Understanding and optimization of the plug-flow enzymatic hydrolysis process for sludge anaerobic digestion performance enhancement

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The recent paradigm shift to consider municipal wastewater as the valuable energy and nutrient sources has largely stimulated research interests in the anaerobic digestion: a key technology to recover clean energy from sludge generated in biological wastewater treatment . Foreseeing the critical importance of the hydrolysis pre-treatment to enhance the energy recovery of anaerobic digestion, GE Water and Process Technologies (GE WPT) has recently acquired the Monsal Enzymatic Hydrolysis (EH) technology, for its waste to energy solutions. In order to further proliferate the EH technology to the global market through GE's commercial and execution capability, GE WPT, Oakville, is leading an effort to further optimize the EH design to confront competitions of other technologies in the global market. Optimization of the EH process needs to develop a deep understanding of the process mechanisms, principles of enzymatic hydrolysis reactions, and effect of key design parameters. In this project, we will investigate the effect of key process factors of the EH on the hydrolysis performance and biogas production, characterize properties of hydrolysis enzymes produced in the EH process, and explore methods to enhance the performance of the EH via the supplement of enzymes. The project will involve the bench-scale hydrolysis and biochemical methane potential (BMP) studies to identify the optimal EH process design and operation conditions and the pilot-scale study to evaluate the conditions identified by the optimal conditions for the EH process design optimization and product management. The outcomes of this project will exert critical impacts on the optimization of GE's EH product; the EH process simulation and product cost analysis; and the expansion of the applications of the EH technology in the global market. In addition, the development of the advanced EH technology will contribute to Canada's commitment to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction via advancing the renewable energy production technology and reducing the energy consumption related to wastewater treatment.