Challenge

The client is the owner of a 120-person care home in Nottingham. As with many isolated works, it has an effluent treatment plant in private grounds.

The existing plant seemed to be coping adequately with reducing BOD and SS loads, but the ammonia load was often "off the scale" when tested. Odours were also a problem.

Solution

Pollution Control provided a solution to treat high ammonia load and rectify the odour emissions, supplementing the existing works and creating a sustainable treatment process.

Submerged media biological treatment plant was supplied, dedicated to the nitrification process.

The completed plant was delivered within six weeks to a prepared excavation, where the plant was buried at 2/3 of its constructed height. The system is fitted with facilities for periodic desludging, duty standby air supply with variable adjustment, and easy access and maintenance.

Equipment supplied
• 120pe(N) SAF nitrification tank
• Centrifugal air blowers with acoustic enclosure
• Control panel with duty select/auto change facility
• De-sludge pipe work and Bauer couplings
• Foul air scrubbing modifications

The odour problem was solved by scrubbing air through a filter direct from the original plant and through the nitrifying process.

Outcome

Within three weeks of commissioning the "off the scale" ammonia reading was in single figures and daily improvements were recorded.