Towards Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Analyzing Specific Energy Consumption of Tehran Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants using Key Performance Indicators

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

School of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Due to rapid development of cities, number of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) has faced drastic growth in recent decades. Reviewing the literature indicates that WWTPs in urban areas are one of the essential energy consumers, and it is necessary to evaluate their energy consumption. In Tehran, the capital of Iran, the number of WWTPs has increased to meet the demands of its increasing population. Yet, the energy consumption of these WWTPs in Tehran has not been thoroughly examined. This research aims to measure and provide the specific energy consumption of Tehran WWTPs and bridge the research gap by providing precise measurements for three key performance indicators (KPIs): energy consumption per influent volume (kWh/m3), per population-equivalent (kWh/PE-year), and per kilogram of Chemical Oxygen Demand removed (kWh/kg COD). The South Tehran Wastewater Treatment Plant (STWWTP), the largest WWTP in Tehran, demonstrated highest energy efficiency with consumption rates of 0.21 kWh/m3 for influent volume, 16.75 kWh/PE-year, and 0.48 kWh/kg COD removed. Furthermore, the small-scale WWTPs of Tehran showed a significant variation in specific energy consumption. Zargandeh Wastewater Treatment Plant (ZWWTP) represented the poorest efficiency by consuming 96.34 kWh for each person under its service and 3.66 kWh per kg COD removed. In contrast, Ekbatan Wastewater Treatment Plant (EWWTP), among the small-scale WWTPs, demonstrated great energy efficiency with consumption rates of 33.15 kWh per capita and 0.52 kWh/m3. However, this great variation in energy consumption of Tehran WWTPs needs further investigation, and strategies for improving the energy efficiency of these WWTPs are required.

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References

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