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. 2017 Jan 10:141:182-193.
doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.09.033.

Emergy Analysis for the Sustainable Utilization of Biosolids Generated in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Natalia A Cano Londoño  1 , Darío Gallego Suárez  1 , Héctor I Velásquez  1 , Gerardo J Ruiz-Mercado  2
Affiliations

Emergy Analysis for the Sustainable Utilization of Biosolids Generated in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Natalia A Cano Londoño et al. J Clean Prod. .

Abstract

This contribution describes the application of an emergy-based methodology for comparing two management alternatives of biosolids produced in a wastewater treatment plant. The current management practice of using biosolids as soil fertilizers was evaluated and compared to another alternative, the recovery of energy from the biosolid gasification process. This emergy assessment and comparison approach identifies more sustainable processes which achieve economic and social benefits with a minimal environmental impact. In addition, emergy-based sustainability indicators and the GREENSCOPE methodology were used to compare the two biosolid management alternatives. According to the sustainability assessment results, the energy production from biosolid gasification is energetically profitable, economically viable, and environmentally suitable. Furthermore, it was found that the current use of biosolids as soil fertilizer does not generate any considerable environmental stress, has the potential to achieve more economic benefits, and a post-processing of biosolids prior to its use as soil fertilizer improves its sustainability performance. In conclusion, this emergy analysis provides a sustainability assessment of both alternatives of biosolid management and helps decision-makers to identify opportunities for improvement during the current process of biosolid management.

Keywords: Emergy; biosolid; fertilizer; gasification; indicator; sustainability.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Illustrative process flow diagram of the WWTP producing the biosolids selected for this study (Adapted from Rodas E. & Toro J., 2005).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Use of biosolids as fertilizer for silvopastoral soils.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Process flow diagram describing the biosolids gasification process by using a fluidized bed (adapted from Gros et al., 2008: Energy recovery from sewage sludge by means of fluidized bed gasification).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
An aggregated system diagram for describing the relationships between emergy components and pathways for the biosolids used as soil fertilizer for grass production. These emergy sources are discretized as renewable, nonrenewable, and imported inputs.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
An aggregated energy and material flow diagram for describing the relationships between emergy components and pathways for the energy recovery process of biosolids by fluidized bed gasification. These emergy sources are discretized as renewable, nonrenewable, and imported inputs.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Emergy comparison of the alternative for using the biosolids generated in a WWTP: (1) biosolids for soil fertilization and (2) biosolids for energy recovery by fluidized bed gasification.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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