Cleaner production and carbon reduction target: Analysis of sewage treatment plants in Nort-Central China

In order to realize cleaner production of Sewage Treatment Plants and reduce the emission of carbon, the current situation of various sewage treatment plants of varying scales in Nort-Central China from 2019 to 2020 was investigated. For contrast, the energy consumption and material consumption of each sewage treatment plant and their cleaner production potential were analyzed. The results revealed that the implementation of a cleaner production scheme in the 14 investigated sewage treatment plants resulted in a cost reduction of 2.13 million annually. Further, the energy-saving effects of the cleaner production schemes of the sewage treatment plants were compared, and the results revealed that the use of a magnetic levitation fan reduced the power consumption of the wastewater treatment unit and carbon emission by 13.16–17.87 and 4.58–7.69%, respectively. In addition, the utilization of a modified precise aeration system reduced the wastewater power consumption and carbon emission by 2.8–6.33 and 10.37–17.24%, respectively. This study demonstrates that the Sewage Treatment Plants can become cleaner by using magnetic levitation fan and precise aeration system. The paper highlights the value of increased energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.