Model-based evaluation and optimization of high-rate algae ponds for wastewater treatment at demonstrative scale
High-rate algae ponds (HRAP) for wastewater treatment have received great interest, as they are a microalgae-based treatment system that optimize the growth of microalgae, have less space requirements than facultative and maturation ponds and have proven to successfully treat a variety of wastewater...
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| Tipo de recurso: | tesis de maestría |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2020 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/334313 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/334313 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Sewage -- Purification Microalgae microalgae-based treatment system HRAP upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor nitrogen and phosphorus removal biomass growth mathematical modelling numerical simulations Aigües residuals -- Depuració Microalgues Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Enginyeria hidràulica, marítima i sanitària::Enginyeria sanitària |
| Sumario: | High-rate algae ponds (HRAP) for wastewater treatment have received great interest, as they are a microalgae-based treatment system that optimize the growth of microalgae, have less space requirements than facultative and maturation ponds and have proven to successfully treat a variety of wastewaters. A new demonstrative-scale HRAP (45 to 75 m3) is currently under construction at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the present study the performance of this HRAP is predicted by simulations employing the BIO_ALGAE 2 model, which has been adapted to the Reaction Engineering interface of the modelling software COMSOL. The influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT, from 3 to 8 d) and useful operational depth (0,3 or 0,5 m) was evaluated. The results showed that the best performance of the HRAP is achieved when operating with an HRT of 8 d, being slightly better when the depth was 0,5 m. With these conditions, the results suggest that the HRAP may be capable of accomplish with the Brazilian regulation for sewage treatment. Furthermore, the biomass produced could be harnessed for other purposes (as, for example, in the production of biogas or biofertilizer). However, when reducing the HRT under 8 d, the microalgal concentration in the system drastically decreases. |
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