Why Co-Digestion for Food Waste and Sewage Sludge?
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Drainage Service Department Research & Development Forum Smart City • Innovative Wastewater Management Co-digestion of Food Waste with Sewage Sludge HKU team: Chunxiao WANG, Yubo WANG, Yulin WANG, Tong ZHANG DSD team: Sussana LAI, KK CHEUNG Prof. Tong Zhang Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory The University of Hong Kong 5th December, 2018 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion 民以食為天 《漢書》 2 https://newint.org/features/2008/12/01/food-crisis-facts; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExH6kSwoFBw Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion What is the current situation of food waste around the world? ( Peek , 2014) Nearly about 1.4 billion tonnes food waste (one third of total food production) generated from farmland to meal table annually till 2011 revealed by the United Nations (FAO, 2014). 3584 tonnes food waste generated daily accounting 36% of the municipal solid waste landfilled in Hong Kong (EPD, 2017). Conventionally, food waste was disposed in composting, incineration, landfill and anaerobic digestion (Astals et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2014; Chiu & Lo, 2016; ). AD of food waste became more attractive due to high moisture and organic content in the FW and higher energy recovery potential (Zhang et al., 2007; Astals et al., 2014; Ingrid et al., 2014; Chiu& Lo, 2016). 3 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Why co-digestion for food waste and sewage sludge? From engineering perspective: There are excess capacities in the anaerobic digesters. Food waste could be added and co-digested with sewage sludge to recovery more energy (EPA, 2013; Wang et al., 2015). From technical perspective: Table 1. Biogas production performance of co-fermentation system FW/FSS ratio (basis) Methane yield (mL/g VS) Improvement (%) Reference 10:90 (Volume) 293 18.1 Cabbai et al., 2013 20:80 (Volume) 600 54 Zupancic et al., 2008 50:50 (Volume) 365 47.2 Cabbai et al., 2013 More energy recovered from the bio-wastes (FSS and FW): Increase in methane (biogas) production rate (Zhang et al., 2007; Sonsnowski et al., 2008; Cabbai et al., 2013). Increasing the stability of anaerobic-digesters: Nutrition balance (C/N) ratio: 5< C/N <30 is regarded as optimal C/N ratio for a stable operated AD system (Dai et al., 2013). 4 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Co-digestion at a US wastewater treatment plant If there is excess capacity in the anaerobic digesters, food waste can be added to generate more energy. In California alone there are almost 140 wastewater treatment facilities that utilize anaerobic digesters, with an estimated excess capacity of 15-30%. Turning Food Waste into Energy at the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) http://www3.epa.gov/region9/waste/features/foodtoenergy/index.html 5 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion 6 EBMUD Process If 50% of the food waste generated each year in the U.S. was anaerobically digested, enough electricity would be generated to power over 2.5 million homes for a year. To digest food waste in anaerobic digesters, food waste must be 1) pre-treated into a slurry in the slurry tank 2) grinded into small pieces of 2 inches 3) to remove heavy debris. 4) added to the anaerobic digester as pulp after going through the paddle finisher. http://www3.epa.gov/region9/waste/features/foodtoenergy/index.html 6 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Co-digestion at a Germany wastewater treatment plant Braunschweig wastewater treatment plant This plant currently achieves 100% electricity self-supply (energy neutral). Plant with biological sewage treatment and thermophilic digestion of sludge. • Capacity (Sewage flow): 52,000 m3/day. • Co-digestion of sludge with biowaste (grease and oil). • Recycling of biogas from landfill. • Recycling of methane from fermentation of green waste nearby. 7 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Materials: Feeding Sewage Sludge (FSS) PS and TSAS from TaiPo sewage treatment work Air Disinfection Raw Grit Primary Secondary screening Aeration Efflunet wastewater chamber settling setting Screenings Grits PS Primary sludge TSAS Thickened secondary activated slduge Anaerobic Sludge digester dewatering Sewage Sludge (SS): TP-STW: PS /TSAS = 4.5/1(v/v) Anaerobic seed sludge: Digested sludge, sampled from anaerobic digester 8 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Materials: Food Waste (FW) Table 2 The reported compositions of food waste from different sources on dry weight (%) basis Food waste origin Carbohydrates Proteins Lipids References Household 55 17 13 (la Cour et al.,2004) Household 61 14 14 (Hansen et al.,2007) Urban (Households, markets, 78 17 5 (Redonals et al., 2012) restaurants) University dining hall 64 15 17 (Ferris et al.,1995) Military facilities 57 18 22 (Ferris et al.,1995) Institution restaurant 64 21 12 (Yan et al.,2011) This test 78 16 6 - Table 3 Preparation of synthesized food waste Category Wet Weight (g) Meat 95 Vegetable (lettuce) 300 Fruit (apple) 140 Steamed Rice 400 Bread 350 9 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion FW:SS ratios: FW:FSS (TS:TS) ratios Volatile solid reduction (%) Higher FW:FSS ratios correspond with higher biodegradation efficiency in term of VSR (from 36% to 57%). Methane yield (mL/g VSR) Methane production rate (mL/L/d) Table 5 Bioconversion efficiency of the co-digestion process Methane Methane 605 mL/g VSR 564 mL/g VSR yield production 526 mL/g VSR (mL/g VSR) rate (mL/L/d) R1 504 279 R2 515 402 R3 526 804 10 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Solid Retention Time (SRTs) Volatile solid reduction (%) 70 Methane content (%) 60 50 SRT_5d 40 SRT_10d SRT_15d 30 SRT_25d 20 10 Methane content (%) 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 Digestion day (d) 900 Methane yield (mL/g VSR) Longer SRT corresponded with higher VSR (from 32% to 47%). 800 Methane content decreased significantly at short 700 SRT conditions (5 d, 10 d and 15 d) and kept at Theoretical methane yield=571 mL/g VSR 600 a stable level during the whole fermentation process at SRT of 25 days. 500 Methane yield decreased more quickly along 400 with shorter SRT conditions (SRT of 5, 10 and 300 15 days). At SRT of 25 days, the methane yield kept 200 stable during the whole digestion process. 100 The highest methane yield (547 mL/g VSR) was methane yield (mL/gVSR) obtained in R4 with SRT of 25 days. 0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 Digestion day (d) 11 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Solid Retention Time (SRTs) pH 700 Methane production rate (mL/L/d) 7.5 600 SRT_5d 7.0 SRT_10d 500 SRT_15d 6.5 SRT_25d 400 6.0 300 pH 5.5 200 5.0 100 4.5 0 Methane production rate (mL/L/d) 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 Digestion day (d) Digestion day (d) Total organic carbon (mg/L) 8000 7000 The methane production rate (MPR) kept stable in R4 (289 mL/L/d) with SRT of 25 days and shorter 6000 SRT conditions led sharper MPR decrease. 5000 4000 Along with the pH drop, methane production 3000 decreased significantly and kept in low level (less than 100 mL/L/d). 2000 1000 Total organic carbon (mg/L) 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 12 Digestion day (d) Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion FW composition R1 _ boiled meat R5 _ soup slag R2 _ herbal tea R4 _ fresh meat R3 _ canteen leftover Table 8 Food waste composition in collected real food waste Reactor ID FW description Carbohydrates Proteins Lipids R1 R1_boiled meat 27% 39% 34% R2 R2_herbal Tea 75% 14% 11% R3 R3_cateen leftover 58% 26% 16% R4 R4_fresh meat 3% 73% 24% R5 R5_soup slag 1% 62% 36% R6 R6_Equal TS of all five types of FW 35% 41% 24% The FW composition fed in R2 was similar with the artificial FW synthesized based on food consumption pattern in Hong Kong. 13 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion R1 _ boiled meat R5 _ soup slag Carbohydrate protein lipid 100% 80% R2 _ herbal tea R4 _ fresh meat 60% 40% 20% R3 _ canteen leftover 0% R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Ammonium nitrogen concentration (mg/L) + The highest protein content were detected in the FW fed to R4 and R5 and the NH4 -N after digestion was corresponded with the protein content in the feed (FW). 14 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Volatile solid reduction (%) Methane yield (mL/g VSR) 633 620 615 589 579 561 The VSR is not only related with hydrolyzed microbes, but also the characteristics of the substrates, e.g. whether the substrate is easy to be destroyed and pretreated (R1). The R2 with the lowest protein content (14%) in the feed realizes the highest methane yield (534 mL/g VSR) and production rate (408 mL/L/d) and less TOC accumulation (2622 mg/L) comparedMethanewith productionother digesters rate (mL/L/d). Total organic carbon (mg/L) The low methane yield and production rate are detected in the R4 (315 mL/g VSR and 211 mL/L/d), R5 (309 mL/g VSR and 226 mL/L/d). 15 Introduction Materials and Method Results and Discussion Conclusion Volatile solid reduction (%) Total organic carbon (mg/L) The highest methane yield (581 mL/g VSR) and production rate (1051 mL/L/d) were detected in L2 with mixing condition of 80 rpm. Along with the increasing mixing intensity, less methane yield and production were observed in L3 and L4.