Platforms for energy and nutrient recovery from domestic wastewater: A review.

The objective of this study was to evaluate emerging anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) technology in comparison with conventional wastewater energy recovery technologies. Wastewater treatment process modeling and systems analyses were combined to evaluate the conditions under which AnMBR may produce more net energy and have lower life cycle environmental emissions than high rate activated sludge with anaerobic digestion (HRAS+AD), conventional activated sludge with anaerobic digestion (CAS+AD), and an aerobic membrane bioreactor with anaerobic digestion (AeMBR+AD). For medium strength domestic wastewater treatment under baseline assumptions at 15 °C, AnMBR recovered 49% more energy as biogas than HRAS+AD, the most energy positive conventional technology considered, but had significantly higher energy demands and environmental emissions. Global warming impacts associated with AnMBR were largely due to emissions of effluent dissolved methane. For high strength domestic wastewater treatment, AnMBR recove...

Navigating Wastewater Energy Recovery Strategies: A Life Cycle Comparison of Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor and Conventional Treatment Systems with Anaerobic Digestion

The role of anaerobic digestion in the emerging energy economy.

Significance of dissolved methane in effluents of anaerobically treated low strength wastewater and potential for recovery as an energy product: A review.

The interest in high-rate anaerobic (pre-)treatment of sewage using UASB reactors is steadily growing since its introduction in the mid-1980s. Today there are hundreds of full-scale plants in operation in various parts of the tropical world, notably in Latin America and India. The main advantage of UASB technology is the very low or even zero energy demand, leading to an up to tenfold drop in operational costs compared to activated sludge. This paper presents a literature review focussing on current design criteria and post-treatment options, alongside discussing the centralized and decentralized approach. The current limitations and constraints regarding temperature, nutrients, pathogen removal, odour nuisance, operational constrictions and methane emissions are also presented and discussed. Further, recent challenges in relation to energy recovery from biogas, sludge and scum are discussed, alongside with advances related to recovery of dissolved methane and sludge management. Finally, the paper provides some outlooks for upcoming developments.

Joanna Cookney

Papers

Dissolved methane recovery from anaerobic effluents using hollow fibre membrane contactors

Recovery of methane from anaerobic process effluent using poly-di-methyl-siloxane membrane contactors

Methane management in sewage treatment