Assessing the life-cycle sustainability of algae and bacteria-based wastewater treatment systems: High-rate algae pond and sequencing batch reactor

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

卷:264

Article

Kohlheb, Norbert¹  van Afferden, Manfred¹  Lara, Enrique²  Arbib, Zouhayr²  Conthe, Monica³  Poitzsch, Christoph⁴  Marquardt, Thomas⁴  Becker, Mi-Yong⁵ 

[1] UFZ Helmholtz Ctr Environm Res, Permoserstr 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany

[2] FCC Serv Ciudadanos, Av Camino Santiago 40,Edificio 3,4a Planta, Madrid 28050, Spain

[3] Delft Univ Technol, Postbus 5, Delft 2600 AA, Netherlands

[4] Abwasserzweckverband Obere Roder, Dreihausern 14, Radeberg 01454, Germany

[5] Bochum Univ Appl Sci, Lennershofstr 140, Bochum 44801, Germany

关键词: High rate algae pond;    Sequencing batch reactor;    Life cycle assessment;    Life cycle costing;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110459

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

High Rate Algae Ponds (HRAPs) are a promising technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater in locations with sufficient space and solar radiation. Algae-based processes do not require aeration, and thus have the potential to be less energy-intensive than activated sludge processes. We used a combination of LCA and LCCA analysis to evaluate the sustainability of HRAP systems, using data from the construction and operation of two demonstration-scale systems in Almeria and Cadiz, Spain. As a reference for comparison, we used data from an activated sludge-based Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) treatment system in operation in Leppersdorf, Germany, which has comparable removal rates for a similar inflow. We focused solely on the actual wastewater treatment aspect of these technologies, excluding sludge treatment from this analysis. Based on our analysis, the current HRAP technology is more energy-efficient than activated sludge-based SBRs and requires only 22% of its electricity consumption. In addition, HRAP is more advantageous both economically (0.18 (sic)/m(3) versus 0.26 (sic)/m(3)) and environmentally, with both lower global warming and eutrophication potentials (146.27 vs. 458.27 x 10(-3) kg CO2 equiv./m(3); 126.14 vs. 158.01 x 10(-6) kg PO4 equiv./m(3)). However, the Net Environmental Benefit of SBR was slightly more favorable than of HRAP because of the higher removal rate for nutrients of SBR.

【 授权许可】

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