An effective start-up of thermophilic UASB reactor by seeding mesophilically-grown granular sludge

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 391-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuaki Syutsubo ◽  
Hideki Harada ◽  
Akiyoshi Ohashi ◽  
Hiroshi Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Methanogenic Activity ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Seed Sludge ◽  
Drastic Increase ◽  
Distillery Wastewater ◽  
Propionate Degradation ◽  
Rate Limiting

After seeded with mesophilically-grown (35°C) granular sludge, a laboratory-scale UASB reactor was thermophilically (55°C) operated over 8 months by feeding with an alcohol distillery wastewater. Use of mesophilically-grown granules as a seed material proved to be more advantageous for rapid and stable start-up of thermophilic UASB process, compared with the use of suspended-growth sludge taken from a thermophilic anaerobic digester. The reactor accommodated successfully a COD loading 30 kgCOD·m−3·d−1, with a COD removal efficiency of 85%. However, during a period of 30 kgCOD·m−3·d−1, propionate accumulated in the effluent up to 300-600 mgCOD·l−1. Thermophilic cultivation caused a drastic increase of methanogenic activities (55°C) of the retained sludge: 4.4 times for acetate, 4.6 times for propionate, and 3.5 times for hydrogen as large as those of the seed sludge. A considerably low value of propionate-fed methanogenic activity, i.e. only 1/5 of acetate-fed activity and only 1/23 of hydrogen-fed activity, suggested that the propionate degradation is subject to be a rate-limiting step in thermophilic anaerobic processes.

Population dynamics of anaerobic microbial consortia in thermophilic granular sludge in response to feed composition change

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Syutsubo ◽  
N. Sinthurat ◽  
A. Ohashi ◽  
H. Harada
Keyword(s):  
Cell Density ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Microbial Consortia ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Feed Composition ◽  
Methanogenic Activity ◽  
Distillery Wastewater

A thermophilic UASB reactor was operated at 55°C for greater than 470 days in order to investigate the effects of feed composition on the changes in microbial community structure where thermophilic granular sludge was used as the inoculum source. The feed compositions were changed with cultivation days; phase 1 (1–70 days), alcohol distillery wastewater; phase 2 (71–281 days), artificial acetate wastewater; phase 3 (282–474 days), artificial sucrose wastewater. During the first one month of each phase, the methanogenic activity and cell density of methanogens quantified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) drastically changed as a result of shift in feed composition. When artificial acetate wastewater was used as feed, retained granular sludge was partially disintegrated due to a decrease in the number of symbiotic bacterial community members: acetogens (acidogens) and hydrogenotrophic methanogens. In contrast, when the feed was shifted to sucrose (phase 3), granulation of biomass was promoted by a remarkable proliferation of the symbiotic community. The presence of hydrogen-utilizing methanogens and acetogens (acidogens) are shown to be effective for the enhancement of thermophilic granulation. The cell density of methanogens determined by FISH was strongly correlated with the methane-producing potential of the retained thermophilic granular sludge.

The effect of extreme temperatures (70–80°C) on the effluent quality and sludge characteristics of UASB reactors

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 325-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghida Lepistö ◽  
Jukka Rintala
Keyword(s):  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Methanogenic Activity ◽  
Sludge Characteristics ◽  
Effluent Quality ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Thermomechanical Pulping ◽  
Increasing Temperature ◽  
Uasb Reactors

The study focused on the effluent quality and sludge characteristics during the start-up and operation of extreme thermophilic (70 to 80°C) upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors, inoculated with mesophilic and thermophilic granular sludge and fed with acetate, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and thermomechanical pulping (TMP) whitewater. Low effluent quality and long start-up periods were observed during the start-up of the 70 to 76°C, VFA-fed UASB reactors inoculated with mesophilic granulae, while better effluent quality and considerably shorter start-up periods were observed when thermophilic (55/70°C) inocula were used. With VFA feed, a significant amount of acetate was removed at 70°C and even at 80°C, while propionate removal was negligible. With TMP whitewater feed, low VFA effluent concentration was obtained at 70°C. The volatile solids (VS) and the VS/total solids (TS) content of the sludge decreased significantly during the first 2–3 months of operation when mesophilic inocula were used. The initial specific methanogenic activity (ISMA) of the extreme thermophilic sludge decreased with increasing temperature and was slightly higher on glucose than on acetate. At 70 to 80°C, various rod-like bacteria were dispersed through the granulae in either individual or in low density micro colonies surrounded with a varying degree of precipitates.

The bacterial numeration and an observation of a new syntrophic association for granular sludge

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 133-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu Jianrong ◽  
Hu Jicui ◽  
Gu Xiasheng
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Methanogenic Bacteria ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Methanogenic Activity ◽  
Syntrophic Association ◽  
Group I ◽  
Acetogenic Bacteria ◽  
Fermentative Bacteria

The bacterial numeration and microbial observation were made on granular sludge from laboratory single and two-phase UASB reactors. It was shown that the fermentative bacteria (group I), H2-producing acetogenic bacteria (group II) and methanogenic bacteria (group III) of granular sludge in single UASB reactor were 9.3 × 108−4.3 × 109, 4.3 × 107−4.3 × 108, 2.0−4.3 × 108, respectively, during the granulation process. The sludge of methanogenic reactor exhibited the similar results. That indicates there is no big difference between suspended and granular sludge, and bacterial population for three groups of anaerobic bacteria are similar. The formation of granular sludge depends mainly on the organization and arrangement of bacteria. An observation of granular sludge using electron microscope revealed that the fermentative bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens existed on outer surface of granules, and aceticlastic methanogens and H2-producing acetogenic bacteria occupied the inner layer. A new syntrophic association between Methanosaeta sp. and Syntrophomonas sp. (even plus Methanobrevibacter sp.) was observed. Because Methanosaeta can effectively convert the acetate (the end product of propionate and butyrate) to methane, such a new syntrophic association is supposed to support the degradation of short fatty acids and high methanogenic activity of granular sludge. Based on structural pattern, a hypothesis on mechanism of granulation called “crystallized nuclei formation” is proposed.

Acid Endurance and Sorption of Zn2+ of Anaerobic Granular Sludge Acclimated by Flue Gas Pretreatment Wastewater

2013 ◽  
Vol 634-638 ◽  
pp. 182-186
Author(s):  
Juan Wang ◽  
Qin Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Flue Gas ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Anaerobic Granular Sludge ◽  
Methanogenic Activity ◽  
Activity Inhibition ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge Blanket

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.

Anaerobic digestion of solid animal waste in an accumulation system at mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, start up

2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.M. El-mashad ◽  
G. Zeeman ◽  
W.K.P. van Loon ◽  
G.P.A. Bot ◽  
G. Lettinga
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Mixing Conditions ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Accumulation System ◽  
Filling Time ◽  
Thermophilic Conditions ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Rate Limiting

The anaerobic digestion of solid animal wastes has been studied in an accumulation system (AC) at a filling time of 60 days followed by about 50 days batch digestion at 40 and 50°C. Poor mixing conditions during anaerobic digestion of solid wastes promote stratification of the substrate and intermediate products along the reactor height. The effect of layers stratification has also been followed in the AC system. The results showed a pronounced stratification of both CODdis and VFA concentrations along the AC system height. The temperature had a minor effect on the methane yield. The results also showed that methanogenesis was rate limiting in the AC system while the hydrolysis was the rate-limiting step during batch digestion.

Start up of Thermophilic UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) Reactors Using Micro-Carrier and Mesophilic Granular Sludge

1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 877-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ohtsuki ◽  
M. Watanabe ◽  
Y. Miyaji
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Ph Dependence ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Phase System ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Initial Seed

Two start-up methods of thermophilic UASB reactor were investigated for fast start-ups; one utilized micro-carrier as an initial support material and the other used intact mesophilic UASB granules as an initial seed. With both methods thermophilic granules having high activity were obtained in less than 3 months, even with acidified wastewater. Maximum sludge load for VFA substrate and sugar substrate were 3.2 and 0.9 kgCOD/kgVSS/day, respectively. Pre-acidogenesis was indispensable for high-performance treatment of sugar-containing substrate. It was proven that with a two-phase system sludge load could be raised to 3.0 kgCOD/kgVSS/day for sugar containing wastewaters. Some features of obtained sludge were examined, including maximum substrate utilizing activities, temperature dependence, pH dependence, and activity deterioration under lower loading conditions.

Start-up of a thermophilic upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor with mesophilic granular sludge

1992 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jules B. van Lier ◽  
Katja C. F. Grolle ◽  
Alfons J. M. Stams ◽  
Everly Conway de Macario ◽  
Gatze Lettinga
Keyword(s):  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Start Up

Rapid start-up of a nitrifying reactor using aerobic granular sludge as seed sludge

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 581-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naohiro Kishida ◽  
Goro Saeki ◽  
Satoshi Tsuneda ◽  
Ryuichi Sudo
Keyword(s):  
Removal Rate ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Ammonia Removal ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Aerobic Granular Sludge ◽  
Nitrite Accumulation ◽  
Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria ◽  
Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Seed Sludge

In this study, the effectiveness of aerobic granular sludge as seed sludge for rapid start-up of nitrifying processes was investigated using a laboratory-scale continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) fed with completely inorganic wastewater which contained a high concentration of ammonia. Even when a large amount of granular biomass was inoculated in the reactor, and the characteristics of influent wastewater were abruptly changed, excess biomass washout was not observed, and biomass concentration was kept high at the start-up period due to high settling ability of the aerobic granular sludge. As a result, an ammonia removal rate immediately increased and reached more than 1.0 kg N/m3/d within 20 days and up to 1.8 kg N/m3/d on day 39. Subsequently, high rate nitritation was stably attained during 100 days. However, nitrite accumulation had been observed for 140 days before attaining complete nitrification to nitrate. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed the increase in amount of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria which existed in the outer edge of the granular sludge during the start-up period. This microbial ecological change would make it possible to attain high rate ammonia removal.

Removal efficiency and methanogenic activity profiles in a pilot-scale UASB reactor treating settled sewage at moderate temperatures

2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Seghezzo ◽  
R.G. Guerra ◽  
S.M. González ◽  
A.P. Trupiano ◽  
M.E. Figueroa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Pilot Scale ◽  
Cod Removal ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Methanogenic Activity

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.

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