WASTE WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY, REUSE & ZLD

WASTE WATER TREATMENT

TECHNOLOGY, REUSE & ZLD
Assignment

23 -7 2020

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 WASTE WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY, REUSE & ZLD

Contents
1 WASTEWATER TREATMENT.................................................................................................................2
1.1 Treatment Methods.....................................................................................................................2
1.2 Levels of wastewater treatment..................................................................................................3
1.3 Unit operations and processes used to remove constituents found in wastewater....................4
2 Sludge Free Waste Water Treatment..................................................................................................6
3 Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).................................................................................................................7
3.1 Factors that motivate the ZLD system are...................................................................................7
3.2 Different methods can be employed to achieve ZLD:..................................................................7
3.3 A systematic ZLD is made up of the following components.........................................................7
3.4 Benefits of ZLD.............................................................................................................................8
3.5 Desalination technology advantage & Drawbacks.......................................................................8
4 Water Reuse......................................................................................................................................13
4.1 Basics of Water Reuse................................................................................................................13
4.2 Types of Water Reuse................................................................................................................13
4.3 Uses for Recycled Water............................................................................................................14
4.4 Why recycling water is important..............................................................................................15
4.5 The business benefits of water recycling...................................................................................15
4.6 Wastewater Reclamation Technology.......................................................................................16

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1 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Wastewater collected from municipalities and communities must ultimately be
returned to receiving waters or to the land or reused. The complex question facing
the design engineer and public health officials is: What levels of treatment must be
achieved in a given application beyond those prescribed by discharge permits to
ensure protection of public health and the environment? The answer to this
question requires detailed analysis of local conditions and needs, application of
scientific knowledge and engineering judgment based on past experience, and
consideration of federal, state, and local regulations. In some cases, a detailed risk
assessment may be required. An overview of wastewater treatment is provided in
this section. The reuse and disposal of bio solids, vexing problems for some
communities, are discussed in the following section.

1.1 Treatment Methods

Methods of treatment in which the application of physical forces predominate are

known as unit operations. Methods of treatment in which the removal of
contaminants is brought about by chemical or biological reactions are known as
unit processes. At the present time, unit operations and processes are grouped
together to provide various levels of treatment known as preliminary, primary,
advanced primary, secondary (without or with nutrient removal), and advanced (or
tertiary) treatment (see Table). In preliminary treatment, gross solids such as large
objects, rags, and grit are removed that may damage equipment. In primary
treatment, a physical operation, usually sedimentation, is used to remove the
floating and settleable materials found in wastewater. For advanced primary
treatment, chemicals arc added to enhance the removal of suspended solids and. to

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a lesser extent, dissolved solids. In secondary treatment, biological and chemical

processes are used to remove most of the organic matter. In advanced treatment,
additional combinations of unit operations and processes are used to remove
residual suspended solids and other constituents that are not reduced significantly
by conventional secondary treatment. A listing of unit operations and processes
used for.

1.2 Levels of wastewater treatment

Treatment level Description

Preliminary Removal of wastewater constituents such as rags, sticks, floatables, grit, and grease
that may cause maintenance or operational problem with the treatment operations,
processes, and ancillary systems.

Primary Removal of a portion of the suspended solids and organic matter from
the wastewater
Advanced primary Enhanced removal of suspended solids and organic matter from the Wastewater.
Typically accomplished by chemical addition or filtration

Secondary Removal of biodegradable organic matter (in solution or suspension) and suspended
solids. Disinfection is also typically included in the definition of conventional
secondary treatment

Secondary with Removal of biodegradable organics, suspended solids, and

nutrient removal nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, or both nitrogen and phosphorus)

Tertiary Removal of residual suspended solids (after secondary treatment), usually by granular
medium filtration or micro screens. Disinfection is also typically a part of tertiary
treatment. Nutrient removal is often included in this definition.

Advance Removal of dissolved and suspended materials remaining after normal

biological treatment when required for various water reuse
applications

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1.3 Unit operations and processes used to remove constituents found in

wastewater
Constituents Unit Operation & Process
Suspended solids  Screening
 Grit removal
 Sedimentation
 High-rate clarification
 Flotation
 Chemical precipitation
 Depth filtration
 Surface filtration
Biodegradable  Aerobic suspended growth variations
organics  Aerobic attached growth variations
 Anaerobic suspended growth variations
 Anaerobic attached growth variations
 Lagoon variations
 Physical-chemical systems
 Chemical oxidation
 Advanced oxidation
 Membrane filtration
Nitrogen  Chemical oxidation (breakpoint chlorination)
 Suspended-growth nitrification and denitrification variations
 Fixed-film nitrification and denitrification variations
 Air stripping
 Ion exchange
Phosphorus  Chemical treatment
 Biological phosphorus removal
Nitrogen and  Biological nutrient removal variations
phosphorus
Pathogens  Chlorine compounds
 Chlorine dioxide
 Ozone
 Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Colloidal and  Membranes
dissolved solids  Chemical treatment
 Carbon adsorption
 Ion exchange
Volatile organic  Air stripping
compounds  Carbon adsorption
 Advanced oxidation
Odors  Chemical scrubbers
 Carbon adsorption
 BioFilter
 Compost filters

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Preliminary

Advance Primary

Lavels of
Wastewater
Advanced
Tertiary Treatment primary

Secondary
with
Secondary
Nutrient
removal

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2 Sludge Free Waste Water Treatment

Sludge treatment and management is a growing challenge for treatment plants

globally. The cost of sludge treatment constitutes approximately half of the cost of
wastewater treatment, and the quantities increase as new wastewater treatment
facilities are built and the existing ones are upgraded to keep up with the growing
population and stricter regulations that require more treatment. A major
environmental challenge for wastewater treatment is the disposal of excess sludge
produced during the process.

Global sludge quantities continue to increase, and sludge generation in the USA
and Europe is estimated to be approximately 7 million and 10 million dry tons per
year. Generation rates vary widely between developed and developing regions in
the world, but even in Europe large variations can be seen among countries. For
example, Malta produces the lowest (0.5 g dry solids per population equivalent per
day) and Austria the highest (97 g dry solids per population equivalent per day)
sludge quantities in Europe, which can be explained by the differences in their
regulations and processes used for wastewater and sludge treatment. Overall, we
have seen a continuous increase in sludge generation in the past decade with the
exception of Germany, which was able to reduce its sludge from 2.5 million to 2
million dry tons per year .

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3 Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)

Zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) is a water treatment process in which all wastewater is purified and
recycled; therefore, leaving zero discharge at the end of the treatment cycle. Zero liquid
discharge is an advanced wastewater treatment method that includes ultrafiltration, reverse
osmosis, evaporation/crystallization, and fractional electrode ionization.

Not every industrial facility that produces wastewater will require zero liquid discharge (ZLD). It
is usually looked to as a last resort because it can be a complex process that requires a high initial
investment.

If a facility is located on a site that has severe water scarcity issues and/or astronomical discharge
fees, it might be worthwhile to pursue, but in the instances it’s not mandated (some local and/or
federal regulations might require ZLD), careful consideration must be made as to whether or not
it will benefit your facility.

3.1 Factors that motivate the ZLD system are

1. Water scarcity
2. Water economics
3. Environmental regulations

3.2 Different methods can be employed to achieve ZLD:

1. Thermal process (evaporation)

2. Reverse osmosis: RO (membrane technology)
3. Electrodialysis
4. Forward osmosis
5. Membrane distillation

3.3 A systematic ZLD is made up of the following components

 Pretreatment (physicochemical and Biological)
 RO (membrane processes)
 Evaporator and crystallizer (thermal processes)

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3.4 Benefits of ZLD

 Wastewater discharge is avoided by recycling.

 Recovery of water and salt aids in reducing the cost of operation of ZLD.
 It promotes the sustainability of the industry and the environment at large.
 There is less use of water by the textile industry, which means water is available for other
purposes such as irrigation (agriculture) and domestic utilities.
 ZLD helps recover the environment.
 The sludge can be effectively used by the cement industry.

3.5 Desalination technology advantage & Drawbacks

Desalination Advantages Drawbacks

technology
Multistage flash – –
distillation (MSF) Well-established technology Cost and energy-intensive process, not
with application to shale gas suitable for small scale operations [68]
wastewater with large range of –
TDS contents Intensive use of scale inhibitors and
– cleaning agents
High-quality water product
(ultrapure water or freshwater)
–
Technical maturity
–
Possibility of using geothermal
or solar energy sources
Single/multiple-effect – –
evaporation with Well-established technology Energy-intensive process
mechanical vapor with Application to shale gas –
compression wastewater with large range of Usually operated by high-grade electric
(SEE/MEE-MVC) TDS contents (10– energy (for this reason, these systems
>220 k ppm) present high operating expenses and
– indirect GHGs emissions)
Brine discharge salinity up to –
300 k ppm TDS High capital costs, due to the expensive
– materials (stainless steel or titanium)
Use of less intensive required to prevent rusting
pretreatment processes, when
compared to membrane-based
technologies
–
High energy efficiency

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–
High-quality water product
(ultrapure water or freshwater)
–
Technical maturity
–
Modular feature
–
Heat exchangers and flashing
tanks can be used to further
enhance energy recovery,
reducing energy consumption
–
Possibility of using geothermal
or other renewable energy
sources, which allows to reduce
carbon footprint
Membrane distillation – –
(MD) Application to shale gas Energy-intensive process with energy
wastewater with high TDS consumption higher than RO and ED/EDR
contents (DCMD requires 40–45 kWht m− 3 for
– seawater desalination [56])
Brine discharge salinity higher –
than 200 k ppm TDS Heat integration (by using heat exchangers
– and brine recycling) is critical to enhance
Modular feature and operation at energy efficiency to competitive levels with
low temperature and pressure thermal systems [69]
– –
Low fouling propensity Membrane wetting potential
– –
Possibility of using low-grade Intensive pretreatment and use of cleaning
thermal energy, including agents and scale inhibitors [70,71]
geothermal or waste heat, which –
allows to reduce operating costs Limited to commercial applications
and carbon footprint
Forward osmosis – –
(FO) Application to shale gas Intensive pretreatment processes
wastewater with TDS contents (softening, pH adjustment, ultrafiltration,
up to 180 k ppm [77] ion exchange, etc.) to prevent operating
– problems related to fouling and scaling
Brine discharge salinities higher (however, these processes are less intensive
than 220 k ppm TDS and more economical than those required
– prior RO)
Modular feature –
– Regular membrane cleaning
Can be used for preconcentrating

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and pretreating wastewater prior

RO process
–
High rejection of many
contaminants
–
Propensity to membrane fouling
and scaling lower than RO
process (with reversible
membrane fouling)
–
Low electricity consumption
–
Possibility of using low-grade
thermal energy, including
geothermal or waste heat, which
allows to reduce operating costs
and carbon footprint
Reverse osmosis (RO) – –
Application to shale gas High propensity to membrane fouling and
wastewater with TDS contents scaling, which requires intensive
up to 40–45 k ppm [41,78] pretreatment processes (softening, pH
– adjustment, coagulant/flocculant addition,
High energy efficiency ultrafiltration, ion exchange, etc.) to
– prevent operating problems [83]
Technical maturity –
– Intensive use of antiscalants [84]
Modular feature and great –
adaptability to wastewater Inability to operate at high hydraulic
treatment plants with other pressure
technologies, including water –
pretreatment processes [41] Stand-alone RO systems are not able to
– operate at ZLD conditions: brine discharge
Can be used for preconcentrating salinity up to 70 k ppm TDS
wastewater prior energy- (crystallizer/evaporator should be included
intensive thermal processes [56] in the system) [56]
–
Low energy consumption of
~ 2 kWhe m− 3, for seawater
desalination [82]

Nanofiltration (NF) – –
Effective as softening for Not effective as stand-alone process for
subsequent wastewater treatment shale gas wastewater treatment
processes –
– Intensive pretreatment and scale inhibitors

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High water recovery

–
Energy consumption lower than
RO
–
Mature technology
Electrodialysis (ED) – –
and electrodialysis Application to high-salinity High energy consumption and related
reversal (EDR) wastewater operating costs when coupled to
– crystallizers/evaporators to achieve ZLD
Ability to achieve high brine conditions
salinities (TDS > 100 k ppm) –
– Regular membrane cleaning to maintain
Salt removal rate ~ 91% operational production ratios
(product water meets the –
requirements on water Inability to remove noncharged
reclamation) contaminants
–
Relatively simple operation and
maintenance
–
Low propensity to fouling
(especially with coagulation
pretreatment)
–
Long-term operation
–
Modular feature

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4 Water Reuse
4.1 Basics of Water Reuse
Water reuse (also commonly known as water recycling or water reclamation)
reclaims water from a variety of sources then treats and reuses it for beneficial
purposes such as agriculture and irrigation, potable water supplies, groundwater
replenishment, industrial processes, and environmental restoration. Water reuse
can provide alternatives to existing water supplies and be used to enhance water
security, sustainability, and resilience.

Water reuse can be defined as planned or unplanned. Unplanned water reuse refers
to situations in which a source of water is substantially composed of previously-
used water. A common example of unplanned water reuse occurs when
communities draw their water supplies from rivers, such as the Colorado River and
the Mississippi River, that receive treated wastewater discharges from
communities upstream.

Planned water reuse refers to water systems designed with the goal of beneficially
reusing a recycled water supply. Often, communities will seek to optimize their
overall water use by reusing water to the extent possible within the community,
before the water is reintroduced to the environment. Examples of planned reuse
include agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial process water, potable
water supplies, and groundwater supply management.

4.2 Types of Water Reuse

Sources of water for potential reuse can include municipal wastewater, industry
process and cooling water, storm water, agriculture runoff and return flows, and

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produced water from natural resource extraction activities. These sources of water
are adequately treated to meet “fit-for-purpose specifications” for a particular next
use.  "Fit-for-purpose specifications” are the treatment requirements to bring water
from a particular source to the quality needed, to ensure public health,
environmental protection, or specific user needs. For example, reclaimed water for
crop irrigation would need to be of sufficient quality to prevent harm to plants and
soils, maintain food safety, and protect the health of farm workers. In uses where
there is a greater human exposure water may require more treatment.

4.3 Uses for Recycled Water

Examples of water sources and use applications
Click to enlarge image

 Irrigation for agriculture

 Irrigation for landscaping such as parks, rights-of-ways, and golf courses
 Municipal water supply
 Process water for power plants, refineries, mills, and factories
 Indoor uses such as toilet flushing
 Dust control or surface cleaning of roads, construction sites, and other
trafficked areas
 Concrete mixing and other construction processes
 Supplying artificial lakes and inland or coastal aquifers

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4.4 Why recycling water is important

Recycling water allows us to continually reuse one of our most vital resources.
Water recycling removes contaminants from wastewater and allows it to re-enter
local water systems for use in homes and businesses. Recycling water ensures that
the water is safe for consumption and other practical uses. 

4.5 The business benefits of water recycling

Investing in a water recycling system has the dual benefit of reducing costs and
expanding revenue. Many industries use large amounts of water during operational
and site activities, which can be wasteful and environmentally damaging. Water
recycling systems offer companies an opportunity to reduce water related
expenses, as well as market their services to environmentally conscious customers.

Clean water is dedicated to helping you recycle and harvest water. To keep your
business efficient and compliant, learn more about our leading water recycling
solutions.

Water recycling is the process of treating waste water and reusing it. Recycled
water can be reused for the same process, for irrigation or as an alternative to
mains water in wash-down applications. Water recycling systems will vary
according to the quality of waste water to be treated and the intended application
for the water.

The process may involve the use of an oil and water separator, a filtration system, a
detergent removal unit and a sanitation unit. Clean water

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4.6 Wastewater Reclamation Technology

Treatment processes in wastewater reclamation are employed either singly or in

combination to achieve reclaimed water quality goals. Considering the key unit
processes and operations commonly used in water reclamation (see Figure 4-1),
an almost endless number of treatment process flow diagrams can be developed
to meet the water quality requirements of a certain reuse application.

Many factors may affect the choice of water reclamation technology. Key factors
include the type of

 Water reuse application,

 Reclaimed water quality objectives,
 The wastewater characteristics of the source water,
 Compatibility with existing conditions,
 Process flexibility,
 Operating and maintenance requirements,
 Energy and chemical requirements,
 Personnel and staffing requirements,
 Residual disposal options,
 Environmental constraints.

Decisions on treatment design are also influenced by water rights, economics,

institutional issues, and public confidence. The relative importance of some of
these factors is likely going to change in the future. With the current desire to
limit greenhouse gas emissions and introduction of carbon taxes, energy-intense
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processes likely will be viewed much less favorable than today. This chapter
focuses on treatment processes—characterized as preliminary, primary,
secondary, and advanced and including both natural and engineered processes—
that can be used to meet water quality objectives of a reuse project and their
treatment effectiveness. The efficiency in removing certain constituent classes,
energy requirements, residual generation, and costs of these treatment processes
are qualitatively Economic, social, and institutional considerations that also
influence the choice of reclamation technologies.

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