Life cycle assessment of a wastewater treatment plant focused on material and energy flows.
Life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to analyze a food-processing wastewater treatment plant and investigate the economic and environmental effects of the plant. With the long-term operational data of this plant, an inventory of relative inputs, e.g., flow rate, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids, etc., and outputs of the plant, e.g., effluent COD and suspended solids, methane production, etc., was compiled. The potential environmental effects associated with those inputs and outputs were evaluated, and the results of the inventory analysis and impact assessment phases of the plant were interpreted. One feature of this study was the assessment of the treatment plant based on both energy and material flows. Another feature was the establishment of an assessment model with an integration of plant operating parameters, system recognition and grey relation. The analytical results are helpful for the design and operation of wastewater treatment plants.
Department of Chemistry, University of Science & Technology of China, 230026, Hefei, China.
Jian-Guang
JG
Wu
Xiang-Yu
XY
Meng
Xiao-Meng
XM
Liu
Xian-Wei
XW
Liu
Zhi-Xia
ZX
Zheng
De-Qian
DQ
Xu
Guo-Ping
GP
Sheng
Han-Qing
HQ
Yu
D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*