Single-Course Engelsk 10 ECTS

Wastewater treatment and valorization

Overall Course Objectives

The course aims to equip students with (1) a knowledge base on the major biochemical, physical and chemical processes applicable to traditional and novel wastewater treatment and resource recovery (WWTRR); (2) an understanding of how these processes are organized in a full-scale WWTRR facility; (3) an ability to design and retrofit a WWTRR facility based on different performance indicators; (4) the competence to perform process design and analysis for the major WWTRR unit operations, via appropriate steady-state computations or the use of dynamic process simulation; (5) an ability to select appropriate mathematical models, apply them and interpret their results for full-scale WWTRR facility operation.

See course description in Danish

Characterize wastewater flows in terms of quantity and quality, with focus on the different wastewater fractions
Explain the processes involved in biological removal/recovery of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous
Identify and discuss the different components of a full-scale WWTRR facility and outline treatment trains and mass flows within the system
Describe the different concepts and technologies for conventional and innovative wastewater treatment and resource recovery
Characterize and design processes for (bio)solid/liquid separation
Differentiate conventional control rules and apply them for WWTRR plant optimization based on different performance indicators
Discuss emerging concerns in WWTRR and select the appropriate technologies or operational strategies to address them
Support the adaptation of WWTRR facilities to cope with industrial wastewater treatment
Obtain and evaluate empirical data from laboratory experiments
Recognize and apply mathematical models for design of removal processes in a WWTRR facility
Report results from laboratory experiments and model simulations both in scientific reports and a professional engineering report.

The course provides a complete overview of the processes, concepts and technologies used for wastewater treatment and resource recovery (WWTRR). The course focuses on the biological processes involved in the removal/recovery of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous, along with (bio)solid/liquid separation processes. Focus is given to alternate treatment trains and plant configurations to achieve different environmental objectives and performance indicators (e.g. energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, or recovery and valorization of different resources).Overview of current treatment technologies and control practices will address daily operation and optimization in traditional plants. An insight into new trends and emerging concerns in wastewater treatment will provide the students with tools to face future challenges and design sustainable treatment strategies. Guidelines for upgrading WWTPs for industrial wastewater treatment will be provided. In terms of practical activities, the course includes laboratory experiments to characterize wastewater components, and to evaluate biochemical and settling behavior of biomass, and modelling exercises to design, operate and retrofit a WWTRR plant. The state-of-the-art WWTP modelling tool WEST is used throughout the course.

12104/12109/12134/12102, Basic knowledge on water chemistry, mathematical modeling, bioreactor engineering and environmental microbiology

Lectures, group exercises, design calculations, case studies, process modelling, student presentations, lab exercise, excursion.