Phosphorus recovery by one- or two-step technology with use of acids and bases

The method of using sludge fractionation is considered to be a sustainable solution where the sludge is seen as the raw material from which products are recovered. This paper will present solutions of advanced technology system for a large wastewater treatment plant. Use of enhanced biological phosphorus removal and fractionation of the sludge in two stages is advantageous both with respect to low necessary chemical and energy demands and recovery efficiency. Phosphorous recovery may be based on one- or two-step technology. Experimental studies have shown that it is possible to recover phosphorus from sludge by the combination of supercritical water oxidation process and alkaline leaching. When the concentration of sodium hydroxide is around 1 M, approximate 50 % of total phosphorus is recovered in room temperature. Meanwhile, over 98 % of the soluble phosphorus is recovered from the liquid phase by adding calcium chloride (CaCl2).