MICROBIOLOGICAL PATHWAY OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

Extracellular
Enzymes
COMPLEX SOLUBLE ORGANIC METHANE
ORGANICS ORGANICS ACIDS CO2
Hydrolysis Acid Producers Methanogens

Carbohydrates Glucose Acetic Cells

Proteins Amino Acids Propionic Stabilized Organics
Lipids Fatty Acids Lactic + Cell
Phosphorylated Organics PO4 -3

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: WEF. "Wastewater Treatment Plant Design. Water Environment Federation." Alexandria,
Virginia, 2003.
 50

6.0

Limits of Normal
pH = 6.2 Anaerobic Treatment
40

6.8
CO2 in Digester Gas, Percentage

6.6
7.2
7.0
30
7.4 8.0
6.4

20
8.2
7.8

7.6
10 8.6

8.4 8.8

0
250 500 1000 2500 5000 10,000 25,000

Bicarbonate Concentration as CaCO3, mg/L

Relationship between pH, bicarbonate concentration, and carbon dioxide concentration at 35oC and 1 atm.

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: Sawyer, C. N., P. L. McCarty, and G. F. Parkin. Chemistry for Environmental Engineering
and Science. 5th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
 SUBSTANCE MODERATELY INHIBITORY STRONGLY INHIBITORY
CONCENTRATION, mg/L CONCENTRATION, mg/L

Na+ 3500 - 5500 8000

K+ 2500 - 4500 12000

Ca++ 2500 - 4500 8000

Mg++ 1000 - 1500 3000

Ammonia-nitrogen (pH dependent) 1500 - 3000 3000

Sulfide (un-ionized gas) 200 200

0.5 (soluble)
Copper (Cu)
50-70 (total)

3.0 (soluble)
Chromium VI (Cr)
200-250 (total)

Chromium III 180-420 (total)

2.0 (soluble)
Nickel (Ni)
30.0 (total)

Zinc (Zn) 1.0 (soluble)

Toxic and Inhibitory Concentrations of Selected Inorganic Materials in Anaerobic Digestion

Figure by MIT OCW.
Adapted from: WEF. Wastewater Treatment Plant Design. Water Environment Federation, Alexandria,
Virginia, 2003.
 LOW-RATE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

Digester gas

SCUM

Feed sludge SUPERNATANT Effluent to

treatment plant

ACTIVE LAYER

STABILIZED SOLIDS

Digested solids

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: WEF. Wastewater Treatment Plant Design. Water Environment Federation, Alexandria,
Virginia, 2003.
 Section Through an Anaerobic Digester with a Floating Cover

Gas dome
Gas line
Overflow

Freeboard Hatch Composition roof hatch

Roller

Supernatant
withdrawal

Gas line Ceiling plate (1/4 in.)

Side water (6.5 mm)
depth (swd) Landing bracket
Supernatant gas Sludge inlet pipe
Sludge to recycle
Sludge in
Sludge in

Concrete support
Digested sludge out
6
1

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: Reynolds, T. D., and P. A. Richards. Unit Operations and Processes in
Environmental Engineering. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: PWS Publishing Company, 1996, p. 582.
 TYPES OF MIXING SYSTEMS FOR ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS

Gas Compressor Gas Compressor

A Gas recycle & draft tube B Gas recycle & gas injection

Gas Drive Drive

Gas

C Impeller & draft tube D Impeller

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: Reynolds, T. D., and P. A. Richards. Unit Operations and Processes in
Environmental Engineering. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: PWS Publishing Company, 1996, p. 584.
 EGG-SHAPED ANAEROBIC DIGESTER

Mixer
Feed Scum door

Hopper

Elevator
Platform
Platform to other
digesters Pipes Supernatant
withdrawal

21 m
Pipe area

Tower 20 m DIA. Piping to

withdrawal
bottom sludge

Gas
spargers

o
37

8.8 m
Figure by MIT OCW.

Mixing Systems For Egg-Shaped Anaerobic Digesters

Foam Alternate biosolids

Separator Scam Breaker
wasting to storage tank
Screw-impeller sludge
mixing pump with Raw sludge
draft-tube assembly influent
Heat
Digested
exchanger
biosolids
overflow

Gas injection
lines
Solids recirculation
header
To gas utilization Gas header
Nozzle for mixing

Unconfined gas mixing Mechanical draft-tube mixing Pumped recirculation mixing

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: WEF. Wastewater Treatment Plant Design. Water Environment Federation, Alexandria,
Virginia, 2003.
 Polymer
Static Box
Upper belt
Sludge feed

Gravity drainage zone Alignment roller

Belt tension roller
Wedge zone

Belt wash
Lower belt
Cake discharge
High pressure zone belt conveyor

Filtrate & wash-water collection

Figure by MIT OCW.

Adapted from: Hammer, M. J., and M. J. Hammer, Jr. Water and Wastewater Technology.
5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2004. Figure 11-56.