Rheological characterization of thermal hydrolysed waste activated sludge.

Rheological properties are important in the design and operation of sludge-handling process. Despite this, the rheology of sludge in thermal hydrolysis processes (TH) is not well described. In-situ measurements were performed to characterize the flow behaviour of various concentrations (7-13 wt%) of waste activated sludge (WAS) at TH conditions. Equations were presented for predicting in-situ rheological parameters (high-shear viscosity, η∞,i, consistency index, ki, and yield stress, σc,i) under various treatment conditions, which are useful for design of process units. The equations enable convenient estimation of in-situ properties based on ambient rheological measurements. Results suggested that the proportion of sludge solubilization and its rate were unaffected by varying sludge concentration. Thermally treated sludge still exhibited gel-like, viscoelastic characteristics similar to untreated sludge; however, the storage (G') and loss (G") moduli decreased with higher treatment temperatures. Frequency and creep responses were described by a fractional derivatives Kelvin-Voigt (FKV) model, which showed increasing viscous characteristics of treated sludge. These equations can be utilised in CFD models. Results obtained from oscillatory measurements can also approximate steady-shear behaviour by comparing dynamic viscosity, η'(ω), and steady-shear viscosity, η(γ̇), whose values were very similar. This enables convenient estimation of steady-shear behaviour of sludge from oscillatory measurements, which is found to be a non-destructive technique for measuring flow behaviour of highly concentrated sludge. Yield stress can also be predicted from the product of modified Cox-Merz shift factors and storage modulus (G'). Practical engineering implications of the rheological observations were discussed.

Rheological measurements as a tool for monitoring the performance of high pressure and high temperature treatment of sewage sludge.

Hydrothermal processing plays a significant role in sewage sludge treatment. However, the rheological behaviour of sludge during these processes is not fully understood. A better understanding of the sludge rheology under hydrothermal processing conditions can help improve process efficiency. Moreover, sludge rheology is easier to measure than chemical analyses. If a relationship could be established, it provides a possibility of using rheological measurement as a basis for monitoring the performance of hydrothermal processing. The rheological changes in thickened waste activated sludge (7 wt%) was investigated using a pressure cell-equipped rheometer during 60-min thermal hydrolysis (TH) at various temperatures (80-145 °C) and constant pressure (5 bar). Changes in the soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured using a separate reactor with a similar operating condition. The sludge behaved as a shear-thinning fluid and could be described by the Herschel-Bulkley model. At constant temperature, the yield stress and high-shear (600 s-1) viscosity of sludge decreased logarithmically over 60 min. At constant time, the yield stress and the high-shear viscosity decreased linearly with increasing TH temperature and these values was much less than corresponding properties after treatment and cooling down to 25 °C. The soluble COD of sludge also increased logarithmically over 60 min at constant temperature, and increased linearly with increasing temperature at constant time. Furthermore, the yield stress and high-shear viscosity reduction showed a linear correlation with the increase in soluble COD.

A review of wet air oxidation and Thermal Hydrolysis technologies in sludge treatment.

With rapid world population growth and strict environmental regulations, increasingly large volumes of sludge are being produced in today's wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) with limited disposal routes. Sludge treatment has become an essential process in WWTP, representing 50% of operational costs. Sludge destruction and resource recovery technologies are therefore of great ongoing interest. Hydrothermal processing uses unique characteristics of water at elevated temperatures and pressures to deconstruct organic and inorganic components of sludge. It can be broadly categorized into wet oxidation (oxidative) and thermal hydrolysis (non-oxidative). While wet air oxidation (WAO) can be used for the final sludge destruction and also potentially producing industrially useful by-products such as acetic acid, thermal hydrolysis (TH) is mainly used as a pre-treatment method to improve the efficiency of anaerobic digestion. This paper reviews current hydrothermal technologies, roles of wet air oxidation and thermal hydrolysis in sludge treatment, and challenges faced by these technologies.