Performance Evaluation and Biogas Production of an UASB Reactor in Treating Synthetic Municipal Wastewater

In the present study, the performance and biogas production of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for the biological treatment of synthetic municipal wastewater at a hydraulic retention time of 10 h and organic loading rate of 1.43 kg COD/m3.day, and temperature 32°C during 25 days of the operation was investigated. During the operation of the UASB, the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids decreased from 60605±2431 and 30252±1916 to 40989±1140 and 21174±742 mg/L, respectively. The average chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration decreased from about 600 to 121±2 mg/L under steady-state conditions, and the COD removal efficiency reached 79.6±0.5%. With the increase of COD removal efficiency, the daily volume of biogas production increased from about 4 to 22 L/day, and consequently, the daily volume of methane reached a maximum of 14 L/day. Moreover, along with improving the performance of the UASB reactor, the turbidity removal efficiency reached 45.6±0.5%.