• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.30-35
• /
• 1996

Distillery wastewater was used in a thermophilic laboratory-scale two stage anaerobic digester to test the effects of the redox potential of the first acidogenic reactor on the performance of the system. The digester consisted of first a acidogenic reactor and the an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The digestor was operated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 48 h. Under these conditions, about 90% of the chemical oxygen demand as measured by the chromate method ($COD_{cr}$) was removed with a gas production yield of 0.4 l/g-COD removed. The redox potential of the acidogenic reactor was increased when the reactor was purged with nitrogen gas or agitation speed was increased. The increase in reduction potential was accompanied by an increase in acetate production and a decrease in butyrate formation. A similar trend was observed when a small amount of air was introduced into the acidogenic reactor. It is believed that the hydrogen partial pressure in the acidogenic reactor was decreased by the above mentioned treatments. The possible failure of anaerobic digestion processes due to over-loading could be avoided by the above mentioned treatments.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.901-908
• /
• 2002

The relationship between the layered structure of granules in UASB reactors and microbial resistance to toxicity was investigated using disintegrated granules. When no toxic materials were added to the media, the intact and disintegrated granules exhibited almost the same ability to decrease COD and to produce methane. However, when metal ions and organic toxic chemicals were added to a synthetic wastewater, he intact granules were found to be more resistant to toxicity than the disintegrated granules, as determined by the methane production. The difference in resistance between the intact and disintegrated granules was maximal, with toxicant concentrations ranging from 0.5 mM to 2 mM for trichloroethylene with toluene and 5 mM to 20 mM for metal ions (copper, nickel, zinc. chromium, and cadmium ions). The augmented COD removal rate by granulation compared to disintegrated granules was also measured in the treatment of synthetic and real wastewaters; synthetic wastewater, $-2.6\%$; municipal wastewater, $2.8\%$; swine wastewater, $6.4\%$; food wastewater, $25.0\%$; dye works wastewater, $42.9\%$; and landfill leachate, $61.8\%$. Continuous reactor operation also demonstrated that the granules in the UASB reactor were helpful in treating toxic wastewater, such as landfill leachate.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.126-137
• /
• 2006

Behaviors of simple organic compound and granular sludge in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating propionate at high ammonia nitrogen levels were investigated for 12 months. The UASB reactor achieved about 80% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) at ammonia nitrogen concentration up to 6000 mg-N/L. At higher concentration of ammonia nitrogen, the propionate in the effluent increased whereas the acetate was very low. At ammonia nitrogen concentration of 8000 mg-N/L, the volatile suspended solids (VSS) increased sharply due probably to the decrease of the content of extracellular polymer (ECP) although methane production was very low. The specific methanogenic activity (SMA) using formate, acetate, and propionate as substrate to granules decreased as ammonia nitrogen concentration increased. The ammonia nitrogen concentration $I^{50}$, causing 50% inhibition of SMA were 2666, 4778 and 5572 mg-N/L, respectively. The kinetic coefficients of ammonia inhibition using formate, acetate, and propionate as substrate were 3.279, 0.999 and 0.609, respectively. The SMA using formate was severely affected by ammonia nitrogen than those using acetate and propionate. This result indicated that the hydrogenotrophic methanogens was most affected by ammonia nitrogen. Granules were mainly composed of microcolonies of methanothrix-like bacteria resembling bamboo-shape, and several other microcolonies including propionate degrader with juxtapositioned syntrophic associations between the hydrogen-producing acetogens and hydrogen-consuming methanogens.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.210-213
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate the performances of organic removal and methane recovery in the full scale two-phase anaerobic system. The full scale two-phase anaerobic system was consists of an acidogenic ABR (Anaerobic Baffled Reactor) and a methanognic UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) reactor. The volume of acidogenic and methanogenic reactors is designed to 28.3 $m^3$ and 75.3 $m^3$. The two-phase anaerobic system represented 60-82% of COD removal efficiency when the influent COD concentration was in the range of 7,150 to 16,270 mg/L after screening (average concentration is 10,280 mg/L). After steady-state, the effluent COD concentration in the methanogenic reactor showed 2,740 $\pm$ 330 mg/L by representing average COD removal efficiency was 71.4 $\pm$ 8.1% when the operating temperature was in the range of 19-32$^{\circ}C$. The effluent SCOD concentration was in the range of 2,000-3,000 mg/L at the steady state while the volatile fatty concentration was not detected in the effluent. Meanwhile, the COD removal efficiency in the acidogenic reactor showed less than 5%. The acidogenic reactor played key roles to reduce a shock-loading when periodic shock loading was applied and to acidify influent organics. Due to the high concentration of alkalinity and high pH in the effluent of the methanogenic reactor, over 80% of methane in the biogas was produced consistently. More than 70 % of methane was recovered from theoretical methane production of TCOD removed in this research. The produced gas can be directly used as a heat source to increase the reactor temperature.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.256-262
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study is to investigate the performances of organic removal and methane recovery by using a full scale two-phase anaerobic system. The full scale two-phase anaerobic process was consists of an acidogenic anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) and a methanognic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The volumes of acidogenic and methanogenic reactors were designed to $28.3m^3$ and $75.3m^3$. The two-phase anaerobic system represented 60-82% of COD removal efficiency when the influent COD concentration was in the range of 7,150 to 16,270 mg/L after screening (average concentration is 10,280 mg/L). After steady-state, the effluent COD concentration in the methanogenic reactor showed $2,740{\pm}330 mg/L$ by representing average COD removal efficiency was $71.4{\pm}8.1%$ when the operating temperature was in the range of $19-32^{\circ}C$. The effluent SCOD concentration was in the range of 2,000-3,000 mg/L at the steady state while the volatile fatty acid concentration was not detected in the effluent. Meanwhile, the COD removal efficiency in the acidogenic reactor showed less than 5%. The acidogenic reactor played key roles to reduce a shock-loading when periodic shock loading was applied and to acidify influent organics. Due to the high concentration of alkalinity and high pH in the effluent of the methanogenic reactor, over 80% of methane in the biogas was produced consistently. More than 70% of methane was recovered from theoretical methane production of TCOD removed in this research. The produced gas can be directly used as a heat source to increase the reactor temperature.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.797-806
• /
• 2000

The objectives were to compare the biodegradable threshold concentrations of phenol with the different composition of the influent carbon source and examine the SMA (Specific Methanogenic Activity)and the possibility of simultaneous removal of high-strength organics and nitrogen compounds in UASB(Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) - PBR(Packed Bed Reactor) process. The results showed that UASB reactors were efficient to remove phenol and phenol + glucose from synthetic wastewater. At phenol conc, of 600 mg/L and SCOD conc. of 2100 mg/L in UASB reactor(with only phenol as substrate), the removal efficiencies of phenol and SCOD were over 99% and 93% respectively, under MLVSS of 20 g. The activity of microorganism was $0.112g\;phenol/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$, $0.351g\;SCOD/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$. The gas production rate was $0.115L/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$ and $CH_4$ content in gas was about 70%. At phenol conc. of 760 mg/L and SCOD conc. of 4300 mg/L in UASB reactor( with phenol + glucose as substrates), the removal efficiencies of phenol and of SCOD were over 99% and 90% respectively, under MLVSS of 20 g. The activity of microoganism was $0.135g\;phenol/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$, $0.696g\;SCOD/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$. The gas production rate was $0.257L/g\;VSS{\cdot}d$ and $CH_4$ content in gas was about 70%. Serum bottle test showed that the activity of granule was inhibited over 1600 mg/L phenol conc, and denitrification and methanogenesis simultaneously took place in UASB granules under co-substrates conditions. PBR reactor packed with cilium type media, was efficient in nitrification. In condition of $0.038kg\;NH_4-N/m^3-media{\cdot}d$. 10~12 mg/L phenol conc. and 200~500 mg/L SCOD conc., nitrification efficiency was over 90% and phenol removal efficiency was over 98%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.2047-2058
• /
• 2000

The effects of operating parameters on performance of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB). anaerobic filter(AF), and two-stage anaerobic sludge bed filter (ASBF) bioreactors in treating swine wastewater were evaluated by operating the lab-scale bioreactors upto hydraulic retention time(HRT) of 1 day and organic loading rate (OLR) of $5.1kg-COD/m^3{\cdot}d$ for 200 days. Swine wastewaters of which characteristics were affected by types of hog raising and seasons contained high concentrations of COD, SS, and ammonia. Inoculation of the bioreactors with waste sludge from anaerobic treatment facility of local municipal wastewater treatment plant was effective in developing biomass in the bioreactors. Acclimation period of the bioreactors with swine wastewaters required approximately 40 days, but that for AF and two-stage ASBF, which were filled with media, was faster than VASB. The bioreactors showed high and stable COD removal efficiency of 77~91% at influent T-N concentrations of 370~800mg/L but low and unstable COD removal efficiency of 24~94% at influent T-N concentrations of 760~1,310mg/L. It is essential to remove ammonia prior to anaerobic treatment since the concentrations of ammonia in swine wastewaters showed toxic effects to methanogenic bacteria. The bioreactors were effective in treating swine wastewaters with COD removal efficiency of 78.9~81.5% and biogas generation rate of $0.39{\sim}0.59m^3/kg-COD_r$ at OLR of $1.1{\sim}2.2kg-COD/m^3{\cdot}d$: however, an increase of OLR by reducing HRT and increasing influent COD caused decrease of COD removal efficiency. The extent of decrease in COD removal efficiency was higher in UASB than AF and two-stage ASBF. AF and two-stage ASBF anaerobic bioreactors were effective in treating varing characteristics of swine wastewaters since they showed high and stable COD removal efficiency at high OLR due to effective retention of biomass by media and staging.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.687-694
• /
• 2005

Lab-scale experiments have been carried out to investigate the effect of F/R ratio of ASBR (Anaerobic Sequencing Batch Reactor) process on the removal of the organic matters in ammonia stripped swine wastewater. Three ASBR inoculated with sludge mixed with granular sludge of UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) and anaerobic digested sludge of municipal wastewater treatment plant were operated. Ammonia stripped swine wastewater was used as influent. Prior to conducting the experiments with varied conditions, the effect of increasing organic loading rate from 2.34 to $5.79gTCOD_{Cr}/L$-day at a fixed F/R ratio of 0.1 on the organic removal efficiency has been studied during start-up period. As the result of the experiment, under the condition of varied organic loadings, less than $4.14gTCOD_{Cr}/L$-day, the removed efficiency $TCOD_{Cr}$ of the ASBR process is 83% resulted from the mean value of effluent $TCOD_{Cr}$, 9,125 mg/L during the start-up period. Then ASBRs were operated with F/R ratio of 0.024, 0.303 and 0.91 respectively. Organic loading rate was increased from 4.56 to $15.43gTCOD_{Cr}/L$-day to investigate the effects of F/R ratio and organic loading rate on the organic removal efficiency. As the result of the experiment, less than $6.23gTCOD_{Cr}/L$/L-day, F/R ratio haven't an effect on the organic removal efficiency and the mean removal efficiency of TSS, $TCOD_{Cr}$ and $SCOD_{Cr}$ was about 80%, 86% and 78% at the all of F/R ratio. But as organic loading rate was increased from 8.54 to $12.04gTCOD_{Cr}/L$-day at the F/R ratio of 0.024, the removal efficiency of $SCOD_{Cr}$ decreased from 71% to 63%. The range of decreased removal efficiency of $SCOD_{Cr}$ at the F/R ratio of 0.024 was much more higher than at the F/R ratio of 0.303, 0.91. Thus, as organic loading rate was increased, ASBRs were operated with high F/R ratio to obtain high removal efficiency.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.688-695
• /
• 1999

Biodegradation of the reactive dye, Remazol Black B was investigated in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor. Important parameters studied include dye concentration(20-60 mg/L), glucose concentration as a co-substrate(1,000-3,000 mg/L), hydraulic retention time(3-24 hr), and influent pH(6.0-8.0). Under most conditions tested, the molecules of Black B were degraded readily and completely according to HPLC chromatograms. However, the color removal efficiency based on spectroscopic measurement was always approximately 75%. This suggests that the degradation products have some color intensity corresponding to 25% of the original dye molecules. The maximum influent dye concentration which satisfies the legal discharge limit of color intensity of 400 ADMI was 13 mg/L. and the highest removal rate at this dye concentration was 104 mg/L${\cdot}$day.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.523-533
• /
• 2000

A two-phase anaerobic reactor with submerged membrane system was developed for increasing acidogen concentration and methane recovery. The membrane used was mixed esters of cellulose of $0.5{\mu}m$ pore size and $0.8m^2$ of effective surface area. The methanogenic reactor comprised of UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) and AF (Anaerobic Filter). COD removal efficiency was 70~80% and the methane content in the biogas increased up to 90% for the submerged membrane system in the anaerobic reactor. As the cake resistance of membrane caused a serious problem, stainless steal prefilters (40, 53, $63{\mu}m$) and air backwashing methods were applied to minimize the cake resistance effectively. Among the tested prefilters. the $63{\mu}m$ prefilter showed the best performance for reduction of cake resistance and a successful long-tern operation. By cleaning with alkali first and acidic solution later. the permeate flux decreased by long term operation was recovered to 89% of that with a new membrane.