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Çankaya S, Pekey B. Evaluating the environmental and economic performance of biological and advanced biological wastewater treatment plants by life cycle assessment and life cycle costing. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:373. [PMID: 38491308 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12519-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The primary objective of this study is to assess and establish benchmarks for environmental and economic sustainability of biological and advanced biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment technologies and characteristics. Furthermore, the study aims to determine the beneficial role of WWTPs to reduction of eutrophication potential. Environmental and economic sustainability of ten municipal WWTPs was assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). In the first section of the study, LCA was performed to determine the environmental performance of the WWTPs. Furthermore, net environmental benefit (NEB) approach was implemented to reveal the beneficial role of WWTPs to eutrophication potential. In the subsequent section, LCA-based LCC was conducted by integrating the results of LCA. The most significant environmental impact was determined as marine aquatic ecotoxicity, which is highly affected from the generation and transmission of electricity consumed in the WWTPs. Wastewater recovery and co-incineration of sewage sludge in cement kiln ensure significant environmental savings on ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, acidification, photochemical oxidation, and abiotic depletion (fossil fuel) potential. Considering NEB approach, the highest NEB values were found for the WWTPs with the higher organic load and nutrient concentration in the influent. The results of LCC in WWTPs varied between 0.21 and 0.53 €/m3. External (environmental) costs were evaluated higher than internal (operational) costs for all selected WWTPs. While eutrophication was the highest among environmental costs, electricity cost was the highest among operational costs for almost all WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simge Çankaya
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
| | - Beyhan Pekey
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey
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de Simone Souza HH, de Morais Lima P, Medeiros DL, Vieira J, Filho FJCM, Paulo PL, Fullana-I-Palmer P, Boncz MÁ. Environmental assessment of on-site source-separated wastewater treatment and reuse systems for resource recovery in a sustainable sanitation view. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165122. [PMID: 37364844 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable sanitation solutions are necessary for promoting public health and environmental security. In this study, on-site domestic wastewater treatment (WWT) systems used for households in rural and peri-urban areas of Brazil were compared in different scenarios from a life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective. The evaluated scenarios represented different practices in wastewater management, such as direct discharge into the soil, rudimentary treatment, septic tank, public sewerage system, and source separation of wastewater streams for water, nutrient, and organic matter recovery. The WWT technologies considered in the proposed scenarios of source-separated wastewater streams were as follows: an evapotranspiration tank (TEvap) and composting toilet for blackwater, a modified constructed wetland (EvaTAC) for greywater, and a storage tank for urine. LCA was performed in this study according to the ISO standards to assess the environmental impacts at both midpoint and endpoint levels. The results show that on-site source-separated wastewater treatment systems with resource recovery result in significant reductions in environmental impacts compared to scenarios with precarious conditions or 'end-of-pipe' solutions. For example, regarding the human health damage category, the scenarios involving resource recovery, including systems such as EvaTAC, TEvap, composting toilet, and urine storage tank, demonstrate significantly lower values (-0.0117 to -0.0115 DALY) compared to scenarios with rudimentary cesspits and septic tanks (0.0003 to 0.001 DALY). We conclude that the focus should be beyond mere pollution aspects and instead concentrate on the benefits of the co-products, which are: avoiding the extraction and consumption of valuable and increasingly scarce raw materials, such as potable water, and production of synthetic fertilizer. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that an LCA of sanitation systems synergistically integrates the WWT process, the constructive aspects, and the resource recovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Henrique de Simone Souza
- Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism, and Geography (FAENG), Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, 79070-900 Campo Grande, Brazil.
| | - Priscila de Morais Lima
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Undervisningsplan 7H, 756 51 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Diego Lima Medeiros
- Clean Technologies Network (TECLIM), Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), MA-140 Highway, km 4, 65800-000 Balsas, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Vieira
- Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism, and Geography (FAENG), Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, 79070-900 Campo Grande, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Loureiro Paulo
- Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism, and Geography (FAENG), Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, 79070-900 Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Pere Fullana-I-Palmer
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ESCI-UPF), Passeig Pujades n° 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Árpad Boncz
- Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism, and Geography (FAENG), Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, 79070-900 Campo Grande, Brazil
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Wang X, Liu G, Sun W, Cao Z, Liu H, Xiong Y, Li B, Sun X, Li Y, Xu R, Huang D, Gao P. Removal of toilet paper fibers from residential wastewater: a life cycle assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:84254-84266. [PMID: 37365358 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28291-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Toilet paper has been reported as one of the major insoluble pollutant components in the influent of wastewater treatment plants. Toilet paper fibers contribute to a large production of sewage sludge, resulting in a high treatment cost and high energy consumption. To find energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environment-friendly technologies for fiber removal and resource recovery from wastewater, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to analyze the wastewater treatment processes, including a sieving process for removing and recovering suspended solids before the biodegradation units. Based on the LCA results, it was estimated that the sieve screening process saved 8.57% of energy consumption. The construction phase of sieving consumed 1.31% energy cost compared with the operation phase. Environmental impact analysis showed that sieving reduced the impacts of climate change, human toxicity, fossil depletion, and particulate matter formation, which reduced the total normalized environmental impacts by 9.46%. The life-cycle analysis of the removal of toilet paper fibers from wastewater revealed the need to use more efficient methods to enhance the recovery of cellulose fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Wang
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Guoqiang Liu
- School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Weimin Sun
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- School of Environment, Key Laboratory for Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Zhiguo Cao
- School of Environment, Key Laboratory for Yellow River and Huai River Water Environment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China
| | - Huaqing Liu
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Yiqun Xiong
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Baoqin Li
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Xiaoxu Sun
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Yongbin Li
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Rui Xu
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Duanyi Huang
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Pin Gao
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agroenvironmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Environmental Pollution and Control, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
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Medeiros DL, Santos CMQD, Ribeiro R, Tommaso G. The dissolved methane recovery from treated sewage in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors: The energy demand, carbon footprint and financial cost. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 343:118258. [PMID: 37247549 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this research was to quantify the energy demand and carbon footprint over the life cycle, along with the financial cost, of sewage treatment with the recovery of dissolved methane (d-CH4). The sewage treatment is composed of pre-treatment, followed by treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, trickling filter and secondary decanter, post-treatment with disinfection, and biogas recovery in the three-phase separator of the UASB reactor. The methods used in this study were attributional life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis - LCA and TEA, respectively. The energy demand, carbon footprint and financial cost for 1 m3 sewage treatment in the evaluated scenario without d-CH4 recovery (S1) were 3.4 MJ, 1.7 kg CO2eq and 0.17 USD respectively, while those with d-CH4 recovery (S2) varied by 12%, -16% and 2.3% compared to S1. The produced biogas for lower heating value in S2 (2.6 MJ) was 27% higher than that in S1 (2.0 MJ) and this varied from 1.3 MJ to 4.6 MJ in the scenarios for different influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the sewage treatment plant (STP) and COD removal efficiency in the UASB reactor. The highest eco-efficiency for 1 MJ heat production from the STP biogas was achieved in the scenario with d-CH4 recovery, higher influent COD, higher COD removal efficiency in the UASB reactor, d-CH4 saturation, photovoltaic electricity supply, and a higher energy efficiency in d-CH4 recovery combined (S2,COD+,R+,S,PV,EE+), which reduced the energy demand by 55%, carbon footprint by 66% and financial cost by 63% compared to S1. Furthermore, the STP functionality change from a single-product (biogas) to a multi-product (biogas, water for reuse and biosolid fertilizer) approach (S1,WR, BF and S2,WR,BF) made the biogas a competitive product compared to those from fossil sources. Therefore, resource recovery from the sewage treatment in higher influent COD, higher COD removal efficiency, the use of a more efficient, clean and economical electricity source and higher energy efficiency in d-CH4 recovery in a multi-product STP contribute to achieving the energy self-sufficiency over the life cycle while reducing the carbon footprint and financial cost of its products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Lima Medeiros
- Clean Technologies Network (TECLIM), Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Balsas Campus, MA-140 Highway, Km 4, 65800-000, Balsas, MA, Brazil; Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory (LBA), Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Fernando Costa Campus, Duque de Caxias Norte Avenue, 225, Jardim Elite, 13635-900, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
| | - Cássio Minghini Quirino Dos Santos
- Biological Processes Laboratory (LPB), Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation (SHS), São Carlos School of Engineering (EESC), University of São Paulo (USP), Campus 2, João Dagnone Avenue, 1100, Block 4-F, Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Rogers Ribeiro
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory (LBA), Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Fernando Costa Campus, Duque de Caxias Norte Avenue, 225, Jardim Elite, 13635-900, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
| | - Giovana Tommaso
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory (LBA), Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Fernando Costa Campus, Duque de Caxias Norte Avenue, 225, Jardim Elite, 13635-900, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil.
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Life Cycle Assessment and Its Application in Wastewater Treatment: A Brief Overview. Processes (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/pr11010208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper provides a brief review on wastewater treatment system and the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) for assessing its environmental performance. An extensive review regarding the geographical relevance of LCA for WWTPs, and the evaluation of sustainable wastewater treatment by LCA in both developed and developing countries are also discussed. The objective of the review is to identify knowledge gap, for the improvement of the LCA application and methodology to WWTPs. A total of 35 published articles related to wastewater treatment (WWT) and LCA from international scientific journals were studied thoroughly and summarised from 2006 to 2022. This review found that there is lack of studies concerning LCA of WWTPs that consider specific local criteria especially in the developing countries. Thus, it is important to: (1) assess the influence of seasonality (i.e., dry and wet seasons) on the environmental impact of WWT, (2) investigate environmental impacts from WWTPs in developing countries focusing on the site-specific inventory data, and (3) evaluate environmental sustainability of different processes for upgrading the wastewater treatment system. The environmental impact and cost assessment aspects are crucial for the sustainable development of WWTP. Therefore, environmental impacts must be thoroughly assessed to provide recommendation for future policy and for the water industry in determining environmental trade-offs toward sustainable development.
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Taslakyan L, Baker MC, Shrestha DS, Strawn DG, Möller G. CO 2 e footprint and eco-impact of ultralow phosphorus removal by hydrous ferric oxide reactive filtration: A municipal wastewater LCA case study. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2022; 94:e10777. [PMID: 36004674 PMCID: PMC9540262 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Dual upflow reactive filtration by a slowly moving sand bed with continuously renewed, hydrous ferric oxide-coated sand is used for removing polluting substances and for meeting the ultralow 0.05 mg/l total phosphorus discharge permit limits at a 1.2 million liters per day (0.32 million gallons per day) water resource recovery facility in Plummer, Idaho, in the United States. A life cycle assessment (LCA) of this reactive filtration installation was carried out to assess the environmental hotspots in the system and analyze alternative system configurations with a focus on CO2 equivalent (CO2 e) global warming potential, freshwater and marine eutrophication, and mineral resource scarcity. "What if" scenarios with alternative inputs for the energy, metal salts, and air compressor optimization show trade-offs between the impact categories. Key results that show a comparative reduction of global warming potential include the use of Fe versus Al metal salts, the use of renewable energy, and the energy efficiency benefit of optimizing process inputs, such as compressor air pressure, to match operational demand. The LCA shows a 2 × 10-2 kg CO2 e footprint per cubic meter of water, with 47% from housing concrete, and an overall freshwater eutrophication impact reduced by 99% versus no treatment. The use of renewable hydropower energy at this site isolates construction concrete as a target for lowering the CO2 e footprint. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The main LCA eco-impact hotspots in this dual reactive filtration tertiary treatment are construction concrete and the ferric sulfate used. Iron salts show smaller impact in global warming, freshwater eutrophication, and mineral resource scarcity than "what if scenario" aluminum salts. The energy mix for this site is predominantly hydropower; other energy mix "what if" scenarios show larger impacts. Operational energy efficiency and thermodynamic analysis show that fine tuning the air compressor helps reduce carbon footprint and energy use. LCA shows a favorable 2 x 10-2 kg CO2e/m3 water impact with 99% reduction of freshwater eutrophication potential versus no treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lusine Taslakyan
- Department of Soil and Water SystemsUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
- Water Resources ProgramUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Martin C. Baker
- Department of Soil and Water SystemsUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Dev S. Shrestha
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Daniel G. Strawn
- Department of Soil and Water SystemsUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
- Water Resources ProgramUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
| | - Gregory Möller
- Department of Soil and Water SystemsUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
- Water Resources ProgramUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdahoUSA
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Bui HN, Chen YC, Pham AT, Ng SL, Lin KYA, Nguyen NQV, Bui HM. Life cycle assessment of paper mill wastewater: a case study in Viet Nam. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 85:1522-1537. [PMID: 35290229 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although in a critical position in the economy, the paper industry releases a lot of wastewater that requires adequate treatment for sustainable development. This study presents an application of Life cycle assessment (LCA) with the ReCiPe tool on the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a paper factory in Vietnam to evaluate the environmental effect of the individual techniques in WWTP, especially the internal circulation (IC) reactor, a pioneer and practical anaerobic technology. Both Midpoint and Endpoint categories results demonstrated that chemical use and electricity consumption mainly contributed to the environmental impact in the WWTP. The Dissolved air flotation (DAF) and Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) are classified as effective techniques to reduce the impacts on the environment. Moreover, the comparison of LCA between IC and up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) shows that IC is the better practically green technique for the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiep Nghia Bui
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Dayeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ching Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Dayeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan
| | - Anh Thi Pham
- Institute for Environmental and Transport Studies, Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Si Ling Ng
- School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Kun-Yi Andrew Lin
- Department of Environmental Engineering & Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Ngan Quang Viet Nguyen
- University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Ha Manh Bui
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Saigon University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam E-mail:
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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Use of Metallurgical Process Gas for Heat and Electricity, Combined with Salt Removal from Discarded Water. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The subject of the article is the assessment of the environmental impact of the technology concerning the use of low-quality post-process gas for the production of electricity and heat, along with the treatment of post-process wastewater. This assessment was carried out based on the results of the full life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis. The presented technology is based on the energetic use of low-quality process gases in a reciprocating engine for the production of electricity and heat in cogeneration with the use of heat in the wastewater treatment system. The article presents the adopted assumptions and the results of the LCA analysis for the RECLEG technology developed specifically for a zinc smelter. The aim of the analysis was to check whether the developed technology has a positive impact on the environment. The LCA analysis was performed using the ReCiPe methodology, which is one of the most frequently used methodologies in this field due to the possibility of observing the environmental impact in a full range of different environmental aspects. At the same time, the analysis also allows the results to be presented in three general impact categories: human health, ecosystem and natural resources, which are easier to interpret. By converting the waste post-process gas into electricity and heat, it is seen that this has a positive impact on the environment. Especially due to the waste nature of the source, which is the post-process gas. Each reduction of gas is potentially beneficial for the environment and, in addition, a replacement effect can be observed, because the gas was previously burned in a flare, where it additionally emitted exhaust gases, sent directly to the atmosphere. Moreover, the RECLEG technology combines post-process wastewater treatment, which has a positive effect on water management, and makes the process even more environmentally friendly.
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