Enhanced Start-Up of Upflow Anaerobic Filters by Pulsation
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 2
Abstract
In this work, the effect of the pulsing flow on the start-up efficiency and hydraulics of upflow anaerobic filters (UAF) has been assessed. With this aim, a reactor operated in pulsing form (P) was compared with a conventional nonpulsed UAF reactor (NP). Although the operation of the two reactors was similar, the pulsed UAF attained a higher efficiency (92 versus 85%) at a higher organic loading rate (15 versus chemical oxygen ), after a start-up period of 140 days. The hydraulic behavior, determined from residence time distribution curves, of the two reactors showed that the useful liquid volume in the pulsed reactor was 10% higher than in the NP reactor. Further, the useful volume of the pulsed UAF was higher (76%) than in reactor NP (58%), which indicates the efficiency of the pulsing device for degasification.
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© 2007 ASCE.
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Received: Jan 27, 2005
Accepted: May 10, 2006
Published online: Feb 1, 2007
Published in print: Feb 2007
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