Premium
The Composting of Brewery Sludge
Author(s) -
Stocks C.,
Barker A.J.,
Guy S.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of the institute of brewing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.523
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 2050-0416
pISSN - 0046-9750
DOI - 10.1002/j.2050-0416.2002.tb00575.x
Subject(s) - pulp and paper industry , compost , effluent , chemistry , aeration , waste management , geranium , botany , biology , engineering , organic chemistry , cultivar
Sludge produced from a trickling filter effluent treatment plant dedicated to the treatment of brewery wastewater was flocculated with cationic polyelectrolytes and dewatered by centrifugation to produce a cake of around 16% (w/w) solids. This cake was mixed with spent grains, shredded office paper and straw to produce an initial mix of 34% (w/w) dried solids with a carbon: nitrogen ratio of 21:1. Temperatures of over 45°C were achieved for around 9 days in a purpose built, laboratory scale, composting unit equipped with temperature and aeration control. Dried solids (DS) were increased to about 65% (w/w) and the volatile solid fraction was reduced from 80% to 60% (w/w) of DS by microbial degradation. The compost was rich in nitrate and phosphate and was used as a peat substitute in qualitative, comparative growth trials where geranium and tomato plants were successfully grown.