Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater

Neo WaterFX™ Excels in Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater

Phosphorus removal from wastewater has become a critical component for many wastewater utilities. As algal blooms have become more common, threatening drinking water supplies and recreational uses of surface water, total phosphorus limits (TP) have been added to many NPDES permits. Utilities that have had TP limits for years have also seen their limits lowered to below 1 mg/L or even below 0.1 mg/L. Phosphorus removal to limits this low cannot be reliably achieved through biological treatment alone but requires chemical precipitation of the phosphorus.

Wastewater treatment plants must take into account the entire treatment process when choosing a coagulant for phosphorus removal from wastewater.

Traditional coagulants are inefficient for phosphorus removal and create operational issues

When choosing a coagulant for removing phosphorus, it is critical to consider the entire treatment process. Traditional iron or aluminum-based coagulants have been borrowed from the drinking water treatment side of the industry and are not well suited to the biological treatment processes employed in the wastewater treatment side. Because these coagulants are not specific to phosphorus, they require massive doses to achieve the low phosphorus levels set in most NPDES permits. In addition to creating large quantities of difficult-to-dewater chemical sludge, these highly acidic coagulants consume alkalinity, driving down the pH. This is highly detrimental to the biological treatment processes, particularly nitrification, and requires additional chemical addition of caustic to restore pH balance.

Neo Water Treatment’s WaterFX provides superior phosphorus removal from wastewater

The lanthanide-based coagulants in WaterFX avoid these pitfalls, while efficiently and reliably removing phosphorus to meet even the most stringent limits. Lanthanides have a strong attraction for phosphorus, selectively binding with phosphate to form a dense crystal, therefore requiring much less coagulant. WaterFX is also much less acidic than traditional coagulants and because the dosage is greatly reduced, the impact on alkalinity is drastically reduced and, in many cases, eliminated. With the lower dosage, much less chemical sludge is produced, and it is easier to dewater, producing a drier cake for disposal. These factors add up to significant cost savings and more stable treatment.

The advantages are clear

These time-lapse photos, taken over 15 minutes, show how quickly Neo WaterFX binds with phosphorus, settling to form a dense precipitate, much quicker and denser than ferric chloride. The difference in chemical sludge produced is apparent.

Phosphorus removal from wastewater with Neo WaterFX.

For phosphorus removal from wastewater, WaterFX has the clear advantage

But even more impressive than jar tests are the results from clients who have saved money and simplified their operation by switching to WaterFX for their phosphorus removal. Be sure to read some of these results in our case studies.

Then contact us for a free consult

Our engineers would be glad to help you determine if switching to WaterFX is right for your phosphorus removal requirements. Contact us for a free consultation.

Is Neo WaterFX Right for You?

Take our 1-minute survey to see if Neo WaterFX could be a solution to your wastewater phosphorous removal challenges.

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