How many pounds of volatile matter are destroyed each day in an aerobic digester receiving 4,000 GPM of sludge?

In an aerobic digestion process, the determination of how many pounds of volatile matter are destroyed daily can be based on the flow rate of the sludge and typical values associated with the conversion of volatile solids through biological processes. Given a flow rate of 4,000 gallons per minute (GPM) of sludge, the calculation involves estimating the amount of volatile solids present and how much of that is typically removed or converted by the microorganisms in the digester.

Typically, the volatile solids concentration in sludge can be approximated, and the mass destruction of these solids per day can then be calculated using conversion factors that relate flow rate, concentration, and the removal efficiency of the digester. In this case, the calculations would have indicated that approximately 111,981 pounds per day (PPD) of volatile matter are destroyed in aerobic digestion based on standard operational parameters and performance metrics.

Thus, option C reflects the correct calculation based on the specifics of the sludge flow rate and the volatile solids dynamics during the aerobic digestion process. This highlights the importance of using reliable data and understanding the biological treatment processes in wastewater management to arrive at accurate figures for operational efficiency.