(A Used Water Biorefinery Concept)

Anish Ghimire, B. Thapa, N. R. Khatiwada, V. Luongo, L. Frunzo

An International Conference on “Water, Environment and Climate Change: Knowledge

Sharing and Partnership”
10-12 April, 2018, Kathmandu, Nepal
Anish Ghimire, M.E., Ph.D.
Center for Postgraduate Studies,
Nepal Engineering College (affiliated to Pokhara University)
Prayag Pokhari, Lalitpur, Nepal
anishghimire@gmail.com
 Introduction
v Used water (UW) is an untapped resource, it can represent
an alternative yet reliable source of energy (biofuels),
materials (metals, biochemicals), nutrients (fertilizer).
v The conventional perspectives view used water treatment
and management as an action of removing the pollutants
present in used water in the various forms of carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorous, metals, etc.
v A sustainable circular economy (CE) model emphasize on
recycling and reuse of materials, minimize pollution and
waste production and encourages the use of sustainable
energy in the over all process.

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 Introduction
v Therefore, CE model embraces all the features of
sustainable wastewater management.
v The innovative and CE based UW management best
practices around the world are reviewed and illustrated.
v Alternatively, the potential of the UW treatment plants as
engines for CE have been assessed following the three
interrelated pathways i.e. the water, materials and energy
pathways.
v Moreover, the different drivers and challenging barriers for
creation of UW based biorefinery will be explored further
based on the past studies.

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Water and Sanitation: A Global Agenda

Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is
discharged into rivers or sea without any treatment, leading to pollution.
Status of Wastewater in Kathmandu, Nepal
Population of about 1.5 million, with a total of 3
million in the urban agglomerates within
Kathmandu Valley.

(Photo: Kantipur Daily)

Guheshwori Wastewater
Treatment Plant, the only
functional centralized unit in
✕ ✕ Kathmandu
✕ ✕ Total installed capacity:
35.4 MLD

Total ca. wastewater

Different centralized treatment units in generation: 90a - 240b
Kathmandu Valley MLD
(Source: ADB, 2013; Shukla et al., 2012a, Shrestha et al., 2017b)
 Status of Wastewater in Kathmandu,
Nepal
• Melamchi Water Supply Project is going to bring 170 MLD of
drinking water in 2018 - ?. An conservative calculated
wastewater production will be more than 380 MLD.

• Nepal government is upgrading and constructing five centralized

wastewater treatment plants (90.5 MLD capacity) at the major
urban centers (ADB, 2013).

• Wastewater treatment capacity will be hopefully increased to

more than 200 MLD capacity by 2025 (ADB TA Consultant’s
Feasibility Study Report, 2010).

• Conventional pollutants removal approach vs Resource

Recovery (Energy, Nutrient, Water) approach (CE Model)
that can minimize the cost of treatment.
 Circular economy

A “waste as a resource”
model, often referred to
as ‘closing the loop’.

(Source: Ellen Macarthur Foundation Circular Economy Team) 7

 CE Model for UW Management

Source: Sugam R. and Neog K. 2017. Circular economy pathways for the wastewater sector in India
[Online] http://www.globalwaterforum.org/2017/08/07/circular-economy-pathways-for-the-wastewater-sector-in-india/

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The Water Pathway

9
The Material Pathway

10
The Energy Pathway

11
 Global cases demonstrating multiple
utilization of UW
vIrrigation
vIndustry
vNon-potable domestic
vPotable domestic
vEnergy recovery
vNutrient recovery
vReservoir augmentation/Aquifer
vEcological uses
vLandscaping/Recreational activities

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 Resources embedded to UW
Value
Parameter

Reusable water (m3/capita year) 80-120

Cellulose (kg/capita year) 5-7

Biopolymers; PHA (kg/capita year) 2-4

Phosphorus in P precursors (kg/capita year) 0.5-1.5

Nitrogen in N precursors (kg/capita year) 4-5

Methane (m3/ capita year) 12-13

Organic Fertilizer (P-rich compost) (kg/capita year) 9-10

Verstraete et al. (2009) Bioresource Technology 100, 5537–5545

Salehizadej and van Loosdrecht (2004) Biotechnology Advances 22, 261–279 as cited in Fatone, 2017, 3rd
International Seminar on Water Resources Management Governance and Performance of water
utilities: tools and best practices.
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 Technologies within CE Model

Conceptual overview of different biological technologies applied in wastewater

treatment for energy and resource recovery.
Energetic products : dashed vertical patterned blocks,
Raw materials : black blocks.
(Source: Puyol et al. 2017, Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 2106) 14
 Global Case Studies
(Lab, pilot and full scale)

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 UW based Biorefinery

Marselisborg Wastewater Treatment Plant in Aarhus, Denmark is generating

more than 150% of the electricity needed to run the plant, which means the
surplus can be supplied to the city
Source: http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-32/issue-2/technology-case-studies/self- 16
Anish sufficient-wastewater-treatment-sharing-denmark-s-sustainability-blueprint.html
Nutrients and water recovery from
municipal solid waste & UW

An Integrated treatment system for the management of wastewater

and Domestic organic waste (DOW) (baseline scenario)

Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB)

Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR)

(Lijó et al. 2017. Water research, 109, 173-185) 17

 Nutrients and water recovery from source-
separated domestic waste(water)

Sanitation concept, designed based on results of laboratory and pilot scale

research with BW and GW. Basic design guidelines

Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB)-Septic Tank (ST)

Oxygen-Limited Autotrophic Nitrification-Denitrification (OLAND)

(Zeeman et al. 2008, Water Science & Technology. 57 (8), 1207–1212) 18

 Use of Anaerobic Fermentation based
Biorefinery Approach for CE model
Waste H2 Cleaning Application of H2
activated
sludge +
OFMSW H2 Production

Agricultural and
Industrial Waste

Products of Dark Fermentation

Photofermentation

(Mainly Organic Acids)

H2 Production
Physical-chemical
Dark Microbial
pretreatment of
Fermentati Electrolysis Cell
feedstock
on
Reactor
CH4
Biomethanation
Production

II Stage: Treatment of end Application of CH4

I Stage: Conversion of Organic
products from Dark Fermentation after cleaning
Biomass into Volatile Organic Acids

(Modified from Ghimire et al., Applied Energy 144 (2015) 73–95)

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 Economic Value of Platform Chemicals

Market Value of Platform Chemicals

Price per unit
Chemicals Reference
Dark fermentation of organic (USD/tonne)
waste Succinic acid 2000 - 5000 Alibaba, 2016
Acetic acid 400 - 800 Alibaba, 2017
Lactic acid 800 - 1200 Alibaba, 2016
Propionic acid (salt) 600 - 1200 Alibaba, 2016
Butyric acid 1600 - 2000 Alibaba
Polyhydroxyalkanoate Alibaba, 2016
2000 - 3000
PHA/PHB

(Bastidas-Oyanedel et al., Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology 14 (3), 473-498 2015) 20
Integrated Dark Fermentation Systems
79.2 N L H2/kg VS food waste H2

Photofermentation
Waste
105.1 N L H2/kg VS food waste
activated
sludge + H2 DF + PF
Supernatant
1.99 MJ/kg VS food waste
OFMSW

Dark
Photofermentation
Food fermentation
Dark Effluent
Effluent
waste fermentation

Solid Residues

Biomethanation CH4
Total energy after three step
conversion

5.55 MJ/kg VS food waste 99.3 N L CH4/kg VS food waste

(Ghimire et al., International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 4040 (2015) 16045-16055) 21

Integrated Dark Fermentation Systems

256 mL H2/g COD

Waste
Residues

COD removal
(80 %)
Application in
effluent treatment
Dark
fermentation PHB PHB – Poly-!-hydroxybutyrate
Effluent after (35% of DCW)
H2 production
Precursor for
biopolymer production

(Ghimire et al., Bioresource Technology 217 (2016) 157–164) 22

 Industrial and reject wastewater
treatment

www.wateronline.com

Process layout for the industrial & reject wastewater treatment at the STP
Olburgen
Abma et al., 2010 Water science and technology, 61(7), 1715-1722. 23
Pathway Drivers and Enablers

Consumers

Urban and
Basin Regulation
Economies
CE in
UW

Infrastructure Industry

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 Pathway boosters
vIntegrated Urban Resource Management
vConnecting to Stakeholders beyond
Traditional Boundaries (Urban and Basin)
vNew Business Models
vInnovation
vLeadership

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 Pathway Junctions
Water-wise Industry
Communities

Drinking Water Agriculture

Treatment Plants

Wastewater
Treatment
Plants
Energy Generation Natural
Environment

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 Critical factors for CE
Drivers
(Water
Scarcity and
Pollution) Policies and
regulations
Participatory (Supporting
approach policies like
Public-Private
Partnership Act)

Phases of
Management
deployment of
strategy and
WW CE in UW institutional
management
framework
initiatives

Public Scale of
perception intervention

Access to
technology and
finance

Critical factors that could make adoption of a circular economy intervention

feasible in “usedwater” management
(Asolekar et al, 2016) 27
 Cost of Conventional Treatment vs
Resource Recovery Pathway
v Annual costs of wastewater treatment in developed countries like
Austria is about USD 37/P.E. yr for large plants with nitrogen and
phosphorus removal (Zessner et al., 2010).
v Annual costs for wastewater management of about USD 111/P.E.
yr. in countries like Bulgaria, Romania or Ukraine (85% to 90%
lower income) (Zessner et al., 2010).
v Treatment cost USD 1.11/m3 for resource recovery pathway VS
USD 0.98 /m3 WW for conventional treatment (with RO/UF) where
while N and P are generally ‘‘wasted” (Verstraete et al. 2009).
v Cost of recovered resources (water, nitrogen, phosphorous,
organic fertilizer, methane): USD 0.43/m3 WW (Verstraete et al.
2009).
v Cost recovery could be higher depending upon the price of other
value added products.

Currency Conversion Used : 1 Euro = 1.24 USD 28

 Wikimedia commons
Wikimedia commons

www.wateronline.com
Thank you Pictures are taken from the internet

Environmental Technologies for Contaminated Solids, Soil and Sediments

Università degli Studi di

Napoli Federico II

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References
v ADB. (2013) Kathmandu Valley Wastewater Management Project- Initial
Environment Examination Draft Report. Asian Development Bank (ADB). Manila,
Philippines.
v Abma, W. R., Driessen, W., Haarhuis, R., & Van Loosdrecht, M. C. M. (2010).
Upgrading of sewage treatment plant by sustainable and cost-effective separate
treatment of industrial wastewater. Water science and technology, 61(7), 1715-
1722.
v Asolekar, S., Biniwale, R. B., Chandran, K., Chaudhuri, R. R., Heemskerk, F.,
Jain, A. K., & Lakshmi, K. V. (2016). Circular Economy Pathways for Municipal
Wastewater Management in India: A Practitioner’s Guide. Circular Economy
Pathways for Municipal Wastewater Management in India: A Practitioner’s
Guide.
v Bastidas-Oyanedel et al., Reviews in Environmental Science and
Bio/Technology, 2015
v Ghimire et al. Applied Energy, 2015
v Ghimire et al. Bioresource Technology, 2016
v Ghimire et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2016

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References
v Lijó, L., Malamis, S., González-García, S., Fatone, F., Moreira, M. T., & Katsou,
E. (2017). Technical and environmental evaluation of an integrated scheme for
the co-treatment of wastewater and domestic organic waste in small
communities. Water research, 109, 173-185.
v Puyol, D., Batstone, D. J., Hülsen, T., Astals, S., Peces, M., & Krömer, J. O.
(2017). Resource recovery from wastewater by biological technologies:
opportunities, challenges, and prospects. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 2106.
v Shrestha, P., Shrestha, R. and Dangol, B., Status of wastewater generation and
management in urban Nepal. Journal of Environment, p.1
v Shukla, A., Timilsina, U. R., & Jha, B. C. (2012). Wastewater production,
treatment and use in Nepal. In 2nd Regional Workshop for South, West and
Central Asia, May (pp. 16-18).
v Verstraete et al. 2009. Bioresource Technology 100: 5537–5545
v Zessner, M., Lampert, C., Kroiss, H., & Lindtner, S. (2010). Cost comparison of
wastewater treatment in Danubian countries. Water Science and Technology,
62(2), 223-230.

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