Energy-generating potential of anaerobically enhanced primary treatment of domestic wastewater using multiple-compartment bioreactors

Abstract

Modeled electrical energy generation from anaerobic primary treatment of domestic wastewater with baffled bioreactors. Energy generation from methane production exceeded energy use by conventional activated sludge in some scenarios.

Succession of founding microbiota in an anaerobic baffled bioreactor treating low-temperature raw domestic wastewater

“…Complete description of ABR-2 is found in Pfluger et al (2018) and Pfluger et al (2020). 15,49 Fig. S1† provides reactor schematics and further description of each ABR.…”

“…13 The degradation of organic substrate longitudinally through successive ABR compartments, coupled with spatial separation of sludge blankets in an ABR, can create functional differentiation of the mixed anaerobic consortia in each successive bioreactor compartment. 14,15 The ABR has been used for several applications, to include the degradation of food production wastewaters, industrial wastewaters, and domestic wastewater streams; 13,16,17 however, few studies of pilot-scale ABRs treating low temperature (6 to 24 °C) raw domestic wastewater over long timescales exist. 10,11,18,19 Of studies examining ABRs treating large volumes of raw domestic wastewater at low temperatures, most analysis centers on ABR operational performance with less attention paid to the development of the anaerobic microbial communities over time and space within the ABR sludge blanket communities, especially immediately after seeding.…”

Recent progress in microbial fuel cells using substrates from diverse sources

“…This process is effective for the elimination of pollutants, but its economic deficiency and energy have become a cause of concern [ 102 ]. The energy used in the conventional activated sludge system is 0.3–0.6 kWh m −3 , thereby consuming 4% of the total generated energy across the world [ 103 ]. In Europe and USA power required to treat wastewater is 0.3–2.1 kWh m −3 and 0.41 to 0.87 kWh m −3 , respectively.…”

Use of spray nozzles to recover dissolved methane from an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor effluent

“…Despite being a powerful greenhouse gas, methane is also a renewable source of energy and recovering d-CH 4 is an imperative as volatilization to the atmosphere represents both a substantial increase in greenhouse gas emissions and loss of energy (Marín et al 2019;Pfluger et al 2020).…”

“…Analysing the alternatives, no biological and/or mechanical process to remove d-CH 4 from anaerobic effluents has demonstrated energetic or economic viability at full-scale and none are ready for mainstream wastewater treatment. Economical, technical, social and regulatory barriers must be faced before the widespread implementation to the use of biogas from anaerobic digestion becomes a reality (Pfluger et al 2020).…”