The objective of this study is the assessment of the environmental and energetic sustainability of the urban wastewater reuse for irrigation of energetic biomass. The hypothesis is that wastewater is sent to the wastewater treatment plant characterized by treatment schemes for controlled removal, able to remove pathogens and dangerous components for the environment but able to release nutrients useful for fertigation of energy crops. The wastewater reclamation is obtained modifying a conventional activated sludge process. The advantage is that with the same system, setting up a plant configuration rather than another, we can define the quality level of the effluent that may be more suitable for irrigation of biomass or for protection of the receiving water. Numerical simulations have been carried out by implementing the ASM1 model, developed by the IWA using SIMULINK - MATLAB code, in order to test the hypothesis of the proposed simplified scheme. The model proposed by Takács has been used for the simulation of the sedimentation tank. The developed model is able to estimate: energy consumption due to biological treatment of wastewater, according to the simplified schemes of controlled release; variation of sludge production due to the change of plant configurations; energy consumption in the management and sludge disposal; agronomic recovery of nutrients released by partial treatment. The aim of the study is to perform an energy analysis of the entire cycle of reclamation, recovery and reuse of wastewater. The innovative feature of this research is the assessment of the energy and environmental sustainability of the controlled release schemes and the reuse of wastewater for irrigation of energy crops. Energy sustainability has been evaluated and compared to the common practice of urban wastewater treatment and direct discharge into receiving water bodies, even considering tertiary filtration processes currently used for agricultural wastewater reuse. This practice is expected to promote the development of energy biomass and the improvement of agronomic characteristics of soils, especially in Mediterranean areas, that are normally characterized by soil poor quality, lack of organic matter, water shortages and desertification pre-conditions.
Sustainability of wastewater reuse for energy crops irrigation: treatment schemes for controlled removal
CANIANI, Donatella;MANCINI, Ignazio Marcello;MASI, Salvatore
2011-01-01
Abstract
The objective of this study is the assessment of the environmental and energetic sustainability of the urban wastewater reuse for irrigation of energetic biomass. The hypothesis is that wastewater is sent to the wastewater treatment plant characterized by treatment schemes for controlled removal, able to remove pathogens and dangerous components for the environment but able to release nutrients useful for fertigation of energy crops. The wastewater reclamation is obtained modifying a conventional activated sludge process. The advantage is that with the same system, setting up a plant configuration rather than another, we can define the quality level of the effluent that may be more suitable for irrigation of biomass or for protection of the receiving water. Numerical simulations have been carried out by implementing the ASM1 model, developed by the IWA using SIMULINK - MATLAB code, in order to test the hypothesis of the proposed simplified scheme. The model proposed by Takács has been used for the simulation of the sedimentation tank. The developed model is able to estimate: energy consumption due to biological treatment of wastewater, according to the simplified schemes of controlled release; variation of sludge production due to the change of plant configurations; energy consumption in the management and sludge disposal; agronomic recovery of nutrients released by partial treatment. The aim of the study is to perform an energy analysis of the entire cycle of reclamation, recovery and reuse of wastewater. The innovative feature of this research is the assessment of the energy and environmental sustainability of the controlled release schemes and the reuse of wastewater for irrigation of energy crops. Energy sustainability has been evaluated and compared to the common practice of urban wastewater treatment and direct discharge into receiving water bodies, even considering tertiary filtration processes currently used for agricultural wastewater reuse. This practice is expected to promote the development of energy biomass and the improvement of agronomic characteristics of soils, especially in Mediterranean areas, that are normally characterized by soil poor quality, lack of organic matter, water shortages and desertification pre-conditions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
