Achieving energy self-sufficiency is critical for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to comply with rapidly changing environmental regulatory standards in a sustainable manner. Currently, a small percentage of WWTPs around the world produce energy for beneficial use and only a handful of these plants are energy self-sufficient. We propose three energy-positive wastewater treatment schemes and use quantitative analysis to assess their potentials for carbon and nitrogen removal and energy generation from municipal wastewater. This research identifies potential challenges in the selection and implementation of energy recovery process configurations and proposes practically feasible energy-positive wastewater treatment process configurations. Energy self-sufficiency can be achieved through biogas production while simultaneously minimizing the energy consumption for treatment. Furthermore, energy recovery can be enhanced in the near future (i) by increasing the COD capture in primary treatment to enhance energy production; (ii) by replacing activated sludge process with other less energy-intensive biological treatment technologies; and (iii) by increasing energy production from digesting supplementary feedstock in anaerobic codigestion (AD) schemes. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of three process schemes that progressively build upon the concept of transforming the conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (CAS-WWTP) into energy self-sufficient wastewater treatment facilities. These schemes also include a hypothetical but practically feasible WWTP configuration, which represents an alternative energy self-sufficient wastewater process scheme for future designs. An energy assessment tool for energy positive wastewater treatment systems. Enhanced carbon capture and codigestion allow for energy-positive treatment. Micro-sieving separation followed by HRAP system yields high energy gains.

中文翻译：

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近期能源自给自足的废水处理计划

实现能源自给自足对于污水处理厂 (WWTP) 以可持续的方式遵守快速变化的环境监管标准至关重要。目前，世界上一小部分污水处理厂生产用于有益用途的能源，而这些工厂中只有少数是能源自给自足的。我们提出了三个对能源有利的废水处理方案，并使用定量分析来评估它们从城市废水中去除碳和氮以及产生能量的潜力。本研究确定了选择和实施能量回收工艺配置方面的潜在挑战，并提出了切实可行的节能废水处理工艺配置。通过沼气生产可以实现能源自给，同时最大限度地减少处理能源的消耗。此外，在不久的将来，可以提高能源回收率 (i) 通过增加初级处理中的 COD 捕获以提高能源生产；(ii) 用其他能源密集度较低的生物处理技术取代活性污泥工艺；(iii) 通过在厌氧共消化 (AD) 方案中消化补充原料来增加能量生产。本文对三种工艺方案进行了定量分析，这些方案逐步建立在将传统活性污泥废水处理厂 (CAS-WWTP) 转变为能源自给式废水处理设施的概念之上。这些方案还包括一个假设但实际可行的污水处理厂配置，它代表了未来设计的替代能源自给自足废水处理方案。一种能源积极废水处理系统的能源评估工具。增强的碳捕获和共消化允许进行能量积极的治疗。微筛分离，然后是 HRAP 系统，可产生高能量增益。