Two-stage upflow anaerobic digestion of concentrated sludge

The development of an innovative fermentation mode and the application of novel upflow reactors for biogasification of high-solids-content sludges are described; anaerobic digestion is conducted at higher loading rates and lower hydraulic residence times (HRT's) to obtain higher methane yields and production rates and better effluent qualities than those of conventional single-stage continuously stirred tank reactor digesters. Digestion of primary sludge in a two-phase upflow system at a 5.6-day HRT (1.2 days for stage 1 and 4.4 days for stage 2) exhibited a methane yield of 6.8 supercritical fluid/lb volatile solids added, which was significantly higher than those from conventional digestion at much higher HRT's. 27 references, 7 figures, 6 tables.