Projects

Summary

The THERMOGAS project addresses the current limitations of thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) of sludge, with the aim of developing an integrated solution that facilitates its deployment and optimises the treatment of urban and industrial wastewater. The initiative seeks nutrient recovery, energy production, and effective and safe hygienisation of the treated sludge. The project combines microbiological research, engineering development and advanced modelling to design efficient operating strategies and validate TAD technology under real conditions. This approach will improve process stability, the quality of the treated sludge, and its agricultural valorisation.

Objective

The specific objectives of the THERMOGAS project include: Determining the physicochemical and microbiological properties of fresh sludge from different facilities and their influence on thermophilic anaerobic digestion and on the hygienisation of the treated sludge. Designing and validating start-up and operational strategies for TAD technology to achieve a stable and efficient steady state, ensuring an adequate degree of stabilisation and hygienisation for agricultural valorisation. Developing and validating a dynamic mathematical model of anaerobic digesters capable of describing the behaviour of TAD systems under different temperature and dry matter conditions. Developing new engineering solutions specifically for thermophilic anaerobic digestion at different dry matter levels. Building a prototype of an Operational Support System (OSS) to facilitate the optimal management of TAD digesters in wastewater treatment plants.

Ceit's Role

Ceit is responsible for the installation and commissioning of a pilot plant for dry anaerobic digestion adapted to thermophilic conditions. In addition, it leads the analysis and optimisation of the plant's operational conditions, and develops and calibrates the dynamic mathematical model of TAD, which will serve as the basis for designing the Operational Support System
(OSS).