Intensification of Anaerobic Digestion

Intensification of Anaerobic Digestion: Co-Digestion of Grease Interceptor Waste (GIW) with Thermally Hydrolyzed (TH) and non-TH Biosolids, F. L. de los Reyes III (PI), Urban Water Consortium,  (03/01/2020- 12/31/2021)

The intensification of anaerobic digestion (AD) of biosolids is a major goal and important factor in making anaerobic digestion economically feasible. This project explores two key ideas in significantly intensifying biomethane production in anaerobic digesters at water resource recovery facilities: using thermally hydrolyzed (TH) biosolids, and co-digestion with grease interceptor waste (GIW). Both are approaches that allow increased organic loading rates per unit volume of reactor, and separately have been the focus of research in the last few decades. This project is among the first to study how TH processes and GIW codigestion can be combined to further increase the intensification of methane production.