Significance of anaerobic digestion as a source of clean energy in wastewater treatment plants

Silvestre, G.; Fernández, Belén; Blasi, August Bonmatí

doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2015.05.033

Cited by 114 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…As a result, there is a 55 critical scale of biogas production above which biogas utilisation can be economically 56 feasible. This critical threshold can be overcome through the use of co-digestion of the 57 sewage sludge with concentrated organic wastes (Fersi et al, 2014;Silvestre et al, 2015). 58…”

Section: Introduction 34mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomethane potential evaluation of co-digestion of sewage sludge and organic wastes

Wickham

Galway

Bustamante

et al. 2016

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation

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Co-digestion of organic rich wastes and wastewater sludge to enhance biogas production has become an attractive economic possibility for water utilities. The suitability of the organic rich waste depends on its ability to produce biogas as well as its influence on the overall anaerobic digestion process. Biomethane potential evaluation was conducted to screen seven organic wastes and dehydrated algae. All co-substrates increased the bio-methane yield by three to six times compared with conventional anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Maximum co-digestion ratios were identifiable for most solid co-substrates including algae (6% wt/wt), undiluted food waste (5% wt/wt), bakery waste (5% wt/wt), and diluted commercial food waste (10% wt/wt). On the other hand, the maximum co-digestions ratio of beverage reject and sewage sludge was 10% (wt/wt). With the exception of fat-oil-grease, all solids free liquid co-substrates evaluated in this study showed a notable synergistic effect, to enhanced removals of total solids, volatile solids (VS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) during anaerobic digestion. The increase in COD removal when co-digesting wastewater sludge and liquid waste was from 2 to 41%. Conversely, the co-digestion of most solid cosubstrates resulted in additional VS and COD residuals in the final biosolids. Elevated concentrations of sulphur and phosphorous in all food waste co-substrates suggest that control measures to address H2S in biogas and the accumulation of phosphorus in sludge centrate may be necessary during full scale operation. Data presented here provide the basis for subsequent pilot scale evaluation of anaerobic digestion of these organic rich wastes and wastewater sludge. Co-digestion of organic rich wastes and wastewater sludge to enhance biogas production has 12 become an attractive economic possibility for water utilities. The suitability of the organic 13 rich waste depends on its ability to produce biogas as well as its influence on the overall 14 anaerobic digestion process. Biomethane potential evaluation was conducted to screen seven 15 organic wastes and dehydrated algae. All co-substrates increased the bio-methane yield by 16 three to six times compared with conventional anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. 17Maximum co-digestion ratios were identifiable for most solid co-substrates including algae 18 (6% wt/wt), undiluted food waste (5% wt/wt), bakery waste (5% wt/wt), and diluted 19 commercial food waste (10% wt/wt). On the other hand, the maximum co-digestions ratio of 20 beverage reject and sewage sludge was 10% (wt/wt). With the exception of fat-oil-grease, all 21 liquid co-substrates evaluated in this study showed a notable synergistic effect, to enhanced 22 removals of total solids, volatile solids (VS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) during 23 anaerobic digestion. The increase in COD removal when co-digesting wastewater sludge and 24 liquid waste was from 2 to 41%. Conversely, the co-digestion of most solid co-substrates 25 resulted in additional VS and COD resi...

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Section: Introduction 34mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomethane potential evaluation of co-digestion of sewage sludge and organic wastes

Wickham

Galway

Bustamante

et al. 2016

International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation

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“…In the United States alone, between 628 and 4,940 million kWh can be saved annually by the anaerobic digestion of the wastewater sludge [23]. In Europe, in 2014, the primary energy produced from wastewater sludge biogas was 4.97x1013 kJ / year and in Spain, the estimate is 5.94x1012 kJ/year [40]. In a study by [17], the recovery of biogas in the WWTPs reduced the energy consumption by 33%, or 0.10 kWh/m 3 .…”

Section: Energy Generation Potential In the Wwtpsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…The biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of the sludge can provide between 39% and 76% of the total energy consumed in the WWTP [40]. In the United States alone, between 628 and 4,940 million kWh can be saved annually by the anaerobic digestion of the wastewater sludge [23].…”

Section: Energy Generation Potential In the Wwtpsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of the Energy Consumption of Different Wastewater Treatment Plants

Soares¹

2017

IJAAA

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Abstract:Wastewater treatment is a process of intensive use of resources, mainly energy, which accounts for 15 to 40% of the operating costs in conventional wastewater treatment systems. With the expected demographic increase and the restrictive trend in quality standards for effluent discharge, the energy consumption tends to increase further if there are no changes in the processes. The literature gathers the energy consumption of different wastewater treatment systems, in an attempt to map the processes and to help the decision making in the search for better alternatives. One of these alternatives is the recovery of energy from the sewer. The conventional treatment system requires between 0.3 and 0.6 kWh/m 3 , while the energy contained in the wastewater may be up to 10 times of the one required for the treatment. The simultaneous wastewater treatment and power generation, called the hybrid treatment system, is a worldwide trend. In Brazil, recent studies have shown, through energy balances, the energy viability of anaerobic-aerobic systems, with the production of algae. This work presents a comparative review of the energy consumption of different wastewater treatment plants, aiming at a better understanding and management of the processes. The results showed that there are few Brazilian data published, indicating that the country still demands more studies on the subject to improve its processes. In the treatment of wastewater, most studies point to the aerobic process as the largest consumer of energy, and efforts are focused on the optimization of the conventional system, but still without great achievements. Environmental goals and water supply strategies are poorly integrated with the energy handling, leading to an inefficient use, and with economic and environmental consequences.

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“…Anaerobic digestion optimization is a common practice, often implemented to increase the energy self-sufficiency of WWTPs. [8]. Not only is the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge important for maximizing of the energy production, as it also bears a great relevance within the scope of minimizing the overall treatment costs at WWTPs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The new challenge for the WWTPs is to minimize energy consumption maintaining the quality of the discharged water. Energy optimization could be obtained through reduction of the electric energy consumption of the individual units of the WWTP, but also via recovering energy from sewage sludge or wastewater [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of energy consumption at the Rzeszów Wastewater Treatment Plant

Masłoń

2017

E3S Web Conf.

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Abstract. Wastewater treatment plants can be classified as energy-intensive facilities, as they account for up to 35 percent of municipal energy consumption. Pumps and aeration systems consume a significant portion of energy within the wastewater plants in particular. The cost of energy consumption for wastewater treatment processes reaches up to 40% of the total operating cost. In case of the WWTPs with the activated sludge systems, about 50% of energy is used for aeration and mixing purposes. At WWTPs, energy consumption is often correlated with the magnitude and type of pollutant load, which can influence the treatment methods and technologies used in the WWTP. In many cases wastewater treatment plants are operated without optimized measures for process optimization. A detailed study of the energy consumption should be executed in order to determine the optimization potential. This paper presents the energy consumption in municipal wastewater treatment plant in Rzeszów (Poland). In the year 2016, parameters of raw and treated wastewater were tested. The data related to energy consumption in plants allowed us to determine the energy intensity coefficients. Total consumption was measured. Indicators of energy consumption per cubic meter and removed load were calculated.

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Significance of anaerobic digestion as a source of clean energy in wastewater treatment plants

Cited by 114 publications

References 33 publications

Biomethane potential evaluation of co-digestion of sewage sludge and organic wastes

Biomethane potential evaluation of co-digestion of sewage sludge and organic wastes

Comparative Analysis of the Energy Consumption of Different Wastewater Treatment Plants

Analysis of energy consumption at the Rzeszów Wastewater Treatment Plant

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