Energy efficiency has become a priority for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as they are large consumers of electricity and energy costs are increasing. Aeration, which is required to feed microorganisms that degrade sewage, typically accounts for half of WWTP energy costs. There is new interest in degrading sewage using anaerobic microorganisms, which doesn’t require aeration. Anaerobic treatment can lower electricity demand of a WWTP by 0.45 kWh/m3 by eliminating aeration and generating methane that can be transformed into energy. <b><i>For municipal utilities to adopt anaerobic treatment, it’s crucial to demonstrate that anaerobically treated wastewater is compatible with WWTP water reuse systems.</i></b> This will allow utilities to realize the energy savings of anaerobic treatment technology without having to forego reuse opportunities. This presentation describes a research project that began in 2021 that uses pilot-scale equipment at Silicon Valley Clean Water to link anaerobic treatment and water reuse. This project will (1) evaluate hydrogen peroxide as a low-cost oxidant to control sulfides generated by anaerobic treatment, (2) compare performance to membrane-aerated biofilm reactor treatment of anaerobic effluent to control sulfides and nitrogen, (3) demonstrate that effluent meets water quality guidelines among 10 states for potable and non-potable reuse (4) evaluate anaerobic effluent fouling potential on RO membranes, and (5) validate superior contaminant removal from anaerobically-treated effluents. The presentation will outline preliminary project data, including the removal of contaminants through anaerobic treatment, kinetics of sulfide oxidation by hydrogen peroxide, the effect of hydrogen peroxide dose on concentrations of reactants, products, and solution absorbance, and the impact of sulfide on UV inactivation.

Linking anaerobic wastewater treatment to reuse: An opportunity to produce potable water and renewable energy

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.