Activated sludge treatment of pineapple waste in sequential batch reactor | |
| Author | Chakrabarty, Indranil |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no. EV-88-4 |
| Subject(s) | Sewage--Purification--Activated sludge process Factory and trade waste |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | A study was undertaken on the treatment of pineapple waste by the Sequential Batch Process which is operated in stages of fill, react (aeration), settle, draw and idle . Pineapple waste was characterized and was found to be a two-component substrate, the major components be ing the soluble sugars and citric acid. The first batch of the experiments r evealed that citric acid, a strong acid buffer present in the waste, resisted neutralization and made the mixed liquor frequently acidic, thereby causing sludge bulking and poor removal of BOD . In the second batch of experimental runs, by using a properly neutralized simulated waste having a BOD concentration of between 180 and 300 mg/l and by maintaining an MLVSS concentration of between 2,100 and 2,500 mg/land a fill- react-settle period of 12 hours (fill-react period of 10 hours ), a BOD removal efficiency of 90 to 95 per cent was achieved. The effluent BOD ranged from 6 to 16 mg/l. Under this condition, the BOD loading was computed to be 0.188 gm/gm MLVSS/day, which, when calculated based on the number of cycles of operation in 24 hours, gave a value of instantaneous BOD loading of 0 .45 gm/gm MLVSS/day. This value of the instantaneous BOD loading in a Sequential Batch Reactor appeared to be substantially higher than what can be used for the treatment of organic wastes in other types of biological reactors to produce an equivalent effluent BOD. A BOD concentration higher than 300 mg/l caused the BOD removal efficiency to decline . The kinetic constants, Ka and k, were determined to be 21 .77 mg/land 0. 295/day, respectively, which indicated that the substrate was metabolized to a very low concentration and at a fairly rapid rate resulting in the sustenance of growth of the microorganisms in the reactor. It was concluded that the Sequential Batch process is capable of treating a difficult agro- industrial waste like, the pineapple waste, at a reasonably high organic loading but upto a limiting BOD of 300 mg/l, to produce an effluent with a very low residual BOD. Further pilot plant studies are needed t o develop additional design criteria before an attempt is made to design and operate a full scale facility for treatment of pineapple waste by the Sequential Batch process. |
| Year | 1988 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Sarnorn Muttarnara |
| Examination Committee(s) | Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu ;Yamamoto, Kazuo |
| Degree | Research report (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988 |