Grantee Research Project Results
Phosphorus recovery and high efficiency biological nutrient removal from wastewater with an innovative aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor process
EPA Contract Number: EPD17018Title: Phosphorus recovery and high efficiency biological nutrient removal from wastewater with an innovative aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor process
Investigators: Coleman, Thomas E.
Small Business: dTEC Systems LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: March 1, 2017 through February 28, 2019 (Extended to February 28, 2021)
Project Amount: $300,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2016) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Phosphorus is a nutrient essential to all life, yet phosphate rock used for fertilizer is a finite resource which is rapidly being depleted. Yet, excess phosphorus from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is causing eutrophication and degradation water quality. There is a critical need for wastewater treatment technologies that will remove and recover more phosphorus for beneficial use in food production. The technology demonstrated in Phase I will exploit the growth of phosphate accumulating microorganisms within an aerobic granular sludge through innovative modifications to existing sequencing batch reactor (SBR) WWTPs to meet stringent new regulations for phosphorus removal and to make phosphorus recovery possible at these plants. There are currently over 700 SBRs plants in the United States which could greatly improve their performance in terms of capacity, nutrient removal, and energy efficiency by implementing this technology. An SBR owner in Washington State has agreed to be an early adopter of our innovative approach to achieve phosphorus removal and recovery, and full-scale implementation at this plant will be the focus of the Phase II R&D effort. Signed contracts are in place with a manufacturers representative in the U.S. and one in Taiwan which will be marketing our technology throughout Greater China.
Supplemental Keywords:
water, nutrient recovery, phosphorus, struvite, fertilizer, phosphates, wastewater treatment plants, nutrient removal, phosphorus recoveryProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Phosphorus recovery and high efficiency biological nutrient removal from wastewater with an innovative aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor process | Final ReportThe 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.