| Title |
Ammonia recovery from brines originating from a municipal wastewater ion exchange process and valorization of recovered nitrogen into microbial protein |
| ID_Doc |
14252 |
| Authors |
Guida, S; Van Peteghem, L; Luqmani, B; Sakarika, M; McLeod, A; McAdam, EJ; Jefferson, B; Rabaey, K; Soares, A |
| Title |
Ammonia recovery from brines originating from a municipal wastewater ion exchange process and valorization of recovered nitrogen into microbial protein |
| Year |
2022 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.cej.2021.130896 |
| Abstract |
A hollow fibre membrane contactor (HFMC), and two vacuum thermal stripping processes, a rotary evaporator (VTS) and multi-component system (MVTS) were compared for their ability to recover ammonia (NH3) from ion exchange (IEX) regeneration brines. The IEX was a 10 m(3)/day demonstration scale plant fed with secondary municipal wastewater. The 10% potassium chloride regeneration brine was used multiple times leading to ammonium (NH4+-N) saturation (up to 890 mg N/L). When treating the saturated IEX brine, the highest NH3 mass transfer coefficient for the HFMC, MVTS and VTS were 0.6, 0.7 and 0.1 h(-1), respectively, compared to values between 1.7 and 3.5 h(-1), when treating a synthetic solution. The highest NH3 recovery was obtained with the HFMC (99.8%) and the ammonium sulphate produced was characterised for impurities, presenting high quality. Concentrated ammonium (NH4+-N) solutions (0.5-3.1 g N/L) were obtained from the MVTS and VTS processes. To further valorise the recovered NH4+-N solution produced from the MVTS process, this was used as a substrate for microbial protein (MP) production. Limited differences were observed for production rate (specific growth rate 0.092-0.40 h(-1)), protein yield (0.021-0.18 g protein/g acetate-COHconsumed) and protein content (0.073-0.87 g protein/g cell dry weight) between recovered and commercial nitrogen (N) sources, indicating that recovered N from IEX can serve as a substrate for MP production. This study demonstrates a comprehensive N management solution for wastewater applications, leading to a range recovered products. These combined technologies can contribute to the local economy, whilst delivering to the ambitious NET-ZERO and circular economy targets. |
| Author Keywords |
Ammonia recovery; Ion exchange; Regenerant brine; Liquid-gas-liquid mass transfer; Single cell protein |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:000729148000005 |
| WoS Category |
Engineering, Environmental; Engineering, Chemical |
| Research Area |
Engineering |
| PDF |
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