슬러지의 감량과 최종처분 기술 개발을 위해 실험실 규모 호기성 소화공정을 279일간 운전하였다. 혐기성 소화 슬러지를 원료로 $40^{circ}C$에서 120분간 알칼리 전처리하여 호기성 소화조에 유입시켰다. 유입 슬러지 성상과 HRT의 변화에 따라 소화효율의 변화가 있었으며 적정 HRT는 6일인 것으로 나타났다. 이때 $NH_3$-N, SCOD, TKN, TCOD, SS, VSS의 평균 제거율(소화조 유입 슬러지 기준)은 각각 97.4%, 81.7%, 68.7%, 61.4%, 50.6%, 47.0% 이었다. SS는 전처리와 호기성 소화를 통해 원료 슬러지(23,920 mg/L)의 73.9% 감량화가 가능하였다. 처리 슬러지는 약 350 mg/L의 SCOD를 포함하고 있어 액비로 활용하기에 무리가 없을 것으로 판단되었다. HRT를 5일 이상으로 유지할 경우 질산화 반응이 활성화되었으며 최대 658 mg/L의 유출 슬러지 질산성 질소 농도를 얻을 수 있었다. 암모니아성 질소 농도는 20 mg/L 내외로 크게 감소하였다.
Continuous operation of aerobic sludge digestion reactor was attempted for 279 days. Anaerobic digester sludge, the target material of the experiment, was pretreated by sodium hydroxide at $40^{circ}C$ for 120 minutes, and the pretreated sludge was fed to 5 L CSTR (continuous stirred tank reactor). Reactor performance was affected by properties of input sludge and HRT (hydraulic retention time). 6 days of HRT showed best and stable performance, and under this condition, removal rates of $NH_3$-N, SCOD, TKN, TCOD, SS, and VSS were 97.4%, 81.7%, 68.7%, 61.4%, 50.6%, and 47.0%, respectively. 73.9% of SS in anaerobic digester sludge was reduced by pretreatment and aerobic digestion. Effluent sludge had low soluble COD of 350 mg/L. This implied the sludge was stabilized and suitable for use as liquid fertilizer. Nitrification took place when HRT was higher than 4 days. $NO_3$-N concentration was as high as 658 mg/L while $NH_3$-N was as low as 20 mg/L.
