Bioflocculation, which can be defined as aggregation of bacterial flocs, has important implications on the physical characteristics of sludge. It is especially critical to settling and dewatering systems which impacts the overall economy of the process greatly. One of the most common problems in activated sludge systems to negatively influence the settleability is sludge bulking which can be defined as non-settling situation of microbial mass. The first objective of this research is to investigate the effect of calcium ion on sludge bulking in a phosphorus deficient medium and the second objective is to improve the settling, dewatering, and pumping of activated sludge by adjusting the calcium (Ca) ion concentration of the feed. For this purpose, 7 semi-continuous laboratory scale activated sludge reactors were operated with a mixed aerobic culture. The reactors had 8 days of sludge residence time and aerated with air pumps to provide a dissolved oxygen concentration of at least 3 mg/L. All the analyses were conducted after the reactors reached steady state condition. In the first part of the research, the effect of strictly phosphorus-limited medium on bulking of activated sludge was studied at different calcium ion concentration. Three reactors were set up having 5, 10 and 20 meq/L calcium concentrations. From the results it was observed that, phosphorus deficiency caused viscous bulking independent from the calcium ion concentration. It was found out that bulking of activated sludges due to phosphorus deficiency could be cured by the addition of phosphorus. Furhermore, microorganisms starved for phosphorus, seemed to accumulate polyphosphate granules when they were exposed to a phosphorus source. In the second part of the study, the effect of calcium ion on physical, chemical and surface chemical properties of activated sludge was investigated at 4 different concentrations (0.27, 5, 10 and 20 meq/L) under sufficient phosphorus concentration. Calcium addition resulted in significant changes in the quantity and quality of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Total EPS increased depending on the calcium concentration. Carbohydrate content of EPS dominated over the protein content for calcium concentration of 5 meq/L and above. The amount of calcium ions incorporated into the sludge floc matrix also increased with the dose of calcium added. Settleability and dewaterability of sludge improved significantly at 5 meq/L dose of calcium. However, settleability did not change any further with increasing calcium dose, whereas dewaterability increased for all increasing calcium concentrations. Sludge viscosity also decreased considerably at 5 meq/L concentration indicating better pumpability but it did not change further above 10 meq/L calcium addition.

The alumina industry produces a significant quantity of bauxite residue suspension (red mud) that must be washed and dewatered in trains of thickeners and residue disposal areas to recover valuable alumina and sodium hydroxide. The Australian Alumina Industry have come together to sponsor a project to address waste minimisation and environmental impact issues collectively through the optimisation of dewatering in their washer trains and residue disposal areas. The project aims to maximise thickener underflow and tailings dam solids concentrations. (For complete abstract open document)

För att minska klimatpåverkan är energisnåla processer och användning av fossilfria bränslen viktigt. Vid stabilisering av avloppsslam vid reningsverk är en vanlig metod rötning som förutom att ta hand om slammet även producerar biogas, ett fossilfritt bränsle med låga växthusgasutsläpp. Processer som drivs inom det mesofila temperaturområdet har visat sig vara stabila och ger en jämn gasproduktion. Det mesofila området sträcker sig mellan 25–40°C men de flesta processer drivs mellan 35–40°C. Den här studien undersöker möjligheten att sänka temperaturen inom det mesofila området för att få en lägre energiförbrukning och en energisnålare process. Då det är viktigt att biogasproduktionen inte försämras av en sänkt temperatur har skillnad i utrötningsgrad, metanpotential och utrötningstid undersökts vid tre olika temperaturer (32, 34,5 samt 37,5°C) via satsvisa utrötningsförsök. Utöver påverkan på biogasproduktionen har en energibalansberäkning utförts för rötkamrarna vid Uppsala reningsverk. Detta ger ett mått på hur stora vinster i värmeenergi en sänkt temperatur kan leda till. En betydande kostnad vid reningsverk är avvattningen av slam och det är därför viktigt att den inte riskerar att försämras om temperaturen sänks. Ett filtreringsförsök som mäter CST (Capillary Suction Time) ger ett mått på slammets avvattningsegenskaper och har därför utförts vid tre olika temperaturer. Resultaten visade ingen försämring i biogasproduktion vid en sänkning till 34,5°C och en minskning i metanpotential med 11 % vid en sänkning till 32°C. Nedbrytningshastigheten försämrades inte vid en sänkt temperatur. Vinster i form av lägre värmeförbrukning uppgick till 14 % vid sänkning till 34,5°C och 27 % vid sänkning till 32°C. Avvattningsförsöket visade ingen försämrad avvattning vid lägre temperaturer. Den här studien visar att det finns en möjlighet att sänka temperaturen i rötkammaren vid reningsverket i Uppsala och på så sätt sänka energiförbrukningen. För att bekräfta resultaten bör även kontinuerliga försök utföras men denna studie visar att det är möjligt att få en lyckad nedbrytning även i lägre mesofila temperaturer. Resultatet öppnar upp för fortsatta undersökningar om temperaturförändringar inom det mesofila området och kan leda till en optimering av rötningsprocessen och möjlighet att få en effektiv och energisnål produktion av biogas. / Energy efficient processes and the use of fossil free fuels play an important role in order to reduce the impact of climate change. Anaerobic digestion is a common way for stabilizing sewage sludge at wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). One of the benefits with anaerobic digestion is that it also produces biogas, a fossil free fuel with low greenhouse gas emissions. An operational temperature within the mesophilic range has proven to give a stable process with an unfluctuating production of gas. The mesophilic temperature range between 25-40°C but most processes are operated between 35-40°C. This study investigates the opportunity to lower the temperature within the mesophilic range in order to reduce energy consumption. It is important to maintain the production of biogas with a lower temperature. Therefore, the reduction in VS-content (VS-volatile solids), methane yield and time for degradation was determined by a BMP-experiment (BMP-Biochemical Methane Potential) in three different temperatures (32, 34.5 and 37.5°C). In order to quantify the reduction in heat consumption with lower operational temperatures the change in heat balance for a full-scale WWTP in Uppsala was calculated. A major part of the operational cost is dewatering of sludge and it is therefore important that it does not deteriorate with a lower temperature. The effect on the dewaterability at different temperatures was examined by a filterability test measuring CST (capillary suction time). The results from the study showed no significant difference in methane yield between 37.5°C and 34.5°C. The methane yield at 32°C was 11 % lower compared to 37.5°C but the degradation kinetic was not affected by a temperature change. The reduction in heat consumption was 14 % when the temperature was reduced to 34.5°C and 27 % when it was reduced to 32°C. The filterability test did not show a deterioration with lower temperatures. The study showed that it is possible to reduce the operational temperature for anaerobic digestion at the WWTP in Uppsala in order to reduce the energy consumption. To confirm these results a continuously experiment should be done, but this study shows that it is possible to get a successful degradation in a lower mesophilic temperature. This leads the way for further investigations within the mesophilic range and could lead to optimizing anaerobic digestion and the opportunity to get an energy efficient production of biogas.

Käppala wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has, during a few years, observed an increase in organic loading rate (OLR) in the mesophilic anaerobic digester R100, due to an increased load to the WWTP. The digestion of primary sludge at Käppala WWTP is today high loaded, with a high organic loading rate (OLR) and low hydraulic retention time (HRT). This study aims to evaluate the effect of the maximum OLR and the minimum HRT for the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and to investigate further actions that can be taken into consideration in case of process problems in the digestion. The study consists of (a) a practical laboratory experiment of 6 pilot-scale reactors to investigate how the process stability is affected when the OLR increases and the HRT decreases. (b) A mass balance calculation based on the energy potential in the feeding sludge and the digested sludge. (c) A study of the filterability of the digested sludge. (d) The construction of a forecasting model in Excel, to predict when digester R100 will reach its maximum OLR and minimum HRT. The result of the study shows that the maximum OLR for Käppala conditions is 4.9 g VS dm-3 d-1, meaning that R100 will reach its maximum organic load around the year 2031. An OLR of 4.5-4.9 and an HRT of 12 days is optimal for R100, according to the present study. Keeping the anaerobic digestion process in balance is vital when it comes to the outcome of energy in the anaerobic digestion process. Pushing the process to produce more gas can become counterproductive since a high OLR can lead to process imbalance, which in turn leads to low biogas production. Imbalance in the digestion process can occur fast; therefore, the margin for overload in the anaerobic digestion process must be significant. The methane concentration in the converted biogas and the pH level in the reactor are the best stability parameters for the conditions at Käppala. Ammonia is the less efficient stability parameter since it did not predict or detect any instability during the experimental process. Furthermore, the OLR and HRT have a significant impact on the needed quantity for dewatering polymer. The higher digestion of organic material in the sludge, the bigger the need for the polymer to take care of the rest material.

Käppala wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has, during a few years, observed an increase in organic loading rate (OLR) in the mesophilic anaerobic digester R100, due to an increased load to the WWTP. The digestion of primary sludge at Käppala WWTP is today high loaded, with a high organic loading rate (OLR) and low hydraulic retention time (HRT). This study aims to evaluate the effect of the maximum OLR and the minimum HRT for the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and to investigate further actions that can be taken into consideration in case of process problems in the digestion. The study consists of (a) a practical laboratory experiment of 6 pilot-scale reactors to investigate how the process stability is affected when the OLR increases and the HRT decreases. (b) A mass balance calculation based on the energy potential in the feeding sludge and the digested sludge. (c) A study of the filterability of the digested sludge. (d) The construction of a forecasting model in Excel, to predict when digester R100 will reach its maximum OLR and minimum HRT. The result of the study shows that the maximum OLR for Käppala conditions is 4.9 g VS dm-3 d-1, meaning that R100 will reach its maximum organic load around the year 2031. An OLR of 4.5-4.9 and an HRT of 12 days is optimal for R100, according to the present study. Keeping the anaerobic digestion process in balance is vital when it comes to the outcome of energy in the anaerobic digestion process. Pushing the process to produce more gas can become counterproductive since a high OLR can lead to process imbalance, which in turn leads to low biogas production. Imbalance in the digestion process can occur fast; therefore, the margin for overload in the anaerobic digestion process must be significant. The methane concentration in the converted biogas and the pH level in the reactor are the best stability parameters for the conditions at Käppala. Ammonia is the less efficient stability parameter since it did not predict or detect any instability during the experimental process. Furthermore, the OLR and HRT have a significant impact on the needed quantity for dewatering polymer. The higher digestion of organic material in the sludge, the bigger the need for the polymer to take care of the rest material.