Techno-Economic Analysis of Constant-Flow Woodchip Bioreactors

HighlightsTechno-economic analysis was performed for multiple scales of bioreactors operated under a variety of conditions.The unit cost decreased as the bioreactor size increased.The unit cost increased in bioreactors with longer HRTs and bypass flow due to reduced treatment capacity.One large bioreactor was more cost-effective than multiple smaller bioreactors.Abstract. Woodchip denitrification bioreactors are a relatively new, edge-of-field technology used to reduce nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) from subsurface tile drainage. The removal rate of nitrate is influenced by many factors, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, and hydraulic residence time (HRT). The objective of this study was to conduct a techno-economic analysis (TEA) for four scales of woodchip denitrification bioreactors operating at three HRTs (2, 8, and 16 h), designed with bypass flow or with a low probability of bypass flow, to determine the cost to remove 1 kg of NO3-N at each bioreactor scale and at each HRT. Several assumptions were made: the flow rate required to achieve a 2 h HRT on a per m3 basis could be achieved at all scales, the same mass removal of NO3-N was achieved on a per cubic meter basis, and the 2 h HRT did not have any bypass flow at each scale. With these assumptions, the lowest unit cost was observed for the large-scale bioreactor sized to have a low probability of bypass flow at 16 h HRT, with a resulting cost of $0.74 kg-1 NO3-N removed. The highest unit cost was observed for the pilot-scale bioreactor designed with bypass flow to achieve a 16 h HRT at a cost of $60.13 kg-1 NO3-N removed. At longer HRTs with bypass flow, a greater percent removal of nitrate has been observed with a lower mass removal rate. By having a low probability of bypass flow in the design, a higher mass removal and percent removal of nitrate were observed, leading to the above results. Contrasting this trend, the total and annual costs were highest for the large-scale bioreactor and lowest for the pilot-scale bioreactor. However, it was determined that 783%, 280%, and 54% increases in total cost for the pilot-, small-, and medium-scale bioreactors would be incurred to implement the number of bioreactors (66, 24, and 4, respectively) required to treat the same volume of flow as one large bioreactor. These results can be used to inform future design decisions and inform stakeholders of the approximate unit cost of installing a denitrifying woodchip bioreactor over a range of expected field conditions. While a larger bioreactor with a low probability of bypass flow may represent a more cost-effective investment, the potential for unintended, negative byproducts needs to be considered in the design. Keywords: Denitrification, Nitrate, Tile drainage, Water quality, Woodchip bioreactor.

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Economic Analysis as a Basis for Large-Scale Nitrogen Control Decisions: Reducing Nitrogen Loads to the Gulf of Mexico

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2001.270 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 968-975 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Otto C. Doering ◽

Marc Ribaudo ◽

Fransisco Diaz-Hermelo ◽

Ralph Heimlich ◽

Fred Hitzhusen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Analysis ◽

Large Scale ◽

Management Practices ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Economic Consequences ◽

N Losses ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Nitrogen Loads ◽

Effective Manner

Economic analysis can be a guide to determining the level of actions taken to reduce nitrogen (N) losses and reduce environmental risk in a cost-effective manner while also allowing consideration of relative costs of controls to various groups. The biophysical science of N control, especially from nonpoint sources such as agriculture, is not certain. Widespread precise data do not exist for a river basin (or often even for a watershed) that couples management practices and other actions to reduce nonpoint N losses with specific delivery from the basin. The causal relationships are clouded by other factors influencing N flows, such as weather, temperature, and soil characteristics. Even when the science is certain, economic analysis has its own sets of uncertainties and simplifying economic assumptions. The economic analysis of the National Hypoxia Assessment provides an example of economic analysis based on less than complete scientific information that can still provide guidance to policy makers about the economic consequences of alternative approaches. One critical value to policy makers comes from bounding the economic magnitude of the consequences of alternative actions. Another value is the identification of impacts outside the sphere of initial concerns. Such analysis can successfully assess relative impacts of different degrees of control of N losses within the basin as well as outside the basin. It can demonstrate the extent to which costs of control of any one action increase with the intensity of application of control.

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Techno-Economic Analysis of a Solar Thermal Plant for Large-Scale Water Pasteurization

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app10144771 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (14) ◽

pp. 4771

Author(s):

Alberto Bologna ◽

Matteo Fasano ◽

Luca Bergamasco ◽

Matteo Morciano ◽

Francesca Bersani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Storage ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

Thermal Energy ◽

Thermal Energy Storage ◽

Large Scale ◽

Radiation Treatment ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Unit Cost ◽

Solar Thermal ◽

Plant Layout

Water pasteurization has the potential to overcome some of the drawbacks of more conventional disinfection techniques such as chlorination, ozonation and ultraviolet radiation treatment. However, the high throughput of community water systems requires energy-intensive processes, and renewable energy sources have the potential to improve the sustainability of water pasteurization plants. In case of water pasteurization by solar thermal treatment, the continuity of operation is limited by the intermittent availability of the solar irradiance. Here we show that this problem can be addressed by a proper design of the plant layout, which includes a thermal energy storage system and an auxiliary gas boiler. Based on a target pasteurization protocol validated by experiments, a complete lumped-component model of the plant is developed and used to determine the operating parameters and size of the components for a given delivery flow rate. Finally, we report an economic analysis of the proposed plant layout, which allows its optimization for different scenarios based on two design variables, namely the solar multiple and the duration of the thermal energy storage. Based on the analyzed cases, it is found that the proposed plant layouts may yield a unit cost of water treatment ranging from ≈32 EUR-cents m−3 to ≈25 EUR-cents m−3.

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Comparative study of domestic wastewater treatment efficiencies between facultative pond and water spinach pond

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1995.0148 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 263-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Seni Karnchanawong ◽

Jaras Sanjitt

Keyword(s):

Growth Rates ◽

Domestic Wastewater ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Organic Content ◽

Water Spinach ◽

Removal Rates ◽

Mass Removal ◽

Loading Rates ◽

Tropical Conditions ◽

Average Water

Two pilot-scale studies were comparatively conducted under tropical conditions during December 1992 to September 1993. One study involved facultative ponds(FP) and the others water spinach ponds(SP). Four rectangular concrete ponds, 0.8 m × 2.4 m × 1.1 m (width × length × depth), were employed to treat the Chiang Mai University campus wastewater. Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) was planted in two of the ponds. The influent characteristics noted showed a low organic content, i.e. BOD 25.4-29.9 mg/l, with BOD:N ratio around 1:1. The investigations were conducted using the following hydraulic retention times (HRT): 1.6, 2, 2.7, 4, 8 and 16 d. The results showed that the BOD, COD and SS mass removal rates increased as the mass loading rates increased and the SP was significantly more effective in reducing the organic content than the FP. No relationship was found between TN mass removal and the loading rates. However, the TP mass removal rates in the SP and the FP were rather low and were considered to be insignificant. It was observed that SS accumulated in the water spinach root systems which tended to act as a strainer. This process led to plant growth inhibition and finally die-off. The average water spinach growth rates varied from 37 to 107 g wet wt./(m2.d) and no relationship was established between the growth rates and the HRT.

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Hydrolysis of organic wastewater particles in laboratory scale and pilot scale biofilm reactors under anoxic and aerobic conditions

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1998.0805 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 38 (8-9) ◽

pp. 179-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

K. F. Janning ◽

X. Le Tallec ◽

P. Harremoës

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Particulate Organic Matter ◽

Removal Rate ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Laboratory Scale ◽

Synthetic Wastewater ◽

Aerobic Conditions ◽

Biofilm Reactors ◽

Hydrolysis Of

Hydrolysis and degradation of particulate organic matter has been isolated and investigated in laboratory scale and pilot scale biofilters. Wastewater was supplied to biofilm reactors in order to accumulate particulates from wastewater in the filter. When synthetic wastewater with no organic matter was supplied to the reactors, hydrolysis of the particulates was the only process occurring. Results from the laboratory scale experiments under aerobic conditions with pre-settled wastewater show that the initial removal rate is high: rV, O2 = 2.1 kg O2/(m3 d) though fast declining towards a much slower rate. A mass balance of carbon (TOC/TIC) shows that only 10% of the accumulated TOC was transformed to TIC during the 12 hour long experiment. The pilot scale hydrolysis experiment was performed in a new type of biofilm reactor - the B2A® biofilter that is characterised by a series of decreasing sized granular media (80-2.5 mm). When hydrolysis experiments were performed on the anoxic pilot biofilter with pre-screened wastewater particulates as carbon source, a rapid (rV, NO3=0.7 kg NO3-N/(m3 d)) and a slowler (rV, NO3 = 0.3 kg NO3-N/(m3 d)) removal rate were observed at an oxygen concentration of 3.5 mg O2/l. It was found that the pilot biofilter could retain significant amounts of particulate organic matter, reducing the porosity of the filter media of an average from 0.35 to 0.11. A mass balance of carbon shows that up to 40% of the total incoming TOC accumulates in the filter at high flow rates. Only up to 15% of the accumulated TOC was transformed to TIC during the 24 hour long experiment.

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Efficient Schedule of Energy-Constrained UAV Using Crowdsourced Buses in Last-Mile Parcel Delivery

Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive Mobile Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies ◽

10.1145/3448079 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Yan Pan ◽

Shining Li ◽

Qianwu Chen ◽

Nan Zhang ◽

Tao Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traffic Congestion ◽

Large Scale ◽

Load Capacity ◽

Scheduling Algorithm ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Logistics Industry ◽

Last Mile ◽

Delivery Scheduling ◽

Schedule Approach

Stimulated by the dramatical service demand in the logistics industry, logistics trucks employed in last-mile parcel delivery bring critical public concerns, such as heavy cost burden, traffic congestion and air pollution. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are a promising alternative tool in last-mile delivery, which is however limited by insufficient flight range and load capacity. This paper presents an innovative energy-limited logistics UAV schedule approach using crowdsourced buses. Specifically, when one UAV delivers a parcel, it first lands on a crowdsourced social bus to parcel destination, gets recharged by the wireless recharger deployed on the bus, and then flies from the bus to the parcel destination. This novel approach not only increases the delivery range and load capacity of battery-limited UAVs, but is also much more cost-effective and environment-friendly than traditional methods. New challenges therefore emerge as the buses with spatiotemporal mobility become the bottleneck during delivery. By landing on buses, an Energy-Neutral Flight Principle and a delivery scheduling algorithm are proposed for the UAVs. Using the Energy-Neutral Flight Principle, each UAV can plan a flying path without depleting energy given buses with uncertain velocities. Besides, the delivery scheduling algorithm optimizes the delivery time and number of delivered parcels given warehouse location, logistics UAVs, parcel locations and buses. Comprehensive evaluations using a large-scale bus dataset demonstrate the superiority of the innovative logistics UAV schedule approach.

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Multi-Country Scale Assessment of Available Energy Recovery Potential Using Micro-Hydropower in Drinking, Pressurised Irrigation and Wastewater Networks, Covering Part of the EU

Water ◽

10.3390/w13070899 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 899

Author(s):

Djordje Mitrovic ◽

Miguel Crespo Chacón ◽

Aida Mérida García ◽

Jorge García Morillo ◽

Juan Antonio Rodríguez Diaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Northern Ireland ◽

Energy Recovery ◽

Large Scale ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Value Added ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Net Energy ◽

Water Networks ◽

Scale Assessment

Studies have shown micro-hydropower (MHP) opportunities for energy recovery and CO2 reductions in the water sector. This paper conducts a large-scale assessment of this potential using a dataset amassed across six EU countries (Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Spain, and Portugal) for the drinking water, irrigation, and wastewater sectors. Extrapolating the collected data, the total annual MHP potential was estimated between 482.3 and 821.6 GWh, depending on the assumptions, divided among Ireland (15.5–32.2 GWh), Scotland (17.8–139.7 GWh), Northern Ireland (5.9–8.2 GWh), Wales (10.2–8.1 GWh), Spain (375.3–539.9 GWh), and Portugal (57.6–93.5 GWh) and distributed across the drinking water (43–67%), irrigation (51–30%), and wastewater (6–3%) sectors. The findings demonstrated reductions in energy consumption in water networks between 1.7 and 13.0%. Forty-five percent of the energy estimated from the analysed sites was associated with just 3% of their number, having a power output capacity >15 kW. This demonstrated that a significant proportion of energy could be exploited at a small number of sites, with a valuable contribution to net energy efficiency gains and CO2 emission reductions. This also demonstrates cost-effective, value-added, multi-country benefits to policy makers, establishing the case to incentivise MHP in water networks to help achieve the desired CO2 emissions reductions targets.

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Modeling Fused Filament Fabrication using Artificial Neural Networks

Production Engineering ◽

10.1007/s11740-021-01020-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paul Oehlmann ◽

Paul Osswald ◽

Juan Camilo Blanco ◽

Martin Friedrich ◽

Dominik Rietzel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Large Scale ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Print Quality ◽

Ann Model ◽

Production Environment ◽

Fused Filament Fabrication ◽

Artificial Neural ◽

Using Data ◽

Artificial Neural Network Ann

AbstractWith industries pushing towards digitalized production, adaption to expectations and increasing requirements for modern applications, has brought additive manufacturing (AM) to the forefront of Industry 4.0. In fact, AM is a main accelerator for digital production with its possibilities in structural design, such as topology optimization, production flexibility, customization, product development, to name a few. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a widespread and practical tool for rapid prototyping that also demonstrates the importance of AM technologies through its accessibility to the general public by creating cost effective desktop solutions. An increasing integration of systems in an intelligent production environment also enables the generation of large-scale data to be used for process monitoring and process control. Deep learning as a form of artificial intelligence (AI) and more specifically, a method of machine learning (ML) is ideal for handling big data. This study uses a trained artificial neural network (ANN) model as a digital shadow to predict the force within the nozzle of an FFF printer using filament speed and nozzle temperatures as input data. After the ANN model was tested using data from a theoretical model it was implemented to predict the behavior using real-time printer data. For this purpose, an FFF printer was equipped with sensors that collect real time printer data during the printing process. The ANN model reflected the kinematics of melting and flow predicted by models currently available for various speeds of printing. The model allows for a deeper understanding of the influencing process parameters which ultimately results in the determination of the optimum combination of process speed and print quality.

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Process Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of Large-Scale Bioproduction of Sweet Protein Thaumatin II

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10040838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 838

Author(s):

Kirolos D. Kelada ◽

Daniel Tusé ◽

Yuri Gleba ◽

Karen A. McDonald ◽

Somen Nandi

Keyword(s):

Economic Analysis ◽

Process Simulation ◽

Large Scale ◽

Recombinant Expression ◽

Molecular Farming ◽

Consumer Preference ◽

Production Method ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Sweet Proteins

There are currently worldwide efforts to reduce sugar intake due to the various adverse health effects linked with the overconsumption of sugars. Artificial sweeteners have been used as an alternative to nutritive sugars in numerous applications; however, their long-term effects on human health remain controversial. This led to a shift in consumer preference towards non-caloric sweeteners from natural sources. Thaumatins are a class of intensely sweet proteins found in arils of the fruits of the West-African plant Thaumatococcus daniellii. Thaumatins’ current production method through aqueous extraction from this plant and uncertainty of the harvest from tropical rainforests limits its supply while the demand is increasing. Despite successful recombinant expression of the protein in several organisms, no large-scale bioproduction facilities exist. We present preliminary process design, process simulation, and economic analysis for a large-scale (50 metric tons/year) production of a thaumatin II variant using several different molecular farming platforms.

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Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in Italian adolescents: a cost-effective health opportunity

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.586 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

D Panatto ◽

P Landa ◽

D Amicizia ◽

P L Lai ◽

E Lecini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Vaccination Strategy ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Dose Schedule ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Invasive Disease ◽

International Setting ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Invasive disease due to Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a serious public health problem even in developed countries, owing to its high lethality rate (8-15%) and the invalidating sequelae suffered by many (up to 60%) survivors. As the microorganism is transmitted via the airborne route, the only available weapon in the fight against Nm invasive disease is vaccination. Our aim was to carry out an HTA to evaluate the costs and benefits of anti-meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination with Trumenba® in adolescents in Italy, while also considering the impact of this new vaccination strategy on organizational and ethics aspects. Methods A lifetime Markov model was developed. MenB vaccination with the two-dose schedule of Trumenba® in adolescents was compared with 'non-vaccination'. Two perspectives were considered: the National Health Service (NHS) and society. Three disease phases were defined: acute, post-acute and long-term. Epidemiological, economic and health utilities data were taken from Italian and international literature. The analysis was conducted by means of Microsoft Excel 2010®. Results Our study indicated that vaccinating adolescents (11th year of life) with Trumenba® was cost-effective with an ICER = € 7,912/QALY from the NHS perspective and € 7,758/QALY from the perspective of society. Vaccinating adolescents reduces the number of cases of disease due to meningococcus B in one of the periods of highest incidence of the disease, resulting in significant economic and health savings. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the overall impact of free MenB vaccination in adolescents both in Italy and in the international setting. Although cases of invasive disease due to meningococcus B are few, if the overall impact of the disease is adequately considered, it becomes clear that including anti-meningococcal B vaccination into the immunization program for adolescents is strongly recommended from the health and economic standpoints. Key messages Free, large-scale MenB vaccination is key to strengthening the global fight against invasive meningococcal disease. Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in adolescents is a cost-effective health opportunity.

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Environmental Engineering Techniques to Restore Degraded Posidonia oceanica Meadows

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050661 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 661

Author(s):

Luigi Piazzi ◽

Stefano Acunto ◽

Francesca Frau ◽

Fabrizio Atzori ◽

Maria Francesca Cinti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Posidonia Oceanica ◽

Environmental Engineering ◽

Bottom Surface ◽

Sessile Invertebrates ◽

Set Up ◽

Short Time

Seagrass planting techniques have shown to be an effective tool for restoring degraded meadows and ecosystem function. In the Mediterranean Sea, most restoration efforts have been addressed to the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica, but cost-benefit analyses have shown unpromising results. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of environmental engineering techniques generally employed in terrestrial systems to restore the P. oceanica meadows: two different restoration efforts were considered, either exploring non-degradable mats or, for the first time, degradable mats. Both of them provided encouraging results, as the loss of transplanting plots was null or very low and the survival of cuttings stabilized to about 50%. Data collected are to be considered positive as the survived cuttings are enough to allow the future spread of the patches. The utilized techniques provided a cost-effective restoration tool likely affordable for large-scale projects, as the methods allowed to set up a wide bottom surface to restore in a relatively short time without any particular expensive device. Moreover, the mats, comparing with other anchoring methods, enhanced the colonization of other organisms such as macroalgae and sessile invertebrates, contributing to generate a natural habitat.

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