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An energy evaluation of coupling nutrient removal from wastewater with algal biomass production

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  • Sturm, Belinda S.M.
  • Lamer, Stacey L.

Abstract

Recently, several life cycle analyses of algal biodiesel from virtual production facilities have outlined the potential environmental benefits and energetic balance of the process. There are a wide range of assumptions that have been utilized for these calculations, including the addition of fertilizers and carbon dioxide to achieve high algal yields in open ponds. This paper presents an energy balance of microalgal production in open ponds coupled with nutrient removal from wastewater. Actual microalgal yields and nutrient removal rates were obtained from four pilot-scale reactors (2500gallons each) fed with wastewater effluent from a conventional activated sludge process for 6months, and the data was used to estimate an energy balance for treating the total average 12million gallons per day processed by the wastewater treatment plant. Since one of the most energy-intensive steps is the dewatering of algal cultures, several thickening and dewatering processes were compared. This analysis also includes the energy offset from removing nutrients with algal reactors rather than the biological nutrient removal processes typically utilized in municipal wastewater treatment. The results show that biofuel production is energetically favorable for open pond reactors utilizing wastewater as a nutrient source, even without an energy credit for nutrient removal. The energy content of algal biomass was also considered as an alternate to lipid extraction and biodiesel production. Direct combustion of algal biomass may be a more viable energy source than biofuel production, especially when the lipid content of dry biomass (10% in this field experiment) is lower than the high values reported in lab-scale reactors (50–60%).

Suggested Citation

  • Sturm, Belinda S.M. & Lamer, Stacey L., 2011. "An energy evaluation of coupling nutrient removal from wastewater with algal biomass production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(10), pages 3499-3506.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:88:y:2011:i:10:p:3499-3506
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2010.12.056
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    1. Ashlynn S. Stillwell & David C. Hoppock & Michael E. Webber, 2010. "Energy Recovery from Wastewater Treatment Plants in the United States: A Case Study of the Energy-Water Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-18, April.
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    1. Canter, Christina E. & Blowers, Paul & Handler, Robert M. & Shonnard, David R., 2015. "Implications of widespread algal biofuels production on macronutrient fertilizer supplies: Nutrient demand and evaluation of potential alternate nutrient sources," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 71-80.
    2. Cai, Ting & Park, Stephen Y. & Li, Yebo, 2013. "Nutrient recovery from wastewater streams by microalgae: Status and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 360-369.
    3. Raja Chowdhury & Nidia Caetano & Matthew J. Franchetti & Kotnoor Hariprasad, 2023. "Life Cycle Based GHG Emissions from Algae Based Bioenergy with a Special Emphasis on Climate Change Indicators and Their Uses in Dynamic LCA: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, January.
    4. Lucas Reijnders, 2013. "Lipid‐based liquid biofuels from autotrophic microalgae: energetic and environmental performance," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 2(1), pages 73-85, January.
    5. Salama, El-Sayed & Kurade, Mayur B. & Abou-Shanab, Reda A.I. & El-Dalatony, Marwa M. & Yang, Il-Seung & Min, Booki & Jeon, Byong-Hun, 2017. "Recent progress in microalgal biomass production coupled with wastewater treatment for biofuel generation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1189-1211.
    6. Bohutskyi, Pavlo & Chow, Steven & Ketter, Ben & Betenbaugh, Michael J. & Bouwer, Edward J., 2015. "Prospects for methane production and nutrient recycling from lipid extracted residues and whole Nannochloropsis salina using anaerobic digestion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 718-731.
    7. Abu-Ghosh, Said & Fixler, Dror & Dubinsky, Zvy & Iluz, David, 2015. "Energy-input analysis of the life-cycle of microalgal cultivation systems and best scenario for oil-rich biomass production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1082-1088.
    8. Ajeej, Amritha & Thanikal, Joseph V & Narayanan, C M & Senthil Kumar, R., 2015. "An overview of bio augmentation of methane by anaerobic co-digestion of municipal sludge along with microalgae and waste paper," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 270-276.
    9. Florian Delrue & Pablo David Álvarez-Díaz & Sophie Fon-Sing & Gatien Fleury & Jean-François Sassi, 2016. "The Environmental Biorefinery: Using Microalgae to Remediate Wastewater, a Win-Win Paradigm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, February.
    10. Cheah, Wai Yan & Ling, Tau Chuan & Show, Pau Loke & Juan, Joon Ching & Chang, Jo-Shu & Lee, Duu-Jong, 2016. "Cultivation in wastewaters for energy: A microalgae platform," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 609-625.
    11. Wang, Hongtao & Yang, Yi & Keller, Arturo A. & Li, Xiang & Feng, Shijin & Dong, Ya-nan & Li, Fengting, 2016. "Comparative analysis of energy intensity and carbon emissions in wastewater treatment in USA, Germany, China and South Africa," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 873-881.
    12. Fortier, Marie-Odile P. & Roberts, Griffin W. & Stagg-Williams, Susan M. & Sturm, Belinda S.M., 2014. "Life cycle assessment of bio-jet fuel from hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 73-82.
    13. Wakeel, Muhammad & Chen, Bin & Hayat, Tasawar & Alsaedi, Ahmed & Ahmad, Bashir, 2016. "Energy consumption for water use cycles in different countries: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 868-885.
    14. Zhang, Zijun & Kusiak, Andrew & Zeng, Yaohui & Wei, Xiupeng, 2016. "Modeling and optimization of a wastewater pumping system with data-mining methods," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 303-311.
    15. Selvaratnam, T. & Henkanatte-Gedera, S.M. & Muppaneni, T. & Nirmalakhandan, N. & Deng, S. & Lammers, P.J., 2016. "Maximizing recovery of energy and nutrients from urban wastewaters," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 16-23.
    16. Chowdhury, Raja & Freire, Fausto, 2015. "Bioenergy production from algae using dairy manure as a nutrient source: Life cycle energy and greenhouse gas emission analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1112-1121.
    17. Colin M. Beal & Robert E. Hebner & Michael E. Webber & Rodney S. Ruoff & A. Frank Seibert & Carey W. King, 2012. "Comprehensive Evaluation of Algal Biofuel Production: Experimental and Target Results," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(6), pages 1-39, June.
    18. Passos, Fabiana & Solé, Maria & García, Joan & Ferrer, Ivet, 2013. "Biogas production from microalgae grown in wastewater: Effect of microwave pretreatment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 168-175.
    19. Beck, M Bruce & Chen, Chen & Walker, Rodrigo Villarroel & Wen, Zongguo & Han, Jiangxue, 2023. "Multi-sectoral analysis of smarter urban nitrogen metabolism: A case study of Suzhou, China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 478(C).
    20. Rawat, I. & Ranjith Kumar, R. & Mutanda, T. & Bux, F., 2013. "Biodiesel from microalgae: A critical evaluation from laboratory to large scale production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 444-467.
    21. Jankowska, Ewelina & Sahu, Ashish K. & Oleskowicz-Popiel, Piotr, 2017. "Biogas from microalgae: Review on microalgae's cultivation, harvesting and pretreatment for anaerobic digestion," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 692-709.
    22. Velasquez-Orta, Sharon B. & Heidrich, Oliver & Black, Ken & Graham, David, 2018. "Retrofitting options for wastewater networks to achieve climate change reduction targets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 430-441.

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