A review of wastewater sludge-to-energy generation focused on thermochemical technologies: An improved technological, economical and socio-environmental aspect

Cleaner Waste Systems, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7, P. 100130 - 100130

Published: Jan. 21, 2024

In response to increasing global waste generation due population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, wastewater treatment operations should shift from being solely energy consumers becoming producers by harnessing sludge (WWS). This approach holds great potential for meeting demands addressing the challenges of treatment. The recovery heat electrical WWS offers a viable solution reduce costs within WWTPs. Thermochemical technologies such as pyrolysis, gasification, combustion hold their efficiency, reaction times, retrieval capabilities. These demonstrate feasibility in terms operational costs, circular economy principles, socio-environmental impact, thanks ongoing advancements waste-to-energy research. review aims explore recovering bioenergy (biogas or syngas) generate energy, including heat, electricity, other innovative products. article provides critical comprehensive examination thermochemical technologies, taking into account technological, economic, factors. It then presents integration techniques that effectively combine anaerobic digestion with conversion enhance syngas, biogas, flue-gas energy. results this study underscore significant sludge-to-energy schemes.

Language: Английский

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Energy use and decarbonisation of the water sector: a comprehensive review of issues, approaches, and technological options

Environmental Technology Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 14(1), P. 40 - 68

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

Water and wastewater infrastructure is a major energy consumer an important source of global greenhouse gas emissions: on average, 10.6 kg CO2/m3 water consumed. The European Environment Agency in 2019 estimated these emissions from treatment operations Europe alone at over 25 MtCO2eq. Increased demand (in terms volumes quality) the sector raises expectations future increases if appropriate measures will not be undertaken. Many companies utilities associations have been or are developing plans to achieve net zero industry-wide basis by 2050, some cut 50% last ten years. About half energy-related facilities could significantly abated applying existing technologies, close 95% this objective achieved negative cost with proper innovation strategies. This paper examines discusses issues, possibilities, technologies that considered planning reduction WW-related GHG holistic view entire sector, based recent literature review.

Language: Английский

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Use, Potential, Needs, and Limits of AI in Wastewater Treatment Applications

Water, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(2), P. 170 - 170

Published: Jan. 10, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) uses highly powerful computers to mimic human intelligent behavior; it is a major research hotspot in science and technology, with an increasing number of applications wider range fields, including complex process supervision control. Wastewater treatment example involving many uncertainties external factors achieve final product specific requisites (effluents prescribed quality). Reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, resources recovery are additional requirements these facilities’ operation. AI could extend the purpose expected results previously adopted tools present operational approaches by leveraging superior simulation, prediction, control, adaptation capabilities. This paper reviews current wastewater field discusses achievements potentials. So far, almost all sector involve predictive studies, often at small scale or limited data use. Frontline aimed creation AI-supported digital twins real systems being conducted, few encouraging but still applications. aims identifying discussing key barriers adoption field, which include laborious instrumentation maintenance, lack expertise design software, instability control loops, insufficient incentives for resource efficiency achievement.

Language: Английский

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Dynamic Modelling, Process Control, and Monitoring of Selected Biological and Advanced Oxidation Processes for Wastewater Treatment: A Review of Recent Developments

Bioengineering, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(2), P. 189 - 189

Published: Feb. 16, 2024

This review emphasizes the significance of formulating control strategies for biological and advanced oxidation process (AOP)-based wastewater treatment systems. The aim is to guarantee that effluent quality continuously aligns with environmental regulations while operating costs are minimized. It highlights understanding dynamic behaviour in developing effective schemes. most common plants (WWTPs) explained listed. emphasized proper scheme should be selected based on goal. study further discusses challenges associated processes, including inadequacies developed models, limitations simulation stage, imperative requirement real-time data, financial technical intricacies implementing controller hardware. discussed necessity availability data achieve reliable can achieved by proper, accurate hardware sensors suitable locations or soft sensors. recommends investigation available actuators criteria choosing appropriate one robust WWTPs, especially AOP-based approaches.

Language: Английский

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Anaerobic sludge digestion enhancement with bioelectrochemical and electrically conductive materials augmentation: A state of the art review

Chemosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 372, P. 144101 - 144101

Published: Jan. 17, 2025

Excess biological sludge processing and disposal have a significant impact on the energy balance economics of wastewater treatment operations, receiving environments. Anaerobic digestion is probably most widespread in-plant method globally, since it stabilizes converts biosolids organic matter into biogas, allowing partial recovery their embedded chemical energy. A considerable number studies concerning applicable techniques to improve biogas production, both in quantity quality, include pre-treatment strategies promote disintegration aimed at release solubilisation intracellular compounds, inorganic/biological amendments improving process performance, thermal pre-treatment. As for in-process amendments, iron, micro macro-nutrients, ashes from waste incineration nanoparticles addition been studied improvement enzymatic reactions. Recently, use electrically conductive materials has credited with possibility accelerate stabilize conversion substrates methane. The increasing generation its relative biomethane content by interfacing anaerobic bioelectrochemical systems was also postulated. This review addresses research gap surrounding integration novel technologies, particularly systems, enhance production methane enrichment. While existing focus feasibility, mechanisms, benefits such remain underexplored. By critically evaluating current state art, this identifies potential stability, while highlighting key challenges needs advancing these technologies toward practical implementation.

Language: Английский

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Urban Wastewater Mining for Circular Resource Recovery: Approaches and Technology Analysis

Water, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(22), P. 3967 - 3967

Published: Nov. 15, 2023

Urban areas comprise less than 1% of the Earth’s land surface, yet they host more half global population and are responsible for majority energy use related CO2 emissions. Urbanization is increasing speed local intensity water cycle exploitation, with a large number cities suffering from shortage problems globally. Wastewater (used water) contains considerable amounts embedded recoverable materials. Studies applications have demonstrated that recovering or re-capturing water, energy, materials wastewater viable endeavor, several notable examples worldwide. Reclaiming all these resources through widespread application effective technological approaches could be feasible potentially profitable, although challenging points view. This paper reviews possibilities technical opportunities applicable to mining within urban discusses emerging technologies issues pertaining resource recovery reuse applications. The present future sustainability also discussed. Since sewage management not “one size fits all”, conditions must carefully considered when designing optimal solutions, which influenced just by technology but multiple economic, geographical, social factors.

Language: Английский

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Reviewing Improved Anaerobic Digestion by Combined Pre-Treatment of Waste-Activated Sludge (WAS)

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(15), P. 6419 - 6419

Published: July 26, 2024

The anaerobic digestion of wastewater treatment sludge (WAS) produces a “green” biogas while reducing the amount residual sludge. To increase yield biogas, several individual or combined pre-treatment methods WAS can be used. These substantially reduce volatile suspended solids (VSSs) and their associated total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD). Pre-treating will methane by 15 to 30%. Although have been dealt with in research large-scale operations, (hybrid) not previously reviewed. Here, different hybrid are reviewed, including (1) thermochemical hydrolysis pre-treatment, using an alkaline acid addition enhance solubilization cells production; (2) high-pressure homogenizer combining mechanical treatment; (3) ultrasound capable solubilizing organic compounds mechanisms, such as fast effective disruption increasing effect (NaOH) (4) microwave which enhances at least 20% comparison performance each separate process; (5) (MW) peroxidation (SSs), quickly (<5 min) disintegrated MW irradiation 80 °C; (6) ozone peroxides powerful oxidizing agents; (7) pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment. All literature findings assessed, discussing relevant operation conditions results achieved.

Language: Английский

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Municipal Sewage Sludge as a Resource in the Circular Economy

Energies, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(11), P. 2474 - 2474

Published: May 22, 2024

Municipal sewage sludge (MSS) is an inevitable byproduct of wastewater treatment, with increasing amounts year by worldwide. The development environmentally and economically acceptable methods for the sustainable management MSS a major environmental challenge. Nowadays, practices, besides commonly used stabilization methods, focus attention on alternative sludge-disposal pathways, which encompass enhanced energy valuable-resource recovery. This review presents recent advances in recovery selected value-added products from sludge. Because high nitrogen phosphorus concentrations, waste can be nutrient source (e.g., struvite). paper discusses conditions technology struvite As extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) biological sludge, alginate-like exopolymers (ALEs) are present systems that treat municipal wastewater. yields, dynamics content, characterization ALEs their possible applications were analyzed. important humic substances. Their occurrence, characterization, yields various types untreated, composted, digested sludge) main application presented. aspects trends pyrolysis, including thermochemical conversion to biochar, discussed this review. biochar derived assessment risks also covered. explores potential use applications, soil amendment, carbon sequestration, remediation.

Language: Английский

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Developments and Issues in Renewable Ecofuels and Feedstocks

Energies, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(14), P. 3560 - 3560

Published: July 19, 2024

Ecofuels and their feedstock come in three main product classes: electrofuels (e-Fuels), biofuels, non-biowaste-derived fuels. originate from non-fossil sources, derived circular raw materials such as non-food organic waste, renewable hydrogen, captured CO2 through a rapid process of carbon fixation. Proposed regulation drafts under discussion indicate that new fuels would need to reach substantial degree climate neutrality. The manufacture all ecofuels, however, requires energy input accomplish the conversion initial feedstock; neutrality claims stem use electric and/or biomasses production process, but fossil are still primary sources global (and EU’s) power, most biofuels consumed EU transport mix crop-based, with potential conflicts food land use. Furthermore, entirely neglecting GHG emissions generation is scientifically debatable, impact related emissions) embedded used build facilities small, not nil. paper reports ecofuel trends according above-mentioned originating technologies discusses issues development.

Language: Английский

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Future Directions of Sustainable Resource Utilization of Residual Sewage Sludge: A Review

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(16), P. 6710 - 6710

Published: Aug. 6, 2024

With the simultaneous increase in wastewater generation and treatment rates China, annual production of residual sewage sludge (RSS) has been steadily rising, exceeding 70 million tons with an 80% moisture content. The sustainable resource utilization RSS will be predominant disposal method instead sanitary landfilling China. This review aimed to systematically analyze major technologies for RSS. Firstly, basic characteristics China were analyzed. A comparative analysis was conducted assess advantages, disadvantages, applicability three primary RSS: building materials, energy utilization, phosphorus recovery, aiming provide clear insights development future strategies. research findings revealed that no single can economically environmentally address all challenges resources. It is necessary adopt appropriate according from treatment, achieving integration pollution control utilization. scientific guidance

Language: Английский

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