A review of characterisation requirements for in-line prefermenters : Paper 1 : Wastewater characterisation

The impact of wastewater prefermentation cannot be evaluated in isolation, based only on the local prefermenter biodegradable organic matter production rate, as represented by the volatile fatty acids concentration increase across the prefermenter. The nutrients ratio changes and solids removal variations from the raw to the settled sewage must be taken into account when consid ering the suitability of the prefermented wastewater for downstream biological nutrient removal processes. The raw and settled wastewater must, therefore, be characterised according to component nutrients and solids fractions. This paper reviews related wastewater characteristics required for in-line prefermenters, to establish simple strategies on which in-line prefermenter evaluations could be based.