Energy Recovery and Nitrogen Management from Struvite Precipitation Effluent via Microbial Fuel Cells

Orner, Kevin D.; Cools, Corbyn; Balaguer-Barbosa, Maraida; Zalivina, Nadezhda; Mihelcic, James R.; Chen, Gang; Cunningham, J. E.

doi:10.1061/(asce)ee.1943-7870.0001500

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…While this process has reduced TMWRF centrate orthophosphate concentrations by 83%, the impact on ammonia removal is minimal (16% removal). As is common for other facilities that perform ESP (Orner et al., 2019), TMWRF still produced a sidestream with high levels of nitrogen (>1,100 mg/L). On its return to the head of the plant, this stream has historically accounted for approximately 30% of the total plant nitrogen load.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Full‐scale N removal from centrate using a sidestream process with a mainstream carbon source

Lacroix

Mentzer

Pagilla

2020

Water Environment Research

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An innovative approach to treat centrate for rapid nitrogen load discharge reduction was investigated and applied at the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (TMWRF) in Reno, NV. This process allowed TMWRF to circumvent an anticipated exceedance of the individual waste load allocation in 2018. Existing infrastructure and equipment were re‐purposed in a full‐scale suspended growth biological centrate treatment system, attaining simultaneous nitrification, and denitrification with no additional capital investment. Functioning within a few days of start‐up, the average ammonia reduction was 81% (1,106 kg/day) and the average total nitrogen reduction in the sidestream was 53% (757 kg/day) using primary effluent as carbon source. Alkalinity and carbon limitations were both anticipated and observed; however, adaptive operations allowed for balancing of nitrification and denitrification processes, providing pH stability and success in meeting treatment goals. Immediately after the sidestream treatment system was placed into service, nitrogen in the mainstream facility was measured at concentrations significantly lower than typical and was sustained at historically low concentrations throughout the operation. This translated into a significant methanol cost savings of $1,500 per day (USD). The system has become a critical supplemental treatment process during upcoming rehabilitation projects to address aging infrastructure of existing nitrogen treatment facilities. Practitioner points Full scale demonstration of sidestream N removal using a hybrid process. Integration of the sidestream N process to reduce N effluent load without alkalinity or supplementary carbon augmentation. Operational solution to reduce operating costs without new infrastructure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Full‐scale N removal from centrate using a sidestream process with a mainstream carbon source

Lacroix

Mentzer

Pagilla

2020

Water Environment Research

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“…161 The integration of MFCs with struvite precipitation has been bene-cial for energy generation and phosphorus recovery from wastewater. [162][163][164][165] By using MFC, Zang et al 166 successfully recovered 94.6% of phosphate, 28.6% of ammonia, achieved 64.9% COD removal, and power output up to 2.6 W m 3 during treatment of urine waste. Li et al 167 recovered phosphorus by the combined application of chemical precipitation and microbial absorption in MFC.…”

Section: Biocatalysts For Phosphorus Removal and Recovery In Mfcsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy harvesting in microbial fuel cells: an update on the biocatalysts

et al. 2020

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“…Recovery of energy and treat Nitrogen simultaneously in effluent from engineered struvite precipitation Laboratory and proof-of-concept demonstration showed how fixed-film nitrification and a microbial fuel cell can recover energy and remove N while treating the liquid effluent from engineered struvite precipitation, simultaneously reducing the undesirable recycling of nutrients from sidestreams back to mainstream treatment. Fixed-film nitrification and the microbial fuel cell together removed 52% of N from the liquid effluent of engineered struvite precipitation, whereas the fuel cell generated power (Orner et al, 2019).…”

Section: Treatment or Strategy Highlightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient control in water bodies: A systems approach

et al. 2020

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Nutrient pollution is considered a wicked problem because of its many significant economic, social, and environmental impacts that are caused by multiple pollutants originating from a variety of sources and pathways that exist across different temporal and spatial scales. Further adding to the difficulty in managing nutrient pollution is that it is a global, rural, and urban problem. A systems approach can improve nutrient management by incorporating technological, environmental, and societal considerations. This approach can consider valuation of monetized and nonmonetized cobenefits and the inherent consequences that make up a nutrient management program.In this introduction to a special collection of papers on nutrient pollution, we describe several systems frameworks that can be used to support nutrient management and evaluation of system performance as it relates to impacts, then highlight several attributes and barriers of nutrient management that point to the need for a systems framework, and conclude with thoughts on implementing systems approaches to nutrient management with effective community engagement and use of new technologies. This special collection presents results from a USEPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) initiative to advance solutions to nutrient pollution through innovative and sustainable research and demonstration projects for nutrient management based on a systems approach. These studies evaluate several promising nutrient control technologies for stormwater or domestic wastewater, investigate the effects of agricultural conservation practices and stream restoration strategies on nutrient loads, and discuss several challenges and opportunities-social, policy, institutional, and financial considerationsthat can accelerate adoption of reliable technologies to achieve system-level outcomes.

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Energy Recovery and Nitrogen Management from Struvite Precipitation Effluent via Microbial Fuel Cells

Cited by 11 publications

References 38 publications

Full‐scale N removal from centrate using a sidestream process with a mainstream carbon source

Full‐scale N removal from centrate using a sidestream process with a mainstream carbon source

Simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy harvesting in microbial fuel cells: an update on the biocatalysts

Nutrient control in water bodies: A systems approach

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