| Author | Gnanadipathy, Anil |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. EV-91-19 |
| Subject(s) | Sewage--Purification--Activated sludge process
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Laboratory scale experiments were carried out to study the feasibility of employing upflow anaerobk sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to treat domestic and relatively low strength wastewater. Four 30- 1 UASB reactors, each with a 0.15 m inner diameter and 2m height, were used in this study which was conducted at an average ambient temperature of 30°C. Three reactors were inoculated with different types of seed sludge, namely: sludge from a facultative waste stabilization pond, anaerobically digested sewage sludge, and anaerobic sludge from a distillery wastewater treatment plant. The fourth reactor was started without inoculum and was studied for possible self inoculation. The AIT wastewater was mixed with a stock glucose solution to increase the influent COD concentrations to about 600 mg/l. All four reactors were started with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h and this HRT was later reduced to 12, 6 and 3 h, consecutively, corresponding to organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.6, 1. 2, 2.4 and 4.8 kg COD/(m3.d), respectively. After about 2 months of operation, all four reactors were able to remove approximately 90% of con supplied. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of the sludge found the presence of Methanothrix bacteria to be predominant. Granulation process was not complete after 130 days of reactor operation; flocculent sludge was observed in the reactors. The experimental results obtained have suggested a technical feasibility of employing UASB reactors to treat domestic wastewaters. |
| Year | 1991 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Chongrak Polprasert ;Verink, Johan; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Harada, Hideki; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
(German Academic Exchange Service) ; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1991 |