The Energy Efficiency of Domestic Wastewater Treatment Processes: Case Analysis

Abstract

T he energy efficiency of the domestic wastewater treatment process was evaluated by monitoring and recording the operating parameters of a wastewater treatment plant and processing the acquired data. Following the comparative analysis of the recorded data in a winter and in a summer month, it was found that the specific electricity consumption in the winter month (1,818 kWh/m3) was approx. 5.57% higher than the one registered in the summer month (9297 kWh/ m3), which is explained by the difference of approx. 8º C of biological processing t emperatures in those months. It was also found that the energy consumption of the related consumers to the biological stages of domestic wastewater treatment accounted for 67.9% (in winter) and 66.9% (in summer) of the total consumed electricity. Based on this finding, it can be concluded that a significant increase in energy efficiency, respectively, the reduction of specific electricity consumption in the process of domestic wastewater treatment, is possible through procedures for streamlining biological stages, respectively, by stimulating the microbiological activity of activated sludge (increasing the rate of metabolism of pollutants in wastewater). .,