Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1989
Degree Name
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
Yeun C. Wu
Second Advisor
Su Ling Cheng
Third Advisor
Robert Dresnack
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion is used at many municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Recent increase in the cost of energy and search for an alternative source of energy for the future have prompted renewed interest in anaerobic digestion for energy recovery by production of methane from waste materials, including wastewater sludges and agricultural and municipal solid wastes. Accordingly, a large literature exist on the subject, most of it dealing with more physical aspects of different process design. Little or not enough attention has been paid to its highly complex biochemical characteristics.
The purpose of this study is a preliminary investigation regarding some of the parameters that are important in the kinetic characteristics of any anaerobic digestion process. These parameters include Alkalinity, pH, Conductivity, and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP). The above parameters were examined in Single and Multi-Stage anaerobic digestion system.
Four sets of data, which were the results of a sludge digestion project for EPA, Army, and Alcosan Company under Dr. Y.C. Wu supervision, were provided for this study. The data were graphically analyzed for Alkalinity, pH, Conductivity, and ORP in relations to the COD and Solids (Volatile Solids) loading of both Single and Multi-Stage systems. From the results, the following remarks can be made:
-In terms of COD and Solids Loading the superiority of Multi-Stage over the Single Stage system was clearly observed.
-Higher influent alkalinity concentrations in Multi-Stage would result in an increase in loading rates of the system. The above statement does not apply to Single Stage process. In addition an alkalinity of about 5000 to 5500 mg/1 seem to favor optimum COD loading rates in the third stage of Multi-Stage system.
-The COD loading rates in both Single and Multi-Stage systems were highest at an influent pH of 5.8.
-A greater COD loading rate in Multi-Stage can be utilized at lower influent ORP values, and the optimum loading rate seem to be in the range of -350 Mv to -500 Mv of ORP values in the Multi-Stage Process.
-From obtained results, no clear indications of the effects of Conductivity values were observed in either digestion process.
Recommended Citation
Kamazani, Nasser M., "Variations of alkalinity, pH, oxidation reduction potential, and conductivity in single and multi-stage sludge digestion systems" (1989). Theses. 2798.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2798
