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Modeling the energy consumption of potable water reuse schemes

Tow, Emily W. ; Hartman, Anna Letcher ; Jaworowski, Aleksander ; Zucker, Ines ; Kum, Soyoon ; AzadiAghdam, Mojtaba ; Blatchley, Ernest R. ; Achilli, Andrea ; Gu, Han and Urper, Gulsum Melike , et al. (2021) In Water Research X 13.
Abstract

Potable reuse of municipal wastewater is often the lowest-energy option for increasing the availability of fresh water. However, limited data are available on the energy consumption of potable reuse facilities and schemes, and the many variables affecting energy consumption obscure the process of estimating energy requirements. By synthesizing available data and developing a simple model for the energy consumption of centralized potable reuse schemes, this study provides a framework for understanding when potable reuse is the lowest-energy option for augmenting water supply. The model is evaluated to determine a representative range for the specific electrical energy consumption of direct and indirect potable reuse schemes and compare... (More)

Potable reuse of municipal wastewater is often the lowest-energy option for increasing the availability of fresh water. However, limited data are available on the energy consumption of potable reuse facilities and schemes, and the many variables affecting energy consumption obscure the process of estimating energy requirements. By synthesizing available data and developing a simple model for the energy consumption of centralized potable reuse schemes, this study provides a framework for understanding when potable reuse is the lowest-energy option for augmenting water supply. The model is evaluated to determine a representative range for the specific electrical energy consumption of direct and indirect potable reuse schemes and compare potable reuse to other water supply augmentation options, such as seawater desalination. Finally, the model is used to identify the most promising avenues for further reducing the energy consumption of potable reuse, including encouraging direct potable reuse without additional drinking water treatment, avoiding reverse osmosis in indirect potable reuse when effluent quality allows it, updating pipe networks, or using more permeable membranes. Potable reuse already requires far less energy than seawater desalination and, with a few investments in energy efficiency, entire potable reuse schemes could operate with a specific electrical energy consumption of less than 1 kWh/m3, showing the promise of potable reuse as a low-energy option for augmenting water supply.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Advanced water treatment, Desalination, Energy consumption, Energy modeling, Potable reuse, Reclaimed water, Water recycling
in
Water Research X
volume
13
article number
100126
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:34901816
  • scopus:85120316837
ISSN
2589-9147
DOI
10.1016/j.wroa.2021.100126
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors
id
e6e718b9-2bcc-4332-97ad-f99733e37042
date added to LUP
2022-01-21 11:29:38
date last changed
2024-03-23 17:21:41
@article{e6e718b9-2bcc-4332-97ad-f99733e37042,
  abstract     = {{<p>Potable reuse of municipal wastewater is often the lowest-energy option for increasing the availability of fresh water. However, limited data are available on the energy consumption of potable reuse facilities and schemes, and the many variables affecting energy consumption obscure the process of estimating energy requirements. By synthesizing available data and developing a simple model for the energy consumption of centralized potable reuse schemes, this study provides a framework for understanding when potable reuse is the lowest-energy option for augmenting water supply. The model is evaluated to determine a representative range for the specific electrical energy consumption of direct and indirect potable reuse schemes and compare potable reuse to other water supply augmentation options, such as seawater desalination. Finally, the model is used to identify the most promising avenues for further reducing the energy consumption of potable reuse, including encouraging direct potable reuse without additional drinking water treatment, avoiding reverse osmosis in indirect potable reuse when effluent quality allows it, updating pipe networks, or using more permeable membranes. Potable reuse already requires far less energy than seawater desalination and, with a few investments in energy efficiency, entire potable reuse schemes could operate with a specific electrical energy consumption of less than 1 kWh/m<sup>3</sup>, showing the promise of potable reuse as a low-energy option for augmenting water supply.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tow, Emily W. and Hartman, Anna Letcher and Jaworowski, Aleksander and Zucker, Ines and Kum, Soyoon and AzadiAghdam, Mojtaba and Blatchley, Ernest R. and Achilli, Andrea and Gu, Han and Urper, Gulsum Melike and Warsinger, David M.}},
  issn         = {{2589-9147}},
  keywords     = {{Advanced water treatment; Desalination; Energy consumption; Energy modeling; Potable reuse; Reclaimed water; Water recycling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Water Research X}},
  title        = {{Modeling the energy consumption of potable water reuse schemes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2021.100126}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.wroa.2021.100126}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}