The link between organic matter composition and the biogas yield of full-scale sewage sludge anaerobic digestion

The principal parameters influencing anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge have been extensively studied in controlled laboratory experiments, but the effects of sludge composition on full-scale systems have received relatively little attention. Sludge samples from eight major wastewater treatme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water science and technology 2022-03, Vol.85 (5), p.1658-1672
Main Authors: Liu, Jin, Smith, Stephen R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Anaerobic digestion
Anaerobic treatment
Anaerobiosis
Biofuels - analysis
Biogas
Bioreactors
Calorific value
Carbohydrates
Cellulose
Chemical oxygen demand
Composition
Digesters
Digestion
fat
Grease
High density polyethylenes
Laboratory experimentation
Lignin
Mass balance
Nitrates
Nitrogen
Oils & fats
Organic matter
Proteins
Raw sludge
Renewable resources
Sewage
Sewage - chemistry
Sewage sludge
Sludge
Sludge digestion
Statistical analysis
Substrates
Volatile solids
Wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment plants
Water Purification - methods
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Summary:The principal parameters influencing anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge have been extensively studied in controlled laboratory experiments, but the effects of sludge composition on full-scale systems have received relatively little attention. Sludge samples from eight major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the UK were examined to determine the effects of sludge composition on digestion performance. The biogas yield (BY) was estimated by two different methods: (1) a standard approach based on the reduction in volatile solids (VS), and (2) a more detailed mass balance of major constituent fractions of organic matter in sludge. The results showed that BY increased significantly with the overall amount of VS contained in digester feed sludge. In terms of the effects of individual fractions, BY was significantly related to and increased with the fat and cellulose contents in raw sludge, consistent with the high calorific value of fat and the digestibilities of both substrates, relative to the other major organic components. The results demonstrated the importance of sludge composition on digester performance and strategies to maximise BY were identified, for instance, by increasing codigestion of high fat containing substrates, and by utilising fat, oil and grease collected in-sewer and at WWTP.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.2022.058