Carbon recovery from screenings for energy-efficient wastewater treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (12) ◽  
pp. 3299-3306
Author(s):  
M. Kaless ◽  
L. Palmowski ◽  
J. Pinnekamp
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Weighted Average ◽  
Chemical Energy ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process ◽  
Washing Water

Abstract The energy content of screenings from six municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was examined. Hourly samples of separated screenings were taken over 24 hours at three of the plants to illustrate diurnal variations. To recover the chemical energy, which usually leaves the WWTP with the screenings, a screenings wash press was used to transfer organic matter from the solid into the liquid phase. The chemical energy of raw and compacted washed screenings as well as the chemical energy of washing water were determined by measuring the chemical oxygen demand (COD) for the six WWTPs. A mass weighted average of 1.35 gCOD/gdm (dm: dry matter) was found in the raw screenings of three WWTPs. The overall recovered energy from screenings was found to range from 0.27 to 0.62 gCOD/gdm. This washed-out COD found in the washing water could be sent for anaerobic digestion or to the wastewater treatment process as a carbon source for denitrification.

scholarly journals Improving and upgrading an existing activated sludge with a compact MBBR – disc filters parallel line for municipal wastewater treatment in touristic alpine areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 515-527
Author(s):  
L. Desa ◽  
P. Kängsepp ◽  
L. Quadri ◽  
G. Bellotti ◽  
K. Sørensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Parallel Line ◽  
Ammonium Nitrogen ◽  
Biofilm Reactor ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Yearly Average

Abstract Many wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in touristic areas struggle to achieve the effluent requirements due to seasonal variations in population. In alpine areas, the climate also determines a low wastewater temperature, which implies long sludge retention time (SRT) needed for the growth of nitrifying biomass in conventional activated sludge (CAS). Moreover, combined sewers generate high flow and dilution. The present study shows how the treatment efficiency of an existing CAS plant with tertiary treatment can be upgraded by adding a compact line in parallel, consisting of a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR)-coagulation-flocculation-disc filtration. This allows the treatment of influent variations in the MBBR and a constant flow supply to the activated sludge. The performance of the new 2-step process was comparable to that of the improved existing one. Regardless significant variations in flow (10,000–25,000 m3/d) and total suspended solids (TSS) (50–300 mg/L after primary treatment) the effluent quality fulfilled the discharge requirements. Based on yearly average effluent data, TSS were 11 mg/L, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 27 mg/L and total phosphorus (TP) 0.8 mg/L. After the upgrade, ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N) dropped from 4.9 mg/L to 1.3 mg/L and the chemical consumption for phosphorus removal was reduced.

Fate and mass balances of triclosan (TCS), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and tribromobisphenol A (tri-BBPA) during the municipal wastewater treatment process

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry McPhedran ◽  
Rajesh Seth ◽  
Min Song ◽  
Shaogang Chu ◽  
Robert J. Letcher
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Tetrabromobisphenol A ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Mass Balances ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process ◽  
Detroit River

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs) are impacted by down-the-drain influents of anthropogenic chemicals. These chemicals are in consumer products and include the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and antimicrobial triclosan (TCS). Characterization of the distribution of TBBPA, TCS and the TBBPA product tribromobisphenol A (tri-BBPA) was determined at five stages along the treatment process of a typical Canadian MWTP facility. Overall, the TCS concentrations for both liquid (influents, primary effluents and final effluents (FEs)) and solid samples (primary and waste activated sludges) were similar to reported ranges in the literature. In contrast to TCS, both TBBPA and tri-BBPA concentrations were scarcely available in the literature. The TBBPA concentrations were within literature ranges for both influents and sludges, while the tri-BBPA sludge concentrations were markedly higher than a single available previous study. Mass balances for TCS, TBBPA and tri-BBPA indicated 7, 9 and 42%, respectively, of each chemical remaining in the FEs. The resultant annual mass loadings into the Detroit River were estimated to be 3.3 kg, 6.57 g, and 21.5 g for TCS, TBBPA and tri-BBPA, respectively.

scholarly journals Benchmarking of energy consumption in municipal wastewater treatment plants – a survey of over 200 plants in Italy

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (9) ◽  
pp. 2242-2252 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vaccari ◽  
P. Foladori ◽  
S. Nembrini ◽  
F. Vitali
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Specific Energy Consumption ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment

Abstract One of the largest surveys in Europe about energy consumption in Italian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is presented, based on 241 WWTPs and a total population equivalent (PE) of more than 9,000,000 PE. The study contributes towards standardised resilient data and benchmarking and to identify potentials for energy savings. In the energy benchmark, three indicators were used: specific energy consumption expressed per population equivalents (kWh PE−1 year−1), per cubic meter (kWh/m3), and per unit of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removed (kWh/kgCOD). The indicator kWh/m3, even though widely applied, resulted in a biased benchmark, because highly influenced by stormwater and infiltrations. Plants with combined networks (often used in Europe) showed an apparent better energy performance. Conversely, the indicator kWh PE−1 year−1 resulted in a more meaningful definition of a benchmark. High energy efficiency was associated with: (i) large capacity of the plant, (ii) higher COD concentration in wastewater, (iii) separate sewer systems, (iv) capacity utilisation over 80%, and (v) high organic loads, but without overloading. The 25th percentile was proposed as a benchmark for four size classes: 23 kWh PE−1 y−1 for large plants > 100,000 PE; 42 kWh PE−1 y−1 for capacity 10,000 < PE < 100,000, 48 kWh PE−1 y−1 for capacity 2,000 < PE < 10,000 and 76 kWh PE−1 y−1 for small plants < 2,000 PE.

scholarly journals Initiating Biodegradation of Polyvinylpyrrolidone in an Aqueous Aerobic Environment: Technical Note / Zainicjowanie Biodegradacji Poliwinylopirolidonu W Środowisku Wodno-Tlenowym: Notatki Techniczne

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marketa Julinova ◽  
Jan Kupec ◽  
Roman Slavik ◽  
Maria Vaskova
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Aerobic Biodegradation ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment

Abstract A synthetic polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP - E 1201) primarily finds applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries due to its resistance and zero toxicity to organisms. After ingestion, the substance passes through the organism unchanged. Consequently, it enters the systems of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) without decomposing biologically during the waste treatment process, nor does it attach (through sorption) to particles of activated sludge to any significant extent, therefore, it passes through the system of a WWTP, which may cause the substance to accumulate in the natural environment. For this reason the paper investigates the potential to initiate aerobic biodegradation of PVP in the presence of activated sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The following agents were selected as the initiators of the biodegradation process - co-substrates: acrylamide, N-acethylphenylalanine and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, a substance with a similar structure to PVP monomer. The biodegradability of PVP in the presence of co-substrates was evaluated on the basis of biological oxygen demand (BOD) as determined via a MicroOxymax O2/CO2/CH4 respirometer. The total substrate concentration in the suspension equaled 400 mg·dm-3, with the ratio between PVP and the cosubstrate being 1:1, while the concentration of the dry activated sludge was 500 mg·dm-3. Even though there was no occurrence of a significant increase in the biodegradation of PVP alone in the presence of a co-substrate, acrylamide appeared to be the most effective type of co-substrate. Nevertheless, a recorded decrease in the slope of biodegradation curves over time may indicate that a process of primary decomposition was underway, which involves the production of metabolites that inhibit activated sludge microorganisms. The resulting products are not identified at this stage of experimentation.

scholarly journals Municipal wastewater treatment plants as pathogen removal systems and as a contamination source of noroviruses and Enterococcus faecalis

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Wen A. Cheng ◽  
Frances E. Lucy ◽  
Michael A. Broaders ◽  
Sergey E. Mastitsky ◽  
Chien-Hsien Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Enterococcus Faecalis ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Pathogen Removal ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process ◽  
Human Wastes ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Final Effluent

Municipal wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in reducing the microbial and pathogen load of human wastes before the end-products are discharged to surface waters (final effluent) or land spread (biosolids). This study investigated the occurrence frequency of noroviruses, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in influent, final effluent and biosolids from four secondary wastewater treatment plants in northwestern Ireland (plants A–D) and observed the seasonal and spatial variation of the plant treatment efficiencies in the pathogen removals. It was noted that norovirus genogroup II was more resistant to the treatment processes than the norovirus genogroup I and other active viral particles, especially those in the discharge effluents. The percolating biofilm system at plant D resulted in better effluent quality than in the extended aerated activated sludge systems (plants A and B); primary biosolids produced at plant D may pose a higher health risk to the locals. The spread of norovirus genogroup II into the environment, irrespective of the wastewater treatment process, coincides with its national clinical predominance over norovirus genogroup I. This study provides important evidence that municipal wastewater treatment plants not only achieve pathogen removal but can also be the source of environmental pathogen contamination.

Removal of hazardous substances in municipal wastewater treatment plants

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 2011-2022
Author(s):  
Vallo Kõrgmaa ◽  
Mailis Laht ◽  
Riin Rebane ◽  
Erki Lember ◽  
Karin Pachel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Aquatic Environment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
P Value ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Abstract Chemical pollution poses a threat to the aquatic environment and to human health. Wastewater treatment plants are the last defensive line between the aquatic environment and emissions of pollutants. This study focuses on identification of most relevant hazardous substances in Estonian municipal wastewater and their fate in the treatment process. During this study, seasonal wastewater and sewage sludge samples were collected from nine municipal wastewater treatment plants and analyzed for 282 hazardous substances, including EU (n = 45) and Estonian (n = 31) priority substances. Results of this study show that several substances that are subject to international restrictions (e.g. Stockholm Convention) are still present in untreated sewage. Wastewater treatment systems that had a greater level of complexity (TEC >5) were more successful in removing hazardous substances. Statistical analyses showed that removal efficiency of organic hazardous substances had significant (p-value <0.05) linear correlation with removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS), but a monotonic relationship with operators' competency. This study showed that operators' competency had a strong influence on the stability of the wastewater treatment efficiency and removal of organic hazardous substances.

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 Effect of sewage sampling frequency on determination of design parameters for municipal wastewater treatment plants

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Gehring ◽  
E. Deineko ◽  
I. Hobus ◽  
G. Kolisch ◽  
M. Lübken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Sampling Frequency ◽  
Organic Load ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment

Abstract The uncertainty associated with the determination of load parameters, which is a key step in the design of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), was investigated on basis on data sets from 58 WWTPs. A further analysed aspect was the organic load variations associated with variable sewage temperatures. Data from 26 WWTPs with a high inflow sampling frequency was used to simulate scenarios to investigate the effect of lower sampling frequencies through a Monte Carlo approach. The calculation of 85-percentile values for chemical oxygen demand (COD) loadings based on only 26 samples per year is associated with a variability of up to ±18%. Approximately 90 samples per year will be necessary to reduce this uncertainty for estimation of COD loadings below 10%. Hence, a low sampling frequency can potentially lead to under- or overestimation of design parameters. Through an analogous approach, it was possible to identify uncertainties of ±11% in COD loading when weekly average data was used with 4 samples per week. Finally, a tendency of lower COD input loads with increasing temperatures was identified, with a reduction of about 1% of the average loading per degree Celsius.

scholarly journals Excessive greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants by using the chemical oxygen demand standard

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zongqing Lv ◽  
Xiaoyu Shan ◽  
Xilin Xiao ◽  
Ruanhong Cai ◽  
Yao Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Chemical Oxygen Demand ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Organic Pollution ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Recalcitrant Organic Matter

AbstractChemical oxygen demand (COD) is widely used as an organic pollution indicator in wastewater treatment plants. Large amounts of organic matter are removed during treatment processes to meet environmental standards, and consequently, substantial greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as methane (CH4) are released. However, the COD indicator covers a great amount of refractory organic matter that is not a pollutant and could be a potential carbon sink. Here, we collected and analysed COD data from 86 worldwide municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and applied a model published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to estimate the emission of CH4 due to recalcitrant organic compound processing in China’s municipal wastewater treatment systems Our results showed that the average contribution of refractory COD to total COD removal was 55% in 86 WWTPs. The amount of CH4 released from the treatment of recalcitrant organic matter in 2018 could have been as high as 38.22 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which amounts to the annual carbon sequestered by China’s wetlands. This suggests that the use of COD as an indicator for organic pollution is undue and needs to be revised to reduce the emission of GHG. In fact, leaving nontoxic recalcitrant organic matter in the wastewater may create a significant carbon sink and will save energy during the treatment process, aiming at carbon neutrality in the wastewater treatment industry.

scholarly journals Process auditing and performance improvement in a mixed wastewater–aqueous waste treatment plant

2017 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 891-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Collivignarelli ◽  
Giorgio Bertanza ◽  
Alessandro Abbà ◽  
Silvestro Damiani
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Economic Optimization ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Process ◽  
Aqueous Waste

Abstract The wastewater treatment process is based on complex chemical, physical and biological mechanisms that are closely interconnected. The efficiency of the system (which depends on compliance with national regulations on wastewater quality) can be achieved through the use of tools such as monitoring, that is the detection of parameters that allow the continuous interpretation of the current situation, and experimental tests, which allow the measurement of real performance (of a sector, a single treatment or equipment) and comparison with the following ones. Experimental tests have a particular relevance in the case of municipal wastewater treatment plants fed with a strong industrial component and especially in the case of plants authorized to treat aqueous waste. In this paper a case study is presented where the application of management tools such as careful monitoring and experimental tests led to the technical and economic optimization of the plant: the main results obtained were the reduction of sludge production (from 4,000 t/year w.w. (wet weight) to about 2,200 t/year w.w.) and operating costs (e.g. from 600,000 €/year down to about 350,000 €/year for reagents), the increase of resource recovery and the improvement of the overall process performance.

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