Various WWTP's
Various States
Public agencies are increasingly pressured to become more sustainable. Wastewater plants are
significant consumers of energy and correspondingly produce significant quantities of
greenhouse gas (GHG). Reductions in energy and GHG are challenges for wastewater facilities
as flows and loads increase and discharge requirements become more restrictive. The results
highlight some methods to reduce energy and GHG, including the concept of becoming energy
neutral. Energy (as represented by electrical energy or fuels) equate directly to GHG production.
A significant portion of the fuel source for most utilities in the United States is from
anthropogenic sources such as coal, oil, or electric. To achieve energy neutral facilities, the
wastewater plant must implement energy conservation and shift to biogenically derived energy
sources, such as biogas, or alternative energy sources, such as wind. This paper and presentation
describe how wastewater treatment plants can significantly reduce energy to the point of
becoming energy neutral.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Best Practices, Cost Savings, Energy Efficiency, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Improved Biogas Production, Plant Sustainability, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions | No Comments »
The development of the Carbon Heat Energy Analysis Plant Evaluation Tool (CHEApet) by
the Water Environment Research Federation (WERF) was in response to the identified need
for a predictive modeling tool that unifies prior WERF research information regarding
quantifying and managing energy consumption. CHEApet was created under OWSO4R07C
of WERF’s Optimization Challenge to model performance and energy consumption of waste
water treatment plants (WWTPs). Energy consumption, along with treatment process
emissions, contributes to a facility’s carbon footprint. CHEApet can be used to create a
baseline scenario, or inventory, of a utility’s carbon footprint for informational purposes as
well as to compare with hypothetical treatment plants. This kind of comparison allows the
user to identify facilities in the utility for energy optimization and the potential for biogas
recovery which can save in costs and improve the footprint of the facility.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Biological Phosphorus Removal, Chemical Phosphorus Removal, Cost Savings, Energy Optimization, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Heat Drying, High Efficiency Air Diffusers, Improved Biogas Production, Phosphorus recovery, Plant Sustainability, Process Modeling, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions | No Comments »
Owls Head Water Pollution Control Plant
Brooklyn, New York
The Owls Head Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) is a 120 million gallon per day (MGD)
secondary level treatment facility serving Brooklyn, New York. As part of a city-wide
environmental sustainability program, extensive renovations are being made to minimize fugitive
greenhouse gas emissions, maximize the utilization of biogenic gas produced during the
anaerobic digestion of wastewater sludge, and conserve energy that is consumed during the
wastewater treatment process. Two projects are in progress. One project will provide supply
side improvements to collect digester gas (digas) and produce usable electrical energy and heat
while the second project provides demand side improvements by reducing the energy
requirement associated with process aeration of the activated sludge process.
These projects are being carried out by the New York City Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) in cooperation with the New York Power Authority (NYPA). When completed,
the projects will have the net result of a 76% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a
75% reduction in utility-provided electrical consumption, and operating cost savings of over $1
million per year.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: 500K-1M, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Improved Biogas Production, Plant Sustainability, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions | No Comments »
Fayetteville Public Works Commission
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) is implementing a number of renewable energy
projects. These projects include digester gas cogeneration at their Cross Creek Wastewater
Treatment Plant, solar panels to be installed as part of an innovative, sustainable design for a new
elementary school, and smart grid technology for their power distribution. These technologies
will allow PWC to reduce their power demands, reduce their carbon consumption and emissions,
and take advantage of renewable energy sources to meet the requirement for renewable energy
portfolio standards required by North Carolina Statutes. This paper will provide a description of
the smart grid and solar panel projects, and a more detailed discussion of the digester gas
cogeneration project. Cogeneration technologies that were evaluated include engine generators,
microturbines, and fuel cells. A comparison of technologies, capacities, implementation plans,
alternatives analyses, and cost evaluations will be discussed.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: 50k-100k, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Environmental Impact, Green Infra, Improved Biogas Production, Plant Sustainability, Reduced Carbon Footprint, Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Solar Energy Utilization | No Comments »
Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
Ithaca, New York
The results of the Fenton reagent treatment of biosolids at a bench scale and at a full scale
operation, as well as the cost-benefit analysis, are presented here. We compare the results of one
year of full-scale operation of Fenton reagent treatment during 2008 against the normal operation
parameters for the period 2005 – 2007. The treatment of biosolids with Fenton reagent was tested
in a full-scale reactor at the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, IAWTF. The Fenton
reagent treated biosolids were returned back to an anaerobic digester for additional digestion.
The most relevant results were the reduction in the amount of final residual biosolids for disposal
(11.5% reduction), the increase in the percent solids content of the final residual biosolids (7.5%
higher), and a higher energy cogeneration output (13.0% higher specific biogas production, &
13.0% higher heat output). The net economic benefit was $78,000.00 per year.
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Posted: May 20th, 2011 | Filed under: 100K-500K, 500K-1M, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Energy Savings, Improved Anaerobic Digestion, Improved Biogas Production, Improved Plant Efficiency, Reduced Biosolids Disposal | No Comments »