"Improvement of sludge handling in pulp and paper industry using ultrasound" -project (SONOBIO) is focused on studying the release of water and nutrients from bio-sludge (waste activated sludge) in pulp and paper industry using power ultrasound technology.

The whole project consists of the following main tasks:

1. Review of the ultrasound assisted sludge handling today and actual problems in wastewater and sludge treatment in pulp and paper industry.
2. Solubilisation of bio-sludge substances using power ultrasound and the effects of recycling of disintegrated sludge in aerobic wastewater treatment in laboratory scale.
3. Changes in dewaterability of bio-sludge using power ultrasound:

• Effects of disintegration parameters (e.g. power level, time, sludge concentration, temperature) on sludge structure e.g. release of EPS and water from sludge flocs.
• Release of different substances from biomass.
• Effects of released components on sludge flocculation and dewaterability.
• Floc strength in pressing experiments.

The project is part of the COST D32 network "High Energy Micro-Environments in Biotechnology". It is financed by VTT, Tekes and companies (Kemira, DWT Engineering, Finnsonic, Botnia). The total budget is 221 000 €. The co-operation between VTT and TUHH includes a period of exchange researcher, planning of US assisted PDU-scale WAS-plant connected to a real WAS plant at a pulp & paper mill in Finland, workshops to analyse the results obtained, to guide the experimental work and publish joint articles.

The project will be carried out during December 2005 and November 2007. If the results are promising the project will be continued with pilot-experiments.

Acknowledgements: COST D32 has made possible to start up this study and intensified exchange of US info between the European US research groups.

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