No abstract

the number of bioprocesses for the circular economy of organic waste has grown in recent years. Implementation of new processes and technologies should consider occupational health and safety issues from the initial design stages. Among the process hazards analysis techniques, HAZard and OPerability (HAZOP) methodology is widely used for studying both the process’s hazards and their operability problems, by exploring the effects of any deviations from design conditions. In the present study, a modified version of HAZOP methodology has been applied to a three-steps process developed at pilot scale in the Treviso municipal wastewater treatment plant in order to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) as the final high value product. This paper shows the results of HAZOP analysis applied to the first process step (acidogenic fermentation) aimed at volatile fatty acids production. The analysis has been applied to the process conditions corresponding to the maximum PHA content in the biomass. The HAZOP study results showed that this methodology allowed a comprehensive exploration of conventional chemical engineering process hazards and biological hazards. Final piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) for acidogenic fermentation have been designed, identifying all prevention measures aimed at managing the hazard and operability issues. The P&ID shows the interconnection of equipment and the instrumentation required for controlling the process.

the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from industrial waste streams has attracted the attention of researchers and process industries because they could replace traditional plastics. The integrated treatment of civil wastewater along with organic solid wastes in a novel “urban biorefinery” is a very important option to implement a synergic treatment of all relevant bio-waste streams. The development of new biotech processes should consider the occupational health and safety issues from the initial design stages. Among the process hazards analysis techniques, HAZard and OPerability (HAZOP) methodology is widely used for studying both the processes hazards and their operability problems, by exploring the effects of any deviations from design conditions. In the present study, a modified version of HAZOP methodology has been applied to a three-step process developed at pilot scale in the Treviso municipal wastewater treatment plant in order to produce PHA. This paper (part B) shows the results of HAZOP analysis applied to the second process step aimed at culturing the activated sludge under periodic feeding conditions into a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The analysis applied to the process conditions, corresponding to the maximum PHA content in the biomass, has led to the identification of technical solutions to mitigate the main occupational risks.