Grantee Research Project Results
2021 Progress Report: Phosphorus Removal to Oligotrophic Levels: Innovating Three High-Flow Water Technologies using Reactive Filtration, Biochar Adsorption, and Nanobubble-Enhanced Biomimetic Separations
EPA Grant Number: R840087Title: Phosphorus Removal to Oligotrophic Levels: Innovating Three High-Flow Water Technologies using Reactive Filtration, Biochar Adsorption, and Nanobubble-Enhanced Biomimetic Separations
Investigators: Möller, Gregory , Strawn, Daniel , Baker, Martin
Institution: University of Idaho
EPA Project Officer: Ludwig-Monty, Sarah
Project Period: September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2023 (Extended to August 31, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2020 through August 31,2021
Project Amount: $999,996
RFA: Approaches to Reduce Nutrient Loadings for Harmful Algal Blooms Management (2020) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Harmful Algal Blooms , Waste Reduction and Pollution Prevention , Water Quality
Objective:
The objectives are 1) life cycle assessment (LCA) and technological economic analysis (TEA) of reactive filtration water treatment systems; 2) advancing a novel biochar water treatment process for phosphorus adsorption onto biochar for removal and recovery from wastewater effluents; and 3) development of an advanced, high-flow particle separations technology based on biological and natural processes for removal of nutrients from treated waters.
Progress Summary:
Five site visits to local treatment plants for orientation and initial assessments have helped develop an initial LCA model for the reactive filtration technology, including relevant infrastructure components, energy, and consumables used in the operation. A pilot-scale initial model was modified to include phosphorus removal and recovery with biochar (BC). Life cycle inventory data needs are identified to focus further data collection efforts and communication with relevant parties with access to that data. In other work, we developed a test stand instrument for scalable, sand elutriation and filtration systems that can be applied to a variety of granular filtration substrates. The initial version had >85% media size separation when sand of two grain sizes were used. Also in Year 1, adsorption isotherms were completed to assess maximum phosphorus adsorption on three biochar types and activated carbon. Each biochar has a unique behavior for P adsorption. Biochar Samples were analyzed by X-Ray spectroscopy to characterize the molecular species of P on the biochar. Preliminary data analysis indicates a unique molecular environment for the P associated with the different biochar varieties. Some P upcycled biochar has been used in an ongoing initial greenhouse trial with barley to assess nutrient availability. A biochar dosing experiment at full scale in a 0.3 million gallon per day municipal wastewater plant has been described in a quality assurance project plan submitted for review with facilty operators and responsible parties. The recovered biochar from this trial will be used in further molecular characterization studies and greenhouse trials. A novel separation process for water treatment that uses minimal surface area, biological and natural mimicry filtration substrates are being explored using computational fluid dynamics. Several successful designs have been analyzed with computational fluid dynamics and have been 3D printed for initial experimental fluid dynamics analysis in a water tunnel equipped with high speed image analysis.
Future Activities:
Major events for Year 2 include the exploration of biochar modification, characterization, and enrichment processes with protocol development targeting phosphorus adsorption to allow mechanistic understanding of the biochar modification process to recover phosphorus. Molecular interactions of phosphorus on modified biochar is being analysed using an array of laboratory techniques and includes X-Ray spectroscopy conducted by the Canadian Light Source and Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. We are conducting biochar enrichment reactive filtration pilot-scale trials of process modifications and new equipment testing in preparation for field trials and watershed source pilot-process reactive-filtration biochar water treatment. Recovered nutrient upcycled biochar will be used in greenhouse trials to gain new knowledge on nutrient availability in soils and impacts on soil health. Near-term collaboration to perform a full-scale water-quality study on phosphorus adsorption onto BC is currently under review by the authorizing personnel of that wastewater resource recovery plant operated at ~0.3 million gallons per day flows. Reactive filtration sustainability and user innovation surveys are in development and coordination for multiple site visits with site travel expected in 2022. Local computational network clustering for increased design iteration performance will be implemented and leveraged for computational fluid dynamics and molecular modeling during the design-build-test-operate iteration cycle of new biomimetic filter structures that can be applied to high-flow waters for multiphase nutrient removal. Experimental fluid dynamics of these novel biomimetic structures are being explored using a water tunnel with ultrafast, high-resolution image analysis to provide feedback to the design-build cycle of the 3D printed, separations substrate prototyping activity. The key to this activity is the identification and selection of sustainable additive manufacturing materials for flexible constructions to increase robustness and application range in water treatment for nutrient removal. LCA model and inventory database development will continue for robust assessment of sustainability of the targeted water treatment technologies.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 8 publications | 6 publications in selected types | All 6 journal articles |
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Type | Citation | ||
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Baker M, McCarthy D, Taslakyan L, Henchion G, Mannion R, Strawn D, Moller G. Iron-ozone catalytic oxidation reactive filtration of municipal wastewater at field pilot and full-scale with high-efficiency pollutant removal and potential negative CO(2)e with biochar. Water Environmental Research 2023;95(5):e10876. |
R840087 (2021) R840087 (2023) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Biochar, reactive filtration, biomimicry, water treatment, nutrients, phosphorusRelevant Websites:
University of Idaho, Department of Soil and Water Systems Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.