A techno-economic analysis of membrane-based advanced treatment processes for the reuse of municipal wastewater

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to compare, under Dutch market conditions, the energy consumption and net costs of membrane-based advanced treatment processes for three water reuse types (i.e. potable, industrial, agricultural reuse). The water source is municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent. Results indicate that the application of reverse osmosis is needed to reclaim high quality water for industrial and potable reuse but not for irrigation water which offers significant energy savings but may not lead automatically to lower net costs. While a reclamation process for industrial reuse is economically most promising, irrigation water reclamation processes are not cost effective due to low water prices. Moreover, process operational expenditures may exceed capital expenditures which is important for tender procedures. A significant cost factor is waste management that may exceed energy costs. Water recovery rates could be significantly enhanced through the integration of a softener/biostabilizer unit prior to reverse osmosis. Moreover, the energy consumption of wastewater reclamation processes could be supplied on-site with solar energy. The possibility of designing a ‘fit for multi-purpose’ reclamation process is discussed briefly. This comparative analysis allows for better informed decision making about which reuse type is preferably targeted in a municipal wastewater reuse project from a process design perspective.

The Future of Municipal Wastewater Reuse Concentrate Management: Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities

“…Although municipal reuse might not justify the cost of implementing MLD, additional postprocessing of this high-purity water could be used to meet water quality criteria for specific industries. Known as “fit-for-purpose” this water can be sold at a premium, while reducing the volume of MWRC that needs to be managed . However, it is essential to ensure that fit-for-purpose water meets an actual demand in an accessible market and that MLD and postprocessing technologies are designed to be agile enough to meet constantly changing market demands.…”

“…Known as "fit-for-purpose" this water can be sold at a premium, while reducing the volume of MWRC that needs to be managed. 128 However, it is essential to ensure that fit-for-purpose water meets an actual demand in an accessible market and that MLD and postprocessing technologies are designed to be agile enough to meet constantly changing market demands.…”

Water reuse from wastewater treatment: The transition towards circular economy in the water sector

“…Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes can retain the particulate and colloid material, bacteria, and even some viruses. For this reason, UF membranes are preferred after secondary treatment in most water reuse projects (Kehrein et al, 2021). In membrane bioreactors (MBR), which are the integration of the membrane process and the activated sludge process, membranes are used instead of conventional settling tanks to separate the treated water from biomass.…”

Evaluation of membrane fouling in a microalgal-bacterial membrane photobioreactor treating secondary wastewater effluent: effect of photoperiod conditions

“…12 Current advanced systems combine biological treatment with microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes to produce high-quality effluents that are suitable for most industrial applications, including highly demanding agriculture irrigation. 13,14 A technology now actively being investigated is a microalgal-bacterial membrane photobioreactor (MPBR), which combines suspended biomass with immersed microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes. 15,16 This technology has demonstrated the capability to efficiently treat municipal wastewaters 17 or secondary effluents.…”