Reducing Energy Costs and Producing Value Added Byproducts from Sustainable Wastewater Processes
A few years ago, few municipalities would have imagined that wastewater sludge would fuel zero-emissions cities Yet as more cities turn wastewater into biogas fuel to heat buildings, greening cities want to run their cars on biogas, too.
Anaerobic digestion, the process of turning wastewater to biogas, is becoming more efficient with the help of additive processes. Chemical processes, though, can add pollutant emissions to the wastewater treatment process. Sustainable additive processes like biological nutrient removal can make the dream of a zero-emissions city a reality.
Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a central process in creating byproducts from wastewater for use in sustainable communities. The process turns half the wastewater into biogas and the other half into digestion sludge made up of organic material. Biogas and biosolids can be harvested into useful products such as fuel and fertilizer. These value-added products can be used directly to reduce resources in the wastewater treatment process or sold and provide economic value to a city.
Anaerobic digestion is a low-cost way of processing wastewater and solid wastes. Conversion of waste sludge into biogas can be used as fuel for the wastewater treatment process, heating buildings and water, and zero-emissions vehicles. However, as industry and cities face stricter emission standards, the usefulness of wastewater byproducts in greener cities and industries depends on the removal of phosphorous and nitrogen.
Biological Nutrient Removal
Biological nutrient removal uses microbes such as bacteria to help break the wastewater down into sludge. In the process, it removes nitrogen and phosphorus to produce an effluent that meets environmental standards. This byproduct is then safe to release back into the natural water cycle. With the nitrogen and phosphorous removed, minimum environmental harm is done to the natural water ecosystem.
This process is also becoming important to producing zero emissions biogas as an energy source in greening urban habitats. As the emissions from industrial processes and vehicles become stricter, biogas is a zero-emissions solution. By scrubbing your wastewater byproducts cleaner of pathogens and emissions, you can expand the potential uses and markets for the byproducts you produce.
Like any wastewater treatment facility, you require processes that do not expend so much energy that you reach a point of diminishing returns. Wastewater treatment uses a lot of energy and is the highest energy expenditure of a municipality. A high-quality biological nutrient removal product can reduce the energy required in pumping, mixing, and aerating wastewater sludge. This process helps you meet the ultimate goal of complying with effluent standards and producing wastewater byproducts in a sustainable manner.
