Radiation-Assisted Process Enhancement in Wastewater Treatment

• Published in: Journal of environmental engineering (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 130; no. 2; pp. 155 - 166
• Main Authors: Meeroff, Daniel E, Waite, Thomas D, Kazumi, Junko, Kurucz, Charles N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01-02-2004
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Anaerobic digestion; Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; Laboratory tests; Pollution; Radiation; Sewage treatment; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Waste water purification
• ISSN: 0733-9372; 1943-7870
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2004)130:2(155)

Laboratory and pilot tests were conducted to investigate the use of ionizing radiation at an activated sludge wastewater treatment facility with residuals processing. Operational enhancements were investigated with respect to bulking control, thickening enhancement, and anaerobic stabilization processes. Radiation caused permanent effects in measured sludge parameters including solids content, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, zeta potential, specific surface area, resistance to filtration, sludge volume index, pH, organic acid production, and digester gas evolution. Analysis of beneficial effects from preliminary studies and pilot tests demonstrated that a dose of 2-3 kGy would be potentially successful for bulking control and to a lesser degree, enhanced thickening and radiation-assisted anaerobic digestion. A cost analysis based on preliminary tests determined that a centralized electron beam irradiator could be applied economically in an integrated approach at an estimated annual savings of $0.2-2.7 million depending upon the application. Considering that the annual cost of operating an accelerator unit was estimated at $2.4 million ($2.16/m3), this might translate into an important savings for a large-scale wastewater treatment facility.