Optimizing adjacent technologies for physical and/or functional integration with UV-based technologies

This research project is directed towards the assessment and development of technologies that will complement the UV technologies provided by Trojan Technologies for water/wastewater treatment. A novel liquid-solid circulating fluidized bed bioreactor (CFBBR) developed at the University of Western Ontario in collaboration with Trojan Technologies has generated a wide interest for commercial application for biological nutrient removal (BNR) from wastewater. A generic high solids retention time in the CFBBR primarily due to the attached biomass would enhance degradation/removal of the emerging contaminants (ECs) during biological treatment of wastewaters. Carbamazepine, biphenol A, and estradiol have been selected to study potential removal of the ECs in the CFBBR during nutrient removal from municipal wastewater. A process modeling software, CPSX 6.0, is being used to validate process configuration and unit operation in generating the desired effluent quality. Cost modules have been developed for an average daily flow of 2/6 MGD for different BNR processes employing designed reactor sizes in CapDet Works 2.5. Initially, the economic evaluation has been focused to meet secondary effluent criteria coupled with stringent nutrient limits. Further economic evaluation will be conducted for tertiary effluent quality considering additional costs for filtration and disinfection units.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. George Nakhla

Student:

Nabin Chowhury

Partner:

Trojan Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Western University