Effects of stabilization and sludge properties in a combined process of anaerobic digestion and thermophilic aerobic digestion

Jiehong Cheng, Feng Kong, Jun Zhu, Xiao Wu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

A novel process of combining mesophilic (<35°C) anaerobic digestion with the thermophilic (55°C) aerobic digestion process (AN-TAD) was designed to stabilize sludge and economize aeration energy. Effects of stabilization and sludge properties for AN-TAD process were evaluated by batch experiments during a 25 d digestion period. The sludges digested by AN-TAD process achieved the requirements for Class-A sludge standard. The sludge at total solid (TS) 5.4% had the highest value of decay coefficient Kd(55) at 0.1851 d-1 among the three TS contents according to the first-order kinetics equation. Oxidation reduction potential at below 0 mV remained for sludges at TSs of 6.5%, 5.4%, and 4.6% for at least 15 d because of initial hydrolytic-acidification. Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in sludges at TSs of 6.5%, 5.4%, and 4.6% gradually increased up to the highest values in the supernatant during the initial 13 d, causing low utilized value in land application as a fertilizer. Prolonging the retention time for more than 15 d was considered because soluble phosphorus precipitated in the solid phase. High content of soluble organic matters of the soluble chemical oxygen demand, protein, and polysaccharide in the supernatant caused deterioration in sludge dewaterability rates.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2786-2795
Number of pages10
JournalEnvironmental Technology (United Kingdom)
Volume36
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francisa.

Keywords

  • mesophilic anaerobic digestion
  • sewage sludge
  • sludge property
  • stabilization
  • thermophilic aerobic digestion

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