Patent ID: 6994782

Claim:
An apparatus for removing phosphorus from a wastewater effluent stream comprising: (a) a continuous crystallizer tower comprising a fluidized bed of struvite therein and a struvite crystal product collection chamber therebeneath, said crystallizer being formed such that the cross sectional area thereof generally increases from a relatively smaller cross sectional area at the bottom thereof to a relatively larger cross sectional area at the top thereof; (b) a dissolver tower comprising a bed of magnesite therein; (c) a first pump for pumping a first portion of the wastewater effluent to the bottom of the continuous crystallizer and a second portion of the wastewater effluent to the bottom of the dissolver tower; (d) a second pump for pumping magnesium overflow solution from the top of the dissolver tower to the bottom of the continuous crystallizer tower; (e) an ammonia source for injecting ammonia into the first portion of the wastewater effluent at the bottom of the continuous crystallizer; (f) a carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) source for injecting carbon dioxide into the second portion of the wastewater effluent entering the bottom of the dissolver tower; and (g) a drain for capturing the treated wastewater effluent from the top of the continuous crystallizer tower.