KMS Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, CAS
| Advanced electrochemical membrane technologies for near-complete resource recovery and zero-discharge of urine: Performance optimization and evaluation | |
Yang, Hao-Ran1,2; Liu, Yuan1,2  ; Hu, Shu-Jie1,2; Zhang, Meng-Yue1,2; Wu, Di1,2; Zheng, Lei1,2; Zhong, Lin-Jiang1,2; Wang, Chuan3; Liu, Hong1,2
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| 2024-10-01 | |
| 摘要 | The depletion of nutrient sources in fertilizers demands a paradigm shift in the treatment of nutrient-rich wastewater, such as urine, to enable efficient resource recovery and high-value conversion. This study presented an integrated bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) and hollow fiber membrane (HFM) system for near-complete resource recovery and zero-discharge from urine treatment. Computational simulations and experimental validations demonstrated that a higher voltage (20 V) significantly enhanced energy utilization, while an optimal flow rate of 0.4 L/min effectively mitigated the negative effects of concentration polarization and electro-osmosis on system performance. Within 40 min, the process separated 90.13% of the salts in urine, with an energy consumption of only 8.45 kWh/kgbase. Utilizing a multi-chamber structure for selective separation, the system achieved recovery efficiencies of 89% for nitrogen, 96% for phosphorus, and 95% for potassium from fresh urine, converting them into high-value products such as 85 mM acid, 69.5 mM base, and liquid fertilizer. According to techno-economic analysis, the cost of treating urine using this system at the labscale was $6.29/kg of products (including acid, base, and (NH4)2SO4), which was significantly lower than the $20.44/kg cost for the precipitation method to produce struvite. Excluding fixed costs, a net profit of $18.24/m3 was achieved through the recovery of valuable products from urine using this system. The pilot-scale assessment showed that the net benefit amounts to $19.90/m3 of urine, demonstrating significant economic feasibility. This study presents an effective approach for the near-complete resource recovery and zero-discharge treatment of urine, offering a practical solution for sustainable nutrient recycling and wastewater management. |
| 关键词 | Near-complete resource recovery Zero urine discharge Selective separation Bipolar membrane electrodialysis Hollow fiber membrane |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122175 |
| 发表期刊 | WATER RESEARCH
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| ISSN | 0043-1354 |
| 卷号 | 263页码:11 |
| 通讯作者 | Liu, Yuan(liuyuan@cigit.ac.cn) |
| 收录类别 | SCI |
| WOS记录号 | WOS:001285975800001 |
| 语种 | 英语 |
