Correlation between organic matter degradation and the rheological performance of waste sludge during anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion has demonstrated to be a good possibility to reduce the organic matter contents in waste activated sludge resulting in the effluents treatment. An anaerobic digestion was carried out in a 3.5 L reactor at 35 degrees C for a period of 20 days. An electronic thermostat controlled the temperature. The reactor was agitated at a rate of 200 rpm. The study of the rheological behavior of the waste activated sludge was done with an Anton Paar (TM) rheometer model MCR301 with a peltier plate for temperature control. Four-blade vane geometry was used with samples of 37 mL for determining rheological properties. Sampling (two samples) was taken every four days of anaerobic digestion through a peristaltic pump. The samples behavior was characterized by the Herschel-Bulkley model, with R-2 > 0.99 for most cases. In all samples were found an apparent viscosity (eta(ap)) and yield stress (tau(o)) decrement when organic matter content diminishes. This demonstrates a relationship between rheological properties and organic matter concentration (% volatile solids). Also the flow activation energy (Ea) was calculated using the Ahrrenius correlation and samples of waste activated sludge before anaerobic digestion. In this case, samples were run in the rheometer at 200 rpm and a temperature range of 25 to 75 degrees C with an increment rate of 2 degrees C per minute. The yield stress observed was in a range of 0.93 - 0.18 Pa, the apparent viscosity was in a range of 0.0358 - 0.0010 Pa.s, the reduction of organic matter was in a range of 62.57 - 58.43% volatile solids and the average flow activation energy was 1.71 Cal-g-mol(-1).