APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED CHEMICAL - PHYSICAL PROCESSES MODELLING TO AERATION TREATMENT OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTER LIQUORS M C Wentzel*, E V Musvoto and G A Ekama Water Research Group, University of Cape Town, Department of Civil Engineering, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa; *Corresponding author: e-mail: markw@eng.uct.ac.za. ABSTRACT A three phase (aqueous/solid/gas) mixed weak acid/base kinetic model developed by Musvoto et al. (2000a,b) is applied to simulate the physical and chemical processes that occur on aeration of anaerobic digester liquors. Included in the model are the kinetic reactions for (i) weak acid/base dissociations (water, carbonate, ammonium, phosphate, and short-chain fatty acids), (ii) precipitation of struvite, newberyite, amorphous calcium phosphate, calcium and magnesium carbonate, (iii) ion pair formation and (iv) stripping of CO2 and NH3 gases. To generate data for model application, batch aeration tests were conducted on two anaerobic digester liquors from (i) a spent wine upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) digester and (ii) a sewage sludge anaerobic digester. In the batch tests pH, Ca, Mg, PO 4-P, free and saline ammonia (FSA) and H2CO3* Alkalinity (from which inorganic carbon is calculated) were measured. After establishing from the literature values for (i) weak acid/base equilibrium constants (pKa), (ii) weak acid/base kinetic rate constants (Kra), and (iii) ion pair stability constants (pKST), and trial and error determination of (iv) mineral solubility products (pKSP) (within the range reported in the literature), (v) ion pair kinetic rate constants (KrIP), (vi) mineral precipitation rate constants (Kppt) and (vii) gas stripping rates (KrG), a good correlation between predicted and measured data was obtained for all the parameters for both liquors. The solubility product values for the minerals that precipitated were the same for both liquors and fall in the range of values quoted in the literature, but the specific precipitation rate constants of the minerals differed for the two liquors. KEY WORDS anaerobic digester liquor, gas stripping, kinetic model, precipitation, solubility product, weak acid/base INTRODUCTION Loss of CO2 from anaerobic digestor liquor (ADL) through deliberate or inadvertent aeration causes an increase in pH; at higher pH various calcium and magnesium phosphates (and possibly carbonates) precipitate and NH3 stripping occurs. Loss of CO2 thus can be problematic, with magnesium phosphate precipitants such as struvite causing pipe blockages (e.g. Borgerding, 1972; Mamais et al., 1994). However, this process has been exploited as a treatment method for removal of the high concentrations of N and/or P commonly found in ADL, particularly those from digestion of waste sludge from biological P removal activated sludge systems (e.g. Pitman et al., 1989; Pitman 1999; Stratful et al., 1999). To optimize this system, and to develop and evaluate alternative treatment methods for ADL, a model that can conveniently handle three phase (aqueous/solid/gas) weak acid/base chemistry will be helpful. Musvoto et al. (2000a) describe the development of a kinetic model for the single aqueous phase behaviour of mixed weak acid/base systems and included precipitation of CaCO3, CO2 gas exchange and ion-pairing effects. In the model, the weak acid/base equilibria have been formulated in terms of the kinetics of the forward and reverse reactions for the dissociation of the weak acid/bases. The compound H+ is explicitly included and pH is calculated from the H+ concentration via pH = -log fm [H+]. Similarly, ion pairing equilibria have been formulated in terms of the kinetics of the forward and reverse reactions for the ion pairs. This model was validated for the equilibrium (time independent) condition by comparing predicted steady state results with predictions from well established equilibrium chemistry based models in the literature, for (i) the three phase behaviour of the carbonate system in pure water, and 2 Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama (ii) the single aqueous phase behaviour of mixed weak/acid base systems (carbonate, ammonium and phosphate). More extensive validation was not possible because suitable data were not available. Musvoto et al. (2000b) extended the model to describe the three phase weak acid/base reactions that occur when ADL are aerated. The resultant kinetic model was validated by comparing predictions with (i) equilibrium (time independent) data available in the literature. In this paper, the model will be described briefly and the validation extended to (ii) kinetic (time dependent) data obtained from aerated batch tests on two ADL. MODEL DESCRIPTION The three phase (aqueous/solid/gas) chemical processes that occur during aeration of ADL are the forward and reverse dissociation processes of the weak acid/base species, precipitation of various magnesium and calcium phosphates and carbonates, ion pairing and stripping of CO2 and NH3. Weak acid/bases For the carbonate, phosphate, free and saline ammonia (FSA) , short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and water weak acid/base systems, there are 16 forward and reverse dissociation processes; 4 for the carbonate, 6 for the phosphate, and 2 each for the water, SCFA and FSA systems. There are 13 compounds; 3 for the carbonate, 4 for the phosphate and 2 each for the water, SCFA and FSA systems. These are processes 1 to 16 and compounds 1 to 13 in the model matrix of Musvoto et al. (2000a). Precipitation of minerals General formulation: In the precipitation of sparingly soluble salts from wastewaters, the crystal growth process is almost invariably rate limiting, and the kinetics of this process is mostly surface controlled (see Musvoto et al., 1998 for a detailed review). For such processes, the rate of mineral precipitation for many sparingly soluble salts M + A - can be formulated by following the theory of Koutsoukos et al. (1980): dM+A-/dt = -ks[([Mm+]+[Aa-]-)1/ - ([Mm+]0+[Aa-]0-)1/]n (i) where: • [Mm+], [Aa-] and [Mm+]0, [Aa-]0 are the concentrations in mole units of crystal lattice ions in solution at time t and at equilibrium respectively. At equilibrium [Mm+]0+ [Aa-]0- = KSP where KSP is the apparent solubility product of the salt. • k is the apparent precipitation rate constant. • s is proportional to the total number of available growth sites on the added seed material. • + is the total number of cationic species. • - is the total number of anionic species. • = + + • n is determined experimentally and equals 2 for a number of divalent sparingly soluble salts. In Eq. (i), accepting that no seed material has been added, the rate no longer depends on the available growth sites (s) so that the rate constants ks can be replaced by a single precipitation rate constant Kppt. This general equation can also be derived from the hypothesis of Davies and Jones (Benjamin et al., 1976; Sturrock et al., 1977) and, accordingly, was accepted for use in the model to describe the kinetics of mineral precipitation. Mineral precipitation from ADL: Under aeration conditions of ADL, the solids most likely to precipitate are various magnesium and calcium carbonates and phosphates. Domains for precipitation of the various forms of these minerals have been delineated in the literature and are reviewed by Musvoto et al. (1998). From these, struvite (MgNH4PO4), newberyite (MgHPO4), amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP, Ca3(PO4)2.xH2O), calcite (CaCO3) and magnesite (MgCO3) were identified as the minerals most likely to precipitate and precipitation processes for these were included in the model (processes 42 to 45; Musvoto et al., 2000b). 3 Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama Solubility products: A range of solubility products (pKSP) for the five mineral salts identified above (struvite, newberyite, ACP, calcite and magnesite) as likely to precipitate on ADL aeration were found in the literature. These solubility products are at infinite dilution, i.e. for ideal solutions. To account for the effect of ionic strength in non-ideal solutions, the solubility products were adjusted following the DebyeHückel theory for low and medium salinity waters (for details, see Musvoto et al., 1998). Ion pairing Ion pairing effects become significant at ionic strength (µ) > 0.025 (Loewenthal et al., 1986). The µ values of the wastewaters where the model was to be applied, i.e. ADL, were anticipated to be greater than 0.025 so ion pairing effects were included in the model. From Musvoto et al. (2000a), the ion pairing equilibria were described in terms of the kinetics of the forward and reverse reactions and included in the same manner followed for weak acid/bases. For solutions containing Ca, Mg, FSA and PO4-P, from the literature eleven ion pairs were identified and included in the model as processes 20 to 41 (Musvoto et al., 2000a). The stability constants for the ion pairs (pKST) were obtained from the literature (Ferguson and McCarty, 1971; Musvoto et al., 2000a) and adjusted for ionic strength effects with the Debye-Hückel theory. Gas stripping Gases expected to be stripped are CO2 and NH3. The exchange of CO2 and NH3 between the liquid and gas phases has been outlined by Musvoto et al. (2000a,b). For NH3 it was assumed that the atmosphere acts as an infinite sink; thus the dissolution of NH3 from the atmosphere into solution was not included in the model, only NH3 expulsion. Processes 18 and 19 (Musvoto et al., 2000a) and process 46 (Musvoto et al., 2000b) describe CO2 liquid/gas exchange and NH3 stripping respectively. MODEL APPLICATION The model was applied to describe the time dependent three phase weak acid/base reactions that occur when ADL are aerated, using Aquasim (Reichert, 1994). No suitable data in the literature are available on this process, so that an experimental investigation had to be undertaken to gather the appropriate data. Experimental investigation Aeration of ADL from (i) a spent wine UASB digester (UASBDL) and (ii) an anaerobic digester treating sewage sludge (SSADL) were investigated. Five litre samples of each wastewater were placed in a batch reactor and aerated for at least 24 hours. Temperature was controlled at 20C. The pH in the reactor was recorded throughout the experiment. At frequent intervals, 100 m and 10 m samples were drawn from the batch reactor; the 10m samples were immediately analysed for free and saline ammonia (FSA), and the 100m samples 0.45µm filtered and analysed for Ca, Mg, total phosphate system species (PT), total inorganic carbon species (CT) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Four batch tests were performed on SSADL (Batch tests 11, 12, 13 and 14) and three on UASBDL (Batch tests 16, 17 and 18). Details of methods are given in Musvoto et al. (2000b). Model calibration In the model, values are required for (i) weak acid/base equilibrium constants (pKa), (ii) weak acid/base kinetic rate constants (Kra), (iii) ion pair stability constants (pKST), (iv) mineral solubility products (pKSP), (v) ion pair kinetic rate constants (KrIP), (vi) mineral precipitation rate constants (Kppt) and (vii) gas stripping rates (KrG). In the calibration, constants (i), (ii) and (iii) were regarded as model constants and not changed; values for these constants were obtained from the literature (Musvoto et al., 2000a). Constants (v), (vi) and (vii) were regarded as calibration constants and were changed to provide a close correlation between theoretical model predictions and experimental results. Constants (iv) were considered model constants, but a range of values are quoted in the literature so that the final values had to be determined by calibration within the literature range. Changes to constants were made both by visual trial and error fitting and the parameter estimation facility in Aquasim; visually there was little discernable difference between results from the two calibration methods, and so only the visual fit 4 Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama calibration data are reported (for details see Musvoto et al., 2000c). In the calibration exercise, the importance of ion pairing in the model predictions was not fully appreciated, and to improve the correlation between predicted and measured results the values for the rates of ion pair formation (KrIP) were adjusted separately for each ion pair, but keeping the rates the same for all batch tests. This caused that the formation of the ion pairs was not effectively instantaneous as should be. In subsequent modelling exercises it has become apparent that under some conditions ion pairing effects have a significant influence on predicted results when the rates of ion pair formation are made effectively instantaneous. A comprehensive study on this aspect will form the basis for a future paper. Results and discussion As examples, Figs 1 and 2 show measured and predicted results for batch test 12 on SSADL and batch test 18 on UASBDL respectively. Good correlations were obtained between experimental and theoretical model predictions for both liquors. Some of the constants and results obtained from the model simulations for both SSADL and UASBDL are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Values of model constants for simulation of physical and chemical processes for aerobic batch tests on SSADL and UASBDL Constant Batch tests on SSADL Batch tests on UASBDL Literature value Batch Batch Batch Batch Batch Batch Batch Test 11 Test 12 Test 13 Test 14 Test 16 Test 17 Test 18 -Log Solubility product (pKSP) Struvite Newberyite Amorphous Calcium phosphate (ACP) CaCO3 MgCO3 Rate constant of precipitation (Kppt /d) Struvite Newberyite Amorphous Calcium phosphate (ACP) CaCO3 MgCO3 Rate of gas stripping (KrG /d) O2 CO2 NH3 Solids precipitated (mg/l) Struvite Newberyite Amorphous Calcium phosphate (ACP) CaCO3 MgCO3 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 13.16 5.8 25.46 6.45 7 300 0.05 150 50 50 300 0.05 150 50 50 300 0.05 150 2 50 300 0.05 150 50 50 3000 0.05 350 0.5 50 3000 0.05 350 0.5 50 3000 0.05 350 0.5 50 300 273 1.1 225 204 1.2 550 500 1.05 600 545 0.9 670 610 1.92 400 365 2.5 670 610 1.92 1236 3.8 140 58 0 1140 2.8 170 46 0 1250 2.8 160 43 0 1270 2.6 50 98 0 677 2.1 91 0 30 532 1.2 98 0 30 528 0 92 0 21 9.94 - 13.16 5.51 - 5.8 24 - 32.7 6.3 - 8.5 5 - 8.2 From a comparison of results on the two ADL, the following conclusions can be drawn (see Table 1): Solids most likely to precipitate: The same solids, viz. struvite, ACP, newberyite, CaCO3 and MgCO3, were identified from the literature as most likely to precipitate in both SSADL and UASBDL and on this basis were included in the model (see above, and Musvoto et al., 1998 for details). With these precipitants, the consistency between predicted and measured soluble species concentrations (Figs 1 and 2) indicates that no precipitants of importance have been omitted from the model. From the simulations, in both liquors struvite formed the bulk of the precipitate followed by ACP (Table 1). MgCO 3 was 5 Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama predicted to precipitate in UASBDL, but not in SSADL. Conversely, CaCO3 was predicted to precipitate in SSADL, but not in UASBDL. In both sets of experiments, newberyite was predicted not to precipitate significantly. The predicted precipitants are in agreement with the domains of precipitation in the literature (Musvoto et al., 1998). Solubility products: For each precipitate formed, the values for the solubility products were the same for both the SSADL and UASBDL, and all fall within the range of literature values (Table 1). Specific rate constants for precipitation: For each type of wastewater, the same set of specific precipitation rate constants was found for all the batch tests on that wastewater, except for batch test 13 for SSADL where a CaCO3 precipitation rate of 2 instead of the 50 (/d) for the other three batch tests was required to give a good correlation. The specific precipitation rate constants found for struvite, ACP and CaCO3 differ significantly between the SSADL and UASBDL (Table 1); (i) the rates for struvite and ACP are much higher in the UASBDL than in the SSADL and (ii) the rate for CaCO 3 is lower for the UASBDL than for SSADL. Gas stripping: The specific rates for gas stripping for both CO2 and NH3 differed for each individual batch test (Table 1). This is not unexpected as the aeration conditions (gas flow rates, mixing, solids, etc.) differed in each batch test; in hindsight this is an omission as aeration rates in the batch tests should have been controlled to be the same. Comparing the stripping rates for CO2 with those for NH3, the values for CO2 were much higher, by two orders of magnitude. This is in agreement with the literature, where it is evident that the volatility of CO2 is much higher than NH3. CONCLUSIONS The physical-chemical kinetic model developed by Musvoto et al. (2000a,b) is applied to simulate the chemical reactions which occur in the aeration treatment of anaerobic digester liquors (ADL). The processes operative in this system are the dissociation of the weak acid/bases, precipitation of solids (struvite, newberyite, amorphous calcium phosphate, magnesium and calcium carbonate as identified from the literature) and stripping of CO2 and NH3 gases. Ion pairing effects are also included in the model, due to the ionic strength of the ADL being greater than 0.025. To validate the model, batch experiments were conducted by aerating two ADL, viz. three batch tests on ADL from a spent wine UASB digester (UASBDL) and four on ADL from an anaerobic digester treating a blend of primary sludge and waste activated sludge (SSADL), and the results compared with model predictions. After establishing from the literature values for (i) weak acid/base equilibrium constants (pKa), (ii) weak acid/base kinetic rate constants (Kra), and (iii) ion pair stability constants (pKST), and trial and error determination of (iv) mineral solubility products (pKSP) (within the range reported in the literature), (v) ion pair kinetic rate constants (KrIP), (vi) mineral precipitation rate constants (Kppt) and (vii) gas stripping rates (KrG), a good correlation between predicted and measured data was obtained for all batch tests. A single set of solubility products and precipitation rate constants was found for all batch tests for each type of waste. Further, as required the solubility product values all fall in the range of values quoted in the literature. Also, the types of minerals that precipitated for the conditions present are in agreement with information in the literature. However, the effect of ion pairing on model predictions requires further investigation. The results for the SSADL were compared with those on the UASBDL. From the simulation results it was found that (i) a single set of solubility product values for the five minerals that precipitated (struvite, ACP, newberyite, CaCO3 and MgCO3) applied to both liquor types, but that the specific precipitation rates were different for each liquor, (ii) the rates of struvite and ACP precipitation were increasingly slower with increasing particulate organic concentrations; SSADL contained considerably more particulate organics than SSADL, (iii) gas stripping/dissolution rates of CO2 and NH3 were different in each batch test; the CO2 stripping rates were two orders of magnitude higher than the NH3 stripping rates. 6 Magnesium Calcium 150 150 (a) (b) Ca pred. 100 M g (g /m 3 ) C a (g /m 3 ) Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama Ca meas 50 M g pred. 100 0 M g meas. 50 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 Time (d) 2 2.5 0 0.5 2 2.5 Total Carbonate Total Phosphate 800 200 (c) (d) PT pred. 150 C T (g C /m 3 ) PT (g P/m 3 ) 1 1.5 Time (d) PT meas. 100 CT pred. 600 CT meas. 400 200 50 0 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 Time (d) 2 0 2.5 0.5 2 2.5 pH Free and Saline Ammonia 800 1 1.5 Time (d) 9 600 8.5 500 pH F SA (g N /m 3 ) 700 400 8 300 FSA pred. 200 100 pH pred. 7.5 FSA meas. (e) (f) 0 pH meas. 7 0 0.5 1 1.5 Time (d) 2 2.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 Time (d) 2 2.5 Fig 1: Predicted and measured soluble concentrations for calcium (Ca, Fig 1a, top left), magnesium (Mg, Fig 1b, top right), total phosphate (PT, Fig 1c, middle left), total carbonate (CT, Fig 1d, middle right), free and saline ammonia (FSA, Fig 1e bottom left) and pH (Fig 1f, bottom right) for aerobic batch test 12 on anaerobic digester liquor from Cape Flats sewage treatment (Cape Town, South Africa) digester treating primary and waste activated sludge. 7 Calcium (a) 50 Ca meas 30 30 10 10 0 0 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 1 0 1.2 Total Phosphate (c) 80 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 1 1.2 Total Carbonate (d) PT pred. C T (g C /m 3 ) 100 0.2 800 120 PT (g P/m 3 ) M g meas. 40 20 0.2 M g pred. 50 20 0 (b) 60 Ca pred. 40 Magnesium 70 M g (g /m 3 ) 60 C a (g /m 3 ) Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama PT meas. 60 40 600 400 CT pred. 200 20 CT meas. 0 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 0 1.2 Free and Saline Ammonia 140 120 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 1 1.2 pH 9 FSA meas. 80 8.5 60 8 40 7.5 20 0.4 9.5 FSA pred. 100 0.2 10 pH F SA (g N /m 3 ) 1 pH pred. 7 (e) pH meas. (f) 6.5 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 1 1.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Time (d) 1 1.2 Fig 2: Predicted and measured soluble concentrations for calcium (Ca, Fig 2a, top left), magnesium (Mg, Fig 2b, top right), total phosphate (PT, Fig 2c, middle left), total carbonate (CT, Fig 2d, middle right), free and saline ammonia (FSA, Fig 2e bottom left) and pH (Fig 2f, bottom right) for aerobic batch test 18 on anaerobic digester liquor from Stellenbosch Farmers= Winery (Wellington, South Africa) spent wine UASB digester. 8 Wentzel, Musvoto and Ekama The three phase kinetic based weak acid/base chemistry model and the approach on which it is based is proving to be a useful tool for research into and design of wastewater treatment systems. For research, the model helps to focus attention on issues not obvious from direct experiment and from a single batch test allows determination of solids precipitation data in an integrated and consistent manner for a number of minerals simultaneously. 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