Mathematical modeling of the hydrolysis of anaerobic processes.

In the recently published dynamic simulation model for mesophilic digestion of sewage sludge the hydrolysis constant refers to the total dry solid content without regarding their composition. To apply these models to the digestion of municipal solid waste, the hydrolysis constants of the various fractions must be considered. The major constituents of organic waste were identified as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. For these three constituents the hydrolysis constants for thermophilic digestion were determined. The implementation of these constants into the existing dynamic models allowed a reasonable characterization of the digestion of municipal organic waste.