Valorisation of used cooking oil sludge by codigestion with swine manure

The addition of lipid wastes to the digestion of swine manure was studied as a means of increasing biogas production. Lipid waste was obtained from a biodiesel plant where used cooking oil is the feedstock. Digestion of this co-substrate was proposed as a way of valorising residual streams from the process of biodiesel production and to integrate the digestion process into the biorefinery concept.Batch digestion tests were performed at different co-digesting proportions obtaining as a result an increase in biogas production with the increase in the amount of co-substrate added to the mixture. Semi-continuous digestion was studied at a 7% (w/w) mass fraction of total solids. Co-digestion was successful at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d but a decrease to 30 d resulted in a decrease in specific gas production and accumulation of volatile and long chain fatty acids. The CH₄ yield obtained was 326 ± 46 l/kg VS_feed at an HRT of 50 d, while this value was reduced to 274 ± 43 l/kg VS_feed when evaluated at an HRT of 30 d. However these values were higher than the one obtained under batch conditions (266 ± 40 l/kg VS_feed), thus indicating the need of acclimation to the co-substrate. Despite of operating at low organic loading rate (OLR), measurements from respirometry assays of digestate samples (at an HRT of 50 d) suggested that the effluent could not be directly applied to the soil as fertiliser and might have a negative effect over soil or crops.     

Degradation of polyacrylamide (PAM) and methane production by mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion: Effect of temperature and concentration

• PAM degradation in thermophilic AD in comparison with mesophilic AD. • PAM degradation and its impact on thermophilic and mesophilic AD. • Enhanced methane yield in presence of PAM during thermophilic and mesophilic AD. • PAM degradation and microbial community analysis in thermophilic and mesophilic AD. Polyacrylamide (PAM) is generally employed in wastewater treatment processes such as sludge dewatering and therefore exists in the sludge. Furthermore, it degrades slowly and can deteriorate methane yield during anaerobic digestion (AD). The impact or fate of PAM in AD under thermophilic conditions is still unclear. This study mainly focuses on PAM degradation and enhanced methane production from PAM-added sludge during 15 days of thermophilic (55°C) AD compared to mesophilic (35°C) AD. Sludge and PAM dose from 10 to 50 g/kg TSS were used. The results showed that PAM degraded by 76% to 78% with acrylamide (AM) content of 0.2 to 3.3 mg/L in thermophilic AD. However, it degraded only 27% to 30% with AM content of 0.5 to 7.2 mg/L in mesophilic AD. The methane yield was almost 230 to 238.4 mL/g VSS on the 8th day in thermophilic AD but was 115.2 to 128.6 mL/g VSS in mesophilic AD. Mechanism investigation revealed that thermophilic AD with continuous stirring not only enhanced PAM degradation but also boosted the organics release from the sludge with added PAM and gave higher methane yield than mesophilic AD.     

厌氧系统中碱处理对污泥减量的影响

碱解预处理污泥和原污泥按一定比例进行混合后,投入厌氧反应器中进行消化,研究其对污泥减量化的影响。结果表明,该处理既可以提高污泥减量率,又能改善污泥厌氧消化性能,提高污泥产气量。当碱处理污泥和原污泥混合比为1∶3时,在混合初期由于稀释作用和水解中和作用,溶液的pH能迅速恢复到中性。SS减少48%,较对照组提高了10%;SCOD减少约80%,较对照组提高20%,而空白对照组因未发生溶胞作用,各参数值均处于较低水平,降解率也维持在较低水平。     

Production costs and operative margins in electric energy generation from biogas. Full-scale case studies in Italy

The purpose of this study was to observe the economic sustainability of three different biogas full scale plants, fed with different organic matrices: energy crops (EC), manure, agro-industrial (Plants B and C) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) (Plant A). The plants were observed for one year and total annual biomass feeding, biomass composition and biomass cost (€ Mg^?1), initial investment cost and plant electric power production were registered. The unit costs of biogas and electric energy (€ Sm^?3_biogas, € kW h^?1_EE) were differently distributed, depending on the type of feed and plant. Plant A showed high management/maintenance cost for OFMSW treatment (0.155 € Sm^?3_biogas, 45% of total cost), Plant B suffered high cost for EC supply (0.130 € Sm^?3_biogas, 49% of total cost) and Plant C showed higher impact on the total costs because of the depreciation charge (0.146 € Sm^?3_biogas, 41% of total costs). The breakeven point for the tariff of electric energy, calculated for the different cases, resulted in the range 120–170 € MW h^?1_EE, depending on fed materials and plant scale. EC had great impact on biomass supply costs and should be reduced, in favor of organic waste and residues; plant scale still heavily influences the production costs. The EU States should drive incentives in dependence of these factors, to further develop this still promising sector.     

Investigation into the effect of high concentrations of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion on methanogenic communities

A study was conducted to determine whether differences in the levels of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in anaerobic digester plants could result in variations in the indigenous methanogenic communities. Two digesters (one operated under mesophilic conditions, the other under thermophilic conditions) were monitored, and sampled at points where VFA levels were high, as well as when VFA levels were low. Physical and chemical parameters were measured, and the methanogenic diversity was screened using the phylogenetic microarray ANAEROCHIP. In addition, real-time PCR was used to quantify the presence of the different methanogenic genera in the sludge samples. Array results indicated that the archaeal communities in the different reactors were stable, and that changes in the VFA levels of the anaerobic digesters did not greatly alter the dominating methanogenic organisms. In contrast, the two digesters were found to harbour different dominating methanogenic communities, which appeared to remain stable over time. Real-time PCR results were inline with those of microarray analysis indicating only minimal changes in methanogen numbers during periods of high VFAs, however, revealed a greater diversity in methanogens than found with the array.     

超声波促进城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化的研究

本研究将超声波预处理引入城市生活污泥缺氧/好氧消化工艺中，自主设计了容积为30 L的生活污泥超声波-缺氧/好氧消化中试系统并用以实验研究。超声波预处理的参数为超声频率28 kHz，声能密度0.15 W/mL，超声时间10 min，超声间隔12 h，污泥超声比例30%。结果表明，引入超声预处理后，缩短了污泥的稳定时间，提高了污泥的消化效率。污泥消化10 d就已经达到了稳定标准，比未引入超声预处理时缩短了12 d，而MLVSS最大去除率提高了11%，达到了55.10%。超声波的引入，对污泥缺氧/好氧消化系统中污泥上清液溶解性COD（SCOD）的变化趋势影响比较明显，而对上清液的pH、氨氮和TP的变化趋势没有明显影响。     

微量金属元素及其配合物对厨余垃圾甲烷发酵的影响

生物可利用的微量金属元素不仅能够保证污染物以最大的速率转化，而且还可以使某些特殊的转化得以发生，并提高微生物对有毒污染物质的耐受能力。在研究厨余垃圾总固体浓度(total solid, TS)、接种量和C/N比对厨余垃圾厌氧发酵影响的基础上，重点探讨微量金属元素钴及其配合物丝氨酸对厨余垃圾厌氧发酵甲烷产量及关键酶含量的影响。结果表明，当TS为0.5%、接种污泥量为100 mL/L和C/N比为20∶1时，厨余垃圾厌氧发酵的甲烷产率较高，为367 mL/g COD；添加2 μmol/L的微量金属元素钴-配合物丝氨酸时，甲烷产率则提高到432 mL/g COD，相应地，辅酶M的含量由空白实验的41.21 μmol/g VSS提高到54.64 μmol/g VSS，辅酶F₄₂₀的含量由0.31 μmol/g VSS提高到0.48 μmol/g VSS。     

季节性城市生活垃圾成分分析及厌氧消化特性研究

城市生活垃圾的成分及特性随着季节和人类在不同季节的生活习惯而变化，针对我国北方城市研究了一年中不同季节的城市生活垃圾成分特点，对影响厌氧发酵过程的相关成分如总有机碳（TOC）、总氮（TN）、蛋白质、脂肪和还原糖等进行了测定分析。通过厌氧消化实验，测得不同季节城市生活垃圾pH值、日产气量、沼气甲烷含量、甲烷累积量、挥发性脂肪酸（VFAs）和氧化还原电位（ORP）等参数的变化规律，分析相应变化的影响因素。结果表明，二、三季度的含水率分别为64．81％和67．50％，高于一、四季度，一季度发酵原料中蛋白质和脂肪含量分别为12．56％和8．86％，明显高于其他3个季度。一季度甲烷累积量最高，达到17616mL，单位发酵原料的产气量为204．8mL／g，也是4个季度中最高的，说明蛋白质、脂肪等有机成分含量对厌氧发酵过程及结果影响比较明显。为进一步的城市生活垃圾厌氧消化制取生物燃气的工艺条件提供依据。     

去除城市生活污泥中有机络合态金属强化其厌氧生物制气

为提高城市生活污泥厌氧消化沼气产率,本文考察了通过金属络合剂EDTA预处理污泥,以去除城市生活污泥中有机络合态金属,强化其厌氧生物制气的效果.结果表明,经EDTA预处理去除金属后的污泥(实验组)较未预处理的污泥(对照组)的有机络合态金属含量减少[(5.09±0.57)%~(1.37±0.20)%,以TS计],溶解性有机质显著提高(SCOD提升627%),暗示该预处理方法能够极大地去除有机络合态金属并强化污泥有机质的溶出.通过测定污泥有机质溶出表观活化能发现,实验组污泥有机质溶出表观活化能比对照组降低36%,表明预处理能够有效降低有机质溶出反应的能量壁垒.污泥厌氧发酵研究发现,在16d的污泥厌氧产酸实验中,实验组VFAs浓度高于对照组,较对照组最大提升42%;在22 d的污泥厌氧产甲烷测试实验(BMP)中,实验组单位有机质累积甲烷产量比对照组增加48%,表明EDTA预处理对提高污泥厌氧消化产沼气具有重要的作用.通过进一步产沼气动力学研究发现,实验组的产沼气限速步骤在产甲烷阶段,而对照组限制于水解阶段,表明经EDTA预处理能有效地破除城市生活污泥厌氧消化过程的水解限速.     

高含固污泥厌氧消化中Fe/S及pH对原位抑硫效率影响及其交互作用

以城市污水处理厂高含固污泥为对象,分别进行了连续厌氧消化抑硫试验和消化污泥Fe(Ⅲ)投加抑硫试验,探讨不同Fe/S(摩尔比)对污泥厌氧消化中溶解态硫化物去除效率的影响以及Fe(Ⅲ)与pH的交互作用.结果表明,热水解污泥厌氧消化采用原位抑硫技术,在Fe/S(摩尔比)为7.75时沼气中H_2S含量可由170.4×10~(-6)降至14.09×10~(-6),无需进行后续处理;当pH为7.00~7.50、Fe/S为1~11时,pH为原位抑硫主要显著影响因子,提高消化池pH有利于降低Fe(Ⅲ)投加量;高含固污泥厌氧消化沼气满足H_2S利用标准时,所需最低Fe/S为7.0;当消化池pH低于7.30时,将无法通过调节Fe/S实现H_2S浓度达标排放.