Benchmarks for the energy demand of nutrient removal plants.
The energy demand of municipal wastewater treatment plants for nutrient removal equipped with primary clarifiers, activated sludge system, anaerobic sludge digestion, and CHP is evaluated theoretically, on the basis of COD balances. Operational experience from energy-efficient Austrian treatment plants confirms that the demand on external electrical energy can be kept as low as 5 to 10 kWh/(pe.a) depending on the N:COD ratio in the raw wastewater. A low N:COD ratio helps to keep not only the effluent nitrogen load low, but also the energy demand. Measures to minimise the energy demand at treatment plants and to reduce the nitrogen load are discussed.
Nowak
O
O
Institute for Water Quality and Waste Management, Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13, A-1040 Wien, Austria. otto.nowak@tuwien.ac.at
D019985:Benchmarking; D019149:Bioreactors; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards
D012722:Sewage; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen