Evaluation of startup and operation of four anaerobic processes treating a synthetic meat waste

Abstract

Two continuous stirred tanks reactors (CSTR) and four anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR) were used to study the treatment of a synthetic meat waste during single-and two-stage anaerobic treatment. Four configurations were investigated; a single-stage CSTR and AFBR and the two-stage systems CSTR-AFBR and AFBR-AFBR. Startup of the anaerobic reactors was achieved within 50 days by use of a regime that included stepped increases in influent COD, methanol substitution of the substrate, and addition of essential trace metals such as cobalt and nickel. Two-stage reactors removed up to 85% of influent COD concentrations of 5000 mg/L, whereas the single-stage AFBR and CSTR removed 76 and 9%, respectively. The proportion of methane in the effluent gases increased as the influent COD concentration was increased. Volumetric production of methane was greatest for the first stage of the AFBR-AFBR system. Solids retention times calculated for the AFBRs ranged from 7 to 12 days, sufficient to support methanogenesis. The AFBRs and two-stage systems were more resistant to an influent pH shock from the operating value of pH 6.8 down to pH 3 than the CSTRs and single-stage reactors. It was concluded that high-rate anaerobic treatment systems were applicable to meat industry wastewaters and that two-stage digestion produced a better quality effluent.