In order to investigate the effective pretreatment methods in WAS(=waste activated sludge) solubilization, the values of SCOD yield per unit SS (SCOD/gSS.hr) were compared. After the hydrodynamic cavitation with pH of 12.5, SCOD increased to 7800 mg/L, SS decreased to 45 % and the solubilization rate was 29 %. Combination of alkality (pH 12.5) and the cavitation seems to be the optimal condition for sludge solubilization. After the cavitational pretreatment, efficiencies of anaerobic digestion of the unfiltered sludge(the control), raw sludge and pretreated sludge were evaluated with BMP(=biochemical methane potential) tests.For evaluation of the biodegradability characteristics of pretreated sewage sludge, the methane production has been measured for 6 months. The methane production of pretreated sludge increased 1.4 times than that of untreated sludge. The result indicates that the cavitationally pretreated sludge was a better biodegradability substrate in anaerobic condition compared to raw sludge. It is obvious that cavitational pretreatment could enhance not only solubilization but also biodegradability of WAS. In conclusion, cavitational pretreatment of WAS to convert the particulate into soluble portion was shown to be effective in enhancing the digestibility of the WAS.

Anaerobic mesophilic batch tests of energy crops (forage barley, rye, Italian ryegrass, and oats) were carried out to evaluate their ultimate biodegradability and two distinctive decay rates (k1 and k2) with their corresponding degradable substrate fractions (S1 and S2). Graphical statistical analysis and biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests showed that the ultimate biodegradability was 82 ~ 88% for forage barley, 70 ~ 77% for rye, 66 ~ 79% for Italian ryegrass, and 59 ~ 67% for oats. The readily biodegradable fraction (S1) of 73% of forage barley biodegradable volatile solid (BVS, S0) degraded within the initial 40 days at k1 of 0.055 day−1, whereas the slowly biodegradable fraction (S2) of BVS degraded over more than 80 days with long term batch reaction rates of 0.002 day−1. For oats, this readily biodegradable portion (S1) was 57%, which degraded with a k1 of 0.023 day−1 for the initial 60 days. The minimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) for the anaerobic digestion of forage barley, rye, and Italian ryegrass were estimated in the range 45 ~ 55 days and 65 days for oats.

Anaerobic mesophilic batch tests of food waste and food waste leachate collected from food waste treatment facility were carried out to evaluate their ultimate biodegradability and two distinctive decay rate coefficients (k1 and k2) with their corresponding degradable substrate fractions (S1 and S2), respectively. Each 3 liter batch reactor was operated for more than 60 days at substrate to inoculum ratio (S/I) of 0.5 as an initial total volatile solids (TVS) mass basis. Result of Ultimate biodegradability of 74 ~ 83% for food waste and 85 ~ 90% for food waste leachate were obtained respectively. The readily biodegradable fraction of 85 ~ 93% (S1) of food waste Biodegradable Volatile Solids (BVS, So) degraded within the initial 15 days with a range of of 0.151 ~ 0.168 day−1, whereas the rest slowly biodegradable fraction (S2) of BVS degraded for more than 53 days with the long term batch decay rate coefficients of 0.009 ~ 0.010 day−1. For the food waste leachate, the readily biodegradable portion (S1) appeared to be 92 ~ 94% of BVS (So), which degrades with of 0.172 ~ 0.206 day−1 for an initial 15 days. Its corresponding long term batch decay rate coefficients were 0.005 ~ 0.009 day−1. It is recommended that the hydraulic retention times of mesophilic anaerobic digesters be 16 days for the food waste and 15 days for the food waste leachate, respectively. However a safety factor should be considered when designing a full scale plant.

Anaerobic mesophilic batch tests of dairy cow manure, dairy cow manure/saw dust mixture and dairy cow manure/ rice hull mixtures collected from bedded pack barn were carried out to evaluate their ultimate biodegradability and two distinctive decay rates (k1 and k2) with their corresponding degradable substrate fractions (S1 and S2). Each 3 liter batch reactor was operated for more than 100 days at substrate to inoculum ratio (S/I) of 1.0 as an initial total volatile solids (TVS) mass basis. Ultimate biodegradabilities of 37 ~ 46% for dairy cow manure, 32 ~ 40% for dairy manure/saw dust mixture and 31 ~ 38% for dairy cow manure/rice hull mixture were obtained respectively. The readily biodegradable fraction of 90% (S1) of dairy manure BVS (So) degraded with in the initial 29 days with arange of k1 of 0.074 day−1, where as the rest slowly biodegradable fraction (S2) of BVS degraded for more than 100 days with the long term batch reaction rate of 0.004 day−1. For the dairy manure/saw dust mixture and dairy manure/rice hull mixture, their readily biodegradable portions (S1) appeared 71% and 76%, which degrades with k1 of 0.053 day−1 and 0.047 day−1 for an initial 30 days and 38 days, respectively. Their corresponding long term batch reaction rates were 0.03 day−1.