Enhancing Methane Yield in Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge: A Comprehensive Review on Potential Additives and Strategies

Foteini Sakaveli, Maria Petala (), Vasilios Tsiridis and Efthymios Darakas
Additional contact information
Foteini Sakaveli: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Maria Petala: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Vasilios Tsiridis: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Efthymios Darakas: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Waste, 2024, vol. 2, issue 1, 1-29

Abstract: Traditionally, anaerobic digestion has been applied to mixed sludge, combining primary sludge (PS) with secondary sludge. However, recent research has unveiled the advantages of dedicated PS digestion due to its higher energy content. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of primary sewage sludge can offer a sustainable solution for managing sewage sludge while generating renewable energy. The present study provides a comprehensive examination of the current state of knowledge regarding the anaerobic digestion of PS. Co-digestion of PS with organic substrates, including food waste and agro-industrial residues, emerges as a promising approach to boost biogas production. Additionally, the utilization of additives such as glucose and clay minerals has shown potential in improving methane yield. Critical factors affecting AD, such as pretreatment methods, carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio, temperature, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) levels, organic loading rates (OLR), inoculum-to-substrate ratio (ISR), and the role of additives, have been meticulously studied. Finally, this review consolidates existing knowledge to advance our understanding of primary sewage sludge anaerobic digestion, fostering more efficient and sustainable practices in sludge management and renewable energy generation.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion; primary sludge; co-digestion; additives; biogas production; methane yield; renewable energy; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q16 Q18 Q2 Q20 Q23 Q24 Q25 Q28 Q3 Q31 Q38 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/2/1/2/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/2/1/2/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jwaste:v:2:y:2024:i:1:p:2-57:d:1320409

Access Statistics for this article

Waste is currently edited by Mr. Sumail Li

More articles in Waste from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().