- Home
- Companies
- Unisense A/S
- Products
- N2O Wastewater System
N2O Wastewater System
Solution for direct measuring, minimizing, and reporting of N2O from wastewater treatment
. The N2O Wastewater System is the world’s only sensor for direct and real-time measurement of dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O) in wastewater. Together with new control and process strategies, it enables reduction of total carbon footprint.
N2O is a product of both nitrification and denitrification during the biological treatment of wastewater. Through aeration it is subsequently striped and released into the atmosphere. N2O is a highly disregarded greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 320 times higher than CO2. Traditionally, N2O emission from wastewater treatment plants has been estimated by use of the IPCC emission factor of 3.2 g N-N2O/PE/year. This factor is an underestimate and studies in the Netherlands, France, USA, and Australia have shown, that for some wastewater treatment plants, the N2O emission can account for up to 90% of their total carbon footprint.
Long term studies have documented a high level of performance, sensitivity, and durability of the N2O Wastewater Sensor qualifying it as the perfect and reliable tool for continuous online measurements of dissolved N2O. Moreover, direct comparison with well-controlled off-gas data has proven and validated the real-time emission data based on our N2O sensor output.
N2O wastewater system
- Measuring and assessing the amounts of N2O being produced during wastewater treatment
- Minimizing the large climate effect of N2O by implementing new process strategies
- Reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from N2O
True carbon footprint
In modern wastewater treatment the primary focus on energy savings and energy production has resulted in an increase
in the production of N2O leading to an increase in CO2 equivalent emission. Therefore it is essential to look at the whole process to document the true carbon footprint.
Breakthrough bioprocess control with N2O sensor
Combining today’s wastewater bioprocess control know-how with the new industrial sensor for N2O provides a significant
potential in reducing the environmental load caused by this potent greenhouse gas. New state-of-the-art bioprocess
controls can be developed, using input from the N2O Wastewater System, yielding a clear environmental advantage over
standard control regimes.
- Cost effective compared to off-gas equipment
- Robust sensor for 24/7 operation
- Fast responding in less than one minute
- Independent of airflow during denitrification
