Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Novel Nutrient Recovery Process from Wastewater
EPA Contract Number: EPD15033Title: Novel Nutrient Recovery Process from Wastewater
Investigators: Wan, Jiang
Small Business: LJJW Aquasolution, LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2015) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
The main objectives of this SBIR project are to demonstrate the broad applicability of a new nutrient recovery process to consistently achieve 70% NH3-N reduction and 80% ortho-P reduction; to recover sufficient quantities of products to perform guaranteed nutrient analysis following fertilizer registration protocols; to characterize the slow release properties of recovered products by performing accelerated nutrient release study; and to optimize reaction conditions and obtain critical process parameters for the design of a pilot scale plant.
Sidestream samples were obtained from different wastewater treatments plants and were subjected to treatment following the standard procedures of the oligomer process. Nutrient as expressed in N-P-K following fertilizer registration protocols were analyzed. Nutrient release profiles are characterized following the accelerated nutrient release study protocols.
Summary of Findings:
- The broad applicability of the oligomer process to reduce ammonia and phosphorous from sidestream generated in wastewater treatment plant has been demonstrated.
- The removal rate of 80% for ammonia and 90% for ortho-phosphorous can be consistently achieved for sidestreams with variable concentrations of ammonia and ortho-P
- The recovered product contains N-P-K value of 6-21-0 as measured by following fertilizer registration protocols
- The recovered product shows slow-release property as measured in accelerated nutrient release study
- The oligomer process is optimized as a result of the discovery that the initially proposed two-step process can be carried out in a one-step process by using the combination of Mg(OH)2 and NaOH as the source of magnesium
- Optimized reaction conditions and criterial process parameters are obtained for the design of a pilot scale plant
Conclusions:
- The new nutrient recovery process is proven to be robust for the simultaneous recovery of both ammonia and phosphorous from sidestream generated in wastewater treatment plant. The recovered product may be potentially marketed as slow fertilizer.
Commercialization:
- Business development through participation in trade conference like WETTEC and engaging end-users, equipment manufacturers and service providers for technology introduction
- Commercialization Assessment report was developed with support from Foresight Science and Technology
- Retained an engineering firm for the conceptual design and budgetary estimate for a pilot system
- In negotiation with a municipality to carry out a one month-long pilot study
- Constructed testing plot for controlled study of recovered fertilizer to grow turf grass
- he next phase on the path to commercialization requires the achievement of the following objectives:
- The successful demonstration of a pilot scale system to achieve 70-80% removal rate for ammonia and 80-90% for ortho-P
- Recovered product is registered as commercial fertilizer
- Demonstration of recovered product as equivalent to commercial fertilizer to grow turf
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.