Page 17 - THEi Student Applied Research Presentations 2024

FEASIBILITY STUDY ON INNOVATIVE HYBRID
WASTEWATER TREATMENT DESIGN TO ACHIEVE

CARBON AND ENERGY NEUTRALITY

ABSTRACT Poster

RESEARCH BACKGROUND

The estimated annual global electricity consumption in the wastewater treatment process
is 2-3%, resulting in significant amounts of carbon emission. Thus, an innovative
treatment design is necessary for municipal wastewater to meet the targets of carbon
and energy neutrality. In this feasibility study, sewage would be treated by an anaerobic
bioreactor to avoid the aeration process used in conventional secondary treatment. A
simple pre-concentration step to increase the chemical oxygen demand (COD) content CHIU CHUN TING REX
for the anaerobic process is conducted by forward osmosis (FO). Moreover, residual
high levels of nutrients i.e., ammonium nitrate (NH ) and phosphate (PO ) can be BEng (Hons) in Environmental
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further treated by a simple post-treatment process via microalgae cultivation. Engineering and Management
METHODOLOGY Department of Construction,
Environment and Engineering
A small flat-sheet low pressure FO unit was used for pre-concentrating artificial
wastewater by using 1M NaCl as a draw solution. FO performance was evaluated
by monitoring the water flux and volume reduction rate of the process. Effects of
residual COD content on microalgae growth during the post-treatment process were OBJECTIVES
investigated.
This study investigated the feasibility
FINDINGS of using an innovative hybrid treatment
Results showed that an effective concentration of artificial wastewater (with volume design to reduce the energy consumption
concentration factor: 6 folds) was achieved by simple FO pre-treatment. The presence in wastewater treatment, by using
of 0.5-3% residual COD obtained from simulated anaerobic treatment can enhance forward osmosis (FO) and microalgae
microalgae growth for nutrient removal, while significant growth inhibition of as pre- and post-treatment steps
microalgae was observed at higher residual COD levels i.e. 5-10%. of the anaerobic treatment process

ABOUT THE INVESTIGATOR respectively.

I am Rex CHIU, studying Environmental Engineering and Management. I am interested
in wastewater treatment process and carbon emission reduction. I hope to explore
more knowledge and gain experience in these areas after graduation. Under the
supervision of Dr. CHAN Cho Yin, I conducted an innovative treatment design in this
research study for improving the high energy consumption issue faced in conventional
wastewater treatment. The new wastewater treatment design can significantly help to
achieve carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability in the coming future.

Student Applied Research Presentations 2024 Student Applied Research Presentations 2024 17