Possible Co-fermentation of Water and Sewage Sludge

The article describes problems related to intensification of energy production at a wastewater treatment plant. The authors analyzed anaerobic co-digestion of sludge from both water treatment plant and sewage treatment plant. Water sludge is produced during coagulation, ozonation and backwashing of rapid anthracite filters. Its characteristic and properties depend on a raw water quality, treatment methods as well as types of chemicals used and their doses. According to the Polish Act of 4 December 2012 (Journal of Laws from 2013, item 21) the water sludge should be treated as hazardous waste. An alternative way to dispose water sludge and reduce its volume may be sludge reuse. The authors suggested a research methodology and analyzed the preliminary results, which showed that co-digestion of sewage and water sludge enhanced biogas production. The authors assume that the results of the study will provide a basis for development of methodology for sludge control and disposal

Possible Co-fermentation of Water and Sewage Sludge

The article describes problems related to intensification of energy production at a wastewater treatment plant. The authors analyzed anaerobic co-digestion of sludge from both water treatment plant and sewage treatment plant. Water sludge is produced during coagulation, ozonation and backwashing of rapid anthracite filters. Its characteristic and properties depend on a raw water quality, treatment methods as well as types of chemicals used and their doses. According to the Polish Act of 4 December 2012 (Journal of Laws from 2013, item 21) the water sludge should be treated as hazardous waste. An alternative way to dispose water sludge and reduce its volume may be sludge reuse. The authors suggested a research methodology and analyzed the preliminary results, which showed that co-digestion of sewage and water sludge enhanced biogas production. The authors assume that the results of the study will provide a basis for development of methodology for sludge control and disposal

APPLICATION OF RESPIROMETRIC TESTS FOR ASSESSMENT OF METHANOGENIC BACTERIA ACTIVITY IN WASTEWATER SLUDGE PROCESSING

Production of a methane-rich gas (‘biogas’) is contemporary popular sludges processing technology which allows to generate thermal and/or electric energy. Formal requirements issued by the European Union to promote so called renewable energy resources made these process more attractive leading to its application in WWTPs which were designed based on different sludge handling processes. Authors (as active design engineers) noted that dimensioning sludge digestion chamber is usually based on SRT assessment without any emphasis on sludge characteristics. Bio-mass characteristics and the estimation of its activity with respect to methane production are of great importance, from both scientific and practical points of view, as anaerobic digestion appears to be one of crucial processes in municipal wastewater handling and disposal. The authors propose respirometric tests to estimate a biomass potential to produce ‘a biogas’ and several years’ laboratory and full scale experience proved its usefulness and reliability both as a measurement and a design tool applicable in sludge handling. Dimensioning method proposed by authors, allows to construct and optimize operation of digestion chambers based on a methanogenic activity

Use of a water treatment sludge in a sewage sludge dewatering process

The objective of the research study was to determine whether a sewage sludge conditioning had any impact on sludge dewaterability. As a conditioning agent a water treatment sludge was used, which was mixed with a sewage sludge before a digestion process. The capillary suction time (CST) and the specific filtration resistance (SRF) were the measures used to determine the effects of a water sludge addition on a dewatering process. Based on the CST curves the water sludge dose of 0.3 g total volatile solids (TVS) per 1.0 g TVS of a sewage sludge was selected. Once the water treatment sludge dose was accepted, disintegration of the water treatment sludge was performed and its dewaterability was determined. The studies have shown that sludge dewaterability was much better after its conditioning with a water sludge as well as after disintegration and conditioning, if comparing to sludge with no conditioning. Nevertheless, these findings are of preliminary nature and future studies will be needed to investigate this topic

Use of a water treatment sludge in a sewage sludge dewatering process

The objective of the research study was to determine whether a sewage sludge conditioning had any impact on sludge dewaterability. As a conditioning agent a water treatment sludge was used, which was mixed with a sewage sludge before a digestion process. The capillary suction time (CST) and the specific filtration resistance (SRF) were the measures used to determine the effects of a water sludge addition on a dewatering process. Based on the CST curves the water sludge dose of 0.3 g total volatile solids (TVS) per 1.0 g TVS of a sewage sludge was selected. Once the water treatment sludge dose was accepted, disintegration of the water treatment sludge was performed and its dewaterability was determined. The studies have shown that sludge dewaterability was much better after its conditioning with a water sludge as well as after disintegration and conditioning, if comparing to sludge with no conditioning. Nevertheless, these findings are of preliminary nature and future studies will be needed to investigate this topic

Biovac® Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Mountain National Parks

This paper presents characteristics of the Biovac® wastewater treatment plants operating in the mountain areas of the Polish national parks (NP): Tatrzanski NP and Babiogórski NP as well as in the West Spitsbergen NP. On the basis of the laboratory tests performed on raw sewage and the final effluent the efficiency of the wastewater treatment plants was evaluated. It was found that high COD values and rather high COD / BOD5 ratios were observed in the raw sewage during an off-peak tourist season. The research has also shown that the Biovac® treatment plants (SBR technology) showed a high level of removal of pollutants from sewage discharged from mountain hostels

Współfermentacja osadów ściekowych i z uzdatniania wody : charakterystyka procesu i możliwości zastosowania

The article describes problems related to intensification of energy production at a sewage treatment plant. The authors analyze anaerobic co-digestion of sludge from a water treatment plant and sewage treatment plant. The authors proposed a methodology of the research and analyzed the preliminary results, which showed that co-digestion of sewage and water sludge enhanced biogas production. The authors hope that the results of the study will provide a basis for development of methodology for sludge control and disposal.Badania zaprezentowane w niniejszej publikacji, prowadziły do określenia możliwości wykorzystania osadów z uzdatniania wody jako substrat w procesie fermentacji metanowej osadów ściekowych. Autorzy zaproponowali metodologię badań i przeanalizowali wstępne wyniki, które wykazały, że dodanie osadów z uzdatniania wody do osadów ściekowych spowodowało zwiększoną produkcję biogazu. Zaproponowana technologia stanowi zintegrowany system gospodarki komunalnej, oparty na współpracy dwóch przedsiębiorstw: oczyszczalni ścieków i stacji uzdatniania, działających w systemie gospodarki cyrkulacyjnej. Rezultatem takiego rozwiązania są korzyści w zakresie odzysku biogazu, możliwego do wykorzystania w procesie kogeneracji

Sludge Management at the Kraków-Płaszów WWTP—Case Study

Municipal wastewater treatment plants are good examples of facilities where the concept of a circular economy model can be effectively implemented by the recovery of energy as well as secondary and natural materials. That is why anaerobic co-digestion has become one of the most appealing renewable energy pathways and takes a key position within sludge-handling processes. This research looked into the feasibility of the utilization of water sludge from a water treatment plant in anaerobic co-digestion with sewage sludge. The experiments confirmed that anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge together with water sludge significantly improved fermentation gas (biogas) production. The best results were observed when water treatment sludge constituted 30% of the mass of sewage sludge (as volatile solids, VS). At this ratio, approximately 20% more biogas was produced in laboratory experiments compared to the biogas production from sewage sludge only. The results, once confirmed on a semi-technical scale, will help to develop a sequence of processes which would enhance biogas production. Both the technology and the final product offer a comprehensive solution for waste generated at water and wastewater treatment plants. The innovative approach allows for the use of various waste streams and their combined processing following the principle of the circular economy

Effect of ultrasonic and thermal disintegration of water treatment sludge

This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of thermal and ultrasound disintegration on the disintegration degree (DD) of water treatment sludge from a municipal water treatment plant. A disintegration process was used to (i) improve subsequent coagulation efficiencies and dewatering processes (ii) reduce sludge production, and (iii) obtain both economic and enviromental benefits. The results show that using the disintegration process has an influence on DD values. It is also worth emphasising that the main parameter determining the efficiency of ultrasonic and thermal disintegration was the time of the applied process. Other parameters such as ultrasound intensity and temperature had a reduced impact on DD values

Effect of ultrasonic and thermal disintegration of water treatment sludge

This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of thermal and ultrasound disintegration on the disintegration degree (DD) of water treatment sludge from a municipal water treatment plant. A disintegration process was used to (i) improve subsequent coagulation efficiencies and dewatering processes (ii) reduce sludge production, and (iii) obtain both economic and enviromental benefits. The results show that using the disintegration process has an influence on DD values. It is also worth emphasising that the main parameter determining the efficiency of ultrasonic and thermal disintegration was the time of the applied process. Other parameters such as ultrasound intensity and temperature had a reduced impact on DD values