BioMag: New Technology

for Cost Effective

ENR Upgrades

Steve Woodard, Ph.D., P.E.

Outline

Intro to CWT

Secondary clarification: the weak link

BioMag: ballasted biological treatment

• How does it work?

• Applications

• ENR Technology

Winebrenner BioMag trial in Cascade, MD

ENR without the denit filters

Significant potential cost savings in Maryland

The Challenges of Biological Treatment

Secondary clarification is the bottleneck of activated sludge treatment

• Filamentous bulking

• Storm flow issues (I&I)

• Pin floc

Limits MLSS concentration

Limits nutrient removal

capacity

Compromises effluent quality

Requires expensivesolutions to correct

Magnetite: the Enabler

Magnetite is Fe3O4,

• Doesn’t rust or degrade

• Completely inert

Two critical properties:

• It’s dense;specific gravity: 5.2

• Magnetically controllable

The Benefits of Ballasted Biological Floc

Ballasted floc ensuresrapid, reliable settling

Facilitates increased MLSS concentrations

Maintains control over sludge blankets (I&I)

Frees up tankage for nutrient removal (e.g. anoxic zones)

Provides clean effluent –low TSS

Facilitates low effluent TN!

BioMag: Enhanced Biological Treatment

4-Stage Bardenpho Process Flow

BioMag Pilot Trailer

Magnetite Feeder

Shear Mill

Recovery Drum

Rapid Clarification Increases Capacity

Magnets Are Used to Recover Magnetite

Video clip

Winebrenner Plant Layout

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BioMag Influent and Effluent Nitrogen

Influent TKN

Effluent NH4 + NO2 + NO3

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BioMag Influent and Effluent N, lbs/day

Influent TKN

Effluent NH4 + NO2 + NO3

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BioMag Effluent TN and NH4 + NO2 + NO3

Total Nitrogen

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BioMag MLSS(not including magnetite)

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BioMag Effluent TSS

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BioMag Effluent Total P

BioMag Wet Weather Flow Performance

ENR Without the Filters

Excellent, reliable TN removal

Same for TP

Low effluent TSS (< 5 mg/l)

High MLSS and low, stable sludge blanket

Frees up tankage for anoxic zones

Often eliminates need for new process tankage and/or IFAS

Also eliminates need for filters

Mitigates impacts of I&I

Scales up very well