A comparative assessment of anaerobic digestion power plants as alternative to lagoons for vinasse treatment: life cycle assessment and exergy analysis

Barrera, Ernesto L.; Rosa, Elena; Spanjers, Henri; Romero, Osvaldo Romero; Meester, Steven De; Dewulf, Jo

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.095

Cited by 63 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Despite the added reactor stability, the use of high chemical doses negatively affects the economic favorability of scaling-up AD plants. Studies have proposed the recycling of treated effluent because the bicarbonate produced from methanogen metabolism can be used to neutralize influent wastewaters (Barrera et al, 2016;Nandy et al, 2002;van Haandel, 2005). Urea (CH 4 N 2 O) application has also been tested (Boncz et al, 2012) to provide alkalinity to methanogens and increase nitrogen levels in the treated vinasse and thereby improve its fertilization potential (van Haandel, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing full-scale biodigestion plants for the treatment of vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries: How phase separation and alkalinization impact biogas and electricity production costs?

Fuess

Júnior²,

García

et al. 2017

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

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Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most suitable approach for the management of vinasse in sugarcane distilleries because both environmental adequacy and bioenergy recovery could be achieved through biogas production. Because the literature lacks data on the implementation and operation of full-scale AD plants for enhanced energy recovery from vinasse, this study presents different designs for AD plants applied to vinasse in large-scale distilleries, considering both single-and two-phase schemes and different alkalizing strategies. Investment and operating costs and biogas and electricity production costs were obtained for each case. The results indicate that phase separation is economically feasible when scaling up AD plants in biorefineries. Despite the higher capital and operating costs in such schemes, the estimated biogas and electricity production costs reached equivalent or lower values compared with those of single-phase AD layouts, depending on the alkalizing strategy used. With respect to the alkalizing strategy, the best results were associated with sodium hydroxide dosing and/or effluent recirculation, with electricity costs reaching values 1.8-to 2.3-fold lower than grid electricity. In contrast, the competitive use of sodium bicarbonate in AD plants for treating vinasse requires further dosing optimization.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing full-scale biodigestion plants for the treatment of vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries: How phase separation and alkalinization impact biogas and electricity production costs?

Fuess

Júnior²,

García

et al. 2017

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

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“…The outputs of each scenario are different, and therefore an 'equal basket of benefits' approach was taken, a technique which has been used for previous comparisons of waste valorisation systems (e.g. Barrera et al, 2016;Vandermeersch et al, 2014). This approach is based on the concept of system expansion, which is a common approach for life cycle assessments of waste management systems (Eriksson et al, 2002;Finnveden, 1999).…”

Section: Goal and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Impact assessment of enhanced exposure from Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) within LCA

Goronovski

Joyce

Björklund

et al. 2018

Journal of Cleaner Production

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The potential impact of ionising radiation from enhanced exposure to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to humans and the environment is not currently accounted for sufficiently in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Here we present midpoint and endpoint characterisation factors resulting from the implementation of impact assessment models for human health and ecosystems for NORM exposure. These models build upon existing fate, exposure and effect models from the LCA and radiological literature. The newly developed models are applied to a theoretical study of the utilisation of bauxite residue, a by-product of alumina processing enriched in natural radionuclides, in building materials. The ecosystem models have significant sensitivity to uncertainties surrounding the differential environmental fate of parent and daughter radionuclides that are produced as a part of decay chains, and to assumptions regarding long term releases from landfill sites. However, conservative results for environmental exposure suggest that in addition to landfill of materials, power consumption (burning coal and mining uranium) is a potentially significant source of radiological impact to the environment. From a human perspective, exposure to NORM in the use phase of building materials is the dominant source of impact, with environmental releases of nuclides playing a comparatively minor role. At an endpoint level, the impact of NORM exposure is highly significant in comparison to other impact categories in the area of protection of human health.The dose increase is of an order of magnitude comparable to lifestyle factors. The results highlight the importance within LCA of having sufficient impact assessment models to capture all potential impacts, such that issues of burden shifting between impact measures can be captured, interpreted and resolved in the optimisation of product systems. Highlights A new life cycle impact assessment model for exposure to NORM is presented  Midpoint and endpoint characterisation factors for humans and ecosystems are given  The models are validated with respect to bauxite residue valorisation systems  The importance of burden shifting within life cycle impact assessment is raised

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“…Free discharge without proper treatment can inflict large, adverse impacts on the environment . The treatment of vinasse in lagoons generates greenhouse gas emissions, and fertirrigation practices may in some cases negatively affect the structure of soils and aquifers . On the other hand, due to its very high concentration of organic matter, vinasse could be a potential resource for energy recovery, producing biogas via anaerobic processes …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anaerobic treatment of sugar cane vinasse: treatability and real‐scale operation

López

Borzacconi

Passeggi

2017

J of Chemical Tech & Biotech

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BACKGROUND Vinasse is a wastewater from bioethanol production with a very high concentration of organic matter, usually from 40 to 80 gCOD L‐1. These features make this wastewater attractive for treatment in an anaerobic system. Anaerobic processes allow the valorisation of this highly polluting wastewater as an energy resource in an environmentally friendly way. RESULTS A multiscale approach was followed, using batch tests, continuous bench scale reactors, and a full‐scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor. Potential inhibition due to high potassium concentrations was evaluated. Using batch tests, the IC50 potassium concentration was determined to be around 6 g L‐1, but continuous reactors could adapt the biomass to this concentration level without removal efficiency decay. A load of 20 gCOD L‐1 d with chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies between 60% and 80% were reached in bench scale UASB and expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors. Finally, a 100 m3 UASB reactor located in a distillery was tested under industrial conditions. A load of 0.6 kgCOD kg‐1VSS d‐1 was achieved with a COD removal efficiency of 78%. CONCLUSION Although potassium was inhibitory for the inoculum, the sludge from a continuously operated reactor can be adapted to high potassium concentrations without affecting its performance. The real possibility of working with undiluted vinasse was also verified. For distilleries like the Uruguayan case, which produces 18 000 m3 of bioethanol per year, 5x10 m3 of biogas per year, with 68% methane, could be expected, representing an energy potential of about one‐third of the main fuel produced. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

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A comparative assessment of anaerobic digestion power plants as alternative to lagoons for vinasse treatment: life cycle assessment and exergy analysis

Cited by 63 publications

References 26 publications

Designing full-scale biodigestion plants for the treatment of vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries: How phase separation and alkalinization impact biogas and electricity production costs?

Designing full-scale biodigestion plants for the treatment of vinasse in sugarcane biorefineries: How phase separation and alkalinization impact biogas and electricity production costs?

Impact assessment of enhanced exposure from Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) within LCA

Anaerobic treatment of sugar cane vinasse: treatability and real‐scale operation

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