Ammonium/Ammonia Removal From a Stream

Abstract

In one embodiment, an ammonium removal system can comprise: a solids removal tank; a multivalent cation remover disposed downstream of the solids removal tank and capable of removing a multivalent cation from a stream to form a treated stream; a base source capable of sufficiently increasing a pH of the treated stream to convert greater than or equal to about 50 wt % of ammonium in the stream to ammonia; an ammonia removal tank capable of separating the ammonia from the treated stream; and an ammonia recovery device.

1 . An ammonium removal system, comprising: 
 a solids removal tank;    a multivalent cation remover disposed downstream of the solids removal tank and capable of removing a multivalent cation from a stream to form a treated stream;    a base source capable of sufficiently increasing a pH of the treated stream to convert greater than or equal to about 50 wt % of ammonium in the stream to ammonia;    an ammonia removal tank capable of separating the ammonia from the treated stream; and    an ammonia recovery device.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia removal tank comprises a flash stripping tower.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia recovery device comprises a venturi in fluid communication with a sulfuric acid source.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multivalent cation remover comprises an ion exchange metal scavenger, precipitation clarifier, microfilter, water softener, acid cation exchange, air floatation, lime softener, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing multivalent cation removers  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the multivalent cation remover comprises  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the base source is capable of sufficiently increasing a pH of the treated stream to convert greater than or equal to about 80 wt % of ammonium in the stream to ammonia.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multivalent cation comprises an ion of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Ba, Sr, Fe, Mg, Mn, a transition metal, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the metal comprises Ca.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the metal comprises Mg.  
     
     
         10 . An ammonium removal system, comprising: 
 an ion exchange metal scavenger disposed downstream of the solids removal tank and capable of removing a multivalent cation from a stream to form a treated stream;    a base source capable of sufficiently increasing the pH of the treated stream to convert greater than or equal to about 80 wt % of ammonium in the stream to ammonia;    a flash stripping tower capable of receiving the treated stream and separating the ammonia from the treated stream; and    a venturi disposed in fluid communication with the stripping tower and in fluid communication with a sulfuric acid source.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ion exchange metal scavenger is a water softener capable of regeneration with sodium chloride.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the multivalent cation comprises an ion of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Ba, Sr, Fe, Mg, Mn, a transition metal, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the metal comprises Ca.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the metal comprises Mg.