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Water Practice & Technology © IWA Publishing 2008  |  doi:10.2166/wpt.2008.004

Anaerobic digestion enhanced by thermal hydrolysis: First reference BIOTHELYS^® at Saumur, France

Julien Chauzy¹, Didier Cretenot¹, Anne Bausseron² and Stéphane Deleris²

¹Veolia Water Direction Technique, 1 rue Battista Pirelli, 94410 Saint Maurice, France
²Centre de Recherche sur l'Eau, Chemin de la digue, 78603 Maisons Laffitte, France
Email: Julien.chauzy@veoliaeau.fr, Didier.cretenot@veoliaeau.fr, Anne.bausseron@veolia.com, Stephane.deleris@veolia.com

Veolia Water has developed during these last years its own THP (Thermal Hydrolysis Process) named BIOTHELYS^® in order to enhance MAD (mesophilic anaerobic digestion) of municipal or industrial sludge. The first reference BIOTHELYS^® has been installed at Saumur in France, an extended aeration biological nutrient removal facility, and commissioned in April 2006. The thermal hydrolysis of dewatered sludge is realised by steam injection at a temperature of 160°C for duration of circa 30 minutes. The THP reactors are paired in order to recover flash steam and heat sludge economically. The MAD of hydrolysed sludge is done within a HRT of 15 days and reaches volatile reduction of more than 45% on extended aeration biological sludge. BIOTHELYS^® turns the MAD of extended aeration biological sludge into a very attractive solution while producing green energy with biogas. MAD is thus no more only reserved for mixed sludge but also for pure biological sludge when using THP.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion, BIOTHELYS^®, Biogas, Hygienisation, Sludge, Thermal hydrolysis

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