesium Chloride
  • Phosphorus
  • Struvite
  • Magnesium Hydroxide