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DOE OSTI · 2587564

Transforming Aeration Energy in Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) through Suboxic Nitrogen Removal (Final Report)

Young, Michelle [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)]·Beach, Natalie [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)]·Reifsnyder, Sam [ABB, Inc., Cary, NC (United States)]·Ackman, Phil [Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD), Los Angeles, CA (United States]·Weiland, Thomas [Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD), Los Angeles, CA (United States]·Dreher, Bella [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)]·Bott, Charles [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)]·Ekster, Alex [Ekster and Associates, Boca Raton, FL (United States)]·Enuh, Blaise Manga [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)]·Noguera, Dan [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)]·Kestel, Steven [APG-Neuros, Blainville, QC (Canada)]·Khatiwada, Shashank [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)]·McCollough, Kester [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)]·McIntosh, Lilian [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)]·Nagarkar, Maitreyi [The Water Research Foundation, Denver, CO (United States)]·Rosso, Diego [Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)]·Rauch-Williams, Tanja [Metro Water Recovery, Denver, CO (United States)]
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Abstract

The objective of this project was to advance two key technological components—aeration control strategies and process design methodologies—to support the development and broader adoption of suboxic biological nitrogen removal (SBNR). The project focused on achieving the following three goals: • Enhance Model Predictive Control (MPC) Technology: Advance the DO/Nmaster MPC platform from its initial 2018 pilot deployment at the Chico Water Resource Recovery Facility in California to full-scale integration. This included partnering with a blower technology commercialization partner and incorporating machine learning (ML) capabilities to enable nationwide deployment. • Bridge Knowledge Gaps in SBNR Process Design: Address fundamental gaps in SBNR process understanding through controlled pilot-scale testing at a dedicated pilot facility. These efforts supported the development of robust kinetic models to inform reliable SBNR control, operational strategies, and design frameworks. • Demonstrate Full-Scale Implementation of Low DO/SBNR with ML: Transition low dissolved oxygen (DO)/SBNR coupled with ML from pilot-scale trials to full-scale demonstration in flow-through biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems, with the goal of enabling scalable, nationwide adoption in activated sludge treatment processes. The project included demonstration of SBNR at the pilot scale as performed by Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) and at the full-scale as performed by the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts' (LACSD) Pomona Water Reclamation Plant (POWRP).

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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION42 ENGINEERING54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESaerationbiological nutrient removalenergy efficiencylow dissolved oxygensecondary treatmentsuboxic biological nutrient removal,

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Young, Michelle [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)], Beach, Natalie [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)], Reifsnyder, Sam [ABB, Inc., Cary, NC (United States)], Ackman, Phil [Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD), Los Angeles, CA (United States], Weiland, Thomas [Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD), Los Angeles, CA (United States], Dreher, Bella [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)], Bott, Charles [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)], Ekster, Alex [Ekster and Associates, Boca Raton, FL (United States)], Enuh, Blaise Manga [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)], Noguera, Dan [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)], Kestel, Steven [APG-Neuros, Blainville, QC (Canada)], Khatiwada, Shashank [Carollo Engineers, Inc., Westminster, CO (United States)], McCollough, Kester [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)], McIntosh, Lilian [Hampton Roads Sanitation Districts (HRSD), Virginia Beach, VA (United States)], Nagarkar, Maitreyi [The Water Research Foundation, Denver, CO (United States)], Rosso, Diego [Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)], Rauch-Williams, Tanja [Metro Water Recovery, Denver, CO (United States)]. 2025-09-04. Transforming Aeration Energy in Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs) through Suboxic Nitrogen Removal (Final Report). https://doi.org/10.2172/2587564

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