scholarly journals An Integrated Industry-Based Methodology to Unlock Full-Scale Implementation of Phosphorus Recovery Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10632
Author(s):  
Augusto Bianchini ◽  
Jessica Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Phosphorus Recovery ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
P Recovery

The recovery of phosphorus (P) from waste streams in specific industrial processes could really contribute to a more sustainable P supply chain, which is considered critical due to its high-risk economic relevance and to negative impacts on the environment. Although more than 30 types of P recovery technologies are already available, their full-scale implementation is not widespread. To make solutions for P recovery in the industrial sector mainstream, it is necessary to change the perception of companies that own flows rich in P, often considered an issue. The lack of decision-making tools and methodologies to identify the optimal solution for specific cases limits the diffusion of P recovery technologies. To unlock this situation, this paper proposes an integrated industry-oriented methodology to facilitate knowledge transfer from the scientific community to the industrial sector, supporting companies in the evaluation of technical, economic, environmental and social benefits/risks of P recovery. The methodology, applied to an Italian case study, uses both innovative and consolidated tools to provide quantitative information at the firm level to investigate a closed P loop: starting from mapping P flows in the industrial process, the methodology guides companies in the choice of the most suitable option for its business strategy, providing data to evaluate the economic feasibility of the investment and some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess and monitor their efficiency in managing P. The methodology can be replicated in other contexts by both companies and consultants to explore and disseminate the opportunity to recover and reuse P from industries. The evaluation of the selected KPIs can be integrated into scientific analyses to compare solutions and to accelerate the shift from pilot to full-scale implementation of promising technologies. Finally, it can be used as an exercise for the training of new professionals in the P management sector.

Full-scale phosphorus recovery from digested wastewater sludge in Belgium – part II: economic opportunities and risks

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Geerts ◽  
Adrien Marchi ◽  
Marjoleine Weemaes
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Financial Risk ◽  
Financial Incentive ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Wastewater Sludge ◽  
Phosphorus Recovery ◽  
Digested Sludge ◽  
Positive Economic ◽  
Demonstration Plant ◽  
P Recovery

One of the options to recycle phosphorus (P) in the wastewater sector is to recover it as struvite crystals from digested sludge. Measurements on a full-scale demonstration plant in Leuven, Belgium, yielded a first indication of the profitability of struvite recovery, in function of different variables such as incoming PO43− concentration, MgCl2 dosing, improved dewaterability, etc. An uncertainty and sensitivity analysis was carried out. Although possible improvement in sludge dewaterability when recovering struvite from digested sludge has a positive economic amortization effect, it is at the same time the largest source of financial risk. A theoretical exercise showed that for struvite recovery from centrate, uncertainty would be lower, and the largest sensitivity would be attributed to ingoing PO43− concentration. Although struvite recovery from digested sludge is riskier, it is an investment with potentially a higher return than investment in struvite recovery from centrate. The article provides information for possible financial incentive schemes to support P-recovery.

Dutch analysis for P-recovery from municipal wastewater

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Roeleveld ◽  
P. Loeffen ◽  
H. Temmink ◽  
B. Klapwijk
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Practical Interest ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Phosphorus Recovery ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Fertilizer Industry ◽  
Dutch Study ◽  
End Products ◽  
P Recovery

There is a considerable practical interest in phosphorus recovery from water authorities, elementary P-industry, fertilizer industry and regulators in a number of countries. Due to a handful of full-scale plants worldwide, P-recovery can be seen as technically feasible. However, the economic feasibility of P-recovery from sewage can still be judged as dubious. The most important reason for this is that the prices of the techniques (in €/tonne P) are much higher compared to the prices of phosphate rock. In this paper an analysis is given to recover phosphate from municipal wastewater for the elementary P-industry Thermphos International B.V. and the fertiliser industry Amsterdam Fertilizers B.V. in The Netherlands. Several scenarios are evaluated and the end products of these scenarios are compared to the quality required by both industries. From a Dutch study it became clear that all end products from the final sludge treatment do not provide a good source of secondary phosphate. As a consequence of this, the most preferred possibility for P-recovery is to extract phosphate before sludge goes to the final sludge treatment. Different scenarios can be selected based on the position of P-recovery in the WWTP configuration, the type of P-recovery product, and the precipitation technique. Local conditions will determine which scenario is the most expedient. Because it is more realistic to judge a practical situation instead of theoretical estimations based on literature, some local situations have to be assessed in sufficient detail to gain more feeling for the expenses and possible savings of P-recovery. One important actor that should be involved in the process management around P-recovery, is the national government. Especially, the Government have the responsibility for sustainable development and should have attention for some stimulation of P-recovery in The Netherlands. Water authorities and the P- and fertilizer industry made already some good steps.

scholarly journals Sewage Sludge Treatment by Hydrothermal Carbonization: Feasibility Study for Sustainable Nutrient Recovery and Fuel Production

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2697
Author(s):  
Gabriel Gerner ◽  
Luca Meyer ◽  
Rahel Wanner ◽  
Thomas Keller ◽  
Rolf Krebs
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Phosphorus Recovery ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Nutrient Recovery ◽  
Waste Biomass ◽  
Sludge Treatment ◽  
Sewage Sludge Treatment

Phosphorus recovery from waste biomass is becoming increasingly important, given that phosphorus is an exhaustible non-renewable resource. For the recovery of plant nutrients and production of climate-neutral fuel from wet waste streams, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been suggested as a promising technology. In this study, digested sewage sludge (DSS) was used as waste material for phosphorus and nitrogen recovery. HTC was conducted at 200 °C for 4 h, followed by phosphorus stripping (PS) or leaching (PL) at room temperature. The results showed that for PS and PL around 84% and 71% of phosphorus, as well as 53% and 54% of nitrogen, respectively, could be recovered in the liquid phase (process water and/or extract). Heavy metals were mainly transferred to the hydrochar and only <1 ppm of Cd and 21–43 ppm of Zn were found to be in the liquid phase of the acid treatments. According to the economic feasibility calculation, the HTC-treatment per dry ton DSS with an industrial-scale plant would cost around 608 USD. Between 349–406 kg of sulfuric acid are required per dry ton DSS to achieve a high yield in phosphorus recovery, which causes additional costs of 96–118 USD. Compared to current sewage sludge treatment costs in Switzerland, which range between 669 USD and 1173 USD, HTC can be an economically feasible process for DSS treatment and nutrient recovery.

scholarly journals An MEA-Tuning Method for Design of the PID Controller

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongli Zhang ◽  
Lijun Zhang ◽  
Zhiliang Dong
Keyword(s):  
Pid Controller ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Design Feature ◽  
Parameter Tuning ◽  
Parallel Structure ◽  
Evolutionary Information ◽  
Tuning Method ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Global Optimal

The optimization and tuning of parameters is very important for the performance of the PID controller. In this paper, a novel parameter tuning method based on the mind evolutionary algorithm (MEA) was presented. The MEA firstly transformed the problem solutions into the population individuals embodied by code and then divided the population into superior subpopulations and temporary subpopulations and used the similar taxis and dissimilation operations for searching the global optimal solution. In order to verify the control performance of the MEA, three classical functions and five typical industrial process control models were adopted for testing experiments. Experimental results indicated that the proposed approach was feasible and valid: the MEA with the superior design feature and parallel structure could memorize more evolutionary information, generate superior genes, and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness for searching global optimal parameters. In addition, the MEA-tuning method can be easily applied to real industrial practices and provides a novel and convenient solution for the optimization and tuning of the PID controller.

scholarly journals Optimal Surface Aeration Control in Full-Scale Oxidation Ditches through Energy Consumption Analysis

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Qiu ◽  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Bing Li ◽  
Ji Li ◽  
Xiaoyuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Energy Model ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Aeration Control

Oxidation ditches are popularly used in rural areas and decentralized treatment facilities where energy deficiency is of concern. Aeration control technologies are well established for diffusion systems in order to improve energy efficiency, but there are still challenges in their application in oxidation ditches because surface aerators have unique characteristics with respect to oxygen transfer and energy consumption. In this paper, an integral energy model was proposed to include the energy, aeration, and fluidic effects of surface aerators, by which the energy for aeration of each aerator can be estimated using online data. Two types of rotating disks with different diameters (1800 mm and 1400 mm) were monitored in situ to estimate the model parameters. Furthermore, a feedforward–feedback loop control strategy was proposed using the concept of energy analysis and optimization. The simplified control system was implemented in a full-scale Orbal oxidation ditch, achieving an approximately 10% saving in full-process energy consumption. The cost–benefit analysis and carbon emission assessment confirmed the economic feasibility and environmental contribution of the control system. The energy model can help process designers and operators to better understand and optimally control the aeration process in oxidation ditches.

Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in a Developing Country Context: Evidence at the Firm Level from Ecuador

2018 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 1750005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Zapata
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Production Process ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Industrial Wastewater ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Wastewater Reuse ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Local Conditions

Wastewater reuse constitutes an alternative supply source of water. It not only increases the amount of water available but also reduces water pollution. The benefits and costs of this practice, and the public perception of reuse are the focus of several studies. However, the evidence on industrial wastewater reuse at the firm level remains scant. This paper is aimed at filling this gap by presenting evidence on the determinants of both wastewater treatment and reuse practices in a developing country context. I use firm level data from the Survey on Firms’ Environmental Practices of Ecuador. My results show that wastewater management in general, and reuse in particular, are still limited practices in the industrial sector of the country. My results suggest that firm’s decisions to treat and reuse depends on long-term firm’s characteristics, such as annual investment, the nature of the production process and local conditions, as well as the scale of production and water consumption. Volumes of wastewater treated and reused depend positively on the amount of water used in the production process and the firm’s annual level of investment or expenditure. The cost of the practice only affects the volume treated. The results suggest that targeting water-intensive industry sectors and the costs of wastewater treatment can play an important role for a more sustainable use of water in the industrial sector of Ecuador.

Job satisfaction in the global MNE: does distance matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-362
Author(s):  
Gwyneth Edwards ◽  
Abdulrahman Chikhouni ◽  
Rick Molz
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Multinational Enterprise ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Institutional Distance ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the relative institutional distance of the subsidiary from the multinational enterprise (MNE) headquarters influences job satisfaction in the subsidiary. The authors argue that job satisfaction in the MNE subsidiary will be influenced by the institutional distance between the firm’s home (headquarter) and host (subsidiary) countries, such that the greater the institutional distance, the less satisfied the subsidiary employees. The authors also argue that the degree of function interdependence (global vs local roles) will moderate this relationship, such that high interdependence will result in lower job satisfaction as distance increases. Design/methodology/approach Using data from a global high-tech Canadian MNE, consisting of over 15,000 employees located in 19 subsidiaries, the research undertakes an empirical investigation that identifies if and how job satisfaction varies between countries and tests the influence of subsidiary-level institutional distance from the headquarters on subsidiary-level job satisfaction, using a multilevel model. Findings The results demonstrate that subsidiary distance from the headquarters has a complex effect on subsidiary-level job satisfaction; in some distances, no effect is found, while in others, either some or all job satisfaction facets are affected (depending on the distance and facet) in both positive and negative ways. Unlike much of the past research on distance, which has treated distance as a barrier to be overcome or reduce (Stahl et al., 2016), the paper’s finding demonstrate that “negative” distance operates independently (and at varying strengths and significance) than “positive” distance, due to underlying mechanisms. Research limitations/implications There is a real opportunity to push ahead on linking international business strategy research with organizational theory and organizational behavior research. To do so, it requires not only a positive organizational scholarship approach (Stahl et al., 2016) but also methods that will allow researchers to study the influence of distance on mechanisms and processes, as opposed to stand-alone variables. The authors therefore suggest that future work in this area pursue qualitative methods as called for by Chapman et al. (2008). Practical implications Findings are surprising, in that results vary across job facets and distances. Practitioners need to therefore focus on the mechanisms that influence job satisfaction, not just differences and their potential negative impact. Originality/value The firm-level study provides a rich perspective on the complex way in which country-level differences influence subsidiary-level job satisfaction.

Application of the optimal network flow method to the problem of locomotive selection for freight trains on the Eastern Polygon

2019 ◽  
pp. 94-106
Author(s):  
Александр Борисович Шабунин ◽  
Андрей Куркенович Такмазьян
Keyword(s):  
Network Flow ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Global Optimum ◽  
Full Scale ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Test Cases ◽  
Processor Time ◽  
Flow Method ◽  
Optimal Network ◽  
Locomotive Assignment

Моделируется подбор тяговых ресурсов (локомотивов - в данном случае) для провоза грузовых поездов. В качестве входных данных рассматриваются маршрут поезда, время готовности поезда к отправлению, средняя скорость и вес поезда. Имеется множество локомотивов, обладающих грузоподъемностью и областью разрешенного действия. Цель - оптимально подобрать ресурс для каждого участка маршрута поезда. Решение ищется методом потока ресурсов минимальной суммарной стоимости через специально сконструированную сеть. Сеть построена на основе взвешенного орграфа из ребер графика поездов на линейных участках и ребер альтернативы, в процессе прохода по которым осуществляется “смена деятельности” локомотива (например, отцепление от одного поезда и подцепка к другому). Полученное решение обладает свойством глобальной оптимальности по времени. The selection of traction resources (locomotives) for the transport of freight trains is modelled. The input data are the train route, the readiness time of the train for departure, the average speed and weight of the train. In addition, there are many locomotives with a carrying capacity and an area of permitted action. The research objective is to optimally select a resource for each segment of the train route. The solution is sought by the resource flow method of the minimum total cost through a specially designed network. The network includes edges created from train schedule segments whose filling means locomotive assignment to train at the segment, and special alternative edges, passing through which a locomotive alternates its assignment. The algorithm for finding the optimal solution is the method of pushing through the pre-flow proposed by A. Goldberg and R. Tarjan. This is one of the fastest algorithms converging to a global optimum. Two test cases were investigated: a trivial one, out of six trains and three locomotives, and a more complicated one, which is a model example the size of 10% of the full scale model and consists of 150 trains. Full scale calculations provide planning of the freight transportation on the Eastern Operational domain of the Russian Railways. The model includes 1800 locomotives and about 3000 trains on the time horizon of 48 hours. Solution is found in less than 5 minutes of processor time for a PC powered by Intel(R) Pentium(R) G2010 2.80 GHz processor.

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