Comparison of different thickening methods for active biomass recycle for anaerobic digestion of wastewater sludge.

The effect of returning solids to the digester, after one of three thickening processes, on volatile solids reduction (VSR) and gas production was investigated. Three different thickening methods were compared: centrifugation, flotation and gravitational sedimentation. The amount and activity of retained biomass in thickened recycled sludge affected the efficiency of digestion. Semi-continuous laboratory digesters were used to study the influence of thickening processes on thermophilic sludge digestion efficiency. Centrifugation was the most effective method used and caused an increase of VSR from 43% (control) up to 70% and gas generation from 0.40 to 0.44 L g(-1) VS. Flotation and gravitational sedimentation ways of thickening appeared to be less effective if compared with centrifugation. These methods increased VSR only by up to 65 and 51%, respectively and showed no significant increase of gas production. The dewatering capacity of digested sludge, as measured by its specific resistance to filtration, was essentially better for the sludge digested in the reactors with centrifugated and settled recycle. The VS concentration of recycle (g L(-1)), as reflecting the amount of retained biomass, appeared to be one of the most important factors influencing the efficiency of sludge digestion in the recycling technology.

Anaerobic thermophilic digestion of sewage sludge with a thickened sludge recycle.

The process of anaerobic thermophilic digestion of municipal wastewater sludge with a recycled part of thickened digested sludge, was studied in semi-continuous laboratory digesters. This modified recycling process resulted in increased solids retention time (SRT) with the same hydraulic retention time (HRT) as compared with traditional digestion without recycling. Increased SRT without increasing of HRT resulted in the enhancement of volatile substance reduction by up to 68% in the reactor with the recycling process compared with 34% in a control conventional reactor. Biogas production was intensified from 0.3 L/g of influent volatile solids (VS) in the control reactor up to 0.35 L/g VS. In addition, the recycling process improved the dewatering properties of digested sludge.

Aerobic biological treatment of thermophilically digested sludge.

Aerobic biological treatment of digested sludge was studied in a continuously operated laboratory set-up. An aerated reactor was filled with thermophilically digested sludge from the Moscow wastewater treatment plant and inoculated with special activated sludge. It was then operated at the chemostat mode at different flow rates. Processes of nitrification and denitrification, as well as dephosphatation, occurred simultaneously during biological aerobic treatment of thermophilically digested sludge. Under optimal conditions, organic matter degradation was 9.6%, the concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and phosphate decreased by 89 and 83%, respectively, while COD decreased by 12%. Dewaterability of digested sludge improved significantly. The processes were found to depend on hydraulic retention time, oxygen regime, and temperature. The optimal conditions were as follows: hydraulic retention time 3-4 days, temperature 30-35 degrees C, dissolved oxygen levels 0.2-0.5 mg/L at continuous aeration or 0.7-1 mg/L at intermittent aeration. Based on these findings, we propose a new combined technology of wastewater sludge treatment. The technology combines two stages: anaerobic digestion followed by aerobic biological treatment of digested sludge. The proposed technology makes it possible to degrade the sludge with conversion of approximately 45% volatile suspended solids to biogas, to improve nitrogen and phosphorus removal in reject water from sludge treatment units, and to achieve removal of malodorous substances after 8-9 days of anaerobic-aerobic sludge treatment.