Increased biogas production at wastewater treatment plants through co-digestion of sewage sludge with grease trap sludge from a meat processing plant

S. Luostarinen, S. Luste, M. Sillanpää

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

304 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The feasibility of co-digesting grease trap sludge from a meat-processing plant and sewage sludge was studied in batch and reactor experiments at 35 °C. Grease trap sludge had high methane production potential (918 m3/tVSadded), but methane production started slowly. When mixed with sewage sludge, methane production started immediately and the potential increased with increasing grease trap sludge content. Semi-continuous co-digestion of the two materials was found feasible up to grease trap sludge addition of 46% of feed volatile solids (hydraulic retention time 16 d; maximum organic loading rate 3.46 kgVS/m3 d). Methane production was significantly higher and no effect on the characteristics of the digested material was noticed as compared to digesting sewage sludge alone. At higher grease trap sludge additions (55% and 71% of feed volatile solids), degradation was not complete and methane production either remained the same or decreased.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)79-85
Number of pages7
JournalBioresource Technology
Volume100
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anaerobic digestion
  • Biogas
  • Co-digestion
  • Grease trap sludge
  • Sewage sludge

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Waste Management and Disposal

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