scholarly journals Enhancement of waste activated sludge anaerobic digestion by a novel chemical free acid/alkaline pretreatment using electrolysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (12) ◽  
pp. 2827-2831 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Charles ◽  
B. Ng ◽  
R. Cord-Ruwisch ◽  
L. Cheng ◽  
G. Ho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Free Acid ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Anode Chamber ◽  
Cathode Chamber ◽  
Exchange Membrane

Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) is relatively poor due to hydrolysis limitations. Acid and alkaline pretreatments are effective in enhancing hydrolysis leading to higher methane yields. However, chemical costs often prohibit full-scale application. In this study, 12 V two-chamber electrolysis using an anion exchange membrane alters sludge pH without chemical dosing. pH dropped from 6.9 to 2.5 in the anode chamber and increased to 10.1 in the cathode chamber within 15 h. The volatile suspended solids solubilisation of WAS was 31.1% in the anode chamber and 34.0% in the cathode chamber. As a result, dissolved chemical oxygen demand increased from 164 to 1,787 mg/L and 1,256 mg/L in the anode and cathode chambers, respectively. Remixing of sludge from the two chambers brought the pH back to 6.5, hence no chemical neutralisation was required prior to anaerobic digestion. Methane yield during anaerobic digestion at 20 d retention time was 31% higher than that of untreated sludge. An energy balance assessment indicated that the non-optimised process could approximately recover the energy (electricity) expended in the electrolysis process. With suitable optimisation of treatment time and voltages, significant energy savings would be expected in addition to the benefit of decreased sludge volume.

scholarly journals Comparison of the impacts of thermal pretreatment on waste activated sludge using aerobic and anaerobic digestion

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (8) ◽  
pp. 1772-1781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyungjun (Brian) Jo ◽  
Wayne Parker ◽  
Peiman Kianmehr
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Thermal Pretreatment ◽  
Decay Products ◽  
Anaerobic Biodegradability ◽  
Pretreatment Conditions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic

Abstract A range of thermal pretreatment conditions were used to evaluate the impact of high pressure thermal hydrolysis on the biodegradability of waste activated sludge (WAS) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It was found that pretreatment did not increase the overall extent to which WAS could be aerobically biodegraded. Thermal pretreatment transformed the biodegradable fraction of WAS (XH) to readily biodegradable chemical oxygen demand (COD) (SB) (16.5–34.6%) and slowly biodegradable COD (XB) (45.8–63.6%). The impact of pretreatment temperature and duration on WAS COD fractionation did not follow a consistent pattern as changes in COD solubilization did not correspond to the observed generation of SB through pretreatment. The pretreated WAS (PWAS) COD fractionations determined from aerobic respirometry were employed in anaerobic modeling and it was concluded that the aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability of PWAS differed. It was found that thermal pretreatment resulted in as much as 50% of the endogenous decay products becoming biodegradable in anaerobic digestion. Overall, it was concluded that the COD fractionation that was developed based upon the aerobic respirometry was valid. However, it was necessary to implement a first-order decay process that reflected changes in the anaerobic biodegradability of the endogenous products through pretreatment.

scholarly journals Mathematical modelling of waste activated sludge thermal disintegration

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 00027
Author(s):  
Sylwia Myszograj ◽  
Magdalena Wojciech
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Disintegration Time ◽  
Random Factor ◽  
Factor Measurement ◽  
The Impact

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) solubilisation was used to evaluate the impact of thermal pretreatment on the transfer of sewage sludge from particulate to soluble phase. It was gathering the experimental data needed for building of empirical mathematical model describing the relation between applied temperature and time and rate of COD solubilisation and degradation. In view of repeated measurements, in order to describe the relationship between changes in the fraction of dissolved COD and the time and temperature, mixed models have been adopted where by fixed factor measurement conditions have been adopted: time and temperature, while the random factor changes the characteristics of waste activated sludge. Linear and logistic nonlinear mixed models were analyzed. The tests demonstrated that all variables are statistically significant in assessing their impact on the efficiency of liquefaction of sludge. On the basis of the estimated model, the temperature rise of 10°C increases degree of disintegration 1.7% above the average treatment time for 0.5h, by 2.6% for 1 hour, and by 3.9% for 2h. COD values decrease between 3 to 23% at temperatures in the range of 55 to 115°C. At higher temperatures COD was reduced in the range of 32 to 44%. Disintegration time did not have the significant impact on the degradation effect.

scholarly journals Performance and Microbial Community Dynamics in Anaerobic Digestion of Waste Activated Sludge: Impact of Immigration

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhee Shin ◽  
Si-Kyung Cho ◽  
Joonyeob Lee ◽  
Kwanghyun Hwang ◽  
Jae Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Microbial Community Dynamics ◽  
Ch4 Production

Waste activated sludge (WAS) is a byproduct of municipal wastewater treatment. WAS contains a large proportion of inactive microbes, so when it is used as a substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD), their presence can interfere with monitoring of active microbial populations. To investigate how influent cells affect the active and inactive microbial communities during digestion of WAS, we operated model mesophilic bioreactors with conventional conditions. Under six different hydraulic retention times (HRTs; 25, 23, 20, 17, 14, and 11.5 d), the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and CH4 production of the AD were within a typical range for mesophilic sludge digesters. In the main bacteria were proteobacteria, bacteroidetes, and firmicutes in both the WAS and the bioreactors, while in main archaeal methanogen group was Methanosarcinales in the WAS and methanomicrobiales in the bioreactors. Of the 106 genera identified, the estimated net growth rates were negative in 72 and positive in 34. The genera with negative growth included many aerobic taxa. The genera with positive growth rates included methanogens and syntrophs. In some taxa, the net growth rate could be positive or negative, depending on HRT, so their abundance was also affected by HRT. This study gives insights into the microbial dynamics of a conventional sludge anaerobic digester by distinguishing potentially active (growing) and inactive (non-growing, dormant) microbes and by correlating population dynamics with process parameters.

scholarly journals Process Optimization of Waste Activated Sludge in Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production by Electrochemical Pre-Treatment Using Ruthenium Oxide Coated Titanium Electrodes

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4874
Author(s):  
Gan Chin Heng ◽  
Mohamed Hasnain Isa ◽  
Serene Sow Mun Lock ◽  
Choon Aun Ng
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Chemical Oxygen Demand ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Ruthenium Oxide ◽  
Parameters Optimization ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Capillary Suction ◽  
Pre Treatment

Anaerobic digestion (AD) appears to be a popular unit operation in wastewater treatment plant to treat waste activated sludge (WAS) and the produced methane gas can be harvested as renewable energy. However, WAS could inhibit hydrolysis stage during AD and hence pre-treatment is required to overcome the issue. This paper aimed to study the effect of electrochemical pre-treatment (EP) towards efficiency of AD using titanium coated with ruthenium oxide (Ti/RuO2) electrodes. The investigation has been carried out using in-house laboratory batch-scale mesophilic anaerobic digester, mixed under manipulation of important operating parameters. Optimization was performed on EP using response surface methodology and central composite design to maximize sludge disintegration and dewaterability. By operating at optimal conditions (pH 11.65, total solids 22,000 mg/L, electrolysis time 35 min, current density 6 mA/cm2, and 1000 mg/L of sodium chloride), the pre-treated WAS in terms of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) removal, soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), capillary suction time (CST) reduction, and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) were 38%, 4800 mg/L (increased from 935 mg/L), 33%, and 218 mg/L, respectively. Following AD, the volatile solids (VS) removal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal by EP were enhanced from 40.7% and 54.7% to 47.2% and 61.5%, respectively, at steady-state. The biogas produced from control and electrochemical pre-treated WAS were in the ranges of 0.12 to 0.17 and 0.2 to 0.24 m3/kg VSfed, respectively, and the volume of biogas produced was 44–67% over the control. Based on the results obtained, suitability of EP for WAS prior to AD was confirmed.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF THERMAL PRETREATMENT ON THE SOLUBILIZATION OF ORGANIC MATTERS IN A MIXTURE OF PRIMARY AND WASTE ACTIVATED SLUDGE

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Aboulfotoh ◽  
E.H. El Gohary and O.D. El Monayeri
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Thermal Pretreatment ◽  
Treatment Methods ◽  
Pre Treatment

The increased demand for advanced techniques in anaerobic digestion over the last few years has led to the employment of various pre-treatment methods prior to anaerobic digestion to increase gas production. These pre-treatment methods alter the physical and chemical properties of sludge in order to make it more readily degradable by anaerobic digestion. Although the thermal pre-treatment presents high energy consumption, the main part of this energy to heat can be recovered from the biogas produced in the anaerobic process. In this research a mixture of primary and waste activated sludge was thermally pretreated at 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200o C in order to determine the effect of thermal pretreatment on improving the solubilization of sludge by increasing the soluble organic fraction (expressed as soluble COD and VFA). Experimental results proved that the solubilization ratio of sludge is depends on the treatment time and the applied temperature and the optimal temperature ranged between 175 and 200o C. The COD solubilization ratio (at 175o C) increased from 11.2% to 15.1% and 25.1% when the time of treatment increased from 60 min to 120 and 240 min respectively. The experimental data could be fitted to obtain an empirical model (Known as the enzyme-kinetic equation) relating the COD solubilization ratio of sludge and VFA concentration to the applied temperature and the heating time.

scholarly journals EFFECT OF THERMAL PRETREATMENT ON THE SOLUBILIZATION OF ORGANIC MATTERS IN A MIXTURE OF PRIMARY AND WASTE ACTIVATED SLUDGE

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Aboulfotoh ◽  
E.H. El Gohary and O.D. El Monayeri
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Thermal Pretreatment ◽  
Treatment Methods ◽  
Pre Treatment

The increased demand for advanced techniques in anaerobic digestion over the last few years has led to the employment of various pre-treatment methods prior to anaerobic digestion to increase gas production. These pre-treatment methods alter the physical and chemical properties of sludge in order to make it more readily degradable by anaerobic digestion. Although the thermal pre-treatment presents high energy consumption, the main part of this energy to heat can be recovered from the biogas produced in the anaerobic process. In this research a mixture of primary and waste activated sludge was thermally pretreated at 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200o C in order to determine the effect of thermal pretreatment on improving the solubilization of sludge by increasing the soluble organic fraction (expressed as soluble COD and VFA). Experimental results proved that the solubilization ratio of sludge is depends on the treatment time and the applied temperature and the optimal temperature ranged between 175 and 200o C. The COD solubilization ratio (at 175o C) increased from 11.2% to 15.1% and 25.1% when the time of treatment increased from 60 min to 120 and 240 min respectively. The experimental data could be fitted to obtain an empirical model (Known as the enzyme-kinetic equation) relating the COD solubilization ratio of sludge and VFA concentration to the applied temperature and the heating time.

scholarly journals Optimized culture condition for enhancing lytic performance of waste activated sludge by Geobacillus sp. G1

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxue Yang ◽  
Aijuan Zhou ◽  
Yanan Hou ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Zechong Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Treatment Time ◽  
Uniform Design ◽  
Skim Milk ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Lysis Rate ◽  
Burman Design

Hydrolysis is known as the rate-limiting step during waste activated sludge (WAS) digestion. The optimization of the culture conditions of Geobacillus sp. G1 for enhancing WAS hydrolysis was conducted in this study with uniform design and response surface methodology. Taking the lysis rate of Escherichia coli as the response, the Plackett–Burman design was used to screen the most important variables. Experimental results showed that the maximum predicted lysis rate of E. coli was 50.9% for 4 h treatment time with concentrations of skim milk, NaCl and NH4SO4 at 10.78, 4.36 and 11.28 g/L, respectively. The optimized dosage ratio of Geobacillus sp. G1 to WAS was 35%:65% (VG1:VWAS). Under this condition, soluble protein was increased to 695 mg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L, which was 5.0 times higher than that obtained in the control (140 mg COD/L). The corresponding protease activity reached 1.1 Eu/mL. Scanning electron microscopy showed that abundant cells were apparently lysed with treatment of Geobacillus sp. G1.

Occurrence, effect, and fate of residual microplastics in anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge: A state-of-the-art review

2021 ◽  
pp. 125035
Author(s):  
Zhang-Wei He ◽  
Wen-Jing Yang ◽  
Yong-Xiang Ren ◽  
Hong-Yu Jin ◽  
Cong-Cong Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge
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