Performance and kinetics of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating slaughterhouse wastewater

Abstract

A laboratory study was devised to verify the use of Monod kinetics for the modelling of a continuous upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating slaughterhouse wastewater. Eight different hydraulic retention times (4.0–0.3 day) were investigated at an average influent COD concentration of 5.1 g.l^‐1. The maximum substrate utilization rate, k, and half saturation coefficient, K_L, were determined to be 1.47 kg COD_removed. ^.kg^‐1 VSS‐day^‐1 and 1.23 kg COD.kg^‐1 VSS‐day¹. The yield coefficient, Y, and sludge decay rate coefficient, K_d, were also determined to be 0.17 kg VSS.kg^‐1 COD_removed and 0.029 day^‐1, respectively. The lose relationship between biomass loading rate and specific substrate utilization rate supported the use of Monod equations and allowed the model to be used predictively for assessing plant performance.

Key words:

• Kinetics
• UASB Reactor
• Slaughterhouse Wastewater