Startup of thermophilic (55°C) UASB reactors using different mesophilic seed sludges

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 (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.


2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 69-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.E. Schmidt ◽  
D.J. Batstone ◽  
I. Angelidaki

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors may offer a number of advantages over conventional mixed-tank, SBR, and biofilm reactors, including high space-loading, low footprint, and resistance to shocks and toxins. In this study, we assessed the use of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor technology as applied to anaerobic ammonia removal, or Anammox. Four 200 ml UASB reactors were inoculated with 50% (by volume) anaerobic granular sludge and 50% flocular sludge from different sources (all with the potential for containing Anammox organisms). Tools used to assess the reactors included basic analyses, fluorescent in-situ hybridisation, and mathematical modelling, with statistical non-linear parameter estimation. Two of the reactors showed statistically identical Anammox activity (i.e., identical kinetic parameters), with good ammonia and nitrite removal (0.14 kgNHx m-3 reactor day-1, with 99% ammonia removal). The third reactor also demonstrated significant Anammox activity, but with poor identifiability of parameters. The fourth reactor had no statistical Anammox activity. Modelling indicated that poor identifiability and performance in the third and fourth reactors were related to an excess of reduced carbon, probably originating in the inoculum. Accumulation of Anammox organisms was confirmed both by a volume loading much lower than the growth rate, and response to a probe specific for organisms previously reported to mediate Anammox processes. Overall, the UASB reactors were effective as Anammox systems, and identifiability of the systems was good, and repeatable (even compared to a previous study in a rotating biological contactor). This indicates that operation, design, and analysis of Anammox UASB reactors specifically, and Anammox systems in general, are reliable and portable, and that UASB systems are an appropriate technology for this process.


1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert H. P. Fang ◽  
Tin-Sang Kwong

The study was conducted over 265 days to study the feasibility of removing starch particulates from wastewater using an 8.5 L reactor which was a hybrid between the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and the anaerobic filter reactors. At pH 7.2-7.5 and 37°C, the reactor was effective for the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater containing starch particulates equivalent to 5000 mglL of COD with 12 hours of retention time, corresponding to a loading rate of 10 g-COD/L.d. Despite their insoluble nature, the starch particulates did not cause noticeable adverse effeels on the granulation of biomass, probably due to its easy-to-biodegrade nature and the cautious startup strategy. About 5.8% of COD in wastewater remained in the effluent, 82.5% was converted to methane, and the remaining 11.7% was converted to granular biomass with an average sludge yield of 0.09 g-VSS/g-COD. The granules exhibited a layered microstructure. The methanogenic activity of the granular biomass was 0.86 g-methane-COD/g-VSS.d in the reactor, which was considerably lower than the 1.96 g-methane-COD/ g-VSS.d measured in serum vials with an abundant supply of substrate, suggesting that further increase of loading rates was possible for the hybrid reactor.


2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 910-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
K J Kennedy ◽  
Z Ning ◽  
L Fernandes

A dynamic model describing the simultaneous degradation of easily degradable substrates (sucrose and acetic acid (HAc)) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors was developed. The two critical factors considered in the model development were sorption and substrate interaction during degradation. Data obtained from experiments on the multiple substrate degradation in continuous UASB reactors were used to validate and verify the dynamic model. The model predicts the system responses for 2,4-DCP, 4-monochlorophenol (4-MCP), HAc, propionic acid (HPr), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration in the effluent. The modeling results indicated that the degradation rates for 2,4-DCP and for cosubstrates, HAc and HPr, changed inversely as a function of the specific organic loading rate for UASB reactors.Key words: dynamic, modeling, UASB, 2,4-dichlorophenol, sorption, degradation, co-metablism.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 49-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigrun J. Jahren ◽  
Jukka A. Rintala

The suitability of an internal thermophilic anaerobic treatment system for closing the water circuits in thermomechanical pulp (TMP) production was studied. The dissolution of wood organics in the water circuit was simulated by hot disintegration of TMP pulp, while the water system closure was simulated by repeated hot disintegration of TMP pulp with recirculated water. The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors were started at 55 and 70°C with mesophilic inoculum, and stable performances were established within 60 days at both temperatures. Closing the water circuits without internal treatment rapidly resulted in increased chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the recirculated water. In the closed, internally treated water circuits, the UASB reactors removed all the COD and ultraviolet absorbance at 280 nm (UV280; estimation for lignin content) dissolved in the recirculated water during the hot disintegration of the TMP pulp (carbohydrates were not dissolved). The results of this study suggest that thermophilic anaerobic treatment could be feasible at least as a part of an internal purification system to close the water circuit in the TMP process.


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.


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.


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