Family, today let's talk about energy conservation and consumption reduction in sewage treatment plants! Nowadays, everything emphasizes low-carbon and environmental protection, and sewage treatment plants are no exception. Wastewater treatment itself consumes electricity and chemicals, and the cost is not low. If we can find a good way to save energy and reduce consumption, we can not only save a lot of money, but also contribute to environmental protection. It's like killing two birds with one stone! Next, let's break it apart and talk about how to make the sewage treatment plant more energy-efficient, material efficient, and labor-saving.
1, Optimize the process from the source to make the processing flow smoother
The process of sewage treatment is like an assembly line. If the design of the assembly line is not reasonable, the energy consumption will definitely increase. Let's start with the core process. Many sewage treatment plants use activated sludge process, and controlling the sludge concentration is particularly crucial at this time. If the concentration is too high, it requires vigorous oxygen supply during aeration, which naturally consumes more electricity; The concentration is too low and the treatment effect is not good. So, it is necessary to accurately find a suitable sludge concentration based on the water quality and quantity of the sewage. For example, by monitoring the COD (chemical oxygen demand) and ammonia nitrogen indicators of the incoming water in real time and dynamically adjusting the sludge return ratio, it can ensure the treatment effect and reduce the waste of electricity.
There is also the anaerobic anoxic aerobic (A2O) process, which can simultaneously remove nitrogen and phosphorus. However, if the volume allocation of anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic tanks is not reasonable or the residence time is not controlled properly, it will also waste energy in vain. It's like cooking, you have to strike the right balance between heat and time to make good dishes. You can optimize the size of the pool based on actual operating data, which may reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
In addition, some new technologies are worth trying now, such as MBR (membrane bioreactor) process. Although the initial investment is high, it occupies a small area, has high treatment efficiency, and has low sludge production. In the long run, it can actually save a lot of subsequent treatment costs. There are also some new types of biological fillers with large specific surface area and good microbial adhesion and growth, which can improve treatment efficiency and reduce aeration energy consumption.
2, Aeration system: a major power consumer in sewage treatment that needs to be treated properly
The aeration system can account for 30% -50% of the electricity consumption in sewage treatment plants, and is definitely a key focus of energy conservation and consumption reduction. Traditional aeration methods often supply gas according to a fixed pattern regardless of the amount of sewage, which is like turning on headlights but only illuminating a small area, wasting resources!
Now with the intelligent aeration control system, it's much smarter. It can monitor the dissolved oxygen concentration in sewage in real time and adjust the aeration rate according to actual needs. For example, when the concentration of pollutants in the influent is high, the aeration rate is automatically increased to ensure that microorganisms have sufficient oxygen to decompose the pollutants; If the concentration of pollutants is low, reduce the aeration rate in a timely manner to save electricity! Just like the variable frequency air conditioner at home, when there are many people and the temperature is high, it works hard to cool down. When there are fewer people and the temperature drops, it reduces power, which is particularly intelligent.
There is also room for improvement in the aeration equipment itself, such as microporous aerators, which are more efficient than traditional aeration heads and can disperse air into smaller bubbles, increasing the efficiency of oxygen dissolution. And regularly cleaning the aeration head can prevent blockage and ensure aeration efficiency, avoiding increasing gas supply due to poor aeration.
3, Upgrade equipment and replace the sewage treatment plant with an "energy-saving heart"
All kinds of equipment in the sewage treatment plant, from water pumps to fans, from mixers to sludge dewatering machines, are silently consuming energy. Let's talk about water pumps first. Many sewage plant water pumps are outdated, with low efficiency and high energy consumption. Replacing with an efficient and energy-saving water pump can bring significant results. For example, a water pump using variable frequency speed regulation technology can adjust its speed according to actual flow requirements, avoiding the situation of "a big horse pulling a small car". Previously, regardless of the water volume, the water pump kept running, but now it can work as needed and has a great energy-saving effect!
Fans are also major energy consumers. For example, Roots fans can be replaced with more efficient centrifugal fans or magnetic levitation fans. Magnetic levitation fans have no mechanical friction, low noise, and high efficiency. Although they are a bit expensive, the electricity saved in a few years may be enough to buy another fan.
There is also a sludge dewatering machine, which used to be a belt filter press with average dewatering effect and high subsequent sludge disposal costs. By replacing it with a plate and frame filter press or a stacked screw sludge dewatering machine, the moisture content of the sludge can be reduced even lower, reducing the cost of subsequent sludge incineration or landfill, and indirectly saving energy and reducing consumption.
4, Energy recycling and utilization, turning waste into treasure is the real skill
Although sewage treatment plants are places for treating sewage, there are actually many "treasures" hidden inside. For example, during anaerobic treatment of sewage, biogas is produced, which is a good thing! Many sewage treatment plants used to directly discharge biogas, which not only wasted but also polluted the environment. Now biogas can be collected and used for power generation and heating. Like some large sewage treatment plants, the collected biogas is sufficient to supply some of the electricity in the plant area, and even the excess can be connected to the grid to sell electricity, which is equivalent to turning the "by-products" of sewage treatment into real gold and silver.
The residual heat in the sewage can also be utilized. The temperature of sewage is relatively stable, with higher temperatures in winter and lower temperatures in summer. Heat pump technology can be used to extract heat from sewage and provide heating for office buildings and dormitories in the factory area; Or it can be used for cooling in summer, which can reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning.
5, Refined management, using every resource on the cutting edge
In addition to hardware upgrades, there is also a lot of room for energy conservation and consumption reduction in management. Firstly, personnel training is required to familiarize operators with the performance and operating rules of the equipment, and to master the correct operating methods. For example, when to turn on which device and how to adjust parameters, these small details can all affect energy consumption. Regularly organize training and share experiences in energy-saving operations, so that employees can come up with some small tricks to make equipment more energy-efficient.
Another approach is to establish an energy consumption monitoring system, similar to installing a "smart meter" in a sewage treatment plant to monitor energy consumption data in real-time at all stages. Through data analysis, it is possible to clearly identify where energy consumption is high, whether it is due to equipment failure or improper operation, and then make targeted improvements. Energy consumption indicators can also be set to assess each team and mobilize everyone's enthusiasm for energy conservation and consumption reduction.
In addition, it is also good to cooperate with surrounding enterprises to achieve resource sharing. For example, selling the treated reclaimed water to nearby factories for industrial cooling, floor flushing, etc. not only reduces the cost of water discharge in sewage treatment plants, but also provides enterprises with cheap water sources, achieving a win-win situation.
6, Utilize solar and wind energy to 'charge some green electricity' for sewage treatment plants
Nowadays, solar and wind energy technologies are becoming increasingly mature, and the large area of sewage treatment plants is particularly suitable for installing solar panels and wind turbines. Install solar photovoltaic power generation systems on the roofs and open spaces of the factory area, generate electricity during the day for use in the factory area, and sell excess electricity to the power grid. Places with good wind resources can also try installing small wind turbines. Although these new energy sources may not fully meet the electricity demand of sewage treatment plants, they can accumulate and save a lot of traditional electricity consumption in the long run, and also reduce carbon emissions, responding to the call for green development of the country.
In short, energy conservation and consumption reduction in sewage treatment plants is a systematic project, from process optimization and equipment upgrading, to energy recovery, refined management, and embracing new energy, there are articles to be done in every link. As long as we spend more time and think more, we will make the sewage treatment plant more energy-saving, more environmentally friendly and contribute to the protection of green water and green mountains!
