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Performance of Anaerobic Reactors during Pseudo‐Steady‐State Operation
Author(s) -
Farhan Manaf H.,
ChinHong Patrick H.,
Keenan John D.,
Shieh Wen K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4660(199705)69:1<45::aid-jctb638>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - biogas , anaerobic exercise , fluidized bed , biomass (ecology) , methane , bioreactor , chemistry , steady state (chemistry) , methanogenesis , anaerobic digestion , pulp and paper industry , waste management , environmental science , biology , ecology , engineering , physiology , organic chemistry
Four anaerobic reactors were studied for the purposes of this work: two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR) using diatomaceous earth and granular activated carbon as immobilization media (R1 and R2, respectively), a packed‐bed reactor (R3), and a suspended growth reactor (R4). A nutrient‐supplemented wastestream with glucose as the main carbon source was treated. Successful reactor start‐up was achieved for all four anaerobic reactors. These reactors were able to handle organic loading rates of more than 12000, 7500, 6000 and 650 mg dm −3 day −1 for R1–R4, respectively. Anaerobic fluidized bed reactors were less affected by interruptions and adverse operating conditions than were packed‐bed and suspended growth reactors. Immobilized cell reactors and, specifically, AFBRs were clearly superior to conventional high‐rate digesters. This enhanced performance is primarily due to the very high cell retention ability of such reactors. High total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies were achievable under pseudo‐steady state operation. Removal efficiencies above 98% were observed for all reactors. Specific biogas production rates of 1·5–1·7, 1·4–1·7, 1·1–1·5 and 0·9–1·3 dm 3 of methane per gram of TOC removed for R1–R4, respectively, were attained. A consistent biogas methane content of 52·5–55·9% was observed. Biomass concentrations of 84, 91, 21 and 1·9 g VS dm −3 were measured for R1–R4, respectively. Extremely high biomass concentrations in AFBRs were possible due to the high available specific surface area. © 1997 SCI.