UASB treatment of a highly alkaline fruit-cannery lye-peeling wastewater

Date
2007
Authors
Sigge G.O.
Britz T.J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Anaerobic treatment of a highly alkaline fruit-cannery lye-peeling wastewater was investigated, using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Only a short initialisation period was required before COD reduction and OLR had stabilised at 85 to 90% and 2.40 kgCOD·m -3·d-1, respectively. With subsequent increases in OLR to 8.1 kgCOD·m-3·d-1, the COD reduction remained between 85 and 93% and biogas production peaked at 4.1 ℓ·d-1 (63% methane). COD and reactor pH started to decrease after 111 d. Decreases in gas production were observed by Day 102, decreasing to 2.48 ℓ·d-1 by Day 111 and 0.93 ℓ·d-1 after 129 d. Subsequent reductions in the OLR, by reducing influent COD, had no effect on reactor stability. Loss of reactor performance was ascribed to the accumulation of sodium (potentially > 20 000 mg·ℓ-1) within the reactor biomass, leading to inhibition of methanogenesis.
Description
Keywords
Anaerobic digestion, Biomass, Chemical oxygen demand, Chemical reactors, pH effects, Fruit cannery, Methanogenesis, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, Wastewater treatment, Anaerobic digestion, Biomass, Chemical oxygen demand, Chemical reactors, pH effects, Wastewater treatment, activated sludge, alkalinity, anoxic conditions, chemical oxygen demand, pH, sodium, waste treatment, wastewater
Citation
Water SA
33
2