Anaerobic Filter Treatment of Municipal Wastewater: Biosolids Behavior
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 1
Abstract
Three upflow anaerobic filter (AF) reactors, with ceramic saddle, plastic ring, and crushed stone packing, were employed to evaluate the treatment of raw municipal wastewater under a wide range of hydraulic and organic loadings and operating conditions. Emphasis is placed in this paper on column profile sampling, draining, and biomass evaluation studies conducted to ascertain the functioning of the reactors and accumulation of biosolids. The concentration of organics and solids within the AF gradually increased, starting at the low end and progressing to higher elevations. The peak chemical oxygen demand value measured within the reactors was and was noted in the stone-packed unit at after , and the stabilization of suspended material was greater in lower column sections. Packing material morphology influenced the removal by draining of entrapped biomass, and the volume of drainage recovered was substantially smaller than available void space. Biosolids retained in the saddle-packed unit after totaled wastewater treated, and no signs of clogging were observed in any of the reactors.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgment
The first writer wishes to thank the University of Patras, which supported this research through a doctoral fellowship.
References
American Public Health Association (APHA). (1992). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 18th Ed., Washington, D.C.
Anderson, G. K., Kasapgil, B., and Ince, O. (1994). “Comparison of porous and non-porous media in upflow anaerobic filters when treating dairy wastewater.” Water Res., 28(7), 1619–1624.
Ehlinger, F., Audic, J. M., Verrier, D., and Faup, G. M. (1987). “The influence of the carbon source on microbiological clogging in an anaerobic filter.” Water Sci. Technol., 19(1-2), 261–273.
Genung, R. K., Pitt, W. W., Jr., Davis, G. M., and Koon, J. H. (1980). “Energy conservation and scale-up studies for a wastewater treatment system based on a fixed-film, anaerobic bioreactor.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp., 10, 295–316.
Hall, E. R. (1982). “Biomass retention and mixing characteristics in fixed-film and suspended growth anaerobic reactors.” Proc., International Association on Water Pollution Research and Control Specialized Seminar on Anaerobic Treatment, Copenhagen, Denmark, 371–396.
Hall, E. R. (1985). “Non-intrusive estimation of active volume in anaerobic reactors.” Water Poll. Res. J. Canada, 20(2), 44–54.
Hanaki, K., Chatsanguthai, S., and Matsuo, T. (1994). “Characterization of accumulated biomass in anaerobic filter treating various types of substrates.” Bioresour. Technol., 47(3), 275–282.
Jawed, M., and Tare, V. (2000). “Post-mortem examination and analysis of anaerobic filters.” Bioresour. Technol., 72(1), 75–84.
Johnson, K. A., Wheatley, A. D., and Monroy, O. (1994). “Mixing and solids accumulation in anaerobic filters. Two case studies.” Environ. Technol., 15(3), 263–270.
Manariotis, I. D., and Grigoropoulos, S. G. (2002). “Low-strength wastewater treatment using an anaerobic baffled reactor.” Water Environ. Res., 74(2), 170–176.
Punal, A., Mendez-Pampin, R. J., and Lema, J. M. (1999). “Characterization and comparison of biomasses from single- and multi-fed upflow anaerobic filters.” Bioresour. Technol., 68(3), 293–300.
Show, K.-Y., and Tay, J.-H. (1999). “Influence of support media on biomass growth and retention in anaerobic filters.” Water Res., 33(6), 1471–1481.
Switzenbaum, M. S., Farrell, J. B., and Pincince, A. B. (2003). “Relationship between the Van Kleeck and mass-balance calculation of volatile solids loss.” Water Environ. Res., 75(4), 377–380.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). (1994). “A plain English guide to the EPA Part 503 biosolids rule.” EPA/832/R-93/003, Washington, D.C.
Vartak, D. R., Engler, C. R., McFarland, M. J., and Ricke, S. C. (1997). “Attached-film media performance in psychrophilic anaerobic treatment of dairy cattle wastewater.” Bioresour. Technol., 62(3), 79–84.
Young, J. C., and Dahab, M. F. (1983). “Effect of media design on the performance of fixed-bed anaerobic reactors.” Water Sci. Technol., 15(8-9), 369–383.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 1 • January 2006
Pages: 23 - 31
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Feb 13, 2003
Accepted: Mar 14, 2005
Published online: Jan 1, 2006
Published in print: Jan 2006
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.