Search

[Display omitted] • Microbial electrolysis cell was integrated in different phases of different TPAD. • Thermophilic conditions enhanced hydrolysis more than microbial electrolysis cell. • TPAD integrated microbial electrolysis cell improved the methane yield. • Microbial electrolysis cell was more effective in mesophilic-mesophilic TPAD. Temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) are both able to improve hydrolysis and methane yield during anaerobic digestion (AD) of dewatered sludge. However, the effect of TPAD and MEC integration at different temperatures and different phases is unclear. This study investigated the effect of the integration of intermittent energization MEC in different phases of TPAD on the digestion of dewatered sludge. Thermophilic and MEC hydrolysis could release higher total ammonia nitrogen of 186.0% and 10.3% than control, mesophilic methanogenesis phase integrated with MEC relieved the ammonia inhibition and accelerated the acid utilization leading to the relief of acid accumulation. The ultimate methane yield of the TPAD integrated with MEC was increased by 118.9%, in which the relative abundance of Methanothermobacteria and Methanosarcina was increased. Therefore, intermittent energization MEC integrated TPAD synchronously improved the hydrolysis and methane yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]