Duan Menglin, O'Dwyer Edward, Stuckey David C, Guo Miao
Department of Chemical Engineering Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ UK.
Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute Nanyang Technological University.
ChemistryOpen. 2019 Aug 12;8(8):1109-1120. doi: 10.1002/open.201900189. eCollection 2019 Aug.
To enable a more sustainable wastewater treatment processes, a transition towards resource recovery methods that have minimal environmental impact while being financially viable is imperative. Phosphorus (P) is a finite resource that is being discharged into the aqueous environment in excessive quantities. As such, understanding the financial and environmental effectiveness of different approaches for removing and recovering P from wastewater streams is important to reduce the overall impact of wastewater treatment. In this study, a process-systems modelling framework for comprehensively evaluating these approaches in terms of both economic and environmental impacts is developed. Applying this framework, treatment pathways are designed, simulated and analysed to determine the most suitable approaches for P removal and recovery. The purpose of this methodology is not only to assist with plant design, but also to identify the principal economic and environmental factors acting as barriers to implementing a given technology, incorporating the impact of waste recovery. The results suggest that the chemical and ion-exchange approaches studied deliver sustainable advantages over biological pathways, both economically and environmentally, with each possessing different strengths. The assessment methodology developed enables a more rational and environmentally sound wastewater plant design approach to be taken.
为了实现更可持续的废水处理工艺，向资源回收方法转型势在必行，这些方法应在对环境影响最小的同时具备经济可行性。磷（P）是一种有限的资源，正大量排放到水环境中。因此，了解从废水流中去除和回收磷的不同方法的经济和环境效益，对于减少废水处理的总体影响至关重要。在本研究中，开发了一个过程系统建模框架，用于从经济和环境影响两方面全面评估这些方法。应用该框架，设计、模拟和分析处理路径，以确定最适合的磷去除和回收方法。该方法的目的不仅是协助工厂设计，还在于识别作为实施特定技术障碍的主要经济和环境因素，同时纳入废物回收的影响。结果表明，所研究的化学和离子交换方法在经济和环境方面都比生物途径具有可持续优势，且各有不同优势。所开发的评估方法能够采用更合理、更环保的废水处理厂设计方法。
