Effect of Aeration on the Quality of Effluent from UASB Reactor Treating Sewage
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 6
Abstract
The treatment of effluent of pilot- and full-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors operating at steady state was studied in an aeration-settling system. The fine pore submerged diffusers were used to aerate the effluent of UASB reactors under different operating conditions. Forty to 55% of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were achieved by the direct aeration of the UASB effluent in the laboratory. The maximum removal efficiencies were achieved at 30 min hydraulic retention time (HRT) and a dissolved oxygen (DO) of or high (vigorous aeration). Batch experiments on nitrogen purging and the aeration of sulfides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nonpurgeable organic carbons (NPOCs) were performed to ascertain the mechanism of BOD/COD removal. During aeration, BOD and COD were reduced by the stripping of and VOCs and by the chemical oxidation of total sulfides and organic carbon. The stripping and chemical oxidation depended on the HRT and DO. The performance of a full-scale surface aeration system was compared to the performance of a pilot-scale diffused aeration system. Final sedimentation was effective only in removing the solids from the effluent of the aeration system. The results were confirmed by organic mass balance.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank the Petroleum Conservation Research Association, an autonomous body of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India, New Delhi, India, for financial support.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 6 • June 2011
Pages: 464 - 471
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 26, 2010
Accepted: Dec 14, 2010
Published online: Dec 16, 2010
Published in print: Jun 1, 2011
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