Assessing the effects of intra-granule precipitation in a full-scale industrial anaerobic digester

Water Sci Technol. 2019 Apr;79(7):1327-1337. doi: 10.2166/wst.2019.129.

Abstract

In this paper, a multi-scale model is used to assess the multiple mineral precipitation potential in a full-scale anaerobic granular sludge system. Reactor behaviour is analysed under different operational conditions (addition/no addition of reject water from dewatering of lime-stabilized biomass) and periods of time (short/long term). Model predictions suggest that a higher contribution of reject water promotes the risk of intra-granule CaCO3 formation as a result of the increased quantity of calcium arriving with that stream combined with strong pH gradients within the biofilm. The distribution of these precipitates depends on: (i) reactor height; and (ii) granule size. The study also exposes the potential undesirable effects of the long-term addition of reject water (a decrease in energy recovery of 20% over a 100-day period), caused by loss in biomass activity (due to microbial displacement), and the reduced buffer capacity. This demonstrates how both short-term and long-term operational conditions may affect the formation of precipitates within anaerobic granules, and how it may influence methane production and consequently energy recovery.

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Biofilms
  • Biomass
  • Bioreactors*
  • Industrial Waste*
  • Sewage
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Sewage