Design and Development of a Living Green Wall for Greywater Treatment

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Objectives

3. Fundamentals

3.1 Greywater: Quantity, Quality, Reuse, and Risks

3.2 Green Walls: Definition and State-of-the-Art

3.3 Constructed Wetlands as Reference Biotechnology

3.3.1 Surface Flow Wetlands

3.3.2 Horizontal Flow Wetlands

3.3.3 Vertical Flow Wetlands

3.4 Transformation and Elimination Processes in Constructed Wetlands

3.4.1 Carbon Transformation

3.4.2 Nitrogen Transformation

3.4.3 Phosphorus Transformation and Retention

3.4.4 Suspended Solids Removal

3.4.5 Pathogen Removal

4. Material and Methods

4.1 Experimental Setup and Procedure

4.1.1 Design Concepts

4.1.2 Substrate

4.1.3 Plant Selection

4.1.4 Mean Residence Time Determination

4.1.5 Hydraulic Loading Regime and Sampling Procedure

4.1.6 On-site Measurements

4.2 Measurement Instruments

4.2.1 s::can spectro::lyser™

4.2.2 Hach-Lange DR-1900

4.2.3 WTW MultiLine® 3410 IDS

4.2.4 Thermo Scientific Eutech Expert CTS and HM Digital PH-200

4.3 Statistical Methods

5. Results and Discussion

5.1 Plant and Root Development

5.2 Mean Residence Time

5.3 Treatment Performance

5.3.1 Organic Pollutants

5.3.2 Total Suspended Solids and Turbidity

5.3.3 Nitrogen

5.3.4 Phosphate

5.4 Simulated Treatment Performance of a Five Meter High Living Green Wall

5.5 Hydraulic Loading Regime Modifications and its Effects on the Mean Residence Time

6. Conclusion and Outlook

7. Summary

8. References

9. Appendix

9.1 Greywater recipe

9.2 Calibration data

9.3 Results

9.4 Test statistics

10. Curriculum Vitae

Objectives & Core Topics

The primary goal of this research is to design and develop modular, facade-integrated living green wall prototypes for on-site greywater treatment. The study assesses the treatment performance of different configurations regarding their substrate, plant species, and water-flow dynamics, ultimately evaluating if consecutive treatment units can meet regulatory water quality standards for potential reuse.

• Design and development of modular greywater treatment prototypes.
• Assessment of treatment efficiency for pollutants such as BOD, COD, and nitrogen.
• Investigation of plant growth and root network development in vertical setups.
• Analysis of hydraulic residence time and its influence on purification performance.
• Evaluation of consecutive modular units for achieving regulatory effluent quality requirements.

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Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: This chapter highlights global challenges such as water scarcity and urbanization, introducing green walls as a modular, facade-integrated solution for on-site greywater treatment.

2. Objectives: The research aims are defined, focusing on the design of prototypes, performance assessment, and the estimation of necessary serial configurations to reach water quality standards.

3. Fundamentals: Provides a theoretical basis by defining greywater, green wall systems, and established constructed wetland biotechnology regarding treatment processes.

4. Material and Methods: Details the experimental construction of the prototypes, the selection of substrates and plants, the hydraulic loading regimes, and the analytical methods used.

5. Results and Discussion: Presents the analysis of plant health, mean residence times, and pollutant removal performance, discussing the differences between channelized and cascading prototype designs.

6. Conclusion and Outlook: Synthesizes findings, emphasizing the importance of support structures for root development and suggests future optimizations for material choice and loading regimes.

Keywords

Greywater Treatment, Living Green Walls, Constructed Wetlands, Sustainability, Urban Water Management, Facade Integration, Biofiltration, Water Reuse, Hydraulic Residence Time, Environmental Engineering, Nutrient Removal, Modular Design, Wastewater Quality, Urban Ecosystems, Rhizosphere Development

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core purpose of this research?

The research focuses on developing and testing modular, facade-integrated green wall systems capable of treating greywater on-site to help mitigate urban water scarcity.

Which green wall prototypes were tested?

The study tested prototypes using vertical channels, inclining alternating cascades, and declining alternating cascades, compared against an unplanted control system.

What is the primary objective regarding water quality?

The goal is to determine if these systems can treat greywater to meet EU regulatory standards for reuse applications like irrigation or toilet flushing.

What methodology was employed for analysis?

The performance was analyzed using an UV/Vis spectrophotometer probe and chemical photometers, alongside statistical evaluation using the Kruskal-Wallis test.

What are the main topics discussed in the main body?

The body covers materials and methods, design concepts, plant root development, residence time calculations, and the performance of the system in a simulated multi-stage setup.

Which keywords best describe the study?

Key terms include greywater treatment, living green walls, constructed wetlands, urban water management, and ecological sanitation.

Why did the plant selection prioritize specific species?

Plants were selected based on their suitability for artificial treatment wetlands and their ability to thrive in the narrow, vertical root space provided by the developed prototypes.

How does the substrate influence the treatment performance?

The substrate contributes significantly to pollution removal through adsorption and provides the necessary surface area for biofilm development essential for microbial treatment.