Author(s): Nirmalkhandan
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Urban wastewater; Algal treatment; Water recovery; Fertilizer recovery; Energy recovery
Abstract: Urban wastewaters (UWW) are now being recognized as a resource, rather than a waste stream that has to be treated and disposed of at the expense of significant energy input and associated environmental emissions. Reclaiming reusable water, nutrients, and energy from UWWs can render the wastewater management process sustainable and potentially profitable. This paper presents a novel approach to maximize recovery of energy, nutrients, and water from urban wastewaters for usein crop production. This approach entails using primary-settled UWW to cultivate energy-rich algal biomass, from which biocrude and nutrients can be extracted by hydrothermal liquefaction. A fraction of the nutrients is recycled to boost biomass production while the rest is stockpiled for use as fertilizer. Results from laboratory and pilot scale field demonstration studies are presented in this paper to validate the feasibility of this approach in removing the traditional contaminants in UWW to meet the discharge standards.
Year: 2016