N2O and CH4 Emission from Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems

Jeff Foley; Zhiguo Yuan; Jurg Keller; Elena Senante; Kartik Chandran; John Willis; Anup Shah; Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht; Ellen van Voorthuizen

BOOK

N2O and CH4 Emission from Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems

(2015)

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Book Details

ISBN: 978-1-78040-734-0
Edition: 1
Language: English
Pages: 250
Subjects: The environment
Environmental science, engineering & technology
Water supply & treatment

Abstract

In a world where there is a growing awareness of the possible effects of human activities on climate change, there is a need to identify the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).
As a result of this growing awareness, governments started to implement regulations that require water authorities to report their GHG emissions. With these developments there exists a strong need for adequate insight into the emissions of N2O and CH4. With this insight water authorities would be able to estimate and finally reduce their emissions. The overall objectives of the different research programs performed by partners of the GWRC members WERF (United States of America), WSAA (Australia), CIRSEE-Suez (France) and STOWA (the Netherlands) were:

To define the origin of N2O emission.
To understand the formation processes of N2O.
To identify the level of CH4 emissions from wastewater collection and treatment systems.
To evaluate the use of generic emission factors to estimate the emission of N2O from individual plants

Section Title	Page	Action	Price
Cover	Cover
Contents	v
About the GWRC	xiii
Global cooperation for the exchange and generation of water knowledge	xiii
Preface	xv
Acknowledgement	xvii
Authors	xvii
Contributors	xviii
Summary	xix
BACKGROUND	xix
CURRENT KNOWLEDGE	xx
JOINT EFFORTS	xx
OBJECTIVES	xx
BOUNDARIES	xxi
Methodology	xxi
Results	xxii
Remaining knowledge gaps and future research	xxiii
Methodology	xxiii
Results	xxiv
Remaining knowledge gaps and future research	xxv
Part I: State of the Science Report	1
Chapter 1: Introduction	3
1.1 BACKGROUND	3
1.2 OBJECTIVES	3
1.3 BOUNDARIES REPORT	4
1.4 OUTLINE REPORT	4
Chapter 2: Current state of knowledge	5
2.1 N2O FORMATION	5
2.2 CH4 EMISSION	6
2.3 EMISSION FACTORS	6
2.3.1 Nitrous oxide (N2O)	7
2.3.2 Methane (CH4)	7
Chapter 3: Regulations around greenhouse gas emissions	9
Chapter 4: Methodology	11
4.1 FIELD SAMPLING SITES N2O	11
4.2 SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS N2O	11
4.2.1 Sample collection	11
4.2.2 Concentration	12
4.2.3 Gas flow	12
France	13
United States of America	13
The Netherlands	13
4.2.4 Additional data	14
4.2.5 Quality control	14
4.2.6 Calculations	14
4.3 FIELD SAMPLING SITES CH4	15
4.3.1 Sewers	15
Australia	15
United States of America	15
4.3.2 WWTPs	15
4.4 SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS CH4	15
4.4.1 Liquid phase sample collection from sewers and analysis (Australia)	15
4.4.2 Sample collection and analysis gas phase sewers (USA)	16
Sample collection in unventilated lift stations	16
Sample collection in ventilated lift stations	17
Analysis	17
4.4.3 Sample collection and analysis at WWTP	17
France	17
The Netherlands	17
4.5 MITIGATION STRATEGIES SEWERS	19
4.5.1 pH elevation	19
4.5.2 Nitrite addition	19
Laboratory experiments	19
Field trial	20
4.5.3 Iron salt addition	21
4.6 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT WWTP	21
Chapter 5: Results	23
5.1 N2O EMISSION FROM WWTPS	23
5.1.1 Emission of N2O	23
5.1.2 Origin of N2O emission	26
5.1.3 Process parameters of influence	28
5.2 CH4 EMISSION FROM SEWERS	29
5.2.1 Liquid phase	29
5.2.2 Gas phase	31
5.2.3 Mitigation strategies	32
pH elevation	32
Nitrite addition	33
Iron salt addition	35
5.3 CH4 EMISSION FROM WWTPS	35
5.3.1 Emission of CH4	35
5.3.2 Origin of emission	36
5.4 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT	37
Chapter 6: Discussion	39
6.1 METHODOLOGY	39
6.1.1 N2O emission	39
6.1.2 CH4 emission	40
6.2 N2O EMISSION	40
6.2.1 Emission	40
6.2.2 Origin	41
6.2.3 Process parameters influence	41
6.2.4 Implications of gained knowledge	41
6.2.5 Future research	42
6.3 CH4 EMISSION	42
6.3.1 Sewers	42
6.3.2 Mitigation strategies	43
6.3.3 WWTPs	43
6.4 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT WWTP	43
Chapter 7: Conclusions and future research	45
7.1 CONCLUSIONS	45
7.1.1 N2O emission	45
7.1.2 CH4 emission	46
7.1.3 Total carbon footprint	46
7.2 FUTURE RESEARCH	46
Chapter 8: Acknowledgements	47
8.1 AUSTRALIA METHANE RESEARCH	47
8.2 AUSTRALIA NITROUS OXIDE RESEARCH	47
8.3 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NITROUS OXIDE RESEARCH	48
8.4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA METHANE RESEARCH	49
8.5 RESEARCH PERFORMED IN THE NETHERLANDS	49
Chapter 9: References	51
Appendix 1.1: Sample collection with gas hoods	53
SAMPLE COLLECTION FRANCE	53
Sample collection from aerated surfaces	53
Sample collection from non-aerated surfaces	54
ANALYSIS N2O IN LIQUID PHASE	54
SAMPLE COLLECTION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	55
Sampling procedures-headspace gas measurement	55
Appendix 1.2: Abbreviations and glossary	57
Appendix 1.3: DeKalb County's collection system	59
Appendix 1.4: Characteristics WWTPs investigated in\rN2O research	61
Appendix 1.5: Research area methane research Australia	67
Part II: Technical Report	69
Chapter 10: Introduction	71
10.1 BACKGROUND	71
10.2 OBJECTIVES	71
10.3 ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE GLOBAL WATER RESEARCH FRAMEWORK	72
10.4 ONGOING ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE GWRC	72
10.5 BOUNDARIES REPORT	72
10.6 OUTLINE REPORT	73
Chapter 11: Literature review	75
11.1 NON CO2 GREENHOUSE GASES	75
11.2 RELEVANT PROCESSES N2O FORMATION	76
11.2.1 Nitrification	76
11.2.2 Denitrification	76
11.2.3 Chemical reactions	77
11.3 PROCESS PARAMETERS INFLUENCING N2O FORMATION	77
Oxygen concentration	78
Nitrite	78
COD/N	82
Rapidly changing process conditions	82
11.4 EMISSION OF N2O	82
11.5 LOCATIONS CH4 EMISSION AT WWTP	82
11.6 EMISSION FACTORS	83
11.6.1 Nitrous oxide	83
11.6.2 Methane (CH4)	84
Chapter 12: Local regulation around GHG emission\rfrom WWTP	87
12.1 AUSTRALIA	87
12.1.1 Reporting Regulations	87
12.2 FRANCE	88
12.3 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	88
12.3.1 Regulations that (may) affect publicly-owned treatment works (POTW)	88
12.3.2 Federal mandatory reporting of Greenhouse gases rule	89
12.3.3 California’s AB 32 the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006	90
12.4 THE NETHERLANDS	90
Chapter 13: Background and objectives research	93
13.1 AUSTRALIA	93
13.1.1 Emission of N2O	93
13.1.2 Emission of CH4	93
13.2 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	94
13.2.1 Background	94
13.2.2 Emission factors United States of America	95
13.2.3 Objectives	95
13.3 THE NETHERLANDS	96
Background	96
Objective	96
Chapter 14: Methodology	97
14.1 NITROUS OXIDE MEASUREMENTS AUSTRALIA	97
14.1.1 Field sampling sites	97
14.1.2 Sample collection and analysis	97
14.1.3 Determination of N2O emissions	99
Chemical oxygen demand and Total Nitrogen Mass Balances over Entire WWTP Processes	99
Liquid Phase N2O Mass Balances over Individual WWTP Zones	100
Normalisation of Nitrous Oxide Mass Balance Results	101
14.1.4 Quality control	102
14.2 NITROUS OXIDE MEASUREMENTS FRANCE	103
14.2.1 Field sampling sites	103
14.2.2 Sample collection and analysis	103
Sample collection from aerated surfaces	103
Sample collection from non-aerated surfaces	104
Analysis	104
Gas flow and N2O emission	105
Additional data	105
Ammonium and nitrate analysis	105
Dissolved N2O	106
14.3 NITROUS OXIDE MEASUREMENTS USA	106
14.3.1 Field sampling sites	106
14.3.2 Samples collection and analysis	108
Sampling design for Full-Scale monitoring	108
Sampling procedures-headspace gas measurement	108
Sampling procedures-aqueous N2O concentration	109
Sampling procedures-measurement of advective gas flow rate from aerated zones	109
Sampling procedures-measurement of advective gas flow rate from non aerated zones	110
Sampling Procedures-Wastewater and Process Characterization	110
Intensive on-site sampling and analysis	111
14.3.3 Calculation N2O emission	111
Determination of fluxes	111
Determination of lumped emission factors	111
Correlation between WWTP Operating Conditions and N2O Emissions	112
14.3.4 Quality control	112
14.4 NITROUS OXIDE MEASUREMENTS THE NETHERLANDS	114
14.4.1 Field sampling sites	114
14.4.2 Samples collection and analysis	115
Nitrous oxide concentration	115
Gas flow	115
Additional data	116
14.4.3 Calculation N2O emission	116
14.4.4 Quality control	116
14.5 METHANE MEASUREMENTS AUSTRALIA	116
14.5.1 Liquid phase measurement	116
Sample collection and analysis	117
14.5.2 Gas phase measurement	119
14.6 METHANE MEASUREMENTS FRANCE	119
14.7 METHANE MEASUREMENTS USA	119
14.7.1 Collection system phase 1: Field sampling sites	119
14.7.2 Collection system phase 1: Time periods	121
14.7.3 Collection system phase 1: Sample collection and analysis	121
Sample collection in unventilated lift stations	121
Sample collection in ventilated lift stations	123
Analysis	123
Gas flow in unventilated lift stations	123
Gas flow in ventilated lift stations	124
14.8 METHANE MEASUREMENTS THE NETHERLANDS	124
14.8.1 Field sampling sites	124
14.8.2 Samples collection and analysis	124
Sample collection	124
Analysis	125
Gas flow	125
Calculations	125
14.9 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT WWTP	125
Chapter 15: Results	127
15.1 NITROUS OXIDE EMISSION AUSTRALIA	127
15.1.1 Emission and origin	127
15.1.2 Process parameters of influence	130
15.2 NITROUS OXIDE EMISSION FRANCE	132
15.2.1 Emission of N2O	132
15.2.2 Origin N2O emission	133
WWTP 1, CSTR	133
WWTP 3, plug flow reactor	133
WWTP 4, activated sludge with sequenced aeration followed by a MBR,	135
15.2.3 Process parameters of influence	135
15.3 NITROUS OXIDE EMISSION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	135
15.3.1 Emission of N2O	135
15.3.2 Origin of N2O emissions	137
15.3.3 Process parameters of influence	138
Aerobic zones	138
Anoxic zones	139
Transition from anoxic to aerobic zones	139
15.4 NITROUS OXIDE EMISSION THE NETHERLANDS	141
15.4.1 Emission of N2O	141
15.4.2 Origins of N2O emission	144
15.4.3 Process parameters of influence	144
15.5 METHANE EMISSION AUSTRALIA	145
15.5.1 Liquid phase data	145
Rising main UC09	145
Rising main C016	147
Laboratory-scale sewer systems	148
15.5.2 Gas phase data	150
15.5.3 Modelling	152
An empirical model	152
Limitations of current models	152
15.5.4 Impact of trade waste	152
15.5.5 Mitigation	154
Elevation of pH	155
Nitrite addition	157
Iron salt addition	160
Oxygen and nitrate addition	160
15.6 METHANE EMISSION FRANCE	161
15.6.1 Emission of CH4	161
15.6.2 Origin CH4 emission	161
15.7 METHANE EMISSION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	161
15.7.1 Collection system phase 1: Emission factors	161
15.8 METHANE EMISSION THE NETHERLANDS	163
15.8.1 Emission of CH4	163
15.8.2 Origin of CH4 emission	163
15.9 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT	165
Chapter 16: Discussion	167
16.1 METHODOLOGY	167
16.1.1 Nitrous oxide emission	167
16.1.2 Methane emission	168
16.2 NITROUS OXIDE EMISSION	168
16.2.1 Emission	168
16.2.2 Origin	170
16.2.3 Process parameters influence	171
16.2.4 Implications of gained knowledge	172
16.2.5 Future research	172
16.3 METHANE EMISSION	173
16.3.1 Sewers	173
16.3.2 Mitigation strategies	173
16.3.3 Wastewater treatment plants	174
16.4 TOTAL CARBON FOOTPRINT WWTP	174
Chapter 17: Conclusions and future research	175
17.1 CONCLUSIONS	175
17.1.1 Nitrous oxide emission	175
17.1.2 Methane emission	176
17.1.3 Total carbon footprint	176
17.2 FUTURE RESEARCH	176
Chapter 18: Acknowledgements	177
18.1 AUSTRALIA NITROUS OXIDE RESEARCH	177
18.2 AUSTRALIA METHANE RESEARCH	178
18.3 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NITROUS OXIDE RESEARCH	178
18.4 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA METHANE RESEARCH	179
18.5 THE NETHERLANDS	179
Chapter 19: References	181
Appendix 2.1: Overview applied emission factors CH4	187
Appendix 2.2: Dimension WWTPs and sampling points USA	191
Appendix 2.3: Locations of N2O and CH4 measurements in the Netherlands	197
Appendix 2.4: Abbreviations and Glossary	201
Appendix 2.5: National greenhouse and energy reporting system, Australia	203
Facility Definition	203
Choice of Calculation Method	204
Methodology for Estimating CH4 Emissions	205
Clarification on fwan and fslan factors	207
NGERS Uncertainty	209
Calculation Method for NGERS Uncertainty	211
Appendix 2.6: Determination of kLa for N2O emission, Australia	213
Appendix 2.7: WWTPs France	217
Appendix 2.8: DeKalb County’s	221

N2O and CH4 Emission from Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems

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