scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Upgrading Primary Wastewater Treatment Plants to Secondary Treatment Including a Circular Economy Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 117862212093585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim M Morsy ◽  
Mohamed K Mostafa ◽  
Khaled Z Abdalla ◽  
Mona M Galal
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Secondary Treatment ◽  
Cumulative Impact ◽  
Process Energy ◽  
The Impact

Although significant progress has been achieved in the field of environmental impact assessment in many engineering disciplines, the impact of wastewater treatment plants has not yet been well integrated. In light of this remarkable scientific progress, the outputs of the plants as treated water and clean sludge have become potential sources of irrigation and energy, not a waste. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental impacts of upgrading the wastewater treatment plants from primary to secondary treatment. The Lifecycle Assessment Framework (ISO 14040 and 14044) was applied using GaBi Software. Abu Rawash wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has been taken as a case study. Two scenarios were studied, Scenario 1 is the current situation of the WWTP using the primary treatment units and Scenario 2 is upgrading the WWTP by adding secondary treatment units. The study highlighted the influence and cumulative impact of upgrading all the primary WWTPs in Egypt to secondary treatment. With the high amount of energy consumed in the aeration process, energy recovery methods were proposed to boost the circular economy concept in Abu Rawash WWTP in order to achieve optimal results from environmental and economic perspectives.

scholarly journals Sewer Mining as a Distributed Intervention for Water-Energy-Materials in the Circular Economy Suitable for Dense Urban Environments: A Real World Demonstration in the City of Athens

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 2764
Author(s):  
Argyro Plevri ◽  
Klio Monokrousou ◽  
Christos Makropoulos ◽  
Christos Lioumis ◽  
Nikolaos Tazes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Treatment Unit ◽  
Plant Nursery

Water reuse and recycling is gaining momentum as a way to improve the circularity of cities, while recognizing the central role of water within a circular economy (CE) context. However, such interventions often depend on the location of wastewater treatment plants and the treatment technologies installed in their premises, while relying on an expensive piped network to ensure that treated wastewater gets transported from the treatment plant to the point of demand. Thus, the penetration level of treated wastewater as a source of non-potable supply in dense urban environments is limited. This paper focuses on the demonstration of a sewer mining (SM) unit as a source of treated wastewater, as part of a larger and more holistic configuration that examines all three ‘streams’ associated with water in CE: water, energy and materials. The application area is the Athens Plant Nursery, in the (water stressed) city of Athens, Greece. SM technology is in fact a mobile wastewater treatment unit in containers able to extract wastewater from local sewers, treat it directly and reuse at the point of demand even in urban environments with limited space. The unit consists of a membrane bioreactor unit (MBR) and a UV disinfection unit and produces high quality reclaimed water for irrigation and also for aquifer recharge during the winter. Furthermore, a short overview of the integrated nutrient and energy recovery subsystem is presented in order to conceptualise the holistic approach and circularity of the whole configuration. The SM technology demonstrates flexibility, scalability and replicability, which are important characteristics for innovation uptake within the emerging CE context and market.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial resistance gene surveillance in the receiving waters of an upgraded wastewater treatment plant

FACETS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire N. Freeman ◽  
Lena Scriver ◽  
Kara D. Neudorf ◽  
Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen ◽  
Rob C. Jamieson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Treated Effluent ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Gene ◽  
The Impact

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as hotspots for antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and thus represent a critical point where patterns in ARG abundances can be monitored prior to their release into the environment. The aim of the current study was to measure the impact of the release of the final treated effluent (FE) on the abundance of ARGs in the receiving water of a recently upgraded WWTP in the Canadian prairies. Sample nutrient content (phosphorous and nitrogen species) was measured as a proxy for WWTP functional performance, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to measure the abundance of eight ARGs, the intI1 gene associated with class I integrons, and the 16S rRNA gene. The genes ermB, sul1, intI1, blaCTX-M, qnrS, and tetO all had higher abundances downstream of the WWTP, consistent with the genes with highest abundance in the FE. These findings are consistent with the increasing evidence suggesting that human activity affects the abundances of ARGs in the environment. Although the degree of risk associated with releasing ARGs into the environment is still unclear, understanding the environmental dimension of this threat will help develop informed management policies to reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance and protect public health.

scholarly journals Opportunities for microbial electrochemistry in municipal wastewater treatment – an overview

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1359-1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskar Modin ◽  
David J. I. Gustavsson
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Microbial bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) utilize living microorganisms to drive oxidation and reduction reactions at solid electrodes. BESs could potentially be used at municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to recover the energy content of organic matter, to produce chemicals useful at the site, or to monitor and control biological treatment processes. In this paper, we review bioelectrochemical technologies that could be applied for municipal wastewater treatment. Sjölunda WWTP in Malmö, Sweden, is used as an example to illustrate how the different technologies potentially could be integrated into an existing treatment plant and the impact they could have on the plant's utilization of energy and chemicals.

scholarly journals Energetic-Environmental-Economic Feasibility and Impact Assessment of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System in Wastewater Treatment Plant: Case Study

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Horia Andrei ◽  
Cristian Andrei Badea ◽  
Paul Andrei ◽  
Filippo Spertino
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Photovoltaic System ◽  
The Impact

Wastewater treatment plants and power generation constitute inseparable parts of present society. So the growth of wastewater treatment plants is accompanied by an increase in the energy consumption, and a sustainable development implies the use of renewable energy sources on a large scale in the power generation. A case study of the synergy between wastewater treatment plants and photovoltaic systems, aiming to improve the energetic, environmental and economic impacts, is presented. Based on data acquisition, the energy consumption analysis of wastewater treatment plant reveals that the highest demand is during April, and the lowest is during November. The placement of photovoltaic modules is designed to maximize the use of free space on the technological area of wastewater treatment plant in order to obtain a power output as high as possible. The peak consumption of wastewater treatment plant occurs in April, however the peak production of the photovoltaic is in July, so electrochemical batteries can partly compensate for this mismatch. The impact of the photovoltaic system connectivity on power grid is assessed by means of the matching-index method and the storage battery significantly improves this parameter. Carbon credit and energy payback time are used to assess the environmental impact. The results prove that the photovoltaic system mitigates 12,118 tons of carbon and, respectively, the embedded energy is compensated by production in 8 ½ years. The economic impact of the photovoltaic system is analyzed by the levelized cost of energy, and the results show that the price of energy from the photovoltaic source is below the current market price of energy.

Upgrading of a wastewater treatment plant utilizing existing trickling filters and a new filter stage

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
M. Fruhen ◽  
W. Kühn ◽  
M. Dohmann
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Basic Function ◽  
Main Stream ◽  
Process Technology ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Trickling Filters ◽  
Filtration Stage

The upgrading of wastewater treatment plants with the objective of enhancing the elimination of nitrogen and phosphorus is a demanding undertaking as regards the choice of process technology, especially if the basic function of existing treatment systems is to be retained. With reference to an existing two-stage biological sewage plant with trickling filters in the second stage, the present paper illustrates how the volume of the activated sludge stage that is being enlarged can be minimized by exploiting the benefits of a primary treatment stage with high BOD5 elimination and by integrating the trickling filters in the main stream of the treatment chain. This requires that the extremely costly filtration stage that is essential for eliminating the phosphorus also fulfils other tasks, in this case residual denitrification.

Plant-wide (BSM2) evaluation of reject water treatment with a SHARON-Anammox process

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.I.P. Volcke ◽  
K.V. Gernaey ◽  
D. Vrecko ◽  
U. Jeppsson ◽  
M.C.M. van Loosdrecht ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Water Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Cost Index ◽  
Reject Water ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Anammox Process

In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) equipped with sludge digestion and dewatering systems, the reject water originating from these facilities contributes significantly to the nitrogen load of the activated sludge tanks, to which it is typically recycled. In this paper, the impact of reject water streams on the performance of a WWTP is assessed in a simulation study, using the Benchmark Simulation Model no. 2 (BSM2), that includes the processes describing sludge treatment and in this way allows for plant-wide evaluation. Comparison of performance of a WWTP without reject water with a WWTP where reject water is recycled to the primary clarifier, i.e. the BSM2 plant, shows that the ammonium load of the influent to the primary clarifier is 28% higher in the case of reject water recycling. This results in violation of the effluent total nitrogen limit. In order to relieve the main wastewater treatment plant, reject water treatment with a combined SHARON-Anammox process seems a promising option. The simulation results indicate that significant improvements of the effluent quality of the main wastewater treatment plant can be realized. An economic evaluation of the different scenarios is performed using an Operating Cost Index (OCI).

Activated sludge wastewater treatment plants optimisation to face pollution overloads during grape harvest periods

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Beck ◽  
G. Prades ◽  
A.-G. Sadowski
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Organic Load ◽  
Process Line ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Load Conditions

The principal objective of our study was to optimise a municipal activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to face high organic flows due to viticulture effluents inputs. Treatment file optimization consisted in testing different treatment lines, changing the number and volume of biological basins and clarifiers, with or without a buffer basin upstream, with a view to achieving a better reduction of COD. The actual WWTP biological stage is composed of two aerated basins whose total volume is 1365 m3. The studied cases are successively, the installation of a single basin of 1365 m3, then of several basins whose total volume remains constant and equal to 1365 m3. Another case was also considered, that of an aerated basin followed by a first clarifier and then, by another aerated basin and a second clarifier. All scenarios presented below were evaluated, for standard dry weather conditions and for high organic load conditions, as encountered during the grape harvest period. The method used was to carry out various simulations, using numerical modelling, and to compare the impact of different process line scenarios and management strategies on the activated sludge WWTP efficiencies.

Characterization of residual sand removed from the grit chambers of a wastewater treatment plant and its use as fine aggregate in the preparation of non-structural concrete

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. B. Borges ◽  
J. R. Campos ◽  
J. M. Pablos
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Tensile Tests ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Total Coliform ◽  
Fine Aggregate ◽  
Structural Concrete ◽  
Volatile Solids ◽  
Alternative Material

This article demonstrates the potential use of residual sand removed from grit chambers, which are used in the primary treatment of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), as an alternative material to commercial sand in the production of non-structural concrete in civil construction. The results indicated that the residual sand has a high percentage of total fixed solids (96.9%), high moisture content (14.8%) and significant total coliform [average of 3.84 × 107(100 mL)−1] and fecal coliform densities [average of 5.22 × 105 (100 mL)−1]. The sand cleaning and drying procedure used in the research was effective, since it achieved the following removal efficiencies: about 98.8% of moisture, 67.1% of total volatile solids and 4-log E. coli. After cleaning and drying the residual sand, different amounts of this material were used to prepare the test specimens, which underwent tensile tests. The results of this study confirmed the viable use of residual sand as fine aggregate in concrete for non-structural purposes, and the best performances were verified in tensile and compressive tests (fck) and tensile strength tests (fctk) using 30% (in mass) of the residual sand as fine aggregate (values of 16.6 and 1.60 MPa, respectively).

scholarly journals Opportunistic Strategy for Maintenance Interventions Planning: A Case Study in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10853
Author(s):  
Pablo Viveros ◽  
Leonardo Miqueles ◽  
Rodrigo Mena ◽  
Fredy Kristjanpoller
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽  
Preventive Maintenance ◽  
Time Window ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Environmental Care

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) face two fundamental challenges: on the one hand, they must ensure an efficient application of preventive maintenance plans for their survival under competitive environments; and on the other hand, they must simultaneously comply with the requirements of reliability, maintainability, and safety of their operations, ensuring environmental care and the quality of their effluents for human consumption. In this sense, this article seeks to propose a cost-efficient alternative for the execution of preventive maintenance (PM) plans through the formulation and optimization of the opportunistic grouping strategy with time-window tolerances and non-negligible execution times. The proposed framework is applied to a PM plan for critical high-risk activities, addressing primary treatment and anaerobic sludge treatment process in a wastewater treatment plant. Results show a 26% system inefficiency reduction versus the initial maintenance plan, demonstrating the capacity of the framework to increase the availability of the assets and reduce maintenance interruptions of the WWTP under analysis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document