Kratzer, Madison
(2024)
Optimization-based Process, Life Cycle, and Technoeconomic Modeling and Evaluation of an Integrated AnMBR Treatment System for Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Increasing concerns over climate change and diminishing supplies of non-renewable resources are driving research toward sustainable economic systems, including the circular economy. This framework seeks to minimize the extraction of raw materials through various techniques, including the recovery of resources from traditional waste streams. High-strength animal wastewaters provide a concentrated source of nitrogen and phosphorus, which can be recovered as saleable products. Additionally, long-chain carbon compounds from these wastewaters can be converted into valuable products such as methane through fermentation. Treating animal wastewater and recovering beneficial products can reduce the environmental impacts of livestock farming by preventing eutrophication from the release of untreated wastewater, offsetting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with fertilizer production. Swine wastewater is a high-strength animal wastewater source that is consistent from a point source in volume and availability due to common farming practices in the sector and the prevalence of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
This work evaluates the environmental impacts and economic viability of a proposed treatment system based on an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) with nutrient recovery for swine wastewater. A novel physics-based model for the AnMBR was designed and integrated with existing unit operation models to simulate a swine wastewater treatment and resource recovery platform. This platform includes an AnMBR, methane degassing, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) recovery, nitrogen adsorption, phosphorus coagulation and flocculation, and a constructed wetland. The platform model is used to perform optimization-based life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) for resource recovery from swine wastewater. Multi-objective optimization is used to examine the trade-offs between treatment cost and GHG emissions. The results show that when GHG emissions are minimized, the proposed platform is net carbon negative. When minimizing cost, treatment expenses were found to be comparable to municipal wastewater treatment costs. Finally, an optimization-based model was developed to quantify the spatial availability of swine wastewater in the United States. Results indicate that most wastewater is generated in the Midwest and North Carolina, regions that are heavily reliant on synthetic fertilizers for crop production.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
6 September 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
3 July 2024 |
| Approval Date: |
6 September 2024 |
| Submission Date: |
25 July 2024 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
157 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Swanson School of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
AnMBR, bioreactor, swine wastewater, LCA, TEA |
| Date Deposited: |
06 Sep 2024 20:05 |
| Last Modified: |
06 Sep 2024 20:05 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/46756 |
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