Elutriated acid fermentation of municipal primary sludge

The performance of a novel fermentation process, adopting a sludge blanket type configuration, for higher hydrolysis/acidogenesis of the municipal primary sludge was investigated under batch and semi-continuous conditions with varying pH and temperature. This acid elutriation slurry reactor provided higher system performance with a short HRT (5d) and higher acidogenic effluent quality under pH 9 and thermophilic (55 degrees C) conditions. The hydrolysis of the sludge was revealed to be significantly dependent on seasonal effects for sludge characteristics but with little impact on acidogenesis. Based on the rainy season at the optimal conditions, VFA production and recovery fraction (VFA(COD)/ COD) were 0.18g VFA(COD)/g VSSCOD and 63%. As byproducts, nitrogen and phosphorus release were measured at 0.006 g N/g VSSCOD and 0.003 g P/g VSSCOD, respectively. For the mass balance in a full-scale plant (Q= 158,880 m(3)/d) based on the rainy season, the VFA and non-VFA (as COD) production were 3110 kg VFA(COD)/d and 1800 kg COD/d, resulting in an increase of organics of 31 mg COD/L and 20 mg VFA(COD)/L and nutrients of 0.7 mg N/L and 0.3 mg P/L in the influent sewage. The economical benefit from this process application was estimated to be about $67 per 1000 m(3) of sewage except for energy requirements and also, better benefits can be expected during the dry season. Moreover, the results revealed that the process has various additional advantages such as pathogen-free stabilized solids production, excellent solids control and economical benefits. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.