MAXIMIZING ANAEROBIC SLUDGE SIGESTION RATE BY USING FIXED FILM SYSTEM

THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO EVALUATE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF EMPLOYING A FIXED FILM ANAEROBIC DIGESTER SYSTEM TO ACHIEVE AN ADEQUATE DEGREE OF BIOLOGICAL SLUDGE DIGESTION WITH A RETENTION TIME WHICH IS ONE ORDER OFMAGNITUDE SHORTER THAN THAT OF THE CONVENTIONAL SUSPENDED- GROWTH DIGESTER. IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE BIOLOGICAL REACTION RATE, THE INFLUENT SLUDGE WILL BE TREATED WITH CAUSTIC MATERIAL, WHICH IN THE LABORATORY HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE ABLE TO SOLUBILIZE ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL SLUDGE COD WITHIN A 24 HR REACTION PERIOD. IN THE PHASE I IN THE PAHSE I STUDY, TWO PILOT-SCALE ANAEROBIC FIXED FILM DIGESTERS WILL BE BUILT TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF RETENTION TIME AND OPERATING TEMPERATURE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE IDGESTERS. THE DATA OF PHASE I STUDY WILL SERVE AS THE BASISFOR CARRYING OUT THE PHASE II PROJECT, THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF WHICH IS TO DEVELOP A PORTABLE FIXED FILM ANAEROBIC DIGESTERUNIT THAT CAN BE SOLD OR LOANED TO SMALL WASTEWATER TREAT- MENT PLANTS. THIS WILL GREATLY RELIEVE THE FINANCIAL AND OPERATING BURDENS OF MANY SMALL PLANTS IN DEALING WITH THEIR SLUDGE TREATMENT PROBLEM.