Life Cycle Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emission Analysis for a Water Resource Recovery Facility in India

This paper quantifies life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) in India versus water quality improvements achieved from infrastructure investments. A first such analysis is conducted using operating data for a WRRF, which emp...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water environment research 2013-07, Vol.85 (7), p.621-631
Main Authors: Miller-Robbie, Leslie, Ramaswami, Anu, Kumar, Prasanna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biogas
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Carbon Dioxide - analysis
Chemical oxygen demand
Continental surface waters
developing cities
Electricity
energy
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gases - analysis
General purification processes
greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gases
India
Industrial Waste - analysis
International environmental cooperation
life cycle
Methane
Methods. Procedures. Technologies
Natural water pollution
Nitrogen
Others
Pollutant emissions
Pollution
upflow anaerobic sludge blanket
Various methods and equipments
Wastewater
Wastewater treatment
wastewater treatment plant
Wastewaters
Water pollution
Water Purification
Water quality
water resource recovery facility
Water Resources
Water treatment and pollution
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This paper quantifies life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) in India versus water quality improvements achieved from infrastructure investments. A first such analysis is conducted using operating data for a WRRF, which employs upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors and oxidation. On-site operations energy use, process GHG emissions, and embodied energy in infrastructure were quantified. The analysis showed energy use and GHG emissions of 0.2 watt-hours (Wh) and 0.3 gram carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalents per liter (gCO₂e/L) wastewater treated, and 1.3 Wh and 2.1 gCO₂e/gBOD removed, achieving 81% biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and 99% fecal coliform removal annually. Process emissions of WRRFs contributed 44% of life cycle GHG emissions, similar in magnitude to those from electricity (46%), whereas infrastructure contributed 10%. Average WRRF-associated GHG emissions (0.9gCO₂e/L) were lower than those expected if untreated wastewater was released to the river. Investments made by WRRFs in developing world cities improve water quality and may mitigate overall GHG emissions.
ISSN:1061-4303
1554-7531
DOI:10.2175/106143012X13560205144371