Graduation Date
Fall 2017
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Energy, Technology, and Policy
Committee Chair Name
Andrea Achilli
Committee Chair Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Second Committee Member Name
Kerri Hickenbottom
Second Committee Member Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Third Committee Member Name
Kevin Fingerman
Third Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Membrane, Arcata, Algae, Biofuel, Osmotic, Microalgae
Subject Categories
Wastewater Utilization
Abstract
A novel wastewater treatment system was investigated using forward osmosis membranes to treat municipal wastewater. Treatment by forward osmosis was determined to cost $10 million per million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater capacity over a 20-year lifetime, with an energy consumption of 870 kWh per million gallons. A case study at the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Plant was conducted to investigate a treatment system that combines energy recovery from algae biomass with forward osmosis membrane treatment using local seawater as a draw solution. Total system cost was calculated to be $29.7 million over a 20-year lifetime with a 2.3 MGD capacity. Energy recovery was found to offset the parasitic energy requirements of the system and produce an excess of 1,200 MWh annually. This research demonstrates a proof-of-concept study on the techno-economic feasibility of forward osmosis membranes to (1) treat municipal wastewater and (2) concentrate wastewater for energy recovery via anaerobic digestion of algae biomass.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Buckwalter, Patrick William, "Forward osmosis for wastewater treatment and energy recovery: a techno-economic analysis" (2017). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 84.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/84
Included in
Natural Resource Economics Commons, Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons, Sustainability Commons