Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands; Research Center Biobased Economy, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Zernikeplein 11, 9747 AS Groningen, the Netherlands.
Bioresour Technol. 2024 Sep;408:131153. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131153. Epub 2024 Jul 26.
Understanding sludge rheology and optimizing equipment performance is crucial for energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study examined sludge rheology after thermal hydrolysis pre-treatment (THP) at 60, 80, and 120 °C for 2 h, followed by anaerobic digestion (AD) at 37 °C for 20 days, and assessed impacts on pump and agitator performance. Post-treatment, sludge showed reduced viscosity and improved flowability, indicated by changes in Herschel-Bulkley parameters, enhancing pump and agitator efficiency, particularly at 120 °C. These rheological improvements were correlated to the solubilization of sludge components after THP and solids reduction after AD, highlighting the interconnectedness of rheology and treatment outcomes. Despite high heat demands, an energy balance showed that THP scenarios, especially at 120 °C, had lower energy requirements for pumps and agitators, leading to energy savings without increased heat consumption. These findings underscore the influence of rheological changes in improving energy efficiency in WWTPs.
了解污泥流变性并优化设备性能对于提高废水处理厂（WWTP）的能源效率至关重要。本研究考察了经过 60、80 和 120°C 热水解预处理（THP）2 小时，然后在 37°C 下进行厌氧消化（AD）20 天后的污泥流变性，并评估了其对泵和搅拌器性能的影响。经过处理后，污泥的粘度降低，流动性得到改善，这可以通过赫谢尔-布尔克里参数的变化来判断，从而提高了泵和搅拌器的效率，特别是在 120°C 时。这些流变学上的改进与 THP 后污泥成分的溶解和 AD 后固体的减少有关，突出了流变性和处理结果之间的相互联系。尽管需要大量热能，但能量平衡表明，THP 方案，尤其是在 120°C 时，对泵和搅拌器的能源需求较低，在不增加热能消耗的情况下实现了节能。这些发现强调了流变学变化对提高 WWTP 能源效率的影响。
