U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center Webinar Series

“Influence of denitrification woodchip bioreactor design on nitrate removal, potential for pollution swapping, and cost”
Dr. Lindsey Hartfiel, UW Discovery Farms – Research Program Manager with the UW–Madison, Division of Extension

Connection details:
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/16141396271
646-828-7666; ID: 161 4139 6271

Abstract: The transport of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) to downstream waterbodies contributes to the formation of hypoxic or dead zones. Nitrate can also be a more local, human health concern in groundwater or in nitrate-laden surface waters used for drinking water. Denitrification bioreactors are underground trenches filled with a carbon source (often woodchips), which are designed to facilitate microbial denitrification (the conversion of NO3-N to harmless N2 gas). The cost effectiveness and performance of the bioreactor can be impacted by its design. This webinar evaluates the influence of bioreactor design and hydraulic residence times on the performance and potential for pollution swapping to occur. Preliminary results from a pumped bioreactor system and its design will also be presented. Finally, this webinar will discuss the influence of bioreactor design on its cost for both traditional, subsurface drainage fed bioreactors and pumped bioreactor systems, focusing on the unit cost of NO3-N removal ($ kg-1 NO3-N removed) through a techno-economic analysis (TEA).