2016 AAEES Kappe Lecturer-Maximizing Process Intensification and Resource Recovery: From Theory to Practice

The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the Environmental Initiative at Lehigh University and the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Lafayette College

 

In the past 100 years of water reclamation, improvements in treatment to meet new and more stringent permit requirements have used more resources, more land, more energy, and more chemicals. Rapid urbanization is pushing plants to seek out new approaches for better use of these resources as property values increase and there is little room to expand. In the United States, where plant capacity is determined by flow, water conservation is also resulting in larger loads within the same flow. Re-tooling plants to provide adequate intensification has become an important goal and achieving this intensification within existing infrastructure provides many challenges. Understanding and addressing process limitations have been key in bringing about this intensification. This presentation will describe the continuing research journey for developing an intensification and resource recovery program within existing infrastructure. Examples will be provided of opportunities for intensification of greater than 200% (while simultaneously reducing or maintaining the resources used) for nearly every major part of the wastewater treatment plant including preliminary/primary treatment, secondary treatment, nutrient removal, anaerobic digestion, and dewatering.

 

Dr. Murthy is the Innovations Chief at DC Water. He leads the development and implementation of the Authority's innovation strategy, where he creates, defines, and translates research and development into new or improved facilities, products, services or revenue concepts. Dr. Murthy led the concept development for several programs at the 391 MGD Blue Plains advanced treatment plant that has led to nearly $1 billion in engineered facilities. Dr. Murthy is very interested in developing sustainable and resilient water utilities and is the founding co-chair of the joint WEF/WERF utility program called LIFT – Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology – with nearly 300 participating utilities. This program helps utilities with policies and approaches to drive innovation in the water sector.