The influence of excess sludge discharge on the performance of a full-scale UASB reactor

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. K. Barros ◽  
S. Gavazza ◽  
L. Florencio ◽  
M. T. Kato

The influence of sludge discharge frequency on the performance of a full-scale UASB-type reactor has been assessed. The reactor has eight compartments and treats domestic sewage with an 8 hour hydraulic retention time. In each compartment, a different discharge frequency was employed ranging from 1 to 8 months. During the assessment period, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, effluent volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration, and cellular yield coefficient (Y) were evaluated. The results indicated that the operational stability increased with increasing discharge frequency, as shown by a higher COD removal and lower effluent VSS. The values of Y decreased when the sludge discharge frequency increased. In practice, good performance can be achieved when the sludge discharge frequency is between 1 and 4 months; COD removal efficiencies of 60–80%, average VSS effluent concentrations of 25–80 mg L−1, and Y values of 0.10–0.18 kg VSS kg CODremoved−1 were obtained.

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Fatima ◽  
S. Jamal Khan

In this study, the performance of wastewater treatment plant located at sector I-9 Islamabad, Pakistan, was evaluated. This full scale domestic wastewater treatment plant is based on conventional activated sludge process. The parameters which were monitored regularly included total suspended solids (TSS), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). It was found that the biological degradation efficiency of the plant was below the desired levels in terms of COD and BOD. Also the plant operators were not maintaining consistent sludge retention time (SRT). Abrupt discharge of MLSS through the Surplus Activated sludge (SAS) pump was the main reason for the low MLSS in the aeration tank and consequently low treatment performance. In this study the SRT was optimized based on desired MLSS concentration between 3,000–3,500 mg/L and required performance in terms of BOD, COD and TSS. This study revealed that SRT is a very important operational parameter and its knowledge and correct implementation by the plant operators should be mandatory.


2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1047-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Durán ◽  
O. Monroy ◽  
J. Gómez ◽  
F. Ramírez

The biological elimination of polymeric resins compounds (PRC) such as acrylic acid and their esters, vinyl acetate and styrene under methanogenic and oxygen-limited methanogenesis conditions was evaluated. Two UASB reactors (A and B) were used and the removal of the organic matter was studied in four stages. Reactor A was used as methanogenic control during the study. Initially both reactors were operated under methanogenic conditions. From the second stage reactor B was fed with 0.6 and 1 mg/L·d of oxygen (O2). Reactor A had diminution in chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency from 75±4% to 37±5%, by the increase of PRC loading rate from 750 to 1125 mg COD/L·d. In this reactor there was no styrene elimination. In reactor B the COD removal efficiency was between 73±5% and 80±2%, even with the addition of O2 and increase of the PRC loading rate, owing to oxygen being used in the partial oxidation of these compounds. In this reactor the yields were modified from 0.56 to 0.40 for CH4 and from 0.31 to 0.60 for CO2. The O2 in low concentrations increased 40.7% the consumption rates of acrylic acid, methyl acrylate and vinyl acetate, allowing styrene consumption with a rate of 0.103 g/L·d. Batch cultures demonstrated that under methanogenic and oxygen-limited methanogenesis conditions, the glucose was not used as an electron acceptor in the elimination of PRC.


2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 420-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
S K Patidar ◽  
Vinod Tare

The effect of micro-nutrients, such as Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, and Mo, on anaerobic degradation of sulfate laden organics was investigated using bench-scale models of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR), and hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor (HABR), operating in varying conditions in ten phases (organic loading of 1.9–5.75 kg COD/(m3·d), sulfate loading of 0.54–1.88 kg SO42–/(m3·d), chemical oxygen demand (COD):SO42–ratio of 2.0–8.6). In the initial phase, no nutrient limitation was observed with COD removal of more than 94% in all three systems. Subsequently, increase in sulfate loading resulted in Ni and Co limitation and their supplementation restored COD removal in UASB system. However, baffled systems did not recover because of severe inhibition by sulfide. Results indicate that precipitation of nutrients could seriously deteriorate process performance, leading to failure even before sulfide concentration attains toxic level. The limitation of Fe coupled with high sulfate loading (1.88 kg SO42–/(m3·d)) resulted in growth of low-density, fragile, hollow, and granular biomass in UASB that washed out and caused process instability. Supplementation of Fe with other nutrients stabilized UASB process and also improved COD removal.Key words: anaerobic degradation, nutrients, UASB, ABR, HABR, sulfide toxicity, sulfate laden organics.


2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Borzacconi ◽  
I. López ◽  
M. Passeggi

An Imhoff tank was reconstructed into a 250 m3 UASB reactor in order to treat a malting plant wastewater. The UASB was inoculated with sludge from an anaerobic lagoon used for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. After two months of operation the reactor achieved full load with an HRT of 17 h, a COD removal higher than 80% and a biogas production of 300 m3/day (77% average methane content), with an organic loading rate of 3.6 kgCOD/m3.d (0.24 kgCOD/kgVSS.d). A yield coefficient of 0.09 gVSS/gCODrem was found from a mass balance. The fat present in the inoculated sludge (48 mg/gSSV) did not affect the start up performance. Sludge from the inoculum with high content of fat (270 mg/gSSV), was separated by flotation in the first week of operation. The COD removal efficiency was scarcely influenced by the reactor operation temperature (17–25 °C).


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Basitere ◽  
Y. Williams ◽  
M. S. Sheldon ◽  
S. K. O. Ntwampe ◽  
D. De Jager ◽  
...  

Generally, slaughterhouses have the largest consumption of fresh water and thus generate large quantities of high strength wastewater, which can be treated successfully using low cost biological treatment processes. In this study, the feasibility of using an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) anaerobic reactor coupled with anoxic and aerobic bioreactors for the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater was investigated. The poultry slaughterhouse was characterized by high chemical oxygen demand (COD), 2 to 6 g/L, with average biological oxygen demand of 2.4 g/L and average fats, oil and grease (FOG) being 0.55 g/L. A continuous EGSB anaerobic reactor was operated for 26 days at different hydraulic retention times (HRT), i.e. 7, 4, 3 days, and organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 g COD/L.day, respectively, to assess the bioremediation of the poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. The average COD removal from the EGSB was 40%, 57% and 55% at the different OLR and HRT assessed. At high OLR of 1.0 g COD/L.day, the overall COD removal from the system (EGSB-anoxic/aerobic) averaged 65%. The system experienced periodical sludge washout during high FOG and suspended solids loading. It was concluded that the EGSB system requires a dissolved air flotation system, for FOG/suspended solid reduction, as the performance of the overall system was observed to deteriorate over time due to the presence of a high quantity of FOG including suspended solids.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. H. Abdurahman ◽  
Y. M. Rosli ◽  
N. H. Azhari ◽  
Hayder A. Bari

Direct discharge of slaughterhouse wastewater causes serious environmental pollution due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand. In this study, an ultrasonic-assisted membrane anaerobic system was used as a novel method for treating slaughterhouse wastewater. Six steady states were achieved, using concentrations of 7,800–13,620 mg/l for mixed liquor suspended solids and 5,359–11,424 mg/l for mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS). Kinetic equations were used to describe the kinetics of treatment at organic loading rates of 3–11 kg COD/m3/d. The removal efficiency of COD was 94.8–96.5% with hydraulic retention times of 308.6–8.7 days. The growth yield coefficient was found to be 0.52 g VSS/g. COD was 0.21 d−1 and methane gas production rate was 0.24–0.56 l/g COD/d. Steady-state influent COD concentrations increased from 8,000 mg/l in the first steady state to 25,400 mg/l in the sixth steady state. The minimum solids retention time, θcmin obtained from the three kinetic models was 6–14.4 days. The k values were 0.35–0.519 g COD/g VSS.d and μmax values were between 0.26 and 0.379 d−1. The solids retention time decreased from 600 to 14.3 days. The complete treatment reduced the COD content and its removal efficiency reached 94.8%.


2013 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1495-1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocilene Ferreira da Costa ◽  
André Cordeiro de Paoli ◽  
Martin Seidl ◽  
Marcos von Sperling

A system composed of two horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands operating in parallel was evaluated for the post-treatment of UASB (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) reactor effluent, for a population equivalent of 50 inhabitants per unit. One unit was planted with cattail (Typha latifolia) and the other was unplanted. The study was undertaken over a period of 4 years, comprising monitoring of influent and effluent constituents together with a full characterization of the behaviour of the units (tracer studies, mathematical modelling of chemical oxygen demand (COD) decay, characterization of solids in the filter medium). The mean value of the surface hydraulic load was 0.11 m3m−2d−1, and the theoretical hydraulic retention time was 1.1 d in each unit. Using tracer tests with 82Br, dispersion number (d) values of 0.084 and 0.079 for the planted and unplanted units were obtained, indicating low to moderate dispersion. The final effluent had excellent quality in terms of organic matter and suspended solids, but the system showed low capacity for nitrogen removal. Four-year mean effluent concentration values from the planted and unplanted units were, respectively: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5): 25 and 23 mg L−1; COD: 50 and 55 mg L−1; total suspended solids (TSS): 9 and 9 mg L−1; N-ammonia: 27 and 28 mg L−1. The COD decay coefficient K for the traditional plug-flow model was 0.81 and 0.84 d−1 for the planted and unplanted units. Around 80% of the total solids present in the filter medium were inorganic, and most of them were present in the interstices rather than attached to the support medium. As an overall conclusion, horizontal subsurface flow wetlands can be a very suitable post-treatment method for municipal effluents from anaerobic reactors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 200436-0
Author(s):  
Deepa Minakshi ◽  
Pradeep Kumar Sharma ◽  
Anju Rani

This study deals with the dairy wastewater treatment using laboratory scale vertical flow (VF) constructed wetlands with the <i>Canna indica</i> plantation over wetland beds due to phytoremediation capabilities. Three laboratory scale VF CWs (CW-A, CW-B and CW-C) each with an area of 0.135 m2 filled with gravel (CW-A: 20 mm; CW-B:10 mm gravel) and sand (CW-C) receiving 0.04 m3 d-1 dairy wastewater were operated for the wastewater purification. Each unit was operated at three hydraulic retention times (HRTs) i.e. 12 h, 24 h and 48 h for assessing its effect on wastewater purification . Among all units, removal rates fluctuated as: total suspended solids (TSS): 64.2–74.5%; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): 45.3 – 63.1%; ammonium nitrogen (NH4–N): 29.6 – 56.5% and phosphate phosphorous (PO4–P): 20.5 – 57.8% at different HRTs. Increase in HRT showed better removal of pollutants in all CWs. Moreover, maximum removal of pollutants excluding TSS and NH4-N was achieved in CW-B at 48 h HRT. CW-B with similar HRT provided maximum removal of PO4-P (57.8%), BOD (63.1%) and chemical oxygen demand (COD): 67.4%. Increase in the size of filter media, from sand (0.25 mm) to 20 mm gravel resulted in higher removal of NH4 -N from wastewater.


2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Seghezzo ◽  
R.G. Guerra ◽  
S.M. González ◽  
A.P. Trupiano ◽  
M.E. Figueroa ◽  
...  

The performance of a sewage treatment system consisting of a settler followed by an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) reactor is described. Mean ambient and sewage temperature were 16.5 and 21.6°C, respectively. Total Chemical Oxygen Demand (CODt) concentration averaged 224.2 and 152.6 mg/L, for raw and settled sewage, respectively. The effluent concentration was 68.5 mgCODt/L. Total and suspended COD removal efficiencies of approximately 70 and 80%, respectively, have been observed in the system at a mean Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 2 + 5 h. Maximum COD removal efficiency was achieved in the UASB reactor when upflow velocity (Vup) was 0.43 m/h (HRT = 6 h). Mean Specific Methanogenic Activity (SMA) and Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) concentration in the granular sludge bed were 0.11 gCOD-CH4/gVSS.d and 30.0 gVSS/Lsludge, respectively. SMA was inversely related to VSS concentration, and both parameters varied along the sludge bed height. The Solids Retention Time (SRT) in the reactor was 450 days. Sludge characteristics have not been affected by changes of up to one month in Vup in the range 0.28–0.85 m/h (HRT 3–9 h). This system or two UASB reactors in series could be an alternative for sewage treatment under moderate temperature conditions.


1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 474-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.L. Droste ◽  
S.R. Guiot ◽  
S.S. Gorur ◽  
K.J. Kennedy

Abstract Anaerobic treatment of dilute synthetic wastewater (300-1,000 mg chemical oxygen demand/L using laboratory upflow sludge blanket filter reactors with and without effluent recycle is described. Treatment of dilute synthetic wastewater at hydraulic retention times less than 1 and 2 h in reactors without and with recycle, respectively, resulted in biomass washout as the solids retention time decreased to less than 12 d. Reseeding would be required to operate at these critical hydraulic retention times for extended periods. Treatment of dilute synthetic wastewater at hydraulic retention times between 3-12 h resulted in soluble COD removal efficiencies between 84-95% treating 300 mg COD/L. At a 3 h hydraulic retention time, solids retention time of 80 d and stable reactor biomass concentrations of 25 g volatile suspended solids/L were maintained.


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