Struvite Prevention in Struvite Wastewater Treatment

After picture keeping WWTP Struvite Free

Struvite Formation Issues

Struvite Prevention is a hot topic for discussion groups and seminars where the participants are plant managers and operators of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). The overflow line of the anaerobic digester is often the first piece of equipment to get choked by a deposit of hard rock Struvite crystals. Struvite tends to form in the anaerobic digester and on the pipes and equipment involved in dewatering the sludge solids. The worst Struvite precipitation often builds up in the sludge transfer lines in a WWTP or in the recirculation pump from a lagoon in CAFO. The turbulent areas, which are their pump heads, pipe bends, and sludge transfer lines see a release of CO2 and the formation of struvite crystals. The best method for struvite wastewater treatment and to prevent struvite is to have a program that limits the availability of the base components of struvite to react with each other.

Struvite Prevention Solution

Struvite Preventer STSP is designed for struvite wastewater treatment to keep the MAP in liquid form and prevent struvite from precipitating in WWTPs and CAFOs. The most cost-effective method is to control (chelate) the magnesium and keep it in solution. MAP will not precipitate. If one has MAP crystals already formed, then by chelating the magnesium from the MAP crystal, you can solubilize the ammonia and phosphate back into solution. Using our product, we can resolubilize the magnesium from the MAP crystal thereby breaking the formation.

A struvite inhibitor conditions the surface area of equipment and infrastructure so that deposits will not form, nor will struvite crystals attach themselves to the equipment surface. This also applies to other insoluble molecules in suspension within the wastewater. In the case of struvite inhibitor, the chelation action that it generates towards magnesium also acts as a secondary inhibitor.   In WWTP and CAFO systems where there is equipment like anaerobic digesters, heat exchangers, anaerobic lagoons, sludge transfer lines, dewatering equipment (ie belt presses, centrifuges, screw presses, and rotary drum filters) without some type of inhibitor, struvite will form in low flow wastewater zones or rough surfaces on pipelines, valves and pumps. The recommended usage is between 30-90 mg/l to inhibit struvite and prevent struvite formation. 

Struvite Preventer STSP for Struvite Prevention in Wastewater Treatment

Struvite Preventer STSP, dispersant and inhibitor is an easy liquid to work with and is an environmentally friendly product. It is used to keep the pH of the liquid well below its precipitating pH. It is also a lot easier than injecting CO2 into the WWTP and CAFO systems in an effort to control the ammonia. It has a successful track record being used to prevent struvite. Free samples are available so that you can conduct your own successful laboratory tests on your MAP liquids.

Struvite Removal typically recommends using Struvite Remover STSR to initially clean the line of any struvite and any potential growth sites for future struvite and prevention thereafter with Struvite Preventer STSP. However, Struvite Remover STSR has also been used for prevention also typically dosed between 30-90ppm and does not have an added polymer.

Struvite Preventer STSP: 

• Environmentally Friendly
• Non-Corrosive to Steel and Unbroken Skin
• Safe to Handle

Product is available in:

• 55-gallon drums
• 275 or 330 gallon totes
• 5, 15, 30-gallon containers and other sizes please contact us

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For a free consultation, samples, or for us to conduct testing, please visit our contact us page.