• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.613-619
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• 2018

In this study, various influent sludge pre-treatment methods and the internal recirculation of thickened sludge from effluents using a liquid/solid separation unit were adopted to investigate their effects on the sludge digestion and methane production in a combined mesophilic anaerobic and thermophilic aerobic sludge digestion process. A lab-scale combined sludge digestion process was operated during 5 phases using different feed sludge pre-treatment strategies. In phase 1, the feed sludge was pre-treated with a thermal-alkaline method. In contrast, in phases 2, 3 and 4, the internal recirculation of thickened sludge from the effluent and thermal-alkaline, thermal, and alkaline pre-treatment (7 days) were applied to the combined process. In phase 5, the raw sludge without any pre-treatment was used to the combined process. With the feed sludge pre-treatment and internal recirculation, the experimental results indicated that the volatile suspended solid (VSS) removal was drastically increased from phases 1 to 4. Also, the methane production rate with the thermal-alkaline pre-treatment and internal recirculation was significantly improved, showing an increment to 285 mL/L/day in phase 2. Meanwhile, the VSS removal and methane production in phase 5 were greatly decreased when the raw sludge without any pre-treatment was applied to the combined process. Considering all together, it was concluded that the combined process with the thickened sludge recirculation and thermal-alkaline pre-treatment can be successfully employed for the highly efficient sewage sludge reduction and methane gas production.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.251-262
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• 2016

The biodegradability and decomposition efficiencies increase with the pre-treatment of sludge in a digestion process. In this study, the feasibility of ultrasound coupled with potassium permanganate oxidation as a disintegration method and digestibility of aerobic reactor fed with disintegrated sludge with ultrasound coupled potassium permanganate were investigated. The first stage of the study focused on determining the optimum condition for ultrasonic pre-treatment for achieving better destruction efficiency of sludge. The second part of the study, the aerobic digestibility of sludge disintegrated with ultrasound and potassium permanganate oxidation alone and combined were examined comparatively. The results showed that when 20 min of ultrasonic pre-treatment applied, the specific energy output was 49384 kJ/kgTS with disintegration degree of 58.84%. During the operation of aerobic digester, VS/TS ratios of digesters fed with disintegrated sludge decreased indicating that disintegration methods could obviously enhance aerobic digestion performance. The highest reduction in volatile solids was 75% in the digester fed with ultrasound+potassium permanganate disintegrated sludge at the end of the operation compared to digester fed with raw sludge. Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) levels in sludge supernatant increased with this combined method significantly. Besides, it promoted the production of ${\bullet}OH$, thus enhancing the release of Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) from the sludge. Disintegration with all methods used in this study could not improve Capillary Suction Time (CST) reduction in disintegrated digesters during the operation. The results demonstrated that the combined ultrasound treatment and potassium permanganate oxidation method improves the biodegradability compared to control reactor or their single application.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.107-114
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• 2021

This study applied with pre-treatment combined with thermal hydrolysis and seperation for disintegration of sludge. As results of particle size distribution D10, D50 and D90 of thermal hydrolyzed and centrifuged sludge was 8.6, 59.2 and 425.1 ㎛, which are lower than those of thermal hydrolyzed. The molecular weight distribution results showed that the thermal hydrolyzed sludge showed the highest proportion in the 10-100kDa range. But, Sludge, treated with combined pre-treatment, showed the highest proportion <1kDa range. Results of DOC and UVA₂₅₄ found that the organic matters of hydrolyzed sludge composed high molecular weight component above 10kDa. While, the organic matters of sludge, treated by combined pre-treatment, composed relarively low molecular weight below 1kDa. The specific methane yield of hydrolyzed and centrifuged sludge was higher 1.7 times than that of only hydrolyzed sludge.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2005

Comparative thickening and dewatering characteristics of municipal wastewater sludge were investigated in terms of separated and combined treatment of primary and secondary BNR sludge. Also, various conditioning methods such as cation polymer addition, steam and ultrasonication treatment were examined to improve dewaterability of sludge. The dewaterability was measured by using specific resistant test, wedge zone simulator and centrifuge. The result of the sludge thickening test revealed that separated thickening was better in terms of solids recovery and supernatant quality. Particularly, the thickening of primary sludge with high solids (about 3.5% TS) showed very poor solid separation. The addition of cation polymer showed better conditioning characteristic for dewatering and the optimal polymer dosage was 0.26% for primary sludge, 0.43% for secondary sludge and 0.38% for combined sludge. Contrary to the result of the thickening, the dewatering test revealed that dewatering of the combined sludge is better than that of separated sludge, representing better solids separation and filtrate quality. The polymer addition was essential to improve dewaterability in filter (belt) press type dewatering but it was inefficient for the dewatering of secondary sludge only. The centrifuge type dewatering showed better performance and the dewaterability was slightly improved when the polymer was added. Based on the results of this research a sustainable sludge treatment process, particularly in terms of the recycle water quality and solids recovery, was proposed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.737-744
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• 2007

Recently, one of the most interesting topic in the field of wastewater treatment is the disposal of excess sludge. The new concept of excess sludge reduction with recirculation of solubilized sludge via effective microorganisms for cell disruption within the wastewater treatment process has been developed in this study. The alkalophiles for degradation of sludge cell wall were isolated as Exiguobacterium sp., which could be more effectively solubilized sludge in the anaerobic condition. The SCOD of solubilized excess sludge by Exiguobacterium sp. was up to about 2,000mg/L and average TN and TP concentration of solubilized component were 117mg/L and 58mg/L, respectively and C/N ratio was more than 17. To investigate the effects of solubilized sludge by alkalophiles on excess sludge reduction and nutrient removal efficiency, the pilot plant of $DF^{(S)}-MBR$ process, combined with membrane bioreactor and sludge solubilization tank, was operated. In the control run(without sludge solubilization), the daily sludge production was about 4.54 kgMLVSS/day. However, in the $DF^{(S)}-MBR$(with sludge solubilization), the daily sludge production was decreased to 1.39kgMLVSS/day. The effluent quality satisfied the effluent regulation in both cases. Furthermore, the $DF^{(S)}-MBR$ showed relatively better TN removal efficiency in spite of high influent loading. So we concluded that the solubilized excess sludge by alkalophiles was effectively degraded in the MBR process as the carbon source and 70% of sludge reduction efficiency can be achieved.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.27-33
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• 2004

The catalytic effect of waterworks sludge on NOx removal in $BaTiO_3$pellets and sludge pellets combined packed-bed plasma reactor with plate-plate electrode geometry is measured for the various conditions. NOx removal rate is about 90[%] at $BaTiO_3$-sludge combined reactor used fresh sludge. $NO_2$ and $O_3$ as byproducts are significantly generated in only $BaTiO_3$ packed-bed plasma reactor, however, in $BaTiO_3$-sludge combined packed-bed reactor, $NO_2$ and $O_3$ are completely removed while $CO_2$ as by-products are observed from FTIR spectra. $NO_2$ and $O_3$ seem to react with metallic molecules, metal oxide, and organic compounds that are generally chlorophyll included in sludge. NOx removal rate increases with $O_2$ concentration increasing. Removal rates $NO_2$ and $O_3$ are independent of operating time and repetition measurement times.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.43-52
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• 2013

In this study, various influent sludge pre-treatment methods were adopted to investigate their effects on the sludge digestion and methane production in combined mesophilic anaerobic and thermophilic aerobic sludge digestion process. A lab-scale sewage sludge digestion process was operated during 4 phases using different feed sludge pre-treatment strategies. In phase 1, feed sludge was supplied without any pre-treatment. In contrast, in phases 2, 3 and 4, thermal, thermal-alkaline and long time alkaline treatment (7 days) were applied to influent sludge, respectively. With sludge pre-treatment, TCOD removal was drastically increased from 44% to 76% from phases 1 to 4, respectively. Also, pre-treatment of feed sludge significantly improved the methane production rate of MAD, showing an increment from 101 to 165-256mL/L/day. Meanwhile, TCOD removal and methane production at phase 4 were not increased, compared to those at phase 3. Based on the experimental results, it was concluded that pre-treatment of feed sludge significantly increases the efficiency of sludge digestion and thermal-alkaline method was the most effective method among the pre-treatment methods examined.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.300-307
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• 2006

The combined SHARON (Single reactor system for High ammonium Removal Over Nitrite)-ANAMMOX (Anaerobic ammonium oxidation) reactor were operated in mesophilic condition ($35^{\circ}C$). In this study, microbial granulation and characteristics of SHARON and ANAMMOX sludges were investigated using settling test, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). In SHARON reactor, Aerobic granulation with diameter of 1.5~2.5 mm was accomplished but aerobic granulation was weaker than anaerobic granular sludge. Initial seed sludge of ANAMMOX reactor was used as attached media for biofilm growth. ANAMMOX sludge was more compact and rounder rather than seed sludge. Though ANAMMOX sludge has high activity, it has lower settling ability than the seed granule. The color of ANAMMOX sludge was changed from dark to redish brown granular with diameter of 1~2 mm. In FISH of ANAMMOX sludge, high fraction of Candidatus B. stuttgartiensis which paid great role of nitrogen conversion was detected. Also, FISH results reveals that ANAMMOX bacteria inhabit at inner parts near surface, having advantages in utilization of substrates and protection from oxygen inhibition.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.636-643
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• 2011

Sludge solubilization using sonification has been increasingly used for sludge volume reduction along with enhancing digestion efficiency during anaerobic biogas production. In this study, either electric field or ultrasonification or in combination with were investigated using three types of sludge (return, excess and mixed at G sewage treatment facility) for the most efficient solubilization. As a the closed loop, 200 L of sludge was continuously passing through the solubilization system at an average flow rate of $0.7m^3/h$, which is equivalent to 3.5 times treated per hour for up to 84 times (24 h). Only implying electric field showed no variation for sCOD/tCOD before and after treatment on sludge solubilization regardless of types of sludge. However, employing the ultrasonic or combined system could both increasingly solubilize sludge with regard to the number of passing-through, which more enhanced by the combined. In addition, VSS/TSS was lowered to in the range of 2 and 6% while its particle size, diameter (0.9) and diameter (0.5) were more minimized than that of raw sludge. For return sludge, ultrasonification was more efficiently facilitated for solubilization, whereas electric field-ultrasonification was more preferably applied for excess and mixed sludge. It is concluded that depending on types of sludge, solubilization system must be selectively applied for the most efficient break-up of them.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.411-417
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• 2014

The performance of the new aerobic digestion system combined with inorganic sludge separation unit and sludge solubilization unit, CaviTec II, is evaluated. Anaerobic digester effluent sludge is used for feed sludge of CaviTec II system. By addition of CaviTec II, the amount of cake generated is reduced by 27%, and the soluble nitrogen is reduced by 92%.