Subventions et des contributions :

Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)

The goal of this research program is to develop innovative treatment technologies for resource recovery from organic waste slurries, such as municipal sewage sludge, animal manure and food processing wastes. These technologies being developed at the University of British Columbia (UBC) include a patented microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP), a radiofrequency-oxidation process (RF-OP, patent pending) and a proprietary struvite crystallization process. Both the MW-AOP and the RF-OP treatments are solids destruction technologies that could change the way organic waste slurries are treated and handled. By breaking up solids in organic slurries, not only higher molecular weight organics are converted into lower molecular weight soluble compounds, which are readily biodegradable, but also valuable nutrients are solubilized and released into the MW-AOP or RF-OP treated stream, where they can be easily recovered via a crystallization process or other means. Adopting the UBC developed MW-AOP or RF-OP into existing wastewater treatment facilities will make other processes in the treatment scheme much more efficient. Recovery of phosphorus through the struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) crystallization process offers the wastewater industry an efficient way of preventing nutrient pollution, and producing a valuable slow-release fertilizer product for reuse. Both MW-AOP and RF-OP have the capability of achieving a very low sludge yield, with no or little sludge wasting required from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Not only will these technologies help in reducing the cost of wastewater treatment plant operation, but also in producing Class A bio-solids, a valuable soil conditioner/fertilizer. These technologies being developed at UBC would safeguard water quality and improve wastewater management that are vital for economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development. It would also make the wastewater industry more environmentally sustainable and economically viable. There is a great potential for commercialization of the technologies developed, and will have a very significant and positive impact on various industrial sectors (agricultural and food processing, sewage wastewater treatment, etc.). This research program will provide excellent training opportunities for students, both graduate and undergraduate, and also post-doctoral fellows (PDF), who are interested in pursuing their careers in the important environmental engineering field. During the course of the R&D program, graduate students and PDFs will be encouraged to participate in seminars, international conferences, so that the wastewater treatment industry will benefit from "technology transfer" of the developed processes.