APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING PHOSPHORUS FROM WASTE LAGOON EFFLUENT

摘要

An apparatus (10) and method for removing phosphorus from a wastewater effluent stream (16) from a hog waste lagoon is disclosed. The wastewater effluent (16) is introduced to the bottom of an inverted cone-shaped continuous crystallizer (12) including a fluidized bed of struvite therein. An effective amount of ammonia (20) is introduced to the wastewater effluent (1 6) at the bottom of the crystallizer (12) to elevate the pH of wastewater effluent (16) a predetermined amount. An effective amount of magnesium (18) is also introduced to the wastewater effluent (16) at the bottom of the crystallizer (12). The composition adjusted wastewater effluent is then continuously passed upwardly through the fluidized bed of struvite to reduce the total phosphorus content of the wastewater effluent (16) a predetermined amount of up to about 80 % or more. The treated wastewater effluent stream (24) is removed from the top of the crystallizer (12), and struvite crystals that grow large enough to sink from the bottom of the crystallizer (12) are periodically removed from a collection chamber (22) therebeneath.