The Effect of dehydration and rehydration on methanogenic activity of anaerobic sludge for biodigester seeding.

The use of seeding material such as anaerobic sludge which are rich in anaerobic bacteria is very important to successful startup or restart an anaerobic reactor, nevertheless it is not easy transporting wet sludge from one project to another. The focus of this research was to evaluate the effect of dehydration and rehydration on the methanogenic activity on anaerobic sludge used for seeding. This experiment was carried out in batch following the VDI 4630 guideline and it aimed to make easier the transportation and handling of biodigester seed or inoculum. The anaerobic sludge was obtained from an upflow sludge blanket reactor of a coffee wastewater treatment plant and later dried at two temperatures: 35 °C to 40 °C and 55 °C to 60 °C, and at four different TS contents (19 %, 36 %, 53 % and >85 %) using an oven with convective air drying. Using microcrystalline cellulose as substrate, the control, 19 %, 36 %, 53 % and 85 % had a biogas yield of 0.61 m3 /kg VS, 0.51 m3 /kg VS, 0.40 m3 /kg VS and 0.52 m3 /kg VS of biogas respectively at dehydration temperature of 35 °C to 40 °C. However, there was no significant difference between the control and treatment at 19 %TS and between 36 %TS and 85 %TS. There was no significant difference in biogas production among 19 %TS, 36 %TS and 85 %TS that were dehydrated at 55 °C to 60 °C. The control and 19 %TS had a significant biogas production over the other treatments. The biogas yield of the control, 19 %TS, 36 %TS, 53 %TS and 85 %TS dehydrated at 55 °C to 60 °C was 0.53 m3 /kg VS, 0.40 m3 /kg VS, 0.30 m3 /kg VS and 0.42 m3 /kg VS of biogas respectively. The most effective temperature that was used to dehydrate the sludge was between 35 °C to 40 °C with a total solid concentration of about 85 %. This research proved that it is possible to dehydrate an inoculum without affecting its methanogenic activity. This dehydration process will affect the methanogens however will not inhibit them from producing biogas on the long run.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andidi, Hashim Muhammad, Habib, Rasheed Ricardo
Other Authors: Víquez Arias, Joaquín
Format: info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis biblioteca
Language:eng
Published: Universidad EARTH 2018-12
Subjects:BIOGAS, DIGESTORES ANAEROBICOS, LODOS RESIDUALES, https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.01.01,
Online Access:https://repositorio.earth.ac.cr/handle/UEARTH/373
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