Nitrogen Removal in Vertical-Flow Filters Filled with Lightweight Aggregate Made of Fly Ashes and Gravel
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
The effectiveness of nitrogen removal in vertical-flow filters with double-layer filling composed of lightweight aggregate made of fly ashes from sewage sludge thermal treatment (FASSTT LWA) and gravel at a varying hydraulic load was determined. Synthetic wastewaters containing of total nitrogen (TN) were fed into 15 filter columns filled with gravel and FASSTT LWA (gravel was the bed’s lower layer, whereas the top layer of the FASSTT LWA constituted 0, 12, 25, 50, and 100% of the depth of the column) at hydraulic loads of 3, 5, and . The study demonstrated a significant TN removal by the filters, which was accompanied by a high concentration of in the effluent. The results point to differentiated effectiveness of removal by both the FASSTT LWA and gravel. The highest TN removal rate reaching up to 74.93% was achieved in the filter column with 100% FASSTT LWA content, irrespective of the hydraulic load applied.
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© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 9, 2012
Accepted: May 31, 2013
Published online: Jun 3, 2013
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Nov 3, 2013
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