• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.55-68
• /
• 2020

Because of the intensified environmental problems such as climate change and resource depletion, sewage treatment technology focused on energy management has recently attracted attention. The conversion of primary sludge from the primary sedimentation tank and excessive sludge from the secondary sedimentation tank into biogas is the key to energy-positive sewage treatment. In particular, the primary sedimentation tanks recover enriched biodegradable organic matter and anaerobic digestion process produces methane from the organic wastes for energy production. Such technologies for minimizing oxygen demand are leading the innovation regarding sewage treatment plants. However, sewage treatment facilities in Korea lack core technology and operational know-how. Actually, the energy potential of sewage is higher than sewage treatment energy consumption in the sewage treatment, but current processes are not adequately efficient in energy recovery. To improve this, it is possible to apply chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT), high-rate activated sludge (HRAS), and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) to the primary sedimentation tank. To maximize the methane production of sewage treatment plants, organic wastes such as food waste and livestock manure can be digested. Additionally, mechanical pretreatment, thermal hydrolysis, and chemical pretreatment would enhance the methane conversion of organic waste. Power generation systems based on internal combustion engines are susceptible to heat source losses, requiring breakthrough energy conversion systems such as fuel cells. To realize the energy positive sewage treatment plant, primary organic matter recovery from sewage, biogas pretreatment, and co-digestion should be optimized in the energy management system based on the knowledge-based operation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.38 no.12
• /
• pp.676-682
• /
• 2016

In this study, rainwater-greywater hybrid system was installed and operated for 1 year in order to evaluate its water quantity, water quality, and economic efficiency in building no. 39. This system was expected to overcome each disadvantages of and maximize each advantages. Low-greywater that was washed up from shower room was treated by MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) and ozone oxidation. Rainwater that was collected from the rooftop was stored in a reservoir, and then transferred to the storage tank that was mixed with treated greywater. After 1 year operating in building no. 39, rainwater and greywater was used to supply $2,599m^3$ of toilet flushing water. In terms of water quality, rainwater was satisfied far the greywater reuse standards except for E.coli. Moreover, low greywater quality was acceptable except for E. coli, BOD, SS, and turbidity. In addition, economic analysis was obtained from benefit-cost ratio (B/C) with 1.11. It implies that the feasibility of the project was reasonable. Furthermore, various research and policy to improve the economic efficiency of water recycling facilities is required to expand the use of water recycling facilities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1113-1122
• /
• 2009

In order to find the way to solve the problem of sewage sludge discharge into the ocean, the sludge solubilization by ultrasonic and the improvement methods of wastewater treatment process were studied. In the membrane bioreactor the sludge retention time was stepwise increased from 5.1 day to 442 days where the biomass average concentration has been increased from $c_B$=3.4 $gTSSL^{-1}$ to $c_B$=14.5 $gTSSL^{-1}$ respectively. At the same time, the biomass yield coefficients were reduced from 0.5-0.7 at SRT=5.1 day to 0.005-0.007 at SRT=442 days which means the reduction of sludge production. Oxygen mass transfer coefficients and ${\alpha}$-factor were investigated with changing stirrer speed to find the relation between the high biomass concentration and aeration efficiency in the propeller loop reactor. As a result of sludge solubilization, the solubilization of sludge by ultrasound was increased with increasing energy input and it led to improved anaerobic digestion rate with more biogas production than that of nonsolubilized sewage sludge.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.7227-7236
• /
• 2015

The survey revealed that, due to the discharge characteristics of seafood wastewater, irregular inflow loads were caused, making it difficult to treat the wastewater safely. It is crucial for the operation of pressure and floating tanks for the treatment of high-concentration organic wastewater such as seafood wastewater. The survey of operation factors for the pressure and floating tanks revealed this: A/S ratio 0.05 (design criteria 0.01), the pressurized air pressure 8bar(design criteria 6bar), the pressure tank pressure 6bar (design criteria 4.5bar), and HRT 60sec(design criteria: 10sec). Also, the recirculation rate was changed to over 40%(design criteria: 30%), and the surface load rate was changed to under $13.7m^3/m^2{\cdot}hr$(design criteria: under $17.7m^3/m^2{\cdot}hr$); thus, compared to the initial design criteria, the operation factors were changed according to inflow characteristics, thus enhancing the pressure and floating tank performance. The survey of inflow load revealed BOD 140.7%, $COD_{Mn}$ 120.32%, and SS 106.3%, compared to the inflow design criteria, as well as T-N 135.5% and T-P173.3%, higher than the design criteria. The survey of the treatment facility annual operation cost revealed high portions in sludge treatment cost(27.7%) and chemicals costs(26.0%), and the sludge treatment cost will likely further increase due to the ban on ocean dumping. The unit cost for the treatment of seafood wastewater was found to be KRW 3,858 per ton, more than 27 times higher than the sewage treatment cost(KRW 142.6/ton), presumably because the seafood wastewater contains high-concentration organic substances and nutritive salts.