Full-Scale Experience with the Sharon Process through the Eyes of the Operators

This paper summarizes different operating aspects and experiences of several SHARON plants. The SHARON process is suitable for treatment of high strength ammonia wastewaters such as reject water from dewatering of digested sewage sludge and wastewater from sludge drying or incineration plants. The aerated retention time and nitrite concentration are the two most important process parameters to control the ammonia outlet concentration. Ammonia removal efficiencies can be over 95%, are variable and can be targeted according to the required needs of the main WWTP and/or to minimize overall nitrogen removal costs. The process is compact and simple to operate. Depending on site specific circumstances there are different system configurations possible. Nine years of operating experience prove that the SHARON process is sustainable and highly competitive. Compared to conventional techniques there are significant savings of energy and consumables. Application of fine bubble aeration has further decreased aeration costs. Recently the use of by-products of the biofuel industry as COD source for denitrification has further increased the cost effectiveness. SHARON is successfully applied to significantly improve the main WWTP nitrogen effluent quality. It proves to be a cost effective alternative for conventional extension of the WWTP.