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Sludge Happens

Sludge Happens. Louise Heffernan Metropolitan Council Environmental Services . Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant Anaerobic Digester Pilot Project. Introduction. Empire wastewater facility Dewaterability issues Designed to produce cake solids content~16-18% Recent years ~ 11-12%

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Sludge Happens

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  1. Sludge Happens

  2. Louise Heffernan Metropolitan Council Environmental Services Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant Anaerobic Digester Pilot Project

  3. Introduction • Empire wastewater facility • Dewaterability issues • Designed to produce cake solids content~16-18% • Recent years ~ 11-12% • Storage pad usage, hauling and land application • Impacts operational costs

  4. Why does this matter? • Empire current operations • 11% cake – $310,000/year land application cost • Target operations • 18% cake – $200,000/year land application cost

  5. Empire WWTP, Empire Township Biosolids Pad

  6. Purpose • Evaluate treatment options • Improve dewaterability • Establish stable pilots • Monitor performance • Gather data • Analyze system results • Examine methods to achieve target cake • Implement at the Empire WWTP

  7. Biofloc Makeup • Bacteria only make up 10-20% of the organic matter mass in a floc • Most of the remainder is biopolymer (protein and polysaccharides) Higgins, 2012

  8. Chemical Addition Treatments • Chemical conditioning prior to BFP • Alter biomass matrix • Good floc formation and settling • DCB negatively charged biopolymers • Lower soluble P

  9. Stored/Thickened WAS Treatment • Current practice at Empire • WAS is thickened, accounts for 50% digester feed • Not stored at any point • S.T.WAS treatment • Unaerated storage of WAS prior to thickening • Allows time for P, K, Mg release • Removal prior to digestion • Research suggests dewatering ability linked to cation concentration

  10. Pilot Test Variables • Pilot # 1 : Stored/Thickened WAS (S.T.W.A.S.) • Unaerated storage > 4 days • Pilot # 2 : Chemical addition (FeCl3) • Pilot # 3 : Control • Pilot # 4 : Chemical addition (MgCl2)

  11. Pilot Digesters 2013

  12. Results/Analysis

  13. Results/Analysis

  14. Results/Analysis

  15. Summary and Conclusions • Empire has low cake solids (11-12%) • Potential methods to improve dewaterability investigated • System will continue to run past 3 SRTS • Results from 2013 pilot digesters: • Stability was achieved • All treatments showed decrease in soluble P and K • All treatments showed increase in cake solids • Dewatering performance below target values

  16. Recommendations • Must investigate more alternatives to achieve 18% • Future option: STWAS & chemical addition • Thermal pretreatment technologies • Other chemicals • Mg(OH)2

  17. My Experience • Networking opportunities • Communicate with wide range of professionals • Great educational experience • Met Council tours • Lead into independent study

  18. Questions?

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