Treatment of Iraqi Municipal Wastewater by up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor UASB

Khairi R Kalash,Majid A Dixon,Raad A Ali,Hussein Ir Sultan

doi:10.30684/etj.v39i1a.571

Khairi R Kalash, Majid A Dixon + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30684/etj.v39i1a.571

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Abstract

In this work, the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket “UASB” reactor treated effluent wastewater to investigate the process performance on a pilot plant scale. Municipal wastewater at high and medium strength with different organic load rate OLR (0.6-9) kg COD m-3day-1 with the flow of 20 l/h, up-flow velocity 0.4 m/h, hydraulic retention time HRT 9 h at a temperature of (20-30 ºC) was evaluated. The wastewater concentration, including TSS, COD was measured, and the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solid TSS were calculated and summarized as 45-85% and 70-75%, respectively, depending on organic load rate OLR. Effluent volatile fatty acids VFA was measured, and the results were in the range between 12-90 mg/L depending on OLR with a slight change in pH (8.3-8.4), which means the conversion of COD to methane and increase ammonia concentration.

Highlights

Water resources in Iraq experienced deterioration in both quantity and quality
The anaerobic digestion process begins to start with bacterial hydrolysis of the microorganisms materials; the carbohydrates in the form of insoluble organic polymers are broken down to soluble derivatives that become obtainable for other bacteria [2]
A pilot-scale of Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB) performance estimate in steady-state conditions to treat wastewater effluent, showing the efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was 85% to 45% depending on the influent organic load and for the temperature ranges 20-30°C

Summary

Introduction

Water resources in Iraq experienced deterioration in both quantity and quality. Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the main water resources in Iraq They act as receiving bodies to the effluent water from municipal wastewater treatment plants of Iraqi cities and villages along these two rivers, especially in the villages where there are no wastewater treatment plants, which means disposing of the influent wastewater directly to the rivers. This situation necessitates a new wastewater treatment management strategy in the villages based on. Acidogenic bacteria transform the amino acids and sugars into ammonia, carbon dioxide, organic acids, and hydrogen

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