Treatment of cornstalk fibrous pulp wastewater using Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR): effect of shock loading rates

Abstract

The treatment of cornstalk fibrous pulp wastewater in Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) was investigated. The effect of shock loading rates, such as various hydraulic and Organic Loading Rates (OLRs), on the performance of ABR was assessed. When the influent COD concentration was kept 4000 mg/L, the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) was decreased from 40 h to 18 h, the removal efficiency of COD was only decreased 6%, from 81.9% to 75.7%. When the HRT was kept 24 h, influent COD concentration was increased from 4002 mg/L to 6560 mg/L, the removal efficiency of COD was 81.1% and 75.1%, respectively. The pH values of each compartment were decreased with the increasing of the OLR and the main biochemical reactions in the ABR were acidogenesis in the first compartment and methanogenesis in the latter compartments of the reactor. The ABR had better adaptation and stabilisation ability to response various hydraulic and organic loading conditions in treating cornstalk fibrous pulp wastewater.