The increased demand for advanced sludge stabilization in wastewater treatment facilities over the past decade has led to the implementation of various pretreatment techniques prior to anaerobic digestion. In an attempt to reduce sludge volumes and improve sludge conditioning properties, the use of thermal hydrolysis process before anaerobic digestion has been adopted with an increase in solids destruction, COD removal, and methane gas. In this study, the evaluation of thermal hydrolysis process as a viable pretreatment strategy to anaerobic digestion has been conducted in order to assess its capacity for solids solubilization. Solubilization experiments were conducted at temperatures ranging from 130 to 170℃ and reaction times between 10 and 60 min. Anaerobic biogas production by thermally pre-treated sludge was carried out through a mesophilic anaerobic digester. The results showed that solids solubilization increased with increases in temperature and time, while temperatures above 160℃ for 30 min strongly affected the sludge characteristics. Ammonia production via deamination by thermal hydrolysis was less significant than protein solubilization at a temperature of 170℃. Both protein and carbohydrate solubilization were more dependent on temperature than reaction time. The enhancement of the biogas production was achieved with increases in temperature as pretreatment of 170℃ yielded 20% more biogas than at 130℃. However, it seems the enhancement was linked to the initial biodegradability of the sludge. / Master of Science

This report deals with the use of the "Modular Approach", in the simulation of change-over operations, for a continuous multiproduct chemical plant. A dynamic model of the continuous fat hydrolysis process was built, with the DYNSYS framework, with the purpose of evaluating the usefulness of this programme in simulating different change-over operation policies. Operator's activities were simulated making use of an interactive version of DYNSYS, demonstrating its value for studying alternate changeover policies and possible as a training device. Supervisory control was implemented in order to automate the change-over operations, simulating the functions of a small computer controlling the process. Improved operating policies for change-over are proposed and the validity of the simulation is discussed from both a practical and a theoretical point of view. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-03-26T21:02:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BRUNO RAFAEL PEREIRA NUNES - TESE PPGEQ 2015..pdf: 3320363 bytes, checksum: d83a00c2d4dc7666e6ffe3a4d74cc8de (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-26T21:02:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BRUNO RAFAEL PEREIRA NUNES - TESE PPGEQ 2015..pdf: 3320363 bytes, checksum: d83a00c2d4dc7666e6ffe3a4d74cc8de (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-03 / A biomassa tem sido uma interessante fonte de energia renovável, pois está disponível em grandes quantidades, possui baixo custo e se apresenta como uma alternativa viável para conversão em produtos químicos de alto valor agregado e de biocombustíveis. No Brasil, no curto prazo, o bagaço de cana-de-açúcar é a fonte de biomassa com maior potencial para uso como insumo industrial. Dentre os métodos utilizados para conversão da biomassa, a hidrólise utilizando catalisadores sólidos têm despertado interesse em pesquisadores de todo mundo e surge como alternativa às técnicas mais utilizadas. Devido a disponibilidade, baixo custo e propriedades de superfície, objetivou-se a avaliação do uso da argila vermiculita como catalisador no processo de hidrólise do bagaço de cana. Realizou-se a ativação ácida da argila, utilizando os ácidos sulfúrico (3M) e fluorídrico (4M), e os pré-tratamentos químico, com hidróxido de sódio (4%) e ácido sulfúrico (3%), e hidrotérmico do bagaço de cana, sendo os processos conduzidos com controle de tempo e de temperatura. Antes e após a aplicação dos tratamentos foram determinadas a composição do bagaço e as propriedades texturais da argila, além da caracterização dos materiais por meio de análises de DRX, MEV, TG/DTG e DSC. Com relação a composição do bagaço, quando se utilizou o método químico de pré-tratamento foram alcançados 75,88 e 73,88% de solubilização das frações lignina e hemicelulose, respectivamente, enquanto que para o método hidrotérmico não houve alteração significativa. As análises por DRX permitiram verificar alterações na cristalinidade do material e as análises por MEV mostraram modificações na morfologia do bagaço, para os dois tipos de pré- tratamento. Por meio das análises de TG/DTG e DSC comprovou-se a degradação da hemicelulose e lignina, quando se utilizou o pré-tratamento químico. A caracterização da vermiculita mostrou que o tratamento ácido provocou alterações significativas no material, tornando-o amorfo, com maior área superficial e volume de poros. A argila natural apresentou área superficial de 14,69 m²/g e as tratadas com ácido sulfúrico e fosfórico 296,65 e 306,88 m²/g, respectivamente. O volume de poros foi elevado de 0,019 cm³/g para 0,273 e 0,297 cm³/g, respectivamente. Entretanto, não foram observadas mudanças expressivas na estabilidade térmica, no arranjo lamelar e no diâmetro de poros, que apresentou um valor médio de 3,8 nm, sendo o material classificado como mesoporoso. Os testes catalíticos utilizando a argila, natural e ativada com ácido, como catalisador na hidrólise da celulose comercial e do bagaço de cana, in natura e pré-tratado, foram realizados em autoclaves e estufa onde avaliou-se a influência da temperatura, do tempo de reação e da quantidade de catalisador presente no meio reacional. A vermiculita apresentou atividade catalítica em todas as reações. Os melhores resultados na geração de açúcares fermentescíveis foram observados quando se utilizou a argila tratada com ácido fosfórico na hidrólise do bagaço de cana pré-tratado pelo método hidrotérmico, alcançando-se rendimentos em glicose e xilose de 38,02% e 80,26%, respectivamente, para os tempos de 2 e 1h, temperatura de 200°C e razão entre a massa de catalisador e biomassa de 2:1. / Biomass has been an interesting renewable energy source because it is available in large quantities, has low cost and is presented as a viable alternative for conversion into chemical products with high added value and biofuels. In Brazil, in the short time, the sugarcane bagasse is the source of biomass with the greatest potential for use as an industrial input. Among the methods used for conversion of biomass hydrolysis using solid catalysts have attracted interest in researchers from around the world and is an alternative to commonly used technique. Due to the availability, low cost and surface properties, aimed to evaluate the use of vermiculite clay as a catalyst in the process of hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse. Performed by acid activation of the clay, using sulfuric (3M) and fluoridric acid (4M) and the chemical, with sodium hydroxide (4%) and sulfuric acid (3%), and the hydrothermal pre-treatments of sugarcane bagasse. The processes were conducted with control of time and temperature. Before and after the treatments application were determined the composition of the bagasse and textural properties of the clay, in addition the material was characterized by XRD, SEM, TG/DTG and DSC analysis. Regarding the composition of the bagasse, when using the chemical method of pre-treatment was achieved 75.88 and 73.88% solubilization of lignin and hemicellulose fractions, respectively, while for the hydrothermal method showed no significant alteration. The XRD analysis allowed to verify changes in crystallinity and SEM analysis showed changes in the morphology of bagasse, for the two types of pre-treatment. The TG / DTG and DSC analysis proven to degradation of hemicellulose and lignin, when using chemical pre-treatment. The characterization of vermiculite showed that acid treatment caused significant changes in the material making it amorphous, with higher surface area and pore volume. The natural clay presented surface area of 14.69 m²/g and treated with sulfuric and phosphoric acid 296.65 and 306.88 m²/g, respectively. The pore volume was 0.019 cm³/g to 0.273 and 0.297 cm³/g, respectively. However, there were no significant changes in thermal stability, the lamellar arrangement and diameter of pores, which presented an average value of 3.8 nm, classified as mesoporous materials. The catalytic tests using natural and activated with acid clay as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of commercial cellulose and in nature and pre-treated sugarcane bagasse were performed in autoclaves and greenhouse where it was evaluated the influence of temperature, time reaction and the amount of catalyst present in the reaction medium. The vermiculite showed catalytic activity in all reactions. The best results in the generation of fermentable sugars were observed when using treated with phosphoric acid clay in the hydrolysis of pretreated bagasse by hydrothermal method, achieving glucose and xylose yields of 38.02% and 80.26% respectively, for times of 2 and 1 h, 200 °C and the mass ratio of the catalyst and biomass 2:1.

Return liquor from thermal hydrolysis process (THP) can significantly add to the nitrogen load of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and introduce UV quenching substances to the wastewater stream when recycled. While there are mature technologies in place to handle the inorganic nitrogen produced due to the thermal pretreatment, organic nitrogen remains a parameter of concern for utilities employing THP pretreatment. The impact of operating conditions of the THP on dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and UV absorbance in return liquor was investigated. Operating conditions studied were (1) operating temperature (2) solids retention time (SRT) in the anaerobic digester (3) THP flash pressure (4) the effect of co-digestion of sewage sludge with food waste and, (5) polymer conditioning. Operating temperature and polymer dose had the most significant impact on DON and UV quenching. It was found that an increase in operating temperature resulted in an increase in DON, which was primarily contributed by the hydrophilic fraction. An increase in temperature also resulted in increased UV254 absorbance. However, this trend was not linear and the increase was more pronounced when the temperature was increased from 150 C to 170 C. Increasing flash pressure from 25 psi to 45 psi did not have a significant impact on the return liquor. However, increasing the flash pressure to 75 psi increased the DON and UV254 absorbing compounds. Co-digesting the sludge with food waste resulted in a slight increase in DON and a decrease in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and UV quenching compounds. Increasing the SRT from 10 days to 15 days resulted in a slight decrease in DON but did not have any impact on UV254 absorbance. Overall, it can be concluded that optimizing operating conditions of thermal hydrolysis process can result in decreased DON and UV quenching compounds in the recycle stream. / Master of Science