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Life-Cycle Cost and Environmental Assessment of Decentralized Nitrogen Recovery Using Ion Exchange from
Olga Kavvada1,2, William A Tarpeh1,2, Arpad Horvath1,2
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California , Berkeley, California 94720-1710, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology
|September 27, 2017
Summary
This study shows a decentralized nitrogen recovery system using ion exchange of urine is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than traditional wastewater treatment. The process, while impacted by sulfuric acid production, offers lower energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Sustainable Resource Management
Background:
- Increasingly stringent nitrogen discharge regulations necessitate advanced wastewater treatment solutions.
- Conventional centralized wastewater treatment struggles with high nitrogen loads, impacting aquatic ecosystems.
- Source-separated urine presents a concentrated nitrogen stream amenable to recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the life-cycle cost and environmental impact of a decentralized ion exchange system for nitrogen recovery from source-separated urine.
- To compare this innovative approach against traditional centralized nitrogen management (nitrification-denitrification).
- To model and analyze the logistics and impacts of transporting urine and regenerating ion exchange resins.
Main Methods:
- Life-cycle assessment (LCA) framework incorporating spatial analysis and detailed last-mile logistics modeling.
- System-scale evaluation of a decentralized ion exchange process for urine nitrogen recovery.
- Case study application using San Francisco's urban density to assess transportation and facility location impacts.
Main Results:
- Sulfuric acid production for resin regeneration was the primary driver of energy intensity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, not transportation.
- Energy, GHG emissions, and cost were not significantly sensitive to the number of regeneration facilities.
- Decentralized approach demonstrated lower cost, unit energy, and GHG emissions compared to centralized nitrification-denitrification when fertilizer production offsets were considered.
Conclusions:
- Decentralized ion exchange for nitrogen recovery from urine is a viable and potentially superior alternative to centralized wastewater treatment.
- The economic and environmental performance is primarily linked to resin regeneration chemistry rather than transportation logistics in dense urban settings.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for sustainable nitrogen management and fertilizer production, mitigating environmental pollution.
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