Liberzon, Jon

Jon Liberzon is Vice President at Tomorrow Water, a wastewater solutions provider headquartered in California. In his role, Jon helped launch several new treatment technologies including advanced primary filters, Annamox and THP systems. Previously, Jon led technology development for two wastewater startups, and also managed water and agricultural projects in developing countries, including Haiti and Vanuatu. Jon holds a Masters degree from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and a Bachelors from the University of Michigan. He is also currently a Ph.D. student at the University of California Irvine in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a sitting board member of the California Water Enviornment Association.

Titles from this speaker

Description: Cooking Without Gas: Reducing sludge management costs using THP (Thermal Hydrolysis...

Cooking Without Gas: Reducing sludge management costs using THP (Thermal Hydrolysis Process) in plants without anaerobic digestion

Abstract

1. Introduction Since 2019, 4.1M wet tons of sludge cake were produced annually at WRRFs in South Korea. Following the elimination of ocean dumping as a disposal strategy in 2006, sludge management costs have climbed significantly. As of 2018, sludge disposal reached an average of $120 USD/wet ton (MOE & KECO, 2021). In 2019, only 67 out of 4,216 Korean WRRFs larger than 500 m3/d (132,000 gpd) included anaerobic digesters (MOE, 2020). Since digestor projects cannot be deployed quickly or cheaply enough to keep up with rising disposal costs, alternative sludge reduction processes are being sought by public agencies. The thermal hydrolysis process (THP), traditionally applied as a pre-treatment for anaerobic digestion, can also be applied as a sludge cake minimization strategy in the absence of digestors. This paper describes recent pilot and full-scale demonstrations of this concept, including identification of new optimal operating setpoints specific to this application, as well as downstream dewatering performance and economic impacts. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1 Thermal Hydrolysis Process This paper describes a new thermal hydrolysis process (THP) developed and commercialized by BKT/Tomorrow Water. The process, trade-named Draco, is a three-stage, batch process comprised of a pre-heating tank followed by reactor and decompression tanks. Steam is used to build heat and pressure in the reactor vessel, causing cell lysis and improving the dewaterability of cellular sludges. The Draco process is differentiated by the inclusion of a paddle mixer in the pre-heating and reactor tanks, novel steam sparger configuration, and the use of novel temperature setpoints (as described below). 2.2 Pilot testing A containerized Draco THP pilot was deployed to a municipal WRRF in Dangjin (Korea) to process 2 wet tons/d of undigested biological sludge cake from August to October, 2021 (Figure 1). The pilot was fed mixed primary and waste activated sludge (WAS) which had been dewatered to 20.0±1.2% dry solids (DS) and fed without dilution into the Draco process. To optimize the temperature setpoint for hydrolysis of undigested sludges, influent dewatered cake was processed at either 170, 180, 190 or 200oC for 30 min. Capillary Suction Time (CST) was measured following THP as a measure of dewaterability in thermally processed sludges. To assist in optimization and selection of dewatering equipment, the 190oC-processed sludge product from the Draco THP pilot was fed into either a plate-and-frame filter press (operated at 15 bar) or a belt filter press (operated at 15, 30 and 50 bar.) The plate-and-frame filter press was operated without any chemical addition, while the belt filter press was operated with addition of cationic polyacrylamide polymer at 0.64%/kg dry solids. 2.2 Full scale operation A full-scale Draco THP system combined with a plate-and-frame filter press was installed at a slaughterhouse wastewater treatment plant in Gimhae, S. Korea. This integrated sludge minimization system, operating since June of 2019, processes roughly 50 wet tons/d of dewatered WAS containing 14.8±0.5% DS. Upstream, the slaughterhouse's wastewater is treated by a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), and sludge wasted from this SBR has similar characteristics to undigested municipal WAS. Sludge was fed undiluted into the Draco THP and processed over more than 2 years. 3. Results 3.1 Pilot Results Over three months of pilot testing, normalized capillary suction time (NCST) decreased as the processing temperature increased, while specific capillary suction time (SCST) increased with temperature (Figure 2). This suggests that higher THP temperatures produce better downstream dewatering performance. At the same time, the marginal improvements in dewatering indicators (NCST, SCST) between 190oC and 200oC were relatively minor, while the added steam energy required to meet the higher setpoint was significant. As such, 190oC was selected as the optimal temperature setpoint for this application. In subsequent dewatering testing with hydrolyzed pilot sludge, dewatered cake from the plate-and-frame filter press averaged 52.8% DS, while cakes from the belt filter press ranged from 37-41% DS, dependent on belt pressure (Table 1). Based on the higher dewatering performance and lack of chemical inputs required for the plate-and-frame press, this equipment was selected for an upcoming full-scale installation over the belt filter press. Table 2 lists the average filtrate quality of the plate-and-frame press in the pilot, which needs to be sent back to the head of the wastewater plant for treatment in full-scale installations. 3.2 Full-scale results Over 27 months of operation, the full-scale Draco process increased the dry solids content of dewatered WAS from 14.8±0.5% to 53%±1.1%. The intermediate-stage solids content of the thermally hydrolyzed sludge was 11.8±0.7% at the output of the decompression tank, and was subsequently dewatered in the press to over 50% solids. Dewatered cake following the Draco process was compact and easily handled (Figure 3). By installing a THP plus filter press, this plant reduced its overall sludge cake output to disposal by 80% (by volume). This translated into a 67.6% reduction in sludge disposal costs, even after energy costs of the THP process were factored in (Table 3). 4. Discussion and Conclusions This paper describes the optimization and application of a combined THP and dewatering process intended for use at WRRFs which do not anaerobically digest their sludge. Pilot testing demonstrated that dewaterability of municipal THP sludge increases with increasing THP temperatures from 170oC up to 190oC. At higher temperatures of 190-200oC, the marginal benefit in dewaterability was outweighed by the marginal cost in energy requirements. The combination of Draco THP at 190oC, coupled with a plate-and-frame dewatering press, was able to consistently achieve sludge cake dryness over 50% in both pilot and full-scale installations. Sludge cakes above 50% DS are much easier to process in thermal sludge dryers, due to the avoidance of a plastic 'sticky phase' occurring between DS 35-50% (Peeters, B., 2010). As this study demonstrates, plants which utilize sludge dryers can benefit significantly from the addition of a THP, since THP allows dryers to be fed a much lower-moisture cake (up to 30% less moisture), reducing the amount of energy required in thermal drying and dramatically reducing the size of dryer required. Compared to the energy required to dry a typical dewatered cake from 20% to 90% DS, drying post-THP cake (at >50% DS) to the same moisture content saves about 40% in total energy inputs, even after factoring in the energy required for hydrolysis and dewatering. These results suggest that Draco THP, paired with the right dewatering press, can serve as a cost-effective strategy for reducing sludge volumes and disposal challenges, even for WRRFs without anaerobic digestors. At the Gimhae plant, application of this process reduced sludge volumes by 80% and cut disposal costs by 68%, achieving a simple payback of 4-6 years.

This paper was presented at the WEF Residuals and Biosolids Conference in Columbus, Ohio, May 24-27, 2022.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

14:00:00

14:30:00

Session time

13:30:00

16:45:00

Session number12

Session locationGreater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio

TopicAnaerobic Digestion, Dewatering, THP

Author(s)

G. Jeong

Author(s)G. Jeong1; M. Cha2; Y. Choi3; J. Choi4; J. Liberzon5

Author affiliation(s)BKT Co. Ltd.; 1BKT Co. Ltd.; 2BKT Co. Ltd.; 3BKT Co. Ltd.; 4Tomorrow Water; 5

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date May 2022

DOI10.2175/193864718825158430

Volume / Issue

Content sourceResiduals and Biosolids

Word count18

Description: Development of World's Largest Dual-Use High-Rate Primary & Wet Weather Filter...

Development of World's Largest Dual-Use High-Rate Primary & Wet Weather Filter using Floating Media

Abstract

Advanced primary treatment technologies provide an attractive alternative to primary settling tanks in that they generally provide greater TSS and BOD removal on smaller process footprints. While many plants would benefit from improved primary performance, some carbon-limited BNR plants may forgo advanced primary treatment in order to maximize the quantity of BOD entering their secondary process. At the same time, many WRRFs struggle with excess wet weather flows which overwhelm existing treatment capacity. Auxiliary high-rate filtration systems have been used to manage these excess flows, but represent a costly capital investment that may sit idle most of the year. This paper presents 5 months of full-scale data from a unique, high-rate filtration system designed to process peak flows during wet weather and perform advanced primary treatment for the remainder of the year. By utilizing a novel media, this system minimizes BOD capture during dry weather flow without sacrificing wet weather performance, thus maintaining stable denitrification in the downstream biological treatment process. The multi-year development of this novel process is also described, from piloting of various media types to installation of dedicated primary filter and wet weather filter installations, and finally the construction of a combined dual-use filter with a peak capacity of 190 MGD.

This paper presents 5 months of full-scale data from a unique, high-rate filtration system designed to process peak flows during wet weather and perform advanced primary treatment for the remainder of the year. By utilizing a novel synthetic floating media, this system minimizes BOD capture during dry weather without sacrificing wet weather performance, thus maintaining stable denitrification in downstream processes. The multi-year development of this novel process is also described, from piloting to installation of dedicated primary filter and wet weather filter installations, and finally the construction of a combined dual-use filter with a peak capacity of 190 MGD.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

14:05:00

14:15:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionWet Weather Treatment Innovations

Session number506

TopicFacility Operations and Maintenance, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Resilience, Disaster Planning and Recovery

Author(s)

Jon Liberzon

Author(s)J. Liberzon1; D. Kim2; B. Choi3; J. Kim4; Y. yune5; B. Lee6; D. Rhu7;

Author affiliation(s)Tomorrow Water, Anaheim, CA1,7BKTCo. Ltd., 25 Yuseong-daero 1184beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, KR2,3,4,5,6

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2021

DOI10.2175/193864718825158166

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count15

Description: Novel Integrated High-Rate Filtration and Fixed-Film Biological Reactor Demonstrates...

Novel Integrated High-Rate Filtration and Fixed-Film Biological Reactor Demonstrates Simultaneous TSS and BOD Removal in Wet Weather Peak Flows

Abstract

Wet weather poses significant risks to WRRFs, especially when increased flows cause plants to exceed design capacities. This paper presents results from a 13-month pilot of a new technology for rapid treatment of excess flows. The pilot, performed at a blending permit plant in Genesee County, Michigan, tested two distinct configurations of the Proteus™ up-flow media filter: a primary filtration (PF) reactor for removal of suspended solids (TSS) and particulate biological oxygen demand (BOD), and a biological (B) reactor equipped with aeration for biofilm growth and oxidation of BOD. Both utilize a new, X-shaped polypropylene media designed specifically to filter high-solids primary influent. In both reactors, sensors tracked flow rate, TSS, bed pressure, reactor DO, and temperature. Composite samples tracked a range of water quality factors including BOD, TSS, COD, nutrients, microbiological indicators and chlorine demand. To emulate the variability of wet weather flows, some weeks of testing diluted raw water while others amended influent with primary sludge. When processing plant influent, the PF reactor processed up to 133 gpm, achieving average TSS removal of 78%, BOD removal of 69% and COD removal of 67% at empty bed contact times (EBCTs) of 5-13 minutes. When processing primary effluent, the same reactor removed 71% of TSS, 51% of BOD and 56% of COD. The biological (B) reactor processed up to 64 gpm, achieving TSS removal of 84%, BOD removal of 81% and COD removal of 78% at EBCTs of 10-30 minutes in screened raw water. Treatment of primary effluent yielded equivalent TSS removal, but reduced BOD and COD removals of 60% and 58%, respectively. BOD removal improved with increasing EBCTs and higher loadings. The biological configuration also showed improved removal performance for total and fecal coliforms, chlorine demand and nutrients. In Spring 2020, the pilot captured a real wet weather blending event. Despite two weeks of minimal feeding prior to wet weather, the biological reactor maintained effluent TSS/BOD below 22/20 mg/L. These results demonstrate that a combined primary/biological filter can provide rapid treatment of excess flows, providing a new treatment option for utilities dealing with challenging wet weather conditions.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

10:10:00

10:30:00

Session time

08:30:00

10:30:00

SessionThe Rain is Coming: Are you Ready for Wet Weather Treatment?

Session number305

TopicFacility Operations and Maintenance, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Resilience, Disaster Planning and Recovery, Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Wet Weather

Author(s)

J. GoergenA. RivardJ. LiberzonD. RhuS. KangG. Daigger

Author(s)J. Goergen1; A. Rivard1; J. Liberzon2; D. Rhu2; S. Kang3; G. Daigger4;

Author affiliation(s)Genesse County Drain Commissioner WWS1; Tomorrow Water (BKT)2; Water & Energy Advisors3; University of Michigan4

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2020

DOI10.2175/193864718825157889

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count20

Description: Quenching Big-data's Thirst: A Novel Water Recycling Strategy for Datacenter Cooling...

Quenching Big-data's Thirst: A Novel Water Recycling Strategy for Datacenter Cooling & Community Reuse

Abstract

Data centers will compete with other growing businesses for space, energy and water. This will pose a real challenge to build data center in locations where water supply sources and spaces are limited such as California, Arizona and Nevada. Tomorrow Water (TW) in partnership with Arcadis has developed CoFlow™ concept along with a patent pending cooling approach to build DCs at water reclamation/water resource recovery facilities which creates space for data center, eliminates potable water demand and significantly reduces energy consumptions for cooling. A desktop study has completed by Arcadis to assess the technical and economic feasibility of CoFlow™ for a large data center provider. The study indicated that CoFlow was feasible and economically attractive option for reducing water and carbon footprint of data center operation while generating a revenue stream from the land lease

This paper summarizes a highly sustainable concept to build (co-locate) data centers (DCs) at water reclamation/water resource recovery facilities which allow exchanging water and cooling capacities between the data centers and water reclamation facilities.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

14:00:00

14:20:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionThe Future of Datacenters: From Water Users to Water Stewards

Session locationRoom S501d - Level 5

TopicIntermediate Level, Sustainability and Climate Change, Water Reuse and Reclamation

Author(s)

Erdal, Ufuk

Author(s)U. Erdal 1; J. Liberzon 2 ; U. Erdal 1;

Author affiliation(s)Arcadis 1; Tomorrow Water 2 ; Arcadis 1;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2023

DOI10.2175/193864718825159112

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count15

Description: The Media is the Message: New Primary Treatment Process Based on Synthetic Media...

The Media is the Message: New Primary Treatment Process Based on Synthetic Media Biofiltration Allows for a More Sustainable and Resilient Alternative to CEPT in a Retrofittable Package

Abstract

This paper was presented at WEFTEC 2023 in Chicago, IL.

A new deep-bed primary filter was developed in Korea and transferred to North America as a more sustainable carbon diversion strategy than traditional chemically-enhanced primary treatment. This technology has been proven at scale and adapted to new markets by employing new configurations such as a biological split bed and retrofittable design.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

13:30:00

14:00:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionPrimary Treatment Technologies: Should We Settle for Conventional Primary Sedimentation?

Session locationRoom S501a - Level 5

TopicEnergy Production, Conservation, and Management, Facility Operations and Maintenance, Intermediate Level, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design

Author(s)

Liberzon, Jonathan

Author(s)J. Liberzon 1; D. Rhu 2 ; M. Magruder 3; L.S. Downing 4; G.T. Daigger 5;

Author affiliation(s)Tomorrow Water 1; Tomorrow Water 2 ; Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District 3; Black & Veatch 4; University of Michigan 5;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2023

DOI10.2175/193864718825159002

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count29

Description: Two-Stage Partial-Nitritation/Anammox Process Demonstrates Stable and Efficient...

Two-Stage Partial-Nitritation/Anammox Process Demonstrates Stable and Efficient Treatment of High-Strength Industrial Digestate

Abstract

This paper presents data from two and a half years of pilot testing which demonstrate performance of a two-stage deammonification configuration in treating high-strength reject streams from industrial co-digestion. In order to minimize inhibition by free ammonia (FA), the volumetric exchange rate of the air-lift granulation reactor for partial nitritation (PN-AGR) was limited to 40-50% for each reaction cycle. The PN-AGR was operated between 137 mg-NH3/L (at the start of the react cycle) and 7.8 mg-NH3/L (at the end of the react cycle), and the moving-bed biofilm reactor for Anammox (A-MBBR) was kept at a temperature of 35℃ and pH of 7.5. Accordingly, average FA concentrations in the A-MBBR were limited to 6.6 mg-NH3/L, preventing inhibition. The two-stage AMX® process, consisting of the PN-AGR followed by the A-MBBR, achieved significantly higher NLR (average 1.42 kg N/m3d) and NRR (average 1.26 kg N/m3d) than common single-stage PN/A processes, despite high influent concentrations of nitrogen, solids, salinity and COD. This process also achieved COD, SS and TN removal efficiencies of 82%, 89% and 89%, respectively, without pretreatment or dilution for over two years, under fluctuating influent quality. This supports the use of a two-stage deammonification process for treatment of high-strength reject streams from industrial co-digestion.

This paper presents data from 2.5 years of pilot testing of a two-stage deammonification configuration in treating high-strength reject streams from industrial co-digestion. The process, consisting of an airlift granulated partial nitritation reactor and a moving-bed biofilm reactor for Anammox, achieved COD, SS and TN removal efficiencies of 82%, 89% and 89%, respectively, without pretreatment or dilution for over two years, coping with fluctuating influent quality. Strategies for avoidance of free ammonia inhibition are also discussed. These results support the use of a two-stage deammonification process for treatment of high-strength reject streams from industrial co-digestion.

SpeakerLiberzon, Jon

Presentation time

16:10:00

16:15:00

Session time

16:00:00

17:00:00

SessionIntegrating Anaerobic Processes into Industrial WWTPs

Session number115

TopicEnergy Production, Conservation, and Management, Global Perspectives, Industrial Issues and Treatment Technologies, Nutrients

Author(s)

Jon Liberzon

Author(s)J. Liberzon3; M. Jung1; T. Oh2; Y. Lim4; S. Kim7; S. Kang5; G. Daigger6;

Author affiliation(s)BKT Co. Ltd., KR1,2,4Department of Environmental System Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, KR1,7Tomorrow Water (BKT), Anaheim, CA3Water & Energy Advisors. Llc., Ann Arbor, MI 5Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI6

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2021

DOI10.2175/193864718825158005

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count13