BIOAUGMENTATION IN ANAEROBIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT: A PILOT SCALE STUDY

摘要

This study assessed the potential of biological additives to increase bio-solids removal in anaerobic processes of a wastewater treatment plant using pilot-scale tanks. The pilotscale study involved set-up and operation of four anaerobic digesters modeled after the digesters at Tuscaloosa’s Hilliard Fletcher WWTP. The anaerobic study was done following a previous aerobic pilot-scale study (Gunn et al., 2003). Due to resource constraints, the anaerobic pilot study was run for 1.5 solids residence times (SRT), and during that time, biological additives were loaded into three of the pilot tanks. The fourth tank was used as a control. During the additive loading, TSS and VS removal were measured. Use of the additives in anaerobic digesters showed an increase in per pound solids reduced and proved more cost effective. However, economic analysis indicated that the use of the additives in full-scale plant operations might not be feasible for some wastewater treatment plants.