scholarly journals Effect of Different Pretreatments on Sludge Solubilization and Estimation of Bioenergy Potential

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1382
Author(s):  
Reshma Babu ◽  
Gustavo Capannelli ◽  
Antonio Comite

Most of the conventional treatments of waste-activated sludge (WAS) are devoted to their minimization and destruction. On the other hand, the biomass contained in WAS can be utilized as a valuable source of renewable carbon. In this study, the influence of different pretreatments (ultrasonication, chemical, thermal, and combined pretreatments) was explored for sludge solubilization. Effects of the pretreatments were investigated as a function of the solubilization of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Concentrations of soluble carbohydrates and total nitrogen were also measured. The most effective pretreatment to hydrolyze sludge was found to be the combined alkali–thermal (pH 12, 75 °C) pretreatment method, leading to TS and vs. solubilization of 9.6% and 17.2%, respectively. Soluble COD, carbohydrates, total nitrogen, and proteins estimated in the liquid phase were 5235 mg/L, 732 mg/L, 430 mg/L, and 2688 mg/L, respectively. Thus, the alkali–thermal method could be used for efficient valorization of WAS. Moreover, the solid fraction from all pretreated samples was further subjected to thermogravimetric analysis to estimate its potential for bioenergy from its higher heating value (HHV), which was found to be in the range of 10–11.82 MJ/kg. This study can provide better insight into the efficient valorization of liquid and solid phases of sludge after pretreatment.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1640
Author(s):  
Matthijs H. Somers ◽  
Samet Azman ◽  
Ruud Vanhecke ◽  
Lise Appels

Substantial insight into the effect of ultrasound disintegration on the changes in biochemical parameters of manure digestate and digestate age is needed to understand the potential of digestate treatment. To address this knowledge gap, in this study, the effect of digestate age on the efficiency of ultrasound (US) disintegration was investigated. In this scope, dairy manure digestate samples were incubated in an oven at 37 °C for a predetermined amount of time to obtain simulated digestate ages of 15, 22, 29, 36 and 43 days. The results showed that US disintegration efficiency significantly affected the initial biochemical characteristics of digestate and that the digestate age had a significant effect on the US disintegration efficiency. This effect diminished when the applied specific energy (SE) was higher than 3000 kJ/kg total solids (TS). A numerical partial least squares (PLS) model was constructed to investigate the relative influences of the initial biochemical parameters on the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) and soluble carbohydrates (sCARB) solubilization. The results of the high-quality (R2 = 0.8) model indicated that the most influential parameters for the efficiency of US disintegration were the SE, the initial sCARB0, the TS, the initial sCOD0 and the volatile solids (VS).


2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 3072-3079 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Schaum ◽  
D. Lensch ◽  
P. Cornel

Abstract The composition of sewage sludge and, thus, its energetic potential is influenced by wastewater and wastewater treatment processes. Higher or lower heating values (HHV or LHV) are decisive factors for the incineration/gasification/pyrolysis of sewage sludge. The HHV is analyzed with a bomb calorimeter and converted to the LHV. It is also possible to calculate the heating value via chemical oxygen demand (COD), total volatile solids (TVS), and elemental composition. Calculating the LHV via the COD provides a suitable method. In contrast, the correlation of the HHV or LHV with the TVS is limited. One prerequisite here is a constant specific energy density; this was given with the types of sewage sludge (primary, surplus/excess, and digested sludge) investigated. If the energy density is not comparable with sewage sludge, for instance with the co-substrate (bio-waste, grease, etc.), the estimation of the heating value using TVS will fail. When calculating the HHV or LHV via the elemental composition, one has to consider the validity of the coefficients of the calculation equation. Depending on the organic composition, it might be necessary to adjust the coefficients, e.g. when adding co-substrates.


1985 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1475-1478 ◽  
Author(s):  
A P. C. Warner ◽  
G. A. Ekama ◽  
G v. R. Marais

The laboratory scale experimental investigation comprised a 6 day sludge age activated sludge process, the waste sludge of which was fed to a number of digesters operated as follows: single reactor flow through digesters at 4 or 6 days sludge age, under aerobic and anoxic-aerobic conditions (with 1,5 and 4 h cycle times) and 3-in-series flow through aerobic digesters each at 4 days sludge age; all digesters were fed draw-and-fill wise once per day. The general kinetic model for the aerobic activated sludge process set out by Dold et al., (1980) and extended to the anoxic-aerobic process by van Haandel et al., (1981) simulated accurately all the experimental data (Figs 1 to 4) without the need for adjusting the kinetic constants. Both theoretical simulations and experimental data indicate that (i) the rate of volatile solids destruction is not affected by the incorporation of anoxic cycles and (ii) the specific denitrification rate is independent of sludge age and is K4T = 0,046(l,029)(T-20) mgNO3-N/(mg active VSS. d) i.e. about 2/3 of that in the secondary anoxic of the single sludge activated sludge stystem. An important consequence of (i) and (ii) above is that denitrification can be integrated easily in the steady state digester model of Marais and Ekama (1976) and used for design (Warner et al., 1983).


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 648
Author(s):  
Erik Samuel Rosas-Mendoza ◽  
Andrea Alvarado-Vallejo ◽  
Norma Alejandra Vallejo-Cantú ◽  
Raúl Snell-Castro ◽  
Sergio Martínez-Hernández ◽  
...  

The aim of this paper is to describe a study of the anaerobic digestion of industrial citrus solid waste (ISCW) in both batch and semi-continuous modes for the production of bioenergy without the elimination of D-limonene. The study was conducted at the pilot plant level in an anaerobic reactor with a working volume of 220 L under mesophilic conditions of 35 ± 2 °C. Cattle manure (CM) was used as the inoculum. Three batches were studied. The first batch had a CM/ISCW ratio of 90/10, and Batches 2 and 3 had CM/ISCW ratios of 80/20 and 70/30, respectively. In the semi-continuous mode an OLR of approximately 8 g total chemical oxygen demand (COD)/Ld (4.43 gVS/Ld) was used. The results showed that 49%, 44%, and 60% of volatile solids were removed in the batch mode, and 35% was removed in the semi-continuous mode. In the batch mode, 0.322, 0.382, and 0.316 LCH4 were obtained at STP/gVSremoved. A total of 24.4 L/d (34% methane) was measured in the semi-continuous mode. Bioenergy potentials of 3.97, 5.66, and 8.79 kWh were obtained for the respective batches, and 0.09 kWh was calculated in the semi-continuous mode. The citrus industry could produce 37 GWh per season. A ton of processed oranges has a bioenergy potential of 162 kWh, which is equivalent to 49 kWh of available electricity ($3.90).


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Ilaria Piccoli ◽  
Giuseppe Virga ◽  
Carmelo Maucieri ◽  
Maurizio Borin

Constructed wetlands (CWs) represent a green technology for digestate liquid fraction (DLF) treatment. However, previous research has warned about their performance when treating wastewater with high suspended solid and organic loads. In addition, the high NH4-N concentration typical of this wastewater can compromise vegetation establishment and activity. In view of this, a digestate pretreatment is needed. This study aimed to test the performance of filters filled with recovery materials, such as brick and refractory material, for DLF pretreatment. The effect on DLF physical (electrical conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) and chemical (total nitrogen, ammonia–nitrogen, nitrate–nitrogen, total phosphorus, soluble phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand) characteristics was monitored during eight weekly cycles. The effect of filtration on total nitrogen and ammonia–nitrogen removal began after about one month of loading, suggesting that an activation period is necessary for bacteria. For effective N removal, the presence of multiple digestate recirculations per day through the filters appears mandatory to guarantee the alternation of nitrification and denitrification conditions. For P removal, filling material particle size appeared to be more important than its composition. Unclear performances were observed considering chemical oxygen demand. Further studies on filling media and microbial community interactions, and the long-term efficiency of filters, are desirable.


1980 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-337
Author(s):  
�. �. Shpil'rain ◽  
D. N. Kagan ◽  
L. S. Barkhatov ◽  
L. I. Zhmakin ◽  
V. V. Koroleva

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Bersinger ◽  
Isabelle Le Hécho ◽  
Gilles Bareille ◽  
Thierry Pigot ◽  
Alexandre Lecomte

Continuous monitoring of the sanitation network of the urban catchment of Pau (southwest France) has been performed since March 2012 using rain gauges, flowmeters, as well as turbidity and conductivity probes. Good correlations were obtained between turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) on the one hand, and conductivity and total nitrogen on the other hand. This allowed an instantaneous and continuous estimation of pollutant concentrations and fluxes since that date. In the present paper we focused on the results of October 2012, which was characterized by alternating periods of dry and rainy events. Turbidity and conductivity raw data show different trends during the study period depending on the parameter and the rain events. A turbidity peak is observed at the beginning of each rain event but its amplitude varies with the intensity of the rain and the length of the preceding dry weather period. Conversely, conductivity decrease during each rain event implying, that rain water acts as a dilution factor. The behaviour of COD and total nitrogen differ markedly due to their partitioning between the dissolved (total nitrogen) and particulate phases (COD). Daily pollutant fluxes allow a global comprehension and monitoring of the sewer system. Important COD fluxes during a rain event preceded by a long dry weather period highlight the importance of erosion of sedimentary deposits in the sewerage network. During these events, important fluxes are discharged into receiving water leading to the question of the impact on aquatic life. Generally, these results highlight the potential of online monitoring to better understand the behaviour of the sewer network on long or short time scales. This could be a useful tool to manage wastewater treatment.


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