The objective of this research was to design an alternative wastewater treatment system for turkey processing plants to recover energy and reduce N and P to allowable discharge levels. The objective included: 1. Determine the quantity and quality of biogas produced from the turkey processing wastewater (TPW) and COD reduction efficiency. 2. Design a waste treatment system and validate proof of concept for simultaneous P and N removal with a goal of attaining effluent concentrations of 0.1 mg/L and 4 mg/L, for P and N, respectively. A lab-scale complete mixed anaerobic digester was used for turkey processing wastewater (TPW) digestion and biogas recovery running for 6 months. Along with the anaerobic digester, a two-sludge system called A2N-SBR consisting of an anaerobic-anoxic sequencing batch reactor and an attached growth post-nitrification reactor was added for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal running for 3 months. Biogas production yields of 778 + 89 mL/gVSadded and 951.30 mL/g COD were obtained through anaerobic digestion. Also, an energy balance was conducted on a pilot scale digester for a turkey processing plant with wastewater production of 2160 m3/d and using a combined heat and power (CHP) enginefor conversion of biogas to heat and electricity. Although the biogas yield achieved in a complete mixed reactor was relatively lower than yields obtained in previous studies using reactors such as UASB, still a complete mixed reactor can be a good choice for biogas recovery from TPW and can be used for codigestion with some specific turkey processing byproducts for biogas recovery. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the A2N-SBR system were 47% and 75%, respectively, and during the study the nitrogen and phosphorus removal mean concentration in effluent did not meet the nutrient limits specified in the objectives. Average TP and TN in the effluent were 3.2 mg/L and 137 mg/L, respectively. Throughout the study, the nitrification reactor biofilm was not completely developed. Incomplete nitrification and poor settling might be the reasons that quality obtained in effluent was low. To improve the process condition in A2N-SBR, online monitoring of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) can help to optimize each stage in the SBR and stages duration can be set based on the results. / Master of Science

The purpose of this dissertation was to broadly investigate the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) as representative contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). WWTPs may have their performance impacted by ENMs and may also serve as a reservoir and point of release for both ENMs and ARGs into the environment. Of interest were potential adverse effects of ENMs, such as stimulation of antibiotic resistance in the WWTP, toxicity to microbial communities critical for WWTP performance, and toxicity to humans who may be exposed to effluents or aerosols containing ENMs and their transformation products. Response of nine representative ARGs encoding resistance to sulfonamide, erythromycin and tetracycline to various lab-scale sludge digestion processes were examined, and factors that drove the response of ARGs were discussed. Mesophilic anaerobic digestion significantly reduced sulI, sulII, tet(C), tet(G), and tet(X) with longer solids retention time (SRT) exhibiting a greater extent of removal. Thermophilic anaerobic digesters performed similarly to each other and provided more effective reduction of erm(B), erm(F), tet(O), and tet(W) compared to mesophilic digestion. Thermal hydrolysis pretreatment drastically reduced all ARGs, but they generally rebounded during subsequent anaerobic and aerobic digestion treatments. Bacterial community composition of the sludge digestion process, as controlled by the physical operating characteristics, was indicated to drive the distribution of ARGs present in the produced biosolids, more so than the influent ARG composition. Effects of silver (nanoAg), zero-valent iron (NZVI), titanium dioxide (nanoTiO2) and cerium dioxide (nanoCeO2) nanomaterials on nitrification function and microbial communities were examined in duplicate lab-scale nitrifying sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), relative to control SBRs received no materials or ionic/bulk analogs. Nitrification function was only inhibited by high load of 20 mg/L Ag+, but not by other nanomaterials or analogs. However, decrease of nitrifier gene abundances and distinct microbial communities were observed in SBRs receiving nanoAg, Ag+, nanoCeO2, and bulkCeO2. There was no apparent effect of nanoTiO2 or NZVI on nitrification, nitrifier gene abundances, or microbial community structure. A large portion of nanoAg remained dispersed in activated sludge and formed Ag-S complexes, while NZVI, nanoTiO2 and nanoCeO2 were mostly aggregated and chemically unmodified. Thus, the nanomaterials appeared to be generally stable in the activated sludge, which may limit their effect on nitrification function or microbial community structure. Considering an aerosol exposure scenario, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of aqueous effluent and biosolids from SBRs dosed with nanoAg, NZVI, nanoTiO2 and nanoCeO2 to A549 human lung epithelial cells were examined, and the effects were compared relative to outputs from SBRs dosed with ionic/bulk analogs and undosed SBRs, as well as pristine ENMs. Although the pristine nanomaterials showed varying extents of cytotoxicity to A549 cells, and gentoxicity was observed for nanoAg, no significant cytotoxic or genotoxic effects of the SBR effluents or biosolids containing nanomaterials were observed. Studies presented in this dissertation provided new insights in the fate of ARGs in various sludge digestion processes and ENMs in nitrifying activated sludge system in lab-scale reactors. The study also yielded toxicity data of ENMs to biological wastewater treatment microbial communities and human lung cells indicated by a variety of toxicity markers. The results will aid in identifying appropriate management technologies for sludge containing ARGs and will inform microbial and human toxicity assessments of ENMs entering WWTPs. / Ph. D.

The aim of this study was to examine how manure-derived value-added products via anaerobic digestion impact the environment and economics of dairy farming. An on-farm anaerobic digester (AD) at Virginia dairy was used in this study. The AD performance evaluated for: (i) biogas production (ii) waste stabilization; and (iii) production of organic fertilizer. Locally available organic waste streams were evaluated for co-digestion with dairy manure to increase biomethane production at the on-farm AD. The effective pasteurization temperature and duration to reduce fecal coliform, E. coli, and Salmonella concentrations in the AD effluent to acceptable levels for use as an organic fertilizer were determined. A partial environmental and economic analysis was conducted on the AD system to determine its effects on the environmental-economic sustainability of dairy farming. The results showed that the manure-derived value-added products from the AD improved environmental health and had the potential to improve the economic sustainability of the dairy farm. The AD stabilized the manure adequately and produced 400 KW of electricity, enough to power 230 US homes. Blending manure with locally available organic materials increased volatile fatty acid production, suggesting the potential to increase biomethane yields. Pasteurization at 70°C is sufficient to reduce pathogen indicating organisms to acceptable levels for the manure to be used as an organic fertilizer. The payback periods range from 4.6 to 11.8 years for the AD investment costs and reductions in direct manure methane emissions of 2,436 tonnes CO2e per year. / Master of Science

This study is aimed to provide comprehensive evaluation and mechanistic understanding of the impact of process intensification techniques applied in main and side stream wastewater treatment on biosolids management in terms of anaerobic digestion enhancement, dewaterability improvement, odor mitigation, as well as phosphorus and nitrogen removal. The first part of this study was conducted to understand the effect of anaerobic digester solids retention time (SRT) on odor emission from biosolids. A kinetic model and inhibitory studies showed the emission of methanethiol (MT), a representative odor compound, was primarily determined by the dynamic concurrence of MT production from amino acid and utilization by methanogens in the course of anaerobic digestion. MT emission pattern follows a bell-shape curve with SRT in anaerobic digesters. However, for digested and dewatered biosolids, SRT ranging from 15 to 50 days in anaerobic digesters demonstrated insignificant effect on the odor emission from biosolids. In contrast, the peak odor emission was found to exponentially increase with both shear intensity and polymer dose applied during dewatering. The second part of this study investigated the impact of process intensification practices on sludge dewatering performance. The integration of high-rate activated sludge process and anaerobic digestion elevated the sludge orthophosphate level, leading to struvite scaling and dewaterability deterioration. Superior orthophosphate removal, significant improvement of sludge dewaterability, and favorable economics were achieved through sludge conditioning by cerium chloride. Continuous flow aerobic granulation technology offered significant process intensification of mainstream treatment trains. However, its impact on biosolids management was not studied. This study showed that there was little dewaterability difference between aerobic granular sludge and activated sludge when polymer was not added. However, about 75% polymer saving and improved dewatering performance were observed with polymer addition. When subjected to high shear, a greater dewaterability deterioration was observed for granular sludge than activated sludge. The last part of this study is focused on the impact of anaerobic digestion process intensification through thermal treatment including pre-pasteurization, thermophilic anaerobic digestion, temperature phased anaerobic digestion, and thermal hydrolysis pretreatment. Improved methane production, pathogen reduction, dewatering performance, and odor mitigation were observed with the involvement of these high-temperature processes. However, special cautions and measure should be taken during the start-up of these high rate processes as they are more liable to digester souring. In addition, the in-depth understanding of the mechanism of recalcitrant dissolved organic nitrogen formation during sludge thermal pretreatment was provided. / Doctor of Philosophy / This study is aimed to provide comprehensive evaluation and mechanistic understanding of the impact of process intensification techniques applied in main and side stream wastewater treatment on biosolids management in terms of anaerobic digestion enhancement, dewaterability improvement, odor mitigation, as well as phosphorus and nitrogen removal. The first part of this study was conducted to understand the effect of anaerobic digester solids retention time (SRT) on odor emission from biosolids. A kinetic model and inhibitory studies showed the emission of methanethiol (MT), a representative odor compound, was primarily determined by the dynamic concurrence of MT production from amino acid and utilization by methanogens in the course of anaerobic digestion. MT emission pattern follows a bell-shape curve with SRT in anaerobic digesters. However, for digested and dewatered biosolids, SRT ranging from 15 to 50 days in anaerobic digesters demonstrated insignificant effect on the odor emission from biosolids. In contrast, the peak odor emission was found to exponentially increase with both shear intensity and polymer dose applied during dewatering. The second part of this study investigated the impact of process intensification practices on sludge dewatering performance. The integration of high-rate activated sludge process and anaerobic digestion elevated the sludge orthophosphate level, leading to struvite scaling and dewaterability deterioration. Superior orthophosphate removal, significant improvement of sludge dewaterability, and favorable economics were achieved through sludge conditioning by cerium chloride. Continuous flow aerobic granulation technology offered significant process intensification of mainstream treatment trains. However, its impact on biosolids management was not studied. This study showed that there was little dewaterability difference between aerobic granular sludge and activated sludge when polymer was not added. However, about 75% polymer saving and improved dewatering performance were observed with polymer addition. When subjected to high shear, a greater dewaterability deterioration was observed for granular sludge than activated sludge. The last part of this study is focused on the impact of anaerobic digestion process intensification through thermal treatment including pre-pasteurization, thermophilic anaerobic digestion, temperature phased anaerobic digestion, and thermal hydrolysis pretreatment. Improved methane production, pathogen reduction, dewatering performance, and odor mitigation were observed with the involvement of these high-temperature processes. However, special cautions and measure should be taken during the start-up of these high rate processes as they are more liable to digester souring. In addition, the in-depth understanding of the mechanism of recalcitrant dissolved organic nitrogen formation during sludge thermal pretreatment was provided.

Anaerobic digestion has been the preferred method for reducing and stabilizing waste sludge from biological wastewater treatment for over a century; however, as sludge volumes and disposal costs increase, there has been a desire to develop various methods for reducing the volume of sludge to be treated, improving the performance of the digesters, and increasing the energy value of the sludge. To this end, there have been numerous pretreatment and side-stream systems studied and developed over the past several decades with the overall goal of reducing the volume of biosolids to be disposed of in landfills or by land application. These technologies can be broken into four large groups: mechanical, thermal, chemical and biological, although there is often overlap between groups. This research approached the evaluations of these technologies through several methods in the hopes of developing effective tools for predicting the performance of each technology. Batch digestion studies mimicking several of these treatment methods and extensive analytical work on samples from full-scale installations were conducted to determine the effectiveness of each technology. From these studies a simple batch digestion methodology was developed to analyze the effectiveness of the Cannibal solids reduction process on wastewater streams that have never been exposed to it. Batch digestion of sludges pretreated with ozone, mechanical shear and sonication provided insight into the effectiveness of each technology. Extensive analytical work on samples collected from full-scale installations of thermal hydrolysis, mechanical shear and the Cannibal process provided some insight into the workings of each process and potential leads as to how to further characterize and evaluate each process. / Master of Science

In order to study the performance and mechanisms of excess sludge reduction in the activated sludge that incorporates the Cannibal™ Process, laboratory activated sludge systems incorporating an anaerobic bioreactor into the sludge recycle stream were operated. In this study, the solids production in the Cannibal system was about 35-40% of the conventional system under steady state conditions. The reduction in waste sludge was optimized when the interchange rate, (the ratio of sludge fed from the activated sludge system to the bioreactor compared to the total mass in the activated sludge system) was set at about 10%. It was found that the release of protein from the anaerobic bioreactor was greater than that from the aerobic bioreactor. The SOUR data suggested that the released protein from the anaerobic bioreactor was easily degraded when the sludge was returned to the activated sludge system. It was also found that when the proportion of sludge added to the anaerobic bioreactor in batch tests was approximately 10%, the protein release was about 30 mg/L. When the proportion of sludge added was increased to 26 to 41%, the release was reduced to 10 and 6 mg/L, respectively. Within 30 hours, the protein release was complete. This suggests that there is an optimum or maximum amount of recycle or interchange (~10%) for the process to function best. / Master of Science

Food waste is a desirable feedstock for anaerobic digestion because it is high in moisture and is an easily degradable material. However, mono-digestion of food waste often fails due to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids. Supplementing trace elements is one strategy to combat this issue. This study examined the effect of supplementing trace elements (iron, nickel, selenium, molybdenum, magnesium, zinc, calcium, copper, manganese, cobalt) on the methane yield and organic waste destruction of anaerobically digested food waste. Methane yield of food waste with and without the inorganic salt trace element was determined by the gas density-based biomethane potential method at mesophilic (37°C) conditions over 30 days. The three treatments were inoculum only, food waste and inoculum, and food waste and inoculum with an added trace element solution. There was no significant difference between treatments in terms of waste stabilization (percent volatile solids, total solids, and total chemical oxygen demand reduction) between treatments. The average cumulative biogas produced was 41% higher, and the average total cumulative methane produced was 23% higher in the treatment with the trace element supplement. Mean methane yield was not different (p > 0.05) between treatments over the 30 days, and there was no difference (p > 0.05) in biomethane potential between treatments. In addition, greenhouse gas reduction potential was estimated from food waste streams in Montgomery, VA using anaerobic digestion. The purpose of this work was to (1) estimate the total mass of food waste produced in Montgomery, VA in a year, (2) use the results from the biomethane potential analyses to inform the sizing of a theoretical community digester in Montgomery, VA, and (3) estimate the greenhouse gas reduction potential of anaerobically digesting the food waste instead of sending it to landfill. Greenhouse gas reduction was calculated using the Climate Action Reserve Organic Waste Digestion Project Protocol guidelines. The greenhouse gas reduction potential was estimated as 6,532 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (tCO2e/year), with approximately 693 m3 methane produced per day. In one year, the digester would generate an estimated 7370 kWh of energy which has the potential to power 149 homes for a year in Montgomery, VA. In addition, 4130 tonnes/year of composted digestate would be available as fertilizer for surrounding farms. / Master of Science / Currently, about one-third of the entire U.S. food supply is lost or wasted. A large portion of that food waste is sent to landfills, where it produces methane, a greenhouse gas. Instead, food waste can be broken down to produce biogas during anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a process in which microorganisms break down organic materials in the absence of oxygen to produce biogas and digestate, a material used as a soil amendment or fertilizer. However, anaerobically digesting food waste often leads to process instability and failure due to a buildup of undesirable intermediates. Microorganisms in anaerobic digestion require certain trace elements (i.e., iron, copper) that food waste often lacks; therefore, supplementing key trace elements may improve the anaerobic digestion of food waste. This research aimed to assess the effect of supplementing key trace elements (iron, copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, nickel, manganese, selenium, molybdenum, cobalt) on organic matter degradation and methane yield. Methane yield of food waste with and without the inorganic salt trace element was determined by the gas density-based biomethane potential method at mesophilic (37°C) conditions over 30 days. The average cumulative biogas produced was 41% higher, and the average total cumulative methane produced was 23% higher in the bottles containing a trace element supplement. No significant difference was seen in the two groups when comparing organic matter degradation. These results demonstrate that supplementing trace elements can improve biogas and methane production. Greenhouse gas reductions from anaerobically digesting food waste instead of sending it to landfills were determined for Montgomery, VA. The results from the biomethane potential test informed the design of a theoretical community digester. Greenhouse gas reduction was calculated using the Climate Action Reserve Organic Waste Digestion Project Protocol equations. The greenhouse gas reduction was determined as 6,532 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (tCO2e/year). The digester would produce approximately 693 m3 methane/day, which has the potential to power 149 homes for a year in Montgomery, VA. In addition, 4130 tonnes/year of compost would be produced and available as a fertilizer for surrounding farms.

Thesis (MScEng (Process Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to the growing demands for fresh and clean water, the investigation into the treatment, reuse and recycling of wastewater from all industries are becoming more of a priority, both globally and in South Africa where as much as 62 % of the total water used per year is used by the agricultural sector. The investigation into the recycling and reuse of wastewater in the agricultural sector (especially the dairy farming industry) is therefore no exception. The water usage in five typical South African milking parlours was estimated in this study and ranged from 15 to 51 L.cow-1.day-1. However, the water used for the cleaning in place (CIP) washing of the milking equipment were rather similar in all five milking parlours and ranged between 4.9 and 6.4 L.cow-1.day-1. The possibility of handling and treating the CIP wastewater separately from the rest of the milking parlour wastewater has been considered in the past by other researchers. Anaerobic digestion, as a means of treating wastewater from the dairy industry, has been employed successfully in both full scale and laboratory scale projects. The wastewater from equipment washing of milking parlours is assumed to have similar characteristic to that generated from dairy factories. The anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) system is gaining popularity as a wastewater treatment technology lately due to its simplicity, ease of operation and compact design and is therefore expected to be a suitable and practical solution for dairy farmers in treating milking parlour wastewater from equipment washing. Investigation into anaerobic treatment at lower temperatures than the conventional mesophilic range is also becoming of interest due to lower energy requirements. The aim of this study was to determine whether the ASBR technology could be considered as a suitable technology for treating wastewater from the CIP washing of milking parlour equipment. To support this study, the water usage and CIP effluent generated at typical South African milking parlours were firstly verified. Subsequently, laboratory work entailed: • Assessing the sensitivity of the ASBR process (at mesophilic temperature of 35 °C) to fluctuations in the concentration of the detergents in synthetic CIP milking parlour wastewater; and • Evaluating the performance of the ASBR process at 22.5 and 35 °C when treating real wastewater from the CIP washing of milking equipment. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies between 89 and 98 % were achieved when the synthetic wastewater (similar to wastewater from the CIP washing of milking equipment with COD concentrations ranging between 12 600 and 13 400 mg.L-1) was treated in an ASBR. The results showed that an increase in the CIP detergent concentration up to four times the concentration normally used in milking parlours did not significantly affect the ASBR performance in terms of methane productivity, methane yield and COD removal efficiencies when OLRs between 0.6 and 5.2 g COD.L-1.day-1 were applied. The results also showed that COD removal efficiencies between 92 and 98 % could be achieved in the ASBR process operated at 35 °C when treating real CIP milking parlour effluent (with COD concentrations ranging between 14 900 and 28 800 mg.L-1) when applying OLRs up to 6.6 g COD.L-1.day-1, without nutrient control. Therefore, the ASBR process is suitable to treat real milking parlour wastewater with OLRs above 6 g COD.L-1.day-1 at mesophilic temperatures. At an operating temperature of 22.5 °C, the ASBR achieved TCOD removal efficiencies between 86 and 98 % when treating real CIP effluent. Despite these high COD removal efficiencies, the reactor failed at an OLR of 2.9 g COD.L-1.day-1. As such, the ASBR process appears to be susceptible to failure (due to overloading) when the OLR is increased too rapidly at this low operating temperature. This is most probably due to the fact that methanogenic bacteria do not acclimatise and operate as well at temperatures below the mesophilic range. However, during a second attempt at 22.5 oC, the ASBR achieved COD removal efficiencies between 89 and 97 % when the OLR was increased less rapidly, up to 3.3 g COD.L-1.day-1. These results show that the ASBR process can indeed treat real milking parlour wastewater at 22.5 °C without nutrient control at OLRs above 3 g COD.L-1.day-1. The COD concentration in the effluent from the ASBRs when the maximum OLRs were applied were always below 1 000 mg.L-1. This is notably lower than the South African legal limit for irrigation of up to 50 m3 of wastewater per day. However, this is significantly higher than the South African legal limit of 75 mg.L-1 for safe disposal into a fresh water body. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wêreldwye toename in die aanvraag na vars, skoon water het tot gevolg dat die ondersoek in die behandeling, hergebruik en herwinning van afvalwater tans groot aandag geniet. Nie net wêreldwyd nie, maar ook in Suid-Afrika waar tans 62 % van die water wat gebruik word per jaar, aangewend word vir die lanbou sektor. Daarom is die ondersoek na besparing van water in lanbou aktiwiteite (veral melkboerderye) geen uitsondering nie. Die watergebruik tydens melktyd in 5 verskillende melkerye is ondersoek en dit blyk dat die watergebruik in die 5 melkery drasties van mekaar verskil. Dit strek van ‘n minimum van 15 litres per koei per dag tot ‘n maksimum van 51 liters per koei per dag. Die volume water wat gebruik word vir die outomatiese was van die melktoerusting het nie so baie gevarieer nie en het gestrek tussen 4.9 en 6.4 liter per koei per dag. Die moontlikheid om die afvalwater wat gegenereer word tydens die outomatiese was van die melktoerusting apart te hou van die res van die afvalwater, is in die verlede deur ander navorsers oorweeg. Afvalwater van suiwelfabrieke is in die verlede al deur middel van anaerobiese vertering in ‘n groot aantal laboratorium- en volskaalse anaerobiese aanlegte behandel. Daar word aangeneem dat die afvalwater wat gegenereer word tydens die was van melktoerusting min of meer dieselfde samestelling sal hê as die afvalwater van suiwelfabrieke. Die anaerobiese opvolgende lot reaktor (AOLR) word al hoe meer gewild in anaerobiesewaterbehandeling as gevolg van die eenvoudige en maklike werking en kompakte ontwerp. Dit word verwag dat hierdie tegnologie ‘n gepaste en praktiese oplossing sal wees om die afvalwater van die was van melktoerusting te behandel. Die anaerobiese behandeling van afvalwater by temperature laer as die normale mesofiliese temperature word ook al hoe meer gewild as gevolg van minder hitte wat benodig word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of die AOLR tegnologie ‘n gepaste tegnologie is om afvalwater wat gegeneer word tydens die outomatiese was proses van melkery toerusting te behandel. Ter ondersteuning van die doel, is die watergebruik in ‘n paar tipiese, Suid- Afrikaanse melkerye eers bevestig. Daaropvolgend, het die laboratoriumwerk die volgende behels: • The bepaal of die AOLR proses (wat by mesofiliese temperatuur van 35 °C bedryf was) sensitief is vir veranderinge in die konsentrasie van sepe in sintetiese waswater wat na ‘n AOLR gevoer word; en • Om die werking van die AOLR proses te ondersoek wanneer regte afvalwater van melkery by onderskeidelik 22.5 en 35 °C behandel word. Chemiese suurstof behoefte (CSB) verwydering van 89 to 98 % is bereik toe sintetiese afvalwater wat gelykstaande aan afvalwater gegenereer tydens die was van melk toerusting is (met CSB konsentrasies tussen 12 600 en 13 400 mg.L-1) in ‘n AOLR behandel is. Die resultate het getoon dat daar geen aanmerklike verskil in die werking van die AOLR in terme van metaanproduksie, metaanopbrengs en CSB verwyderingseffektiwiteit was met a toename tot en met so hoog as vier maal die normale seepkonsentrasie in die afvalwater was toe organiese ladingstempo’s (OLTs) tussen 0.6 en 5.2 g CSB.L-1.dag-1 aangewend was nie. Die resultate het ook getoon dat die CSB van regte afvalwater van melkerye (met CSB konsentrasies tussen 14 900 en 28 800 mg.L-1) met 92 tot 98 % verminder kan word wanneer dit in ‘n AOLR (wat by 35 °C bestuur word) en OLTs tot so hoog as 6.6 g CSB.L-1.dag-1 aangewend word, sonder dat die nutrientinhoud in die afvalwater beheer was. Hierdie AOLR proses wat is dus gepas om afvalwater van melkery te behandel met OLTs bo 6 CSB.L-1.dag-1 by mesofiliese temperature. Die AOLR wat by ‘n temperatuur van 22.5 °C bedryf was, het CSB verwydering tussen 86 en 98 % behaal. Ondanks die hoë CSB verwydering het die reaktor misluk by ‘n maksimum OLT van 2.9 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Dit het getoon dat die AOLR proses meer geneig is om vatbaar te wees vir mislukking (as gevolg van ‘n oorlading) wanneer die OLT te vinnig verhoog word by laer temperature. Dit is moontlik as gevolg daarvan dat die metanogeniese bakterieë nie so goed aanpas en werk by temperature laer as mesofiliese temperature nie. Nietemin, tydens ‘n tweede probeerslag by 22.5 °C, het die AOLR CSB verwydering tussen 89 en 97 % behaal tydens ‘n stadiger toename in die OLT tot en met 3.3 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Hierdie resultate dui aan dat die AOLR proses wat by ‘n temperatuur van 22.5 °C bedryf word ook gepas is om afvalwater van melkerye te behandel, sonder nutrient beheer by OLTs hoër as 3 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Die CSB konsentrasies in die afvloeisel van die AOLR’e in die studie tydens die aanwending van die hoogste OLTs, was altyd laer as 1 000 mg.L-1. Dit is merkbaar laer as die limiet vir besproeiing van tot en met 50 m3 per dag in Suid-Afrika. Maar, dit was nogtans regdeur hoër as die limiet van 75 mg.L-1 vir veilige storting in ‘n varswaterbron.

The research describes an optimized waste-to-energy technology that utilizes agricultural residues for renewable energy, while reducing global methane emissions and maintaining food security. Laboratory-, pilot- and farm-scale anaerobic batch digesters were evaluated to enhance methane production from the anaerobic digestion of untreated rice straw in dry conditions using a novel co-digestion approach. An existing farm-scale biogas plant loaded with rice straw and piggery wastewater produced 295 MWh in a 422-day digestion cycle. The long acclimation period (approximately 200 days) and low biogas yield (181 LCH4/kgVS) could be enhanced by adding anaerobic sludge from the pulp and paper mill treatment process. In a laboratory setting, the addition of the sludge resulted in a specific methane yield of 335 LCH4/kgVS within 92 days. Hydrolysis of the straw was accelerated, and stable conditions were observed in terms of pH, alkalinity and nutrients. Similar improvements were demonstrated in pilot-scale digesters (1 m3) - a specific methane yield of 231 LCH4/kgVS was achieved in a 93-day digestion cycle with the sludge compared to 189 days without the sludge. Insufficient mixing within the pilot-scale system caused lower overall methane yields than those obtained in the laboratory-scale digesters. If sufficient mixing and mesophilic conditions are maintained within the farm-scale system, the co-digestion of rice straw with pig wastewater and paper mill sludge (wet weight ratio of 1:1.25:0.5) has the potential to reduce the retention time to three months (versus 422 days) and increase methane yields to over 300 LCH4/kgVS

Dry Anaerobic Digestion (AD) presents different advantages if compared to wet AD, i.e. smaller reactor size, lesser water addition, digestate production and pretreatment needed, although several studies have demonstrated that water promotes substrate hydrolysis and enables the transfer of process intermediates and nutrients to bacterial sites. To better understand the role of water on AD, dry and semidry digestion tests of selected complex organic substrates (food waste, rice straw, carrot waste), with various TS contents of the treated biomass have been carried out in the present study. The results confirm that water plays an essential role on the specific methane production rate, final methane yield and Volatile Solids (VS) degradation. The final methane yield in semi-dry and dry conditions was 51% and 59% lower for rice straw and 4% and 41% lower for food waste, respectively, if compared with wet conditions. Inhibition tests, based on Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA) analysis, were carried out to investigate the specific inhibition processes that take place with the selected substrates at different TS contents. In wet AD of carrot waste no VFA accumulation was found, and all VFA concentrations were lower than the inhibition limits. A direct correlation between TS content and total VFA (TVFA) concentration was noticed for rice straw and food waste AD. For rice straw a maximum TVFA concentration of 2.1 g/kg was found in dry condition, 1 g/kg in semidry conditions and 0.2 g/kg in wet conditions, whereas for food waste the TVFA concentration was 10 g/kg in dry condition, 9 g/kg in semidry conditions and 3 g/kg in wet conditions. A Mathematical model of complex organic substrate AD in dry and semidry conditions has been proposed to simulate the effect of TS content on the process. The data obtained from batch experiments, in terms of methane production and VFA concentrations, were used to calibrate the proposed model. The kinetic parameters of VFA production and degradation, calibrated using the experimental data, resulted highly dependent on the TS content and different from wet AD literature values. This is due to VFA accumulation in dry conditions, which implies higher values of the inhibition factors introduced in the model. Finally, as dry AD takes usually place in Plug Flow (PF) reactors, an historical and critical review on the role of hydrodynamics in PF bioreactors has been carried out