Wastewater fermentation and nutrient removal in sequencing batch reactors (original) (raw)

This research project was conducted to analyze the performance of a SBR reactor when being fed with anaerobicaUy fermented wastewater. lmportant was to determine the capacity of the system to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. Two SBR reactors, each one with a volume of 980 liters, were used: one used as fermenter and the other as activated sludge SBR. Using 8-hour cycles, the reactors were operated and studied during 269 days. The fermenter produced an effluent with an average value of 223±24 mgll of volatile fatty acids. The activated sludge SBR was tested under 3 organic loading rates of 0.13, 0.25, and 0.35 kgCODtotallkgTSS•d. For the three tested organic loading rates, PO.-p concentrations under 1.1 mgll and COD between 37 and 38 mgll were consistently achieved. Exceptionally high NH.-N influent values were measured during the time of the experimentation with the organic load of 0.25 kgCODtota1l1cgTSS'd, not reaching in this case full nitrification. Denitrification was observed during the fill phase in every cycle. SVI values between 40 and 70 were determined during the experimental runs.