Indicators for the sustainability assessment of wastewater treatment systems

Balkema, A.J.; Preisig, Heinz A.; Otterpohl, Ralf; Lambert, Fred

doi:10.1016/s1462-0758(02)00014-6

Cited by 362 publications

(238 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Balkema et al [29] attempted to measure the environmental sustainability of a water treatment process by calculating its exergy efficiency, but as with the earlier study by Hellström, the inability of exergy to account for toxicity was its major weakness in this context [30]. Other researchers such as Ao et al [31] and Gaudreau et al [32] also arrived at similar conclusions concerning this weakness of the exergy concept for modelling water flows.…”

Section: Exergy Modelling Of Water Flowsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Resource accounting in factories and the energy-water nexus

Khattak

Greenough

2017

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

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A manufacturing system comprises production processes and building services, both of which are supplied by different energy carriers as well as raw materials and water. These resources interact according to complex relationships and are converted into products for sale and waste flows. Holistic resource accounting allows the analyst to consider the dynamic relationships between these components, including the strong interdependence between energy and water, which has been called the energy-water nexus. Exergy analysis is a method that accounts for mass and both the quantity and quality of energy, while allowing analysis on a common basis, and for this reason, it is used increasingly to analyse resource consumption in manufacturing systems; however, it has rarely been used to consider water flows alongside energy and material flows. The main contribution of this paper is the presentation of modelling water flows in terms of exergy in the context of sustainable manufacturing. Using this technique in combination with previously developed exergy-based methods, the result is a truly holistic resource accounting method for factories based on exergy analysis that incorporates water flows. The method is illustrated using a case study of a food factory in which a 4.1% reduction in resource use is shown to be possible by employing anaerobic digester in an effluent water treatment process. The benefits of this technology option would have been underestimated compared to the benefits of waste heat capture if an analysis based on mass and energy balances alone had been used. The scientific value of this paper is the demonstration of the relatively high exergy content of effluent flows, which should therefore be regarded as potentially valuable resources. The analytical method presented is therefore of value to a wide range of industries beyond the food industry.

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Section: Exergy Modelling Of Water Flowsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Resource accounting in factories and the energy-water nexus

Khattak

Greenough

2017

Int J Adv Manuf Technol

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“…energy saving, cost analysis, environmental impact) are possible to quantify, others are immeasurable. Many of indicators are listed in literature but sometimes self-defining of them is more effective than achieving a sustainability in region [1,5].…”

Section: Indicators Of Sustainabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several concepts have been used to describe sustainability but a common principle is that sustainability should be seen in terms of the integration of three dimensions: environmental, economic and social [3][4][5][6]. Economic sustainability implies the incurrence of costs that should not exceed the benefits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability considerations in the operation of Wastewater Treatment Plant ‘Swarzewo’

Dereszewska

Cytawa²

2016

E3S Web Conf.

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Abstract. The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) 'Swarzewo' plays a special role in the protection of coastal waters of the Baltic Sea area and the management of solid wastes in the region. This paper discusses several options implemented in the WWTP area in order to achieve sustainability. The first one was the inclusion of WWTP into municipal waste management plan to increase the biogas production and to reduce volume of organic waste in the region. Nowadays, daily production of about 2000 m 3 of biogas is gained. The energy balance shows a considerable benefit from the co-fermentation of sludge with municipal organic wastes. The next goal was to obtain a favorable economical balance of energy and high level of pollution reduction. The last one was the involvement of local communities in a conscious segregation of waste 'at source'. For the purpose of this paper bio-energy production, nutrient elimination, composting, and research, have been selected as indicators of sustainable development. Furthermore, in this study the methods of nutrient recovery from wastewater were explored. Struvite precipitation and compost production were presented as an example of nutrient elimination with 'end of waste' production. Depending on the struvite precipitation conditions, recovery of 4 Mg of phosphorous and 1,8 Mg of nitrogen is possible to obtain annually.

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“…Randomness refers to the various connections between an indicator and external factors, and fuzziness refers to uncertainty in defining the exact boundary value of an indicator. Randomness and fuzziness occur simultaneously in the process of indicator quantification and grading, leading to a lack of accuracy in the assessment results [18,19]. Hence, the selection of indicators should be based not only on water resource, societal, economic, and environmental dimensions but also on a strategy-oriented principle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employing SWOT Analysis and Normal Cloud Model for Water Resource Sustainable Utilization Assessment and Strategy Development

2017

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Water Resource Sustainable Utilization (WRSU) is becoming increasingly important, given growing water resource shortages and widening gaps between water supply and demand. Most existing studies have focused on WRSU levels without a dedicated strategy-oriented framework. In addition, uncertainties occur in the process of indicator quantification and grading, leading to a lack of accuracy in the assessment results. Therefore, in this study, stemming from water resource, societal, economic, and environmental dimensions, an indicator system with qualitative description was introduced by Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to enable development and selection of sustainable water use strategies. A normal cloud model that is capable of addressing uncertainties was used to determine WRSU levels. The comprehensive evaluation results can both reflect the WRSU levels and select the most suitable strategy. The model's utility was demonstrated by applying it to the case of Shandong province in China. Based on the results, most areas of Shandong province appear to be facing serious unsustainable issues. Appropriate development strategies based on the WRSU levels were provided for improving sustainable use of water resources. The proposed method offers an efficient means for WRSU assessment and strategy development. Moreover, it has the potential to be applied to other water resource issues.

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Indicators for the sustainability assessment of wastewater treatment systems

Cited by 362 publications

References 16 publications

Resource accounting in factories and the energy-water nexus

Resource accounting in factories and the energy-water nexus

Sustainability considerations in the operation of Wastewater Treatment Plant ‘Swarzewo’

Employing SWOT Analysis and Normal Cloud Model for Water Resource Sustainable Utilization Assessment and Strategy Development

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