Abstract:
Sewage sludge, which is formed in large quantities and processed using aerobic technology at treatment plants in Ukrainian cities, remains an acute problem of their disposal. At the same time, municipal wastewater treatment and drainage systems are characterized by high specific energy consumption. Due to the ability to significantly reduce the organic matter content of sludge by 6 times or more, anaerobic digestion technology can optimize the process of their cleaning and processing and eliminate large areas of land intended for sludge sites. In this process, biogas is produced, consisting of 60-70% methane. The use of a methane tank in the technological process of sludge processing for biogas production will ensure increased energy efficiency of municipal treatment facilities. The conducted studies have established that today the productivity of municipal treatment facilities in regional centers of Ukraine is sufficient for the implementation of anaerobic technology, and the equipment allows for the effective production of biogas with its subsequent utilization. The combustible gas obtained by the technology of sewage sludge digestion can be used to produce thermal, mechanical and electrical energy by burning in boilers, gas engines and turbines to maintain the appropriate temperature in methane tanks and to ensure various production processes. Also, the digestate obtained after processing sludge in a methane tank can be a substitute for nutritious organic and mineral fertilizers and, by its properties, is able to increase soil fertility. The profitability and prospects of implementing anaerobic sludge processing technology at municipal treatment plants in regional centers of Ukraine are justified by the production of 100 million m3/gas per year, which is equivalent to 200 million kWh. electricity or 70 thousand tons of conventional fuel.
