Comparison of normal and modified UASB reactors for dairy wastewater treatment

Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare the efficiency of normal and modified UASB reactor for the treatment of dairy wastewater. To conduct research, two reactor units with a height of 120 cm and a volume of 48 liters have been used on a laboratory scale and a tank septic tank and an additional sludge blanket have been used to optimize the UASB reactor. Initial inoculation of the reactor was carried out using sewage treatment sludge (active sludge method) slaughterhouse, along with fresh cow discharges and feeding using dry milk. The research lasted for fourteen periods for 154 days, the first period for 30 days including the design and construction of the reactor, the second period for 40 days including starting, forming granules and measuring PH, the third period for 40 days including the continuation of the process The formation of granules and sludge blankets, pH measurements, and preliminary analysis of the removal efficiency of COD and the fourth period for 44 days include the continuation of granulation sludge measurement, PH and the evaluation of COD removal efficiency. The organic loading during four periods was 5.2-11.4 kgCOD/m3.day, and the reactor temperature was in the second to third period in the mesophilic temperature range and during the fourth period at the mesophilic and psychrophilic temperature range. The retention time in the studied period is 24 hours. The output COD yields four to for normal reactor 75-60% and a modified reactor of 94-60%. Optimization of the UASB reactor increases the efficiency by a factor of 22-18% compared to the normal one.