Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Open Access Master's Report
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Advisor 1
Jennifer Becker
Advisor 2
Eric Seagren
Committee Member 1
Robert Handler
Abstract
Producing Class A biosolids is a beneficial way to reuse wastewater sludge. Low-cost, low-tech (LCLT) processes are attractive to small water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) because of their low capital costs and simple designs. This study examined the sustainability of conventional and LCLT processes at small WRRFs. The environmental impacts were determined by conducting life cycle assessments. Cost analyses determined the economic impacts. The social impacts were analyzed by investigating case studies and surveys of social response to biosolids. The environmental, economic, and social impacts were normalized, and each technology received an overall score. The technologies studied were direct heat drying, composting, lagoon storage, air drying, and TPAD. Preliminary results indicated that composting, direct heat drying and lagoon storage had the most significant environmental impacts. The majority of impacts are from biogenic emissions. Composting and direct heat drying scored the worst overall while air drying and TPAD scored the best.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Janna, "A Preliminary Sustainability Analysis of Producing Class A Biosolids with Conventional and Low-Cost, Low-Tech Processes", Open Access Master's Report, Michigan Technological University, 2019.