Prioritization of Early-Stage Research and Development of a Hydrogel-Encapsulated Anaerobic Technology for Distributed Treatment of High Strength Organic Wastewater

Zhang, Xinyi; Arnold, William A.; Wright, Natasha; Novak, Paige J.; Guest, Jeremy S.

doi:10.1021/acs.est.4c05389

Title: Prioritization of Early-Stage Research and Development of a Hydrogel-Encapsulated Anaerobic Technology for Distributed Treatment of High Strength Organic Wastewater

Journal Article · 25 October 2024 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c05389 · OSTI ID:2476566

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University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, IL (United States)
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

This study aims to support the prioritization of research and development (R&D) pathways of an anaerobic technology leveraging hydrogel-encapsulated biomass to treat high-strength organic industrial wastewaters, enabling decentralized energy recovery and treatment to reduce organic loading on centralized treatment facilities. To characterize the sustainability implications of early-stage design decisions and to delineate R&D targets, an encapsulated anaerobic process model was developed and coupled with design algorithms for integrated process simulation, techno-economic analysis, and life cycle assessment under uncertainty. Across the design space, a single-stage configuration with passive biogas collection was found to have the greatest potential for financial viability and the lowest life cycle carbon emission. Through robust uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, we found technology performance was driven by a handful of design and technological factors despite uncertainty surrounding many others. Hydraulic retention time and encapsulant volume were identified as the most impactful design decisions for the levelized cost and carbon intensity of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Encapsulant longevity, a technological parameter, was the dominant driver of system sustainability and thus a clear R&D priority. Ultimately, we found encapsulated anaerobic systems with optimized fluidized bed design have significant potential to provide affordable, carbon-negative, and distributed COD removal from high strength organic wastewaters if encapsulant longevity can be maintained at 5 years or above.

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Research Organization:: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0009501

OSTI ID:: 2476566

Journal Information:: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 44 Vol. 58; ISSN 0013-936X

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Prioritization of Early-Stage Research and Development of a Hydrogel-Encapsulated Anaerobic Technology for Distributed Treatment of High Strength Organic Wastewater

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