Grey water treatment in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor at different temperatures

2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 610-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek Elmitwalli ◽  
Ralf Otterpohl

The treatment of grey water in two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and temperatures, was investigated. The first reactor (UASB-A) was operated at ambient temperature (14–25 °C) and HRT of 20, 12 and 8 h, while the second reactor (UASB-30) was operated at controlled temperature of 30 °C and HRT of 16, 10 and 6 h. The two reactors were fed with grey water from ‘Flintenbreite’ settlement in Luebeck, Germany. When the grey water was treated in the UASB reactor at 30 °C, total chemical oxygen demand (CODt) removal of 52–64% was achieved at HRT between 6 and 16 h, while at lower temperature lower removal (31–41%) was obtained at HRT between 8 and 20 h. Total nitrogen and phosphorous removal in the UASB reactors were limited (22–36 and 10–24%, respectively) at all operational conditions. The results showed that at increasing temperature or decreasing HRT of the reactors, maximum specific methanogenic activity of the sludge in the reactors improved. As the UASB reactor showed a significantly higher COD removal (31–64%) than the septic tank (11–14%) even at low temperature, it is recommended to use UASB reactor instead of septic tank (the most common system) for grey water pre-treatment. Based on the achieved results and due to high peak flow factor, a HRT between 8 and 12 h can be considered the suitable HRT for the UASB reactor treating grey water at temperature 20–30 °C, while a HRT of 12–24 h can be applied at temperature lower than 20 °C.

1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 445-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert H. P. Fang ◽  
Ivan W. C. Lau

Performances during startup of three 2.8-litre UASB (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) reactors operated under thermophilic condition were investigated. All reactors were seeded with mesophilic sludges: one with flocculent digester sludge (Reactor-F), another with UASB granules (Reactor-G), and the third with disintegrated granules (Reactor-D). The reactors were operated in parallel at 55°C and 24 hours of retention time, using sucrose and milk as substrate at COD (chemical oxygen demand) loadings up to 10 g-COD/l·day. Immediately after temperature was step-increased from 37°C to 55°C, all reactors encountered sludge washout and deterioration of COD removal efficiency; however, the impact of temperature increase was more severe on Reactor-F. Sludge granulation took place in all reactors; first granules became noticeable after 45 days in Reactor-D, and after 90 days in Reactor-F. Reactor-G and Reactor-D were capable of removing 95% of soluble COD after 75 days, while Reactor-F after 110 days. Throughout this study, there was little difference in performance between Reactors G and D. The thermophilic granule were estimated to have a yield of 0.099 g-VSS/g-COD, and a methanogenic activity of 0.71-1.55 g-methane-COD/g-VSS·day, comparable to that of mesophilic granules.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
pp. 1959-1966 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Syutsubo ◽  
W. Yoochatchaval ◽  
I. Tsushima ◽  
N. Araki ◽  
K. Kubota ◽  
...  

In this study, continuous operation of a pilot-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for sewage treatment was conducted for 630 days to investigate the physical and microbial characteristics of the retained sludge. The UASB reactor with a working volume of 20.2 m3 was operated at ambient temperature (16–29 °C) and seeded with digested sludge. After 180 days of operation, when the sewage temperature had dropped to 20 °C or lower, the removal efficiency of both total suspended solids (TSS) and total biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) deteriorated due to washout of retained sludge. At low temperature, the cellulose concentration of the UASB sludge increased owing to the rate limitation of the hydrolytic reaction of suspended solids in the sewage. However, after an improvement in sludge retention (settleability and concentration) in the UASB reactor, the process performance stabilized and gave sufficient results (68% of TSS removal, 75% of total BOD removal) at an hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 9.7 h. The methanogenic activity of the retained sludge significantly increased after day 246 due to the accumulation of Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium following the improvement in sludge retention in the UASB reactor. Acid-forming bacteria from phylum Bacteroidetes were detected at high frequency; thus, these bacteria may have an important role in suspended solids degradation.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ali Musa ◽  
Syazwani Idrus ◽  
Hasfalina Che Man ◽  
Nik Norsyahariati Nik Daud

Cattle slaughterhouse wastewater (CSWW) with an average chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand of 32,000 mg/L and 17,000 mg/L, respectively, can cause a severe environmental hazard if discharged untreated. Conventional upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor is used in the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater to meet the discharge standard limit of wastewater discharge set by the Department of Environment Malaysia (DOE). However, at higher loading rates the conventional systems are characterized by slow-growing microorganism resulting in long startup period, surface scum formation, and sludge washout. In this work, the performance of two laboratory scale (12 L) conventional (R1) and modified (R2) UASB reactors treating CSWW at mesophilic (36 ± 1 °C) condition were investigated. Both reactors were subjected to increasing organic loading rate (OLR) from 1.75 to 32 g L−1 day−1. The average COD, BOD5, and TSS removal efficiencies were ˃90%, at an OLR between 1.75 to 5 g L−1 day−1. The study revealed that R1 drastically reduced to 50, 53, and 43% with increasing OLR until 16 g L−1 day−1, whereas R2 maintained 76, 77, and 88% respectively, under the same OLR. Sign of reactor instability was very much pronounced in R1, showing poorly active Methanosaeta spp., whereas R2 showed a predominantly active Methanosarcina spp.


1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 91-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jeison ◽  
R. Chamy

In the present study an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor were operated with different substrates under the same conditions. Ethanol, diluted beer (as a brewery effluent model) and wastewater from a coffee industry were tested. Ethanol was fed at two different concentrations: 0.5 and 10 gCOD/l. Beer was diluted to a concentration of 3gCOD/l and coffee wastewater had a concentration of approximately 7 gCOD/l. During the operation, samples of sludge were taken from both reactors to measure TSS, VSS, size distribution and methanogenic activity. Batch assays were performed in a third reactor using ethanol at two different superficial velocities to measure substrate uptake. The overall COD removal for ethanol at 500 gCOD/l in EGSB and UASB reactors was similar (around 80% for a sludge loading rate of 0.8 gCOD/day/gVSS). Granular sludge experienced an important development in its characteristics during the operation with ethanol. Superficial velocity showed a positive effect on COD removal for ethanol below 5m/h. There were no big differences in the removal rates during the operation with coffee wastewater. Probably in this effluent the process is limited by the reaction kinetics instead of by the mass transfer, due to the complex nature of the waste. With diluted beer, EGSB reactor showed a better performance than the UASB.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 1935-1941 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Leitão ◽  
S. T. Santaellla ◽  
A. C. van Haandel ◽  
G. Zeeman ◽  
G. Lettinga

This work aims to evaluate the hydrodynamic properties of the sludge bed of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors based on its settleability and expansion characteristics. The methodologies used for the evaluation of the settleability of aerobic activated sludge, and for the expansibility of a sludge bed of Expanded Granular Sludge Bed reactors and Fluidised Bed Reactors were adapted and applied to the particular characteristics of the sludge of UASB reactors. An easy-to-build experimental set-up was developed to assess the parameters necessary for the equations of settleability and of expansibility. The results obtained from the sludges of seven differently operated reactors show that, for the treatment of low strength wastewater, settleability increased and expansibility decreased at decreased hydraulic retention time, from 6 to 1 h, and/or increased influent concentrations, from 136 to approximately 800 mg chemical oxygen demand/L. The results also show that it is useless to design an UASB reactor with a longer hydraulic retention time to cope with hydraulic shock loads, as a more expansible sludge will develop at such condition.


2013 ◽  
Vol 634-638 ◽  
pp. 182-186
Author(s):  
Juan Wang ◽  
Qin Zhong

With the aim to use anaerobic granular sludge, the methanogenic activity inhibition and recovery of anaerobic granular sludge from an industrial anaerobic reactor (s1) were investigated by measuring the methane volume at low pH. A lab-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor was inoculated with s1.s1 was used to remove Zn2+ in wastewater. The results show that activity of s1 is similar when the pH value is 6.5 to 7.0. The methane volume is obviously decreased when the pH value is 6.0. The activity is completely inhibited when the pH value is 4.5. The activity is fully recovered when the pH is above 6.5 and hardly recovers when the pH fell to 4.5. The main Zn2+ removal mechanism is chemical adsorption.


2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 1951-1960 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Cabral ◽  
A. L. Sanson ◽  
R. J. C. F. Afonso ◽  
C. A. L. Chernicharo ◽  
J. C. Araújo

Abstract Two bioreactors were investigated as an alternative for the post-treatment of effluent from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating domestic sewage, aiming at dissolved sulfide and methane removal. The bioreactors (R-control and R-air) were operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRT; 6 and 3 h) with or without aeration. Large sulfide and methane removal efficiencies were achieved by the microaerated reactor at HRT of 6 h. At this HRT, sulfide removal efficiencies were equal to 61% and 79%, and methane removal efficiencies were 31% and 55% for R-control and R-air, respectively. At an HRT of 3 h, sulfide removal efficiencies were 22% (R-control) and 33% (R-air) and methane removal did not occur. The complete oxidation of sulfide, with sulfate formation, prevailed in both phases and bioreactors. However, elemental sulfur formation was more predominant at an HRT of 6 h than at an HRT of 3 h. Taken together, the results show that post-treatment improved the anaerobic effluent quality in terms of chemical oxygen demand and solids removal. However, ammoniacal nitrogen was not removed due to either the low concentration of air provided or the absence of microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle.


2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (10) ◽  
pp. 1887-1894 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Singh ◽  
A. K. Mittal

This study reports applicability of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process to treat the leachate from a municipal landfill located in Delhi. A laboratory scale reactor was operated at an organic loading rate of 3.00 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/m3 d corresponding to a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 h for over 8 months. The effect of toxicity of leachate, and feed composition on the treatability of leachate was evaluated. Average COD of the leachate, during the study period varied between 8,880 and 66,420 mg/l. Toxicity of the leachate used during a period of 8 months varied from LC50 1.22 to 12.35 for 96 h. The removal efficiency of soluble COD ranged between 91 and 67% for fresh leachate and decreased drastically from 90 to 35% for old leachate having high toxicity. The efficiency varied from 81 to 65%. The reactor performed more efficiently for the treatment of fresh leachate (less toxic, LC50 11.64, 12.35, and 12.15 for 96 h) as compared with old leachate (more toxic, LC50 1.22 for 96 h). Toxicity of the leachate affected its treatment potential by the UASB.


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.


2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. F. Lopes ◽  
P. R. Koetz ◽  
M. S. Santos

Parboiled rice industry is one of main food industries in the south of Brazil. The main parts of the processing are the humidification and gelatinization of the grain. This procedure increases the productivity and nutritive and cooking values of the product. Some of these industries in the region utilize upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors as a biological treatment for carbon removal. For nitrogen removal, the proposed system aims to eliminate an extra denitrification reactor, making this step in the top of the UASB, an anoxic zone of the reactor. Nitrification was performed in aerated mixed reactor of 3,6 L. A fraction of the NR was recycled in the top of UASB reactor above the sludge blanket. Recycled ratio varied from 0; 1:0.5; 1:1.0; to 1:1.5. The maximum removal efficiency of NTK was 80%. The results confirm the viability of the proposed system for denitrification.


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