Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion takes advantage of highly efficient thermophilic organisms naturally present in wastewater, optimizing the environment for them to proliferate and dominate. This increases the temperature of the sludge as the thermophiles feed on other microorganisms. At these higher temperatures the cell walls of the activated sludge rupture, releasing the now-dead mesophilic contents and providing a feast for the thermophiles. The metabolism of the thermophiles is extremely high, yet the net yield is low, resulting in a significant reduction of volatile solids to produce a pathogen-free end product. On the downside, due to their inherent inflexibility, traditional ATAD processes often produce excess foam and unacceptable odors. |
