title: Membrane-coupled anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge.
abstract: Membrane-coupled anaerobic digestion utilizes a concept of simultaneous sludge digestion and thickening. Membranes may successfully be applied to eliminate the need for thickening polymers and avoid their likely inhibitory effect on anaerobic biomass. A 550 L completely mixed anaerobic digester was operated under mesophilic conditions (35 degrees C). Two ultrafiltration membrane systems were evaluated for their potential in membrane-coupled anaerobic digestion: vibrating and cross flow. A volatile solids reduction of 590% was achieved at an average mixed liquor suspended solids concentration of 1.8%. The substrate utilization rate was 1.3 d(-1). The vibrating membrane operated at a flux of 1.6-2.0 m3/m2-d and the tubular membrane fluxes in the range 3.4-3.6 m3/m2-d.
authors.affiliation: Biothane Corporation, 2500 Broadway, Camden, NJ 08360, USA. a.pierkiel@biothane.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierkiel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lanting
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D010539:Permeability; D016062:Porosity; D012722:Sewage; D014462:Ultrafiltration; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage