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

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.

Automated summary

Wastewater management in developing countries faces challenges due to insufficient infrastructure, necessitating economically viable and efficient technologies. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is a low-cost technology that produces valuable by-products. This study assessed the energy recovery potential from biogas and sludge by-products produced by a full-scale UASB reactor. The average biogas production was 611 +/- 275 Nm(3)/d, with 65% methane content, and the average sludge dry matter production was 358.24 TS kg/d. The estimated net energy recovery potential was 534.1 MWh/yr, surpassing the yearly energy demand of the plant.