PERFORMANCE AND KINETICS OF AN UPFLOW ANAEROBIC SLUDGE BLANKET (UASB) REACTOR TREATING SLAUGHTERHOUSE WASTE-WATER

A laboratory study was devised to verify the use of Monod kinetics for the modelling of a continuous upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating slaughterhouse wastewater. Eight different hydraulic retention times (4.0-0.3 day) were investigated at an average influent COD concentration of 5.1 g(.)l(-1). The maximum substrate utilization rate, k, and half saturation coefficient, K-L, were determined to be 1.47 kg COD(removed)(.)kg(-1) VSS(.)day(-1) and 1.23 kg COD(.)kg(-1) VSS(.)day(-1). The yield coefficient, Y, and sludge decay rate coefficient, K-d, were also determined to be 0.17 kg VSS(.)k(-1) CODremoved and 0.029 day(-1), respectively. The close relationship between biomass loading rate and specific substrate utilization rate supported the use of Monod equations and allowed the model to be used predictively for assessing plant performance.