Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial optimization of operating microalgae bioreactor for nitrogen removal and electricity saving

  • Thematic Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Various biological nitrogen removal processes have been developed for energy saving in the municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP). Recently, a nitrogen removal method using microalgae is emerging as an innovative method. This study has addressed how much of nitrogen was removed by microalgae and how much of electric energy was saved at the same time. For the verification purpose, a long term operation was carried out in a round shape reactor to identify an optimum condition of the highest energy saving rate along with the highest nitrogen removal rate, determined by adjusting time using a light emitting diode (LED) to activate photosynthesis reaction of microalgae and aeration time in a laboratory scale. As a result, it was found that 6.6% or up to 23.8% of energy was saved with biological reaction of microalgae, compared with the traditional nitrogen removal process based on nitrification–denitrification. This indicated that the operation can be flexibly conducted according to the specific operating conditions from each MWTP and its own target energy independence rate, and the findings can be used as a base data for applying such methods using microalgae to the actual treatment plant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Glass microfiber filters please delete.

References

  • APHA (American Public Health Association) (2012) Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water. American Public Health Association, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagchi S, Biswas R, Nandy T (2012) Alkalinity and dissolved oxygen as controlling parameters for ammonia removal through partial nitritation and ANAMMOX in a single-stage bioreactor. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 37:871–876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-010-0744-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chia M, Lombardi A, Melao M (2013) Growth and biochemical composition of Chlorella vulgaris in different growth media. Ann Braz Acad Sci 85(4):1427–1438. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201393312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez A, Fernandez F, Canizares P, Rodrigo M, Pinar F, Lobato J (2014) Energy recovery of biogas from juice wastewater through a short high temperature PEMFC stack. Int J Hydrog Energy 39(13):6937–6943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.02.119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guven H, Ersahin M, Dereli R, Ozgun H, Isik I, Ozturk I (2019) Energy recovery potential of anaerobic digestion of excess sludge from high-rate activated sludge systems co-treating municipal wastewater and food waste. Energy 172:1027–1036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.01.150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Im J, Gil K (2015) Effects of the influent ammonium nitrogen concentration on nitrite accumulation in a biological nitritation process. Environ Earth Sci 73(8):4399–4404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3724-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Im J, Jung J, Bae H, Kim D, Gil K (2014) Correlation between nitrite accumulation and the concentration of AOB in a nitritation reactor. Environ Earth Sci 72(1):289–297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3285-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaneko K, Fujiwara K, Kimura Y, Kurata K (2006) Effect of blue-light PPFD percentage in red and blue LED low-light irradiation during storage on the contents of chlorophyll and rubisco in grafted tomato plug seedlings. Jpn Soc Environ Control Biol 44(4):309–314. https://doi.org/10.2525/ecb.44.309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang D (2016) Advanced wastewater treatment by microalgae-bacteria consortium. Dissertation, Myungji University

  • Kim T (2013) A development of next-generation advanced wastewater treatment system using microalgae and LED light source. Dissertation, Kyunghi University

  • Kim D, Kim S, Oh Y, Park C (2013) A study on optimal treatment conditions and operational characteristics of nutrient removal using microalgae. J Korean Soc Urban Environ 13(1):43–50. https://doi.org/10.4995/thesis/10251/59409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim D, Kim B, Choi J, Kang Z, Kim H (2014) The effect of microalgal growth on nutrient sources using microalgal small scale raceway pond (SSRP) for biodiesel production. Korean J Microbiol 50(4):313–318. https://doi.org/10.7845/kjm.2014.4076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C, Lee S, Ko S, Oh H, Ahn C (2015) Effects of photoperiod on nutrient removal, biomass production, and algal-bacterial population dynamics in lab-scale photobioreactors treating municipal wastewater. Water Res 68:680–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.10.029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marcin D, Marcin Z, Marta K (2016) Efficiency of methane fermentation of waste microalgae biomass (WMAB) collected in processes of reclamation of eutrophicated water reservoirs. Environ Earth Sci 75:525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5168-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Min B, Hur S (2015) Optimum culture condition on four species of microalgae used as live food for seedling production of bivalve. Korean J Malacol 31(1):35–41. https://doi.org/10.9710/kjm.2015.31.1.35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environment (2017) Sewerage statistics, Sejong City, Korea

  • Park J (2008) Energy saving technologies for sewage treatment plant. Mag Soc Air-Conditioning Refrig Eng Korea 37(8):70–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Raschke RL (1993) Guidelines for assessing and predicting eutrophication status of small southeastern piedmont impoundments. In: Georgia Water Resources Conference, Athens, Georgia, pp 1–4

  • Sebastian B, Dahmke A, Kolditz O (2017) Subsurface energy storage: geological storage of renewable energy - capacities, induced effects and implications. Environ Earth Sci 76:695. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7007-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger G, Hentschke C, Neis U, Ergünsel A, Pereira R, Gere P, Víg A, Lele I, Lele Zule M, Thiebeaut J, Cludts M, Gregoire M (2011) Combined ALgal and BActerial waste water treatment for high environmental QUAlity effluents (ALBAQUA). PTS Research Report

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (No. 2017R1D1A1B06035481).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01811, South Korea

    Jiwon Lee & Kyungik Gil

Authors
  1. Jiwon Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kyungik Gil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kyungik Gil.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is a part of Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on Water Sustainability: A Spectrum of Innovative Technology and Remediation Methods, edited by Dr. Derek Kim, Dr. Kwang-Ho Choo, and Dr. Jeonghwan Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lee, J., Gil, K. Spatial optimization of operating microalgae bioreactor for nitrogen removal and electricity saving. Environ Earth Sci 79, 239 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-08983-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-08983-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation