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Effect of Anaerobic Digestion Temperature on Sludge Quality

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Abstract

Sludge quality in terms of dewaterability, reject water characteristics as well as foaming phenomena is a concern either economically or environmentally. In this work the difference in sludge quality between mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digested waste activated sludge is compared using completely stirred tank reactors. For mesophilic sludge, the mean capillary suction time (CST) in seconds, extent of dewaterability (% water removed), ammonia nitrogen (Nammon in mg/l) and the soluble COD (CODsol in mg/l) are 852 ± 180, 62.9 ± 1.7, 1484 ± 153.5, and 2315.7 ± 407.6 respectively. Meanwhile the foaming potential (FP) and foam stability (IS) are 4.4 ± 1.7 and 0.7 ± 0.1. Whereas, the mean CST, extent of dewaterability, Nammon and CODsol are 1109 ± 211, 65 ± 1.8, 1581 ± 120.5, and 4740.6 ± 1122.8 for the thermophilic sludge respectively. With a maximum organic loading rate achieved at 2.82 g-VS/l/d, the CST, Nammon and CODsol concentration as well as the FP are significantly better as sludge quality for the mesophilic sludge.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my family and friends as well as those others who contributed directly or indirectly to this research work.

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  1. Department of Urban Environmental Management, Kotebe Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 31248, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Getachew Dagnew Gebreeyessus

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Gebreeyessus, G.D. Effect of Anaerobic Digestion Temperature on Sludge Quality. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 1851–1861 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0539-8

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