pH-Based Control Strategies for the Nitrification of High-Ammonium Wastewaters

Ignatius Leopoldus van Rooyen, Hendrik Gideon Brink, Willie Nicol
2021 Fermentation  
Aquatic nitrogen pollution is one of the most urgent environmental issues requiring prevention and mitigation. Large quantities of high-ammonium wastewaters are generated by several industrial sectors, such as fertilizer and anaerobic-digestion plants. Nitrification of these wastewaters is commonly carried out, either to remove nitrogen or produce liquid fertilizers. Standard control methodologies for the efficient nitrification of high-ammonium wastewaters to produce liquid fertilizers have
more » ... yet been established and are still within their early stages of development. In this paper, novel pH-based control algorithms are presented that maintain operation at the microbial maximum reaction rate (υmax) in batch and continuous reactors. Complete conversion of ammonium to nitrate was achieved in a batch setup, and a conversion of 93% (±1%) was achieved in a continuously-stirred-tank-reactor. The unparalleled performance and affordability of the control schemes proposed offer a steppingstone to the future of sustainable fertilizer production.
doi:10.3390/fermentation7040319 fatcat:y52olx54vjdy7c2x6cc2qeeytu