Effects of coupling a UF membrane with a mesh screen and elevating temperature in the methanogenic digester of a two-phased anaerobic system.
This study was conducted to investigate coupling of UF with a mesh screen under thermophilic temperatures and compare the effectiveness of membrane filtration and temperature change in the methanogenic digester. A two-phased anaerobic digester coupled with an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane system was used for anaerobic sludge digestion. The overall average chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency achieved in the two-phased anaerobic digester coupled with the UF membrane system was 97.9 ± 0.8%. In the methanogenic digester, 10.5% improvement of methane production rate was obtained by the increased microbial population and metabolic activity due to coupling with a UF membrane and a mesh screen and elevating the temperature from mesophilic to thermophilic conditions. The average methane production per VS loading and unit volume (m3) was 477.14 ± 31.5 and 567.15 ± 43.3 mL CH4g-1VS before and after elevating the temperature, respectively. The optimal operating pressure for the UF membrane system was less than 3 kgfcm-2, and the mesh screen saved 19.0% of the operating cost and 17.3% of energy consumption. As a result, the UF membrane system enhanced the digestion of sewage sludge, where the elevation of temperature improved the methane production rate in the thermophilic methanogenic digester.
a Department of Environmental Engineering , University of Seoul , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
Min Ho
MH
Kim
a Department of Environmental Engineering , University of Seoul , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
Chul-Hwi
CH
Park
b Department of Biosciences and Environmental Engineering , The Catholic University of Korea , Kyunggi-do , Republic of Korea.
Gee-Bong
GB
Han
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014462:Ultrafiltration / Q000379:methods
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012722:Sewage; D008697:Methane
Anaerobic digestion; biogas; membrane; sewage sludge; ultrafiltration