Development of sequencing batch reactor with step feed and recycle

SBR process shows high nitrogen and phosphorus removal in countries where separated sewers are used. On the other hand, removal efficiency is low in countries where combined sewers are used though the same SBR is applied. This is because the organic concentration (as BOD), which is used as carbon source for denitrification, of combined sewers is much lower than that of separated sewers. Almost all sewers in Korea are combined, and their BOD is low by about 1/2 over the level needed for denitrification. In this study, a SBR process that can optimise organic usage by step feed and recycle is thus developed to increase the removal efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus, and the results show that the removal rates of BOD, T-N and T-P are 95.4, 81.4 and 86.1%, respectively, though influent BOD is low.