Ammonia recovery from source-separated hydrolyzed urine via a dual-membrane distillation in-series process

Afsari, M; Jiang, J; Phuntsho, S; Shon, HK; Tijing, LD

Ammonia recovery from source-separated hydrolyzed urine via a dual-membrane distillation in-series process

Afsari, M Jiang, J

Phuntsho, S

Shon, HK Tijing, LD

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Chemical Engineering Journal, 2023, 470
Issue Date:: 2023-08-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Afsari, M
dc.contributor.author	Jiang, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1728-2027
dc.contributor.author	Phuntsho, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3917-3916
dc.contributor.author	Shon, HK
dc.contributor.author	Tijing, LD
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-27T07:33:29Z
dc.date.available	2024-03-27T07:33:29Z
dc.date.issued	2023-08-15
dc.identifier.citation	Chemical Engineering Journal, 2023, 470
dc.identifier.issn	1385-8947
dc.identifier.issn	1873-3212
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177280
dc.description.abstract	This study presents a dual membrane distillation (MD) in-series process to recover ammonia from source-separated hydrolyzed urine. The first MD stage separates and recovers ammonia from the hydrolyzed urine using an acid solution, while the second MD stage helps dewater the acid solution with captured ammonia and maintain its solution pH. The feed temperature and pH were optimized for operational conditions. The specific ammonia transfer (SAT) value was evaluated to obtain comparative results. While the water fluxes of both the single and dual-MD in-series set up systems were similar, the dual-MD in-series module showed higher SAT values and ammonia fluxes. At pH = 6, the ammonia flux values were minimal, but at pH = 13.2, they significantly increased to over 180 g/m2 h for the dual-MD in-series setup, which was approximately twice as much as the single MD setup (about 100 g/m2 h). In addition, the ammonium concentration in dual-MD in-series setup rose to over 200 mg/L at pH around 9, which is twice higher than that of a single MD setup. The results demonstrated that during the experiment, the dual-MD in-series configuration could help maintain the acid collector pH around 3 while for a single setup it continuously increased and reached to over 8 after 4 h. This innovative design not only preserves the desired pH range but also minimizes the amount of acid consumed, making it a promising approach in advancing nutrient recovery from human urine.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/IH210100001
dc.relation.ispartof	Chemical Engineering Journal
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.cej.2023.144215
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	0904 Chemical Engineering, 0905 Civil Engineering, 0907 Environmental Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering
dc.subject.classification	4004 Chemical engineering
dc.subject.classification	4011 Environmental engineering
dc.subject.classification	4016 Materials engineering
dc.title	Ammonia recovery from source-separated hydrolyzed urine via a dual-membrane distillation in-series process
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	470
utslib.for	0904 Chemical Engineering
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2025-08-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2024-03-27T07:33:27Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	470

Abstract:

This study presents a dual membrane distillation (MD) in-series process to recover ammonia from source-separated hydrolyzed urine. The first MD stage separates and recovers ammonia from the hydrolyzed urine using an acid solution, while the second MD stage helps dewater the acid solution with captured ammonia and maintain its solution pH. The feed temperature and pH were optimized for operational conditions. The specific ammonia transfer (SAT) value was evaluated to obtain comparative results. While the water fluxes of both the single and dual-MD in-series set up systems were similar, the dual-MD in-series module showed higher SAT values and ammonia fluxes. At pH = 6, the ammonia flux values were minimal, but at pH = 13.2, they significantly increased to over 180 g/m2 h for the dual-MD in-series setup, which was approximately twice as much as the single MD setup (about 100 g/m2 h). In addition, the ammonium concentration in dual-MD in-series setup rose to over 200 mg/L at pH around 9, which is twice higher than that of a single MD setup. The results demonstrated that during the experiment, the dual-MD in-series configuration could help maintain the acid collector pH around 3 while for a single setup it continuously increased and reached to over 8 after 4 h. This innovative design not only preserves the desired pH range but also minimizes the amount of acid consumed, making it a promising approach in advancing nutrient recovery from human urine.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177280