A review of sludge pretreatment methods and co-digestion to boost biogas production and energy self-sufficiency in wastewater treatment plants

2020 ◽  
pp. 101857
Author(s):  
Isaac Volschan Junior ◽  
Ronei de Almeida ◽  
Magali Christe Cammarota
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Sludge Pretreatment ◽  
Self Sufficiency

scholarly journals MBR-Assisted VFAs Production from Excess Sewage Sludge and Food Waste Slurry for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Parchami ◽  
Steven Wainaina ◽  
Amir Mahboubi ◽  
David I’Ons ◽  
Mohammad J. Taherzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Ph Control ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Solids Concentration

The significant amount of excess sewage sludge (ESS) generated on a daily basis by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is mainly subjected to biogas production, as for other organic waste streams such as food waste slurry (FWS). However, these organic wastes can be further valorized by production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) that have various applications such as the application as an external carbon source for the denitrification stage at a WWTP. In this study, an immersed membrane bioreactor set-up was proposed for the stable production and in situ recovery of clarified VFAs from ESS and FWS. The VFAs yields from ESS and FWS reached 0.38 and 0.34 gVFA/gVSadded, respectively, during a three-month operation period without pH control. The average flux during the stable VFAs production phase with the ESS was 5.53 L/m2/h while 16.18 L/m2/h was attained with FWS. Moreover, minimal flux deterioration was observed even during operation at maximum suspended solids concentration of 32 g/L, implying that the membrane bioreactors could potentially guarantee the required volumetric productivities. In addition, the techno-economic assessment of retrofitting the membrane-assisted VFAs production process in an actual WWTP estimated savings of up to 140 €/h for replacing 300 kg/h of methanol with VFAs.

Carbon footprints of Scandinavian wastewater treatment plants

2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. I. Gustavsson ◽  
S. Tumlin
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Heat Pumps ◽  
Coefficient Of Performance ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Fossil Carbon

This study estimates the carbon footprints of 16 municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), all situated in Scandinavian countries, by using a simple model. The carbon footprint calculations were based on operational data, literature emission factors (efs) and measurements of greenhouse gas emissions at some of the studied WWTPs. No carbon neutral WWTPs were found. The carbon footprints ranged between 7 and 108 kg CO2e P.E.−1 year−1. Generally, the major positive contributors to the carbon footprint were direct emissions of nitrous oxide from wastewater treatment. Whether heat pumps for effluents have high coefficient of performance or not is extremely important for the carbon footprint. The choice of efs largely influenced the carbon footprint. Increased biogas production, efficient biogas usage, and decreased addition of external fossil carbon source for denitrification are important activities to decrease the carbon footprint of a WWTP.

A Roadmap to Energy Self-Sufficiency for U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plants

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 (13) ◽  
pp. 3446-3457
Author(s):  
S. Joh Kang ◽  
K.P. Olmstead ◽  
T. Allbaugh
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Self Sufficiency

Potentials and limits of anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge: Energy self-sufficient municipal wastewater treatment plant?

2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1277-1281 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Jenicek ◽  
J. Bartacek ◽  
J. Kutil ◽  
J. Zabranska ◽  
M. Dohanyos
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Digestion Efficiency

Anaerobic digestion is the only energy-positive technology widely used in wastewater treatment. Full-scale data prove that the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge can produce biogas that covers a substantial amount of the energy consumption of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In this paper, we discuss possibilities for improving the digestion efficiency and biogas production from sewage sludge. Typical specific energy consumptions of municipal WWTPs per population equivalent are compared with the potential specific production of biogas to find the required/optimal digestion efficiency. Examples of technological measures to achieve such efficiency are presented. Our findings show that even a municipal WWTP with secondary biological treatment located in a moderate climate can come close to energy self-sufficiency. However, they also show that such self-sufficiency is dependent on: (i) the strict optimization of the total energy consumption of the plant, and (ii) an increase in the specific biogas production from sewage sludge to values around 600 L per kg of supplied volatile solids.

scholarly journals Advanced Wastewater Treatment to Eliminate Organic Micropollutants in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Combination with Energy-Efficient Electrolysis at WWTP Mainz

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Gretzschel ◽  
Michael Schäfer ◽  
Heidrun Steinmetz ◽  
Erich Pick ◽  
Kim Kanitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Automatic Frequency ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Organic Micropollutants ◽  
Micropollutant Removal

To achieve the Paris climate protection goals there is an urgent need for action in the energy sector. Innovative concepts in the fields of short-term flexibility, long-term energy storage and energy conversion are required to defossilize all sectors by 2040. Water management is already involved in this field with biogas production and power generation and partly with using flexibility options. However, further steps are possible. Additionally, from a water management perspective, the elimination of organic micropollutants (OMP) is increasingly important. In this feasibility study a concept is presented, reacting to energy surplus and deficits from the energy grid and thus providing the needed long-term storage in combination with the elimination of OMP in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The concept is based on the operation of an electrolyzer, driven by local power production on the plant (photovoltaic (PV), combined heat and power plant (CHP)-units) as well as renewable energy from the grid (to offer system service: automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR)), to produce hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is fed into the local gas grid and oxygen used for micropollutant removal via upgrading it to ozone. The feasibility of such a concept was examined for the WWTP in Mainz (Germany). It has been shown that despite partially unfavorable boundary conditions concerning renewable surplus energy in the grid, implementing electrolysis operated with regenerative energy in combination with micropollutant removal using ozonation and activated carbon filter is a reasonable and sustainable option for both, the climate and water protection.

scholarly journals Application of Ultrasound waves for Sludge Dewatering

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-9
Author(s):  
Farshad Golbabaei Kootenaei ◽  
Naser Mehrdadi ◽  
Gholamreza Nabi Bidhendi ◽  
Hasan Amini Rad
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Complex Materials ◽  
Sludge Dewatering ◽  
Ultrasound Waves ◽  
Secondary Pollution ◽  
Increase Rate

Because of increase in application of biological processes in wastewater treatment plants the amount of sludge produced by them is increasing rapidly. Therefore finding new sludge reduction technologies in wastewater treatment plants is very important. Nowadays ultrasound waves have an increase rate of application in full scale in wastewater industry. The most important advantages of ultrasound waves are such as: No sludge production, ease of use, increasing the biogas production, contributing to dewatering, no secondary pollution and degradation of complex materials into simpler substances. In this research, different applications of ultrasound waves in wastewater and sludge treatment and improving dewaterabilty of sludge is investigated.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v9i4.12680

Anaerobic co-digestion of sludge with other organic wastes and phosphorus reclamation in wastewater treatment plants for biological nutrients removal

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 177-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bolzonella ◽  
P. Pavan ◽  
P. Battistoni ◽  
F. Cecchi
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Organic Wastes ◽  
Organic Loading Rate ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Nutrients Removal ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Biological Nutrients Removal

This paper deals with the performances obtained in full scale anaerobic digesters co-digesting waste activated sludge from biological nutrients removal wastewater treatment plants, together with different types of organic wastes (solid and liquid). Results showed that the biogas production can be increased from 4,000 to some 18,000 m3 per month when treating some 3–5 tons per day of organic municipal solid waste together with waste activated sludge. On the other hand, the specific biogas production was improved, passing from 0.3 to 0.5 m3 per kgVS fed the reactor, when treating liquid effluents from cheese factories. The addition of the co-substrates gave minimal increases in the organic loading rate while the hydraulic retention time remained constant. Further, the potentiality of the struvite crystallisation process for treating anaerobic supernatant rich in nitrogen and phosphorus was studied: 80% removal of phosphorus was observed in all the tested conditions. In conclusion, a possible layout is proposed for designing or up-grading wastewater treatment plants for biological nutrients removal process.

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