Evaluating the Potential of Renewable Energy Sources in a Full-Scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor Treating Municipal Wastewater in Ghana

Philomina Mamley Adantey Arthur (), Yacouba Konaté, Boukary Sawadogo, Gideon Sagoe, Bismark Dwumfour-Asare, Issahaku Ahmed, Richard Bayitse and Kofi Ampomah-Benefo
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Philomina Mamley Adantey Arthur: Laboratoire Eaux Hydro-Systèmes et Agriculture (LEHSA), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Rue de la Science, Ouagadougou P.O. Box 594, Burkina Faso
Yacouba Konaté: Laboratoire Eaux Hydro-Systèmes et Agriculture (LEHSA), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Rue de la Science, Ouagadougou P.O. Box 594, Burkina Faso
Boukary Sawadogo: Laboratoire Eaux Hydro-Systèmes et Agriculture (LEHSA), Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Rue de la Science, Ouagadougou P.O. Box 594, Burkina Faso
Gideon Sagoe: Waste Landfills Co., Ltd., Accra P.O. Box DT 1670, Ghana
Bismark Dwumfour-Asare: Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, AAM—University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Asante-Mampong Campus, Mampong P.O. Box 40, Ghana
Issahaku Ahmed: Sewerage Systems Ghana Ltd., Accra P.O. Box GP 1630, Ghana
Richard Bayitse: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Industrial Research, Accra P.O. Box LG 576, Ghana
Kofi Ampomah-Benefo: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Industrial Research, Accra P.O. Box LG 576, Ghana

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Wastewater management remains a major challenge in developing countries due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, making the need for economically viable and efficient technologies that can be sustained by emerging economies imperative. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor represents an efficient and low-cost technology that produces by-products from which valuable resources can be recovered. This study assessed the energy recovery potential in the form of electricity from biogas and sludge by-products produced by a full-scale UASB reactor. Biogas production rate and composition were monitored to determine the biogas energy recovery potential. Dehydrated sludge from sludge drying beds was likewise quantified and characterised for its elemental composition, immediate composition, gross calorific value and net calorific value to estimate sludge energy recovery potential. The average daily biogas production was found to be 611 ± 275 Nm 3 /d, with 65% methane in the biogas output. Average sludge dry matter production was determined to be 358.24 TS kg/d. The net energy recovery potential was estimated to be 534.1 MWh/yr, 36% more than the yearly energy demand (392.7 MWh/yr) of the entire plant. Conservative energy recovery at a UASB-based municipal wastewater treatment facility could serve as a self-supply energy option to support its operations.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion; biogas production; energy recovery; municipal wastewater treatment; sludge production; UASB reactor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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