The Energy-Water Nexus: Using Wastewater to Power Campus
Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors as a Treatment for Wastewater and Biogas Production at University of Massachusetts Amherst
xThe usage of water also requires the usage of energy, as both are inextricable commodities, high in demand and often non-renewable. In an attempt to decarbonize the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a Carbon Mitigation Plan (CMP) was developed, offering a set of possible solutions to bring UMass to carbon net neutrality by 2032. Deep evaluation and analysis of a solution presented in the CMP, a low-temperature hot water system (LTHW), was conducted. In order to offset the water consumption of a LTHW system, a thorough deliberation of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) for municipal wastewater treatment is included, with the intention of recycling reclaimed water in the LTHW system, specifically at UMass. Wastewater should not always be considered a waste, as it has the potential to convert the biodegradable organic carbon into usable energy in the form of biogas, and in this case, the source of replacement water to run a LTHW system. With impending urgency to meet the 2032 deadline, this paper offers a hypothetical solution for this energy-water nexus./p>
Ask a Question
A hallmark of the iCons experience is engaging academic and industry leaders as well as the general public in the discussion of complex problems facing society. Use the form below to pose questions to the student researchers.
Pose a question to the authors.