This paper presents a pilot scale study of an algal-based sewage treatment and resource recovery (STaRR) system capable of treating municipal sewage and recovering its nitrogen- and phosphorous-content as fertilizer. Core components of the STaRR system include i) mixotrophic cultivation of algal biomass in settled sewage; ii) hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of the resulting algal biomass, and iii) processing of the products of HTL to recover energy in the form of biocrude and nutrients in the form of struvite. Performance of a pilot-scale STaRR system in recovering nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from settled sewage as struvite is documented and compared with that of existing and emerging technologies. Nutrient removal per unit energy input in the STaRR system is estimated as 257.1 g N/kWh and 36.6 g P/kWh while that in eight full-scale sewage treatment plants (STPs) averaged 74.3 g N/kWh and 135.1 g P/kWh. Energy required to treat primary effluent in the STaRR system (531.5 kWh/MG) is estimated to be lower than the average in the 8 STPs (1,037.9 ± 503.3 kWh/MG). While existing technologies had been originally designed for removal of nutrients rather than any recovery, a review of the literature revealed 12 emerging technologies for nutrient recovery. Nutrient recovery performance of the STaRR system (5.9% N and 71.6% P) is shown to be superior to that of those 12 emerging technologies. Recoveries recorded in the STaRR system translate to a yield of 2.4 kg struvite per 100 m³ of primary effluent. Results of this study imply that the STaRR system deserves due consideration as a greener and sustainable pathway for nutrient removal and recovery from sewage.

本文介绍了基于藻类的污水处理和资源回收（STaRR）系统的中试规模研究，该系统能够处理市政污水并回收其氮和磷含量作为肥料。STaRR系统的核心组件包括：i）混合污水中沉淀污水中藻类生物质的培养；ii）产生的藻类生物质的水热液化（HTL），和iii）加工HTL的产品以回收生物原油形式的能量和鸟粪石形式的营养物。记录了中试规模的STaRR系统以鸟粪石形式从沉降的污水中回收氮（N）和磷（P）的性能，并将其与现有技术和新兴技术进行了比较。STaRR系统中每单位能量输入的营养去除量估计为257.1 g N / kWh和36。P / kWh为6 g P / kWh，而八个大型污水处理厂（STP）的平均值为74.3 g N / kWh和135.1 g P / kWh。据估计，处理STaRR系统中的主要废水所需的能量（531.5 kWh / MG）低于8个STP中的平均值（1,037.9±503.3 kWh / MG）。虽然现有技术最初是为去除营养而不是任何营养而设计的，但是对文献的回顾显示了12种新兴的营养恢复技术。结果表明，STaRR系统的养分回收性能（氮含量为5.9％，磷含量为71.6％）优于这12种新兴技术。STaRR系统中记录的回收率相当于每100 m产生2.4千克鸟粪石 估计5 kWh / MG）低于8个STP中的平均值（1,037.9±503.3 kWh / MG）。虽然现有技术最初是为去除营养而不是任何营养而设计的，但是对文献的回顾显示了12种新兴的营养恢复技术。结果表明，STaRR系统的养分回收性能（氮含量为5.9％，磷含量为71.6％）优于这12种新兴技术。STaRR系统中记录的回收率相当于每100 m产生2.4千克鸟粪石 5 kWh / MG）估计低于8个STP中的平均值（1,037.9±503.3 kWh / MG）。虽然现有技术最初是为去除营养而不是任何营养而设计的，但是对文献的回顾显示了12种新兴的营养恢复技术。结果表明，STaRR系统的养分回收性能（氮含量为5.9％，磷含量为71.6％）优于这12种新兴技术。STaRR系统中记录的回收率相当于每100 m产生2.4千克鸟粪石 6％的P）被证明优于这12种新兴技术。STaRR系统中记录的回收率相当于每100 m产生2.4千克鸟粪石 6％的P）被证明优于这12种新兴技术。STaRR系统中记录的回收率相当于每100 m产生2.4千克鸟粪石³主要废水。这项研究的结果表明，应将STaRR系统作为从污水中去除和回收营养物的绿色和可持续途径，应予以适当考虑。