Advancing thermal hydrolysis process for sewage sludge digestion facility in WWTPs

城市污泥管理是城市污水处理厂运行中的一个重要经济因素。在集中式污水处理厂中，厌氧消化(AD)是应用最广泛的固体去除和污泥稳定化工艺。然而，有效地去除固体仍然是污水处理厂面临的一个重大挑战。此外，根据法规指南，传统的中温AD不能达到A类生物固体，不受限制地应用于土地。近年来，污泥热解是一种很有前途的方法，可以通过改进限速水解步骤来提高AD的性能，从而生产出高质量的生物固体。在这项拟议的项目中，研究小组将进行详细和系统的小试研究，以评估污水处理厂厌氧消化设施的热水解法(THP)的各种工艺参数和改造方案。这些方案的有效性将根据固体减少、生物甲烷回收、关于病原体含量的生物固体的质量、抗生素抗性基因、脱水能力、气味产生潜力和关于硫化氢含量的沼气质量以及经济可行性来评估。将研究通过添加化学品进一步加强THP的可行性。将开发一个校准的工艺模型，为各种工艺参数提供设计、优化和灵敏度分析工具。此外，还将研究改装热电联产的初步技术经济可行性。

Sewage sludge management is a significant economic factor in the operation of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In centralized WWTPs, anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most widely exercised process for solids removal and stabilization of sludge. However, efficient removal of solids remains a significant challenge faced by WWTPs. Additionally, the conventional mesophilic AD cannot achieve Class A biosolids for unrestricted land application according to regulatory guidelines. In recent years, thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge has emerged as a promising method for enhancing AD performance by improving rate-limiting hydrolysis step and thereby producing high-quality biosolids. In this proposed project, the research team will undertake detailed and systematic bench-scale studies to evaluate various process parameters and retrofitting schemes of thermal hydrolysis process (THP) for anaerobic digestion facility at WWTPs. The effectiveness of these schemes will be assessed based on solids reduction, biomethane recovery, quality of biosolids regarding pathogen content, antibiotic resistance genes, dewaterability, odor generation potential, and quality of biogas regarding hydrogen sulfide content, and economic feasibility. Feasibility of further enhancing THP with the addition of chemicals will be examined. A calibrated process model will be developed to provide a design, optimization, and sensitivity analysis tool for various process parameters. Moreover, the preliminary techno-economic feasibility of retrofitting THP will be examined.