ABSTRACT
Granular sludge formation was promoted in two laboratory scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), R1 and R2 fed with industrial wastewater produced in a laboratory for analysis of dairy products. Both reactors were operated under similar conditions during most of the experimental period. However, an anoxic phase between 10 and 30 min was included at the beginning of every cycle of operation of R1, but not in R2. Organic and nitrogen loading rates applied to both systems were high, up to 7 g COD/(L d) and 0.7 g N/(L d). Nitrogen removal efficiency was 70% in both units even considering that R2 was operated always under aerobic conditions. Granules with similar morphology were developed in both systems. Size distribution was comprehended between 0.25 and 4.0 mm for both systems. The presence of TSS in the effluent of the SBRs was strongly affected by either the length of the withdrawal period or by the particulated COD to biomass ratio (CODp/VSS) applied to the systems. The lower concentrations of TSS in the effluent were attained when the systems were operated with a CODp/VSS ratio lower than 0.12 g COD/g VSS. There was a strong reduction of the average TSS content in the effluent from 450 to 200 and 150 mg TSS/L when the length of the withdrawal period was diminished sequentially from 3 to 1 and 0.5 min, respectively. This was caused by a more intensive washout of small suspended biomass aggregates that took place when the length of this period was shortened.
Subject(s)
Bacteria, Aerobic/metabolism , Bioreactors , Industrial Waste , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods , Ammonia/chemistry , Biomass , Nitrates/chemistry , Nitrites/chemistry , Nitrogen/chemistry , Organic Chemicals/isolation & purification , Particle Size , Sewage/chemistry , Sewage/microbiology , Time Factors , Waste Disposal, Fluid/instrumentationABSTRACT
The operation of a wastewater treatment plant treating effluents from a dairy laboratory was monitored by an advanced system. This plant comprises a 12 m(3) anaerobic filter (AF) reactor and a 28 m(3) sequential batch reactor (SBR) coupled in series and is equipped with the following on-line measurement devices: biogas flow meter, feed and recycling flow meters, temperature sensor, dissolved oxygen analyzer, and redox meter. Other parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), volatile fatty acids (VFA), etc. were determined off-line. The plant has been in operation for 634 days, the influent flow rate being 6-8 m(3)/d. COD concentration of the influent ranged between 8 and 12 kg COD/m(3), resulting in COD values in the effluent around 50-200 mg/L. The behavior of the system was studied using the set of measurements collected by the data acquisition program especially developed for this purpose. Monitoring of variables such as anaerobic reactor temperature permitted the detection and prevention of several failures such as temperature shocks in the AF reactor. Besides, off-line measurements such as the alkalinity or the VFA content, together with the on-line measurements, provided immediate information about the state of the plant and the detection of several anomalies, such as organic overloads in the SBR, allowing the implementation of several fast control actions.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Bioreactors/microbiology , Cell Culture Techniques/instrumentation , Dairy Products/analysis , Equipment Failure Analysis/instrumentation , Industrial Microbiology/instrumentation , Water Purification/instrumentation , Cell Culture Techniques/methods , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure Analysis/methods , Feedback , Industrial Microbiology/methods , Industrial Waste/prevention & control , Online Systems , User-Computer Interface , Water Pollutants, Chemical/pharmacokinetics , Water Purification/methodsABSTRACT
The wastewaters discharged by raw milk quality control laboratories are more complex than the ones commonly generated by dairy factories because of the presence of certain chemicals such as sodium azide or chloramphenicol, which are used for preserving milk before analysis. The treatment of these effluents has been carried out in a full-scale plant comprising a 12 m(3) anaerobic filter (AF) reactor and a 28 m(3) sequential batch reactor (SBR). After more than 2 years of operation, a successful anaerobic treatment of these effluents was achieved, without fat removal prior to the anaerobic reactor. The organic loading rates maintained in the AF reactor were 5-6 kg COD/m(3) d, with COD removal being higher than 90%. No biomass washout was observed, and most of the fat contained in the wastewaters was successfully degraded. The addition of alkalinity is crucial for the maintenance of a proper buffer medium to ensure pH stability. The effluent of the AF reactor was successfully treated in the SBR reactor, and a final effluent with a COD content below 200 mg/l and total nitrogen below 10mg N/l was obtained.
