Application of a novel hydrodynamic cavitation system in wastewater treatment plants

In the present work, a novel hydrodynamic cavitation system has been used for the treatment of activated sludge, in order to evaluate the solubilisation of matter, the biodegradability improvement, and the effects on microbial activity. Experiments performed in this study indicate that solubilisation of chemical oxygen demand (COD) increased with specific supplied energy applied. For specific energy input of 1,250 kJ/kg of total solids, the microbial activity of the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria investigated was preserved, while specific energy input of 2,500 kJ/kg of total solids damaged the bacterial cells. Based on the results, in this paper different fields of applications of the novel hydrodynamic cavitation system in wastewater treatment schemes are suggested.