Enhancement of digestion through microwave pretreatment

对废弃活性污泥进行微波预处理以增强其厌氧消化最近和当前的工作重点是对废水处理过程中产生的生物固体进行微波（MW）预处理，使其更适合厌氧消化，从而减少最终在土地上处置或焚烧的残留固体的数量。拟议的工作是先前工作的延续，基于通过高达 100oC 的 MW 预处理温度所实现的已证明的改进。目前的研究将研究更高的温度和更广泛的预处理条件，以最大限度地提高预处理后的消化效率（消化速率和最终可以达到的消化量）。我们将进行更多的基础研究来了解MW诱导的转化，以开发其改善消化的潜力。该技术的优点包括工艺操作的稳定性、更大的病原体减少、更高的沼气（甲烷）产量、更低的固体产量以及改善的污泥脱水性，从而使技术更经济、更容易操作，对环境的危害更小。沼气可以从废水处理厂的厌氧消化中捕获。通过改善固体废物的消化，可以减少温室气体排放并减少天然水体的污染。厌氧消化在世界各地普遍使用。

Microwave Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge to Enhance Its Anaerobic DigestionRecent and current work has focused on microwave (MW) pretreatment of biological solids produced in wastewater treatment processes to render them more amenable to anaerobic digestion which reduces the quantity of residual solids for ultimate disposal on the land or for incineration.The work proposed is a continuation of the previous work based on the demonstrated improvements that were achieved with MW pretreatment temperatures up to 100oC. Higher temperatures and a wider variety of pretreatment conditions will be studied in the current research to maximize the digestion efficiency (both the rate of digestion and the ultimate amount of digestion that can be achieved) after pretreatment. More basic research will be conducted to understand MW induced transformations to exploit their potential for digestion improvement.The benefits of the technology include stability of process operation, greater pathogen reduction, higher biogas (methane) yield, lower solids production, and improved sludge dewaterability resulting in a technology that is more economical, easier to operate, and less harmful to the environment. Biogas is able to be captured from anaerobic digestion at a wastewater treatment plant. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and reduction of contamination of natural waters occurs through improved digestion of waste solids. Anaerobic digestion is commonly used around the world.