Wastewater Disposal Costs Research Articles

Impact of Industrial Effluents on Crop Production in Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam

The present study assessed the impact and consequences of the industrial effluents that emerged from the Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) and Brick Kilns Industry (BKI) in the Nagaon and Morigaon districts of Assam, respectively. The impact of the industrial effluents was analyzed with particular reference to Sali rice. The study depicted that the net sown area was less in the areas close to both industrial units due to the conversion of productive land to wastelands, which results in changes in cropping patterns and crop productivity close to industrial units compared to areas further away from industrial units. The findings also revealed that farms polluted with industrial effluents had much higher labour expenses, pesticide prices, and wastewater disposal costs, raising the overall cultivation cost. The study suggested treating the effluents appropriately before being disposed of in the environment to lessen the effect on agricultural output. For the brick kiln industry, agricultural land should not be exploited, and BKI regulations need to be strictly regulated because many unregistered BKIs are sprouting up throughout Assam.

Spatial and temporal water chemistry variations of hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced waters from the Duvernay Formation

Chemical characterization of hydraulic fracturing (HF) flowback and produced water (FPW) is important to the environmental sustainability of HF operations. In this research, we analyzed and compared HF FPW samples from different well locations as well as FPW samples from a single well at different stages of FPW production in the Duvernay Formation using a suite of analytical techniques and statistical methods. The results provide vital information to assess the reusability of FPW and support the choice of water handling, treatment, or disposal options. Additionally, this work contributes to a more complete understanding of regional FPW chemical composition and has the potential to provide guidance on best practices for future applications of HF fluid additives. While reuse of FPW is desirable, it is not always feasible. In these scenarios, the transportation of FPW offsite for treatment and/or disposal increases the risk of spills to near-surface environments. This work provides data to aid spill clean-up efforts and to determine the environmental fate of FPW contaminants. Overall, the information presented in this work may be used to provide economic benefits to the oil and gas sector by increasing FPW reuse that will directly decrease wastewater disposal costs and reduce environmental impacts of HF operations by decreasing the volume of used surface water and the risk of FPW surface spills.

Economic evaluation of the reuse of brewery wastewater

Freshwater scarcity is a global concern, not just in countries with limited water resources, and wastewater reuse is becoming an essential necessity. Beer is the fifth-most widely consumed beverage in the world and breweries are a major industrial water consumer. Within this study, the long-term performance of a modular pilot scale plant reusing brewery wastewater was investigated. The system consisted of a flotation device, a membrane bioreactor (MBR), an ultrafiltration (UF) and a reverse osmosis (RO) system. The system was fed with wastewater from the effluent of a full-scale anaerobic reactor. The combination of flotation device and MBR removed chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 93.6%. The subsequent UF and RO removed remaining organic load and inorganic components and process water was produced, whereby drinking water quality was achieved. A yield of 63% was reached with the pilot plant. Based on the results, a base case cost estimate was carried out for a full-scale application, taking into account the actual hydraulic load of the brewery. In order to predict the uncertainties of cost-sensitive factors, the specific costs for sludge disposal, electrical energy, freshwater supply and wastewater disposal as well as membrane lifespan and yield of the RO unit were expressed by probability distributions. Using the Monte Carlo method with 75,000 iterations, the probability distributions for the costs and economic viability of reusing brewery wastewater were calculated. The estimate found that reusing brewery wastewater can be economically viable in 77.2% of simulated cases showing the strongest dependency on costs for wastewater disposal.

Recirculation of Process Water in a Wet Fermentation of Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste

The mechanical biological treatment plant of Freienhufen is used to stabilize residual waste. Since the rural districts Elbe - Elster and Oberspreewald - Lausitz match their waste management with federal law, organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) will be collected separately in future. Hence the anaerobic digestion process has to be converted. The accomplishment has to refer to the existing operating regime to reduce investment costs. This contains a wet fermentation. In order to facilitate the conversion of the operating process, suitable particle sizes and volumetric loads have to be examined. In addition, the liquid phase of the digestate shall be recirculated maximal to save both fresh water and waste water disposal costs. The one year lasting investigations were performed in lab-scale with a various number of reactors. Before feeding the bio-waste was pre-treated. In order to do that, the bio-waste was milled to particle sizes of 2, 4, 8, and 10 mm. In addition, the digestate was dewatered to gain process water. While using the process water fresh water was substituted in varying proportions. The feeding of the reactors was adjusted to the standards of the operating plant. For that reason, the dry matter content in the reactor was adjusted at 10.5 %. Depending on the delivered raw material, this restriction led both to unsteady water requirements and volumetric loading. As a result of investigations an optimal particle size as well as optimal proportion of recirculated process water were defined. For that reason, comprehensive analyses were conducted weekly to characterize the delivered raw material as well as the solid and liquid phase of the digestate in order to determine critical moments due to recirculation of process water. In conclusion, liquid and solid phase of the digestate should be evaluated with regards to application as fertilizer.

Cost assessment of different routes for phosphorus recovery from wastewater using data from pilot and production plants.

Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater has considerable potential to supplement limited fossil P reserves. Reliable cost data are essential for investor and policymaker decisions. In this study, investment and operational costs for nine P recovery processes were calculated from the investor's perspective, taking into account all relevant side effects on the sludge treatment or the wastewater treatment plant. The assessment was based on pilot and full-scale data which were thoroughly consolidated and standardized with technical and cost data from the German wastewater-sludge treatment train to enable direct comparison. The cost influence of precipitation processes on the current wastewater-sludge treatment train ranges from -0.14 (generating profit) to 0.23 EUR per population equivalent (PE) and year, while the cost influence of sludge leaching processes is around 2.50 EUR/(PE y). The cost influence of processes using dry sludge and mono-incineration ash varies between 0.33 and 3.13 EUR/(PE y), depending on existing disposal pathways, mono-incineration, co-incineration or agricultural use of sludge. The specific costs per kg P recovered (-4 to 10 EUR/kg P) are in general higher than conventional fertilizer production (1.6 EUR/kg P). However, annual costs per PE represent less than 3% of the total costs for wastewater disposal.

Recycling of textile wastewater with a membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis plant for sustainable and cleaner production

Due to increasing industrial and human water consumption, as well as increasing water and wastewater disposal costs, recycling of industrial wastewater is of growing importance. The textile wet processing industry discharges a significant volume of wastewater with considerable organic contamination and residuals. In Yunus Textile Mills (YTM) in Pakistan, we successfully recycled textile wastewater using a membrane bioreactor (ultrafiltration) followed by reverse osmosis (RO). This textile wastewater recycling plant is the first of its kind in Pakistan and is an important benchmark for all future developments in textile wastewater treatment (WWT). In YTM, wastewater was treated with a series of environmentally friendly processes including heat recovery from hot wastewater using a custom-designed heat exchanger with an operating efficiency of 65.9% and reducing the wastewater temperature from 70 to 43°C. Neutralization of wastewater was achieved by mixing power plant exhaust emissions, thereby reducing wastewater pH from 12.1 to 8.4. Membrane bioreactor and RO plants reduced chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, and total dissolved solids up to 96.2, 97.1, and 96.4%, respectively, and removed color from the wastewater. This treated wastewater was then reused in the textile processes such as fabric washing and rinsing. Thus, the combination of the membrane bioreactor and the RO plant is feasible for textile WWT and reuse.

Natural Treatment of Woolen Processing Industry Wastewater

Wastewater treatment is becoming ever more critical due to diminishing water resources, increasing wastewater disposal costs, and stricter discharge regulations that have lowered permissible contaminant levels in waste streams. The ultimate goal of wastewater management is the protection of the environment in a manner commensurate with public health and socio-economic concerns. The aim of our study is to use natural occurring plant (Pistia stratiotes) to reduce the chemical oxygen demand and color from the industrial waste water. It was found that 120 mg/l of Chemical oxygen demand and 85 mg/l of color reduction was observed with Pistia stratiotes.

Natural Coagulant for the Treatment of Food Industry Wastewater

Wastewater treatment is becoming ever more critical due to diminishing water resources, increasing wastewater disposal costs, and stricter discharge regulations that have lowered permissible contaminant levels in waste streams. The ultimate goal of wastewater management is the protection of the environment in a manner commensurate with public health and socio-economic concerns. The aim of our study is to use natural occurring polymeric coagulant to reduce the chemical oxygen demand and color from the industrial waste water. It was found that 83% of Chemical oxygen demand and 90% of color reduction was observed with chitosan.

Natural Coagulant for the Treatment of Food Industry Wastewater

Wastewater treatment is becoming ever more critical due to diminishing water resources, increasing wastewater disposal costs, and stricter discharge regulations that have lowered permissible contaminant levels in waste streams. The ultimate goal of wastewater management is the protection of the environment in a manner commensurate with public health and socio-economic concerns. The aim of our study is to use natural occurring polymeric coagulant to reduce the chemical oxygen demand and color from the industrial waste water. It was found that 83% of Chemical oxygen demand and 90% of color reduction was observed with chitosan.

Natural Treatment of Woolen Processing Industry Wastewater

Wastewater treatment is becoming ever more critical due to diminishing water resources, increasing wastewater disposal costs, and stricter discharge regulations that have lowered permissible contaminant levels in waste streams. The ultimate goal of wastewater management is the protection of the environment in a manner commensurate with public health and socio-economic concerns. The aim of our study is to use natural occurring plant (Pistia stratiotes) to reduce the chemical oxygen demand and color from the industrial waste water. It was found that 120 mg/l of Chemical oxygen demand and 85 mg/l of color reduction was observed with Pistia stratiotes.

Raisin grower cuts wastewater costs with RO membrane system

The installation of a membrane filtration plant from ITT Sanitaire's PCI Membrane Systems division, helped the National Raisin Co, based in California, USA, to successfuly combat its rising wastewater disposal costs, as well as create an additional revenue source for the company.

Cost Optimization of Industrial Wastewater Reuse Systems

Reuse of industrial wastewater is an important strategy for reducing freshwater consumption and wastewater generation. This paper outlines a methodology for assessing the economic performance of industrial wastewater reuse systems that involve water upgrading. From an economic perspective, wastewater reuse reduces the costs of freshwater supply and wastewater disposal. Reusing significant quantities of wastewater typically involves regeneration/treatment of the available wastewater to meet the higher water quality requirements of water-using activities. However, the cost of wastewater regeneration/treatment rises exponentially with increasing contaminant removal efficiency. This paper demonstrates the importance of balancing these competing cost factors (freshwater and wastewater disposal costs vs wastewater regeneration/treatment cost), which are functions of the post-regeneration/post-treatment contaminant concentration. The proposed cost optimization procedure can be used to minimize the total cost of a wastewater reuse system with either wastewater regeneration reuse or wastewater treatment reuse.

Water network optimisation in the process industry—case study of a liquid detergent plant

The main target of this research project is the optimisation of the water management in a liquid detergent production plant according to the concept for retrofit optimisation of water networks (CROWN) strategy in order to reduce freshwater consumption and the costs for wastewater disposal. A membrane process and a disinfection step are integrated into the water network in order to recycle process water and to recover concentrated product solutions.

Product Recovery and Reduction of Wastewater Disposal Costs in a Detergent Production Facility

In an applied research project in cooperation with industrial partners investigations have been made on the application of ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membrane processes for the separation of surfactants from cleaning‐in‐place rinsing waters in a liquid detergent production plant. A membrane screening as well as pilot plant experiments have been performed. Chemical oxygen demand reductions in the wastewater of up to 96 % have been achieved resulting in less environmental impact and lower wastewater disposal costs.

UF/NF treatment of rinsing waters in a liquid detergent production plant

In this paper the results of an applied research project within the scope of the transfer centre 4031 funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) are presented. In cooperation with the Henkel Genthin GmbH investigations have been made on the application of UF/NF membrane processes for the separation of surfactants from Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) rinsing waters in a liquid detergent production plant. A membrane screening has been performed as well as pilot plant experiments. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reductions in the wastewater of up to 96% have been achieved resulting in less environmental impact and lower wastewater disposal costs.

Hydrothermal oxidation of model molecules and industrial wastes

AbstractThe environmental regulation evolution and the increasing wastewater disposal costs led to a new concept for the complete destruction of toxic substances and sludges. Hydrothermal oxidation of wastes was developed as an alternative technique in order to limit the risks of secondary pollution.After a brief presentation of previous works dealing with hydrothermal oxidation and supercritical water properties, results concerning two model molecules: methanol and glucose are presented. The oxidation kinetics of methanol is modeled and by‐products of glucose characterized.Results concerning industrial wastes such as paper mill sludges, mechanical wastewaters and cutting oils are examined. The influence of various parameters controlling the trans‐formation such as pressure, temperature and residence time are investigated.

WASTE WATER DISPOSAL THROUGH A COASTAL AQUIFER1

ABSTRACT: Feasibility of disposing treated sewage in wells sunk into a partially confined coastal limestone aquifer at Waimanalo in the island of Oahu was investigated using an electric analog model. Electric analog modeling was preferred over digital modeling because of ease with which tides could be generated at the ocean boundary in the form of sinusoidal waves. The results of model operation showed that high permeability, low storativity, and the presence of ocean render the Waimanalo aquifer highly suitable for the disposal of waste water in deep wells. Since the quality of water in the aquifer is already unsuitable for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, waste water injection will not result in any loss of fresh water supply source to the island. It is also believed that the cost of waste water disposal through the aquifer will be considerably less than that through an ocean outfall. During model development it was discovered that electric analog models can help prepare certain graphs which can be useful for aquifer analysis without any further use of the model.

Design of Optimal Sewerage Systems

The cost of sewerage systems constitute a major fraction of the overall cost of wastewater disposal. Optimal design of such systems can be approached by employing dynamic programming. A procedure by which the optimal design can be obtained has been developed. This procedure is not practical at the present time due to limitations in computer space and computation time. An alternative, more restrictive, procedure has been proposed by which a suboptimal design can be obtained at a reasonable computation effort. This optimization procedure has been applied to small sewerage networks, both hypothetical and real, where its usefulness was clearly demonstrated. Large sewerage systems may be decomposed to small subsystems, which are optimized internally, and later recombined to a single optimal network. Development of more advanced computers may render the procedure applicable for obtaining the absolute optimal design of large networks.