BiofiltrationNitrification

DesignOverview
JamesM.Ebeling,Ph.D.
EnvironmentalEngineer
TheFreshwaterInstitute,Shepherdstown,WV

Overview of System Unit Operations

Aeration
Air/Oxygen

Carbon Dioxide
Removal

Disinfection
Fish Culture Tank
Fine & Dissolved
Solids Removal
Biofiltration
Nitrification
Sludge

Monitoring &
System Control

Waste Solids
Removal

Sludge

Overview of System Design

Aeration
Air/Oxygen

Carbon Dioxide
Removal

Disinfection
Fish Culture Tank
Fine & Dissolved
Solids Removal
5%
Sludge

Monitoring &
System Control

Biofiltration
Nitrification

95%

Settable
Solids

Suspended
Solids

Sludge

Sludge

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Inorganic Nitrogen Compounds

NH4+-N (ionized ammonia nitrogen)
NH3N (un-ionized ammonia nitrogen)
NO2N (nitrite nitrogen)
NO3N (nitrate nitrogen)

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Nitrosomonas Bacteria
Catabolize un-ionized ammonia to nitrite

Nitrobacter Bacteria
Oxidize nitrite to nitrate

Heterotrophic Bacteria
Metabolize biologically degradable organic compounds

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Nitrosomonas Bacteria
2 NH4+ + 3 O2 4 H + + 2 NO2- + 2 H2O

Nitrobacter Bacteria
2 NO2 + 1 O2 2 NO3-

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Nitrifying Bacteria Overall Reaction

NH4+ + 2 HCO3 + 1.9 O2
NO3 + 2.9 H2O + 1.9 CO2 +0.1 CH2O

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Start-up Curve for a Biological Filter

15

TAN

Concentration (ppm)

NO2
NO3

10

0
0

14

21

T im e (d a y s )

28

35

42

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Ammonia Production
1 kg feed about 0.03 kg ammonia nitrogen
1 g of ammonia yields:

4.42 g nitrate NO35.93 g carbon dioxide

0.17 g cell mass

1 g of ammonia consumes:

4.57 g oxygen
7.14 g alkalinity

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Equilibrium Reaction - Ammonia

NH4+ + OH - NH3 + H2O
(ionized)

(unionized)

Increase in pH
Increase in temperature
Note:

NH4+-N + NH3-N TAN

NH4--N Ammonia - nitrogen

TOXIC

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Percent unionized ammonia-nitrogen

Temp.
10
15
20
25
30

6.0
0.1
0.1

6.5
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.3

pH
7.0
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.6
0.8

7.5
0.6
0.9
1.2
1.8
2.5

8.0
1.8
2.7
3.8
5.4
7.5

9.0
15.7
21.5
28.4
36.3
44.6

Nitrification
Equilibrium Reaction Nitrite
NO2- + H2O HNO2 + OH Decrease in pH

Note: NO2--N Nitrite - nitrogen

mitigated by adding salt (chlorides)

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Equilibrium Reaction Nitrate

NO3-N
Non-toxic (freshwater systems)
?
Note: NO3--N Nitrate - nitrogen

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

FACTORS AFFECTING NITRIFICATION

pH

Alkalinity
Temperature
Oxygen
Salinity
Light

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

pH
Optimum range 6 - 9
(7.2-7.8)

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Alkalinity

(50 -150 mg/l as Ca CO3)

Formula

Common Name

Equivalent Weight

NaOH

sodium hydroxide

40

Na2CO3

sodium carbonate

53

NaHCO3

sodium bicarbonate

83

CaCO3

Calcium Carbonate

50

CaO

slaked lime

28

Ca(OH) 2

hydrated lime

37

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Temperature
Determined by the species cultured not biofilter needs
Nitrification rates at 17 Deg. C would be 77% of the rates
obtained at 27 Deg. C, or a 27% reduction in rate

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Oxygen
4.57 g O2 for each gram of TAN -> NO3
Rule of Thumb:
Effluent from biofilter at least
2 mg/L Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Salinity

Bacteria can acclimate to almost any salinity range.

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Light
Light has been shown to inhibit
the growth of nitrifying bacteria.

Nitrification
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Ammonia Concentration

Removal Rate (g/m per day)

800
700
600
500
400
300
200

13.2 Lpm
30.5 Lpm
80.6 Lpm

100

15.7 Lpm
44.6 Lpm

22.0 Lpm
54.2 Lpm

0
0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Ammonia-nitrogen concentration (mg/L)

Ammonia concentration itself will affect the nitrification rate directly.

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Terms Used To Describe Biofilters

Void Space / porosity

Cross-sectional Area
Hydraulic Loading Rate
Specific Surface Area

Biofilters
Terms Used To Describe Biofilters
Void Space / porosity
Ratio of the volume of void spaces between media
particles and filter media volume

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Terms Used To Describe Biofilters

Cross-sectional Area
Area of the filter bed material looking
in the direction of the water flow.

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Terms Used To Describe Biofilters

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Hydraulic Loading Rate

Volume of water flowing through the filter per unit
of cross-sectional area of the filter bed per unit of time
(m3/m2/day)

(gal/ft2/min)

Biofilters
Terms Used To Describe Biofilters

Specific Surface Area

Surface area of the media per unit volume
(m2/m3)

(ft2/ft3 )

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilter Performance
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Terms Used To Describe Biofilter Performance

Volumetric TAN conversion rate

Ammonia-nitrogen removal rate per unit volume of filter
[kg TAN /m3 day]

Biofilter Performance
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Terms Used To Describe Biofilter Performance

Areal TAN conversion rate

Ammonia-nitrogen removal rate per unit surface area of filter
[g TAN /m2 day]

Biofilter Performance
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Ammonia Assimilation Rates

Media Type

TAN Conversion
Basis

TAN Conversion
Rate
(15 to 20 Deg. C)

Trickling or RBC
(100 300 m2/m3)
Granular
(bead/sand)
(> 500 m2/m3)

TAN Conversion
Rate
(25 to 30 Deg. C)

Surface area of
media

0.2 to 1.0 g/m2 day

1.0 to 2.0 g/m2 day

Volume of media

0.6 to 0.7 kg/m3

day

1.0 to 1.5 kg/m3

day

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilter Options Submerged Biofilters

Packed Bed Biofilters
Dynamic Bead Biofilters

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Random Packed Plastic Media

Gravel Bed Biofilter

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Dynamic Bead Biofilters

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilter Options Emergent Filters

Rotating Biological Contactor
Trickling Biofilters

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification
gear motor
& chain drive

rotating
media
"drum"
support
shaft

Rotating
Biological
Contactor

influent

effluent

Biofilters
Rotating Biological Contactor

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification
influent with flow
distribution header

media

media
support
plate
air
ventilation
pipe

effluent

Trickling Biofilters

Biofilters
Trickling Biofilters Media

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Trickling Biofilters Spray Bar

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilter Options Submerged Expandable Filters

Sand Filters
Floating-Bead Bioclarifiers

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Sand Filters

Biofilters
Mixing Motor

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Effluent

Floating Bead
Bioclarifiers

Influent

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Floating
Bead
Bioclarifiers

Biofilters
Floating Bead Bioclarifiers

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Floating
Bead
Biofilters

Floating Bead Biofilters

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilter Options Expanded Filters

Fluidized Sand Bed
Fluidized Bead Bed

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Clean out

Manifold

Clean outs

Ball
Valve
Effluent

Check
Valve

Influent

Expanded Sand

Upflow Sand Biofilters

Orifices in distribution pipes

Biofilters
Biofiltration
Nitrification

Flow Distribution Mechanism

Biofilters
Upflow Sand Biofilters (Cyclo-Bio Filter)

Water injected tangentially into circular

plenum and through 1.9 cm (3/4) slotted
inlet about its base.

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Biofilters
Effluent collection launder

To CO2 stripping
column

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Trickling Biofilters
Pro's
Very simple design and construction requirements

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Con's
Some biofilm sheared off is large enough to be
problematic and many systems integrate postbiofiltration mechanical filtration for this reason

Currently a very popular method of biofiltration in Filters using this media type tend to be very
the wastewater industry, which should improve
large in high feed load coldwater systems
material availability and cost
Allows for passive aeration and CO2 removal
concurrent with biofiltration
Media and design assistance is currently available
from reputable commercial vendors facilitating the
design effort
Systems using these types of filters tend to be
extremely stable

Media itself can be costly due to low

specific surface area

Bead Biofilters
Pro's
Well developed product available from
reputable commercial vendors. Can simplify
system design and construction

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Con's
Can be expensive due to relative low specific
surface area for large scale facilities

Can be combined with other filter types in

Relatively high head loss across filter can be an
interesting hybrid systems as alternative design operational cost consideration
method
Can in some cases improve fine particle
removal rates in well designed systems

Variable head loss across system can be

problematic in systems without variable speed
pumps

Amenable to modularization, which can be

useful for development of scalable facilities

Has potential to leach nutrients into system or to

fuel heterotrophic bacteria growth if not installed
with pre-filtration systems or is backflushed
infrequently

Fluidized Bed Biofilters

Pro's

Con's

Biofiltration
Nitrification

Very economical to build from commercially

available materials

Can have problems with media carryover (initial

fines) on system start-up

Large amount of design effort specific to

coldwater systems using these types of filters

There are historical anecdotal reports of

intermittent bed motility and system crashes

Raw filter media has very high specific surface

area at low cost, which allows for very
conservative design allowing for inherent
capacity for expansion or load fluctuation

Can have problems with restarting if not designed

to account for bed re-fluidization and distribution
manifold/lateral flushing

Widest installed base of coldwater biofilters

offers large operational and design experience
base to draw from

Media density changes over time with biofilm

accumulation in fine sand filters typical of
coldwater systems, which necessitates a bed
growth management strategy

Can be field built using a variety of proven

methods or purchased from established and
reputable vendors opening many design and
construction options for facility designers or
operators

Some systems can require relatively expensive

plumbing to ensure that media is not backsiphoned on pump shut-down or power failure

Allen rules of thumb

Oxygen 1.14 kg O/kg feed
26.6 SCF/kg, 24 hrs per day (thus estimate SCFH)

Bio-filter
1 M2 of surface processes 0.6 g TAN
1 g feed produces 0.03 g TAN (tilapia)
10.89 Sq Feet/Sq Meter
Feed * 0.03/0.6*10.89 = theoretical surface area