Influence of ultrasonic field on methane fermentation process: Review

Abstract

Here One important aspect of the process of anaerobic stabilisation of sewage sludge in medium and large sewage treatment plants, in addition to sludge mineralisation, is the acquisition of a valuable source of energy, which is biogas. There are well-known methods of intensifying the process of methane fermentation by subjecting sludge to disintegration using physical factors, i.e. ultrasonic field. Acetate production is the ratelimiting step in the acetate consumption pathway and affects the efficiency of the anaerobic stabilisation process. The product of the first stage of the process is also the substrate for the next stage. Therefore, it is advisable to subject sewage sludge to disintegration, which increases its susceptibility to biodegradation. Sludge modification with the above-mentioned method causes a significant increase in the concentration of organic substances in the supernatant liquid. The reflection of the physical and chemical transformations of sludge in the disintegration processes is the change in their structure expressed by the increase in the degree of particle dispersion. The disintegration of sludge using sonolysis is an effective process solution, both in terms of technology and energy, in terms of obtaining biogas, which is a valuable source of energy.