TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental and mathematical characterisation of the rheological instability of concentrated waste activated sludge subject to anaerobic digestion
AU - Wei, Peng
AU - Tan, Qiuman
AU - Uijttewaal, Wim
AU - van Lier, Jules B.
AU - de Kreuk, Merle
PY - 2018/10/1
Y1 - 2018/10/1
N2 - For a proper operational performance assessment of excess sewage sludge digesters in practice, a better understanding of waste activated sludge (WAS) rheological behaviour is important, especially regarding the low-shear and poor mixing zones in anaerobic digesters. The potential rheological instability of WAS with different total solids (TS) concentrations was studied in this research. The obtained yield-pseudoplastic behaviour showed varying patterns in a wide shear rate range, of which characterisation depended on hybrid model fitting of defined shear rate segments. Although a new mathematical expression improved the fitting quality, limited applicability of the empiric models reflected the samples’ transient rheological behaviour rather than intrinsic properties, challenging the included parameters definition. Characterised by the distinct flow status and transitions, the observed rheological instability gives more insight in viscoelastic and thixotropic effects on sludge flow and mixing behaviour in full-scale WAS treatment systems. Recommendations for developing a rheological measurement protocol were also formulated.
AB - For a proper operational performance assessment of excess sewage sludge digesters in practice, a better understanding of waste activated sludge (WAS) rheological behaviour is important, especially regarding the low-shear and poor mixing zones in anaerobic digesters. The potential rheological instability of WAS with different total solids (TS) concentrations was studied in this research. The obtained yield-pseudoplastic behaviour showed varying patterns in a wide shear rate range, of which characterisation depended on hybrid model fitting of defined shear rate segments. Although a new mathematical expression improved the fitting quality, limited applicability of the empiric models reflected the samples’ transient rheological behaviour rather than intrinsic properties, challenging the included parameters definition. Characterised by the distinct flow status and transitions, the observed rheological instability gives more insight in viscoelastic and thixotropic effects on sludge flow and mixing behaviour in full-scale WAS treatment systems. Recommendations for developing a rheological measurement protocol were also formulated.
KW - Model fitting
KW - Rheological instability
KW - Thixotropy
KW - Waste activated sludge
KW - Yield-pseudoplastic
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85048716154&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2018.04.108
DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2018.04.108
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85048716154
SN - 1385-8947
VL - 349
SP - 318
EP - 326
JO - Chemical Engineering Journal
JF - Chemical Engineering Journal
ER -