Effect of Organic Loading Rate on Aerobic Granulation. I: Reactor Performance
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Volume 130, Issue 10
Abstract
The effect of organic loading rate (OLR) on the aerobic granulation process was investigated using laboratory-scale sequential aerobic sludge blanket reactors (SASBRs). Reactors , , , and were operated at OLRs of 1, 2, 4 and chemical oxygen demand , respectively. Aerobic granules could not be formed at the relatively low OLRs in and . Stable aerobic granules were successfully cultivated at the mid-range OLR of tested in Reactor . These granules first appeared 14 days after startup and eventually grew to become the dominant form of biomass in . The granular biomass stabilized at a mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration of , with a food-to-microorganism ratio of and a mean cell residence time of 31.1 days. Aerobic granules were first observed on Day 18 in Reactor , which operated at the highest OLR tested of . However, these granules were unstable and eventually washed out of . The best reactor performance was achieved in with a COD removal rate of 99%, an observed yield coefficient of COD, and a sludge volume index MLVSS. The volumetric specific oxygen utilization rate was highest in , at . An optimal choice of OLR was found to favor the cultivation and retention of well-settling granules and enhanced the overall ability of the reactor to remove COD. This study contributes to a better understanding of the role of OLR in aerobic granulation.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 130 • Issue 10 • October 2004
Pages: 1094 - 1101
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Copyright © 2004 ASCE.
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Published online: Oct 1, 2004
Published in print: Oct 2004
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