Proceedings

As maximising electricity generation from sewage sludge in peak times has economic and environmental benefits, switching from a steady-state management of anaerobic digestion towards a demand-driven biogas production system supports a flexible energy management strategy.

Literature shows that the most important parameter for demand-driven biogas production is the feeding regime. Experimental trials with specific feeding regime have been carried out by using pilot scale mesophilic anaerobic digesters with raw sludge and a sludge with the same characteristics as that which has been pre-treated with a Thermal Hydrolysis Process. Digestion performance data show the potential contribution this process could provide in designing flexible sewage sludge – to – electricity generation systems.  The costs of introducing this flexibility in digestion will be compared to the cost of the same amount of flexibility provided by the storage of biogas in gas-bags.

Topic: Treatment processes for sewage sludges and other organic residuals (Anaerobic digestion)