This research will develop an energy-saving approach for upgrading wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) by establishing innovative anaerobic treatment technology combined with a new de-nitrification concept using on-site produced organic carbon from excess sludge. This research project is trying to provide solutions for the specific situation in Karmiel (Israel), as a representative model of many WWTP in warm regions. Here we propose to investigate the following technologies:
- advanced anaerobic treatment (AAT) with immobilized bacteria
- electro-kinetic sludge disintegration for producing an additional carbon source
The specific objectives of this project are:
- Immobilization of anaerobic bacteria for treating domestic wastewater. Further an advanced anaerobic treatment (AAT) technology will be developed in order to decrease the total energy consumption and the excess sludge production. The research will be conducted using a pilot-scale system directly on the WWTP of Karmiel.
- An electro-kinetic sludge disintegration system (lab-scale) will be installed, to make the organic carbon available from the excess sludge and to optimize the de-nitrification of the domestic wastewater.
- Calculate the balance between energy saved, generated (methane), and demanded (pumping and aeration) as well as the comparison of these results between WWTP’s in Germany and Israel.
- Evaluation of the applicability and implementability of these technologies in warm climate countries (Karmiel WWTP).
