Effects of hydraulic retention time on net present value and performance in a membrane bioreactor treating antibiotic production wastewater

doi:10.1007/s11783-020-1280-7

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2020, Vol. 14

Issue (6) : 101 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1280-7

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effects of hydraulic retention time on net present value and performance in a membrane bioreactor treating antibiotic production wastewater

Dawei Yu^1,^2,³, Jianxing Wang^1,^2,³, Libin Zheng^1,^2,³, Qianwen Sui^1,^2,³, Hui Zhong^1,^2,³, Meixue Cheng^1,^2,³, Yuansong Wei^1,^2,³(

)

¹. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
². Department of Water Pollution Control Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
³. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

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Abstract

• The membrane bioreactor cost decreased by 38.2% by decreasing HRT from 72 h to 36 h.

• Capital and operation costs contributed 62.1% and 37.9% to decreased costs.

• The membrane bioreactor is 32.6% cheaper than the oxidation ditch for treatment.

• The effluent COD also improved from 709.93±62.75 mg/L to 280±17.32 mg/L.

• Further treatment also benefited from lower pretreatment investment.

A cost sensitivity analysis was performed for an industrial membrane bioreactor to quantify the effects of hydraulic retention times and related operational parameters on cost. Different hydraulic retention times (72–24 h) were subjected to a flat-sheet membrane bioreactor updated from an existing 72 h oxidation ditch treating antibiotic production wastewater. Field experimental data from the membrane bioreactor, both full-scale (500 m³/d) and pilot (1.0 m³/d), were used to calculate the net present value (NPV), incorporating both capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure. The results showed that the tank cost was estimated above membrane cost in the membrane bioreactor. The decreased hydraulic retention time from 72 to 36 h reduced the NPV by 38.2%, where capital expenditure contributed 24.2% more than operational expenditure. Tank construction cost was decisive in determining the net present value contributed 62.1% to the capital expenditure. The membrane bioreactor has the advantage of a longer lifespan flat-sheet membrane, while flux decline was tolerable. The antibiotics decreased to 1.87±0.33 mg/L in the MBR effluent. The upgrade to the membrane bioreactor also benefited further treatments by 10.1%–44.7% lower direct investment.

Keywords Antibiotic production wastewater Net present value Membrane bioreactor Hydraulic retention time Pollutant removal

Corresponding Author(s): Yuansong Wei

Issue Date: 03 July 2020

Cite this article:

Dawei Yu,Jianxing Wang,Libin Zheng, et al. Effects of hydraulic retention time on net present value and performance in a membrane bioreactor treating antibiotic production wastewater[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2020, 14(6): 101.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-020-1280-7
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2020/V14/I6/101

Fig.1 Scheme of the oxidation ditch treating antibiotic production wastewater and its upgrade to the membrane bioreactor (MBR).

Parameter	Stage I	Stage II	Stage III	Stage IV	Stage V
Time of stage (d)	1–14	15–28	29–42	43–56	71–84
HRT (h)	72	60	48	36	24
T (°C)	24.8±1.6	27.3±0.7	28.0±1.3	29.7±0.5	28.1±1.3
pH	6.79±0.14	6.54±0.27	6.41±0.27	6.56±0.20	6.25±0.90
DO (mg/L)	4.52±0.29	3.67±0.65	3.60±0.80	3.61±1.00	4.35±2.11
SRT (d)	70d
MLSS (g/L)	4.47±0.82	3.74±0.24	3.96±0.07	3.82±0.01	4.95±0.77
MLVSS (g/L)	3.33±0.68	2.76±0.14	2.76±0.10	2.91±0.20	3.88±0.63
MLVSS/MLSS	0.74±0.02	0.73±0.01	0.69±0.01	0.76±0.05	0.78±0.01
Organic loading rate (kg_COD/kg_VSS/d)	0.08±0.04	0.13±0.02	0.18±0.01	0.19±0.01	0.38±0.04
NH₄⁺-N loading rate ( $g N H 4 + − N$ /kg_VSS/d)	0.016±0.00	0.024±0.00	0.035±0.00	0.047±0.00	0.094±0.02

Tab.1 Operating conditions of the MBR at different HRTs

Fig.2 CAPEX, OPEX, and NPV for the MBR treating antibiotic production wastewater during HRT optimization.

Tab.2 CAPEX, OPEX, and NPV for the MBR treating antibiotic production wastewater at HRT of 72 h and 36 h^*

Fig.3 NPV structure shifts during HRT optimized from 72 h to 36 h for MBR treating antibiotic production wastewater.

Fig.4 Performance of the pilot-scale MBR treating antibiotic wastewater: (a) COD, (b) ammonia, (c) TN, (d) TMP, and permeability flux.

Tab.3 Comparison of performance in both OD wastewater treatment station and pilot-scale MBR

Fig.5 3D-EEM of organic removal in pilot-scale MBR: (a) influent, (b) oxidation ditch effluent, (c) MBR effluent, (d) the total organic in influent, supernatant and permeate of the MBR.

Tab.4 Costs of hybrid processes including advanced treatment by Chinese direct investigation^* (€)

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