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Optimal design of distributed treatment systems for the effluents discharged to the rivers

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Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for the optimal synthesis of distributed treatment systems of effluents discharged into a main river to meet water discharge quality constraints. The methodology is based on a new superstructure that is formulated and solved as a multi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming model. A material flow analysis technique is used to track the pollutants through the watershed considering the combined effects of the inputs, outputs (i.e., agricultural, residential, industrial, and so on) and the chemical transformations. A disjunctive programming model is implemented for selecting the optimal location of the distributed treatment system. Prior to the optimization and based on the pollutants considered, a discretization approach is implemented to determine from simulation the removal efficiency and the unit cost of given configurations and operating conditions of the selected treatment units. Therefore, the optimization process determines the removal efficiency used to treat the effluents and the flow rate treated. Simultaneous minimization of the total annual cost of the distributed treatment system and the contaminant concentration of the discharge to the catchment of the watershed are considered as two objective functions. Three case studies (one in Mexico and two in Egypt) have been selected to illustrate the methodology. Results show that significant savings can be obtained when the distributed treatment system is implemented. Finally, the proposed methodology can be used for supporting governmental decisions (i.e., it provides the investment required for a specific water quality).

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Abbreviations

A i,j :

Area covered by effluent j in reach i (acre or ha)

CD i,j :

Concentration of agricultural discharges to the tributary j to the reach i (ppm)

CIND i,j :

Concentration of industrial discharge from the tributary i to the reach i (ppm)

CL i :

Concentration of total losses (filtration and evaporation) from the reach i (ppm)

CL i,j :

Concentration of total losses (filtration and evaporation) from tributary j (ppm)

CP i,j :

Concentration of precipitation discharged to the tributary j to the reach i (ppm)

CQ i :

Concentration of flow rate exit from the reach i (ppm)

CQ desired n(i) :

Limit for the desired concentration in some reaches

CQdis :

Pollutant concentration for the final disposal (ppm)

CQ i−1 :

Concentration of flow rate inlet to the reach i (ppm)

CS untreated i,j :

Concentration of residual wastewater discharged without treatment to the reach i for tributary j (ppm)

CS treated i,j :

Concentration of residual treated wastewater discharged to the reach i for tributary j (ppm)

CT i,j :

Concentration of discharge for the tributary j to the reach i (ppm)

CU i :

Concentration of water used from reaches i (ppm)

CU i,j :

Concentration of water used from tributary j discharge to reach i (ppm)

D i :

Direct discharges to the reach i (m3/s)

D i,j :

Agricultural discharges to the tributary j to the reach i (m3/s)

FC:

Fixed cost for interceptor x ($)

fs x :

Segregated flow rate from the wastewater of the tributary to the interceptor x

H i :

Total discharge (i.e., industrial + sanitary) to the reach r (m3/s)

H Y :

Operation time per year (h/year)

I :

Set for the reaches

IND i,j :

Industrial discharge from the tributary j to the reach i (m3/s)

J :

Set for the tributaries

k :

Kinetic constant for the degradation of the pollutant in the system

k f :

Factor used to annualize the capital costs (year−1)

L :

Set for the components

L i,j :

Total losses (filtration and evaporation) from tributary j (m3/s)

L i :

Total losses (filtration and evaporation) from the reach i (m3/s)

N i :

Total number of reaches

N(I):

Subset for specific reaches that require composition constraints

P i :

Precipitation discharged to the reach i (m3/s)

P i,j :

Precipitation discharged for the tributary j to the reach i (m3/s)

Q i :

Exit flow rate from the reach i (m3/s)

Q i−1 :

Inlet flow rate to the reach i (m3/s)

r i :

Reaction carried out in the reach i

r i,j :

Reaction carried out in the tributary j that discharges to the reach i

S untreated i,j :

Residual wastewater discharged without treatment to the reach i from tributary j (m3/s)

S treated i,j :

Residual treated wastewater discharged to the reach i for tributary j (m3/s)

T i,j :

Discharge for the tributary j to the reach i (m3/s)

TAC:

Total annual cost ($/year)

U i,j :

Water used from tributary j discharged to reach i (m3/s)

U i :

Water used from reach i (m3/s)

V i :

Volume for reach i (m3)

V i,j :

Volume for tributary j discharged to reach i (m3)

VCγ :

Variable cost for interceptor x ($/m3)

X :

Set for the interceptors

y i,j :

Binary variable associated to the existence of the treatment plant

z x :

Binary variable associated to the existence of the interceptor x

λ i,j :

Agricultural flow rate per area (m3/ha s)

α :

Efficiency factor to remove the pollutant for the interceptor j

β i,j :

Agricultural use of water from tributary i (m3/ha s)

Ω :

Small number

i :

Reach

j :

Tributary

l :

Number of components

n(i):

Reaches that requires a composition constraint

x :

Interceptor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, 58060, Mexico

    Oscar Burgara-Montero, José María Ponce-Ortega & Medardo Serna-González

  2. Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3122, USA

    Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi

  3. Adjunct Faculty at the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi

Authors
  1. Oscar Burgara-Montero
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  2. José María Ponce-Ortega
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  3. Medardo Serna-González
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  4. Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to José María Ponce-Ortega.

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Burgara-Montero, O., Ponce-Ortega, J.M., Serna-González, M. et al. Optimal design of distributed treatment systems for the effluents discharged to the rivers. Clean Techn Environ Policy 14, 925–942 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-012-0469-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-012-0469-2

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