Performance of a hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor (HABR) treating brewery wastewater

The performance and the characteristics of a laboratory scale hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor (HABR) were investigated using synthetic brewery wastewater. The reactor had been operated continuously at 35°C for 109d, with organic loading rate (OLR) increased from 1.2 to 5.6 kg COD/(m3 · d). The results demonstrated that the system was very effective in the treatment of the high-strength wastewater, Up to 92% COD removal was observed for an organic loading of 5.6 kg COD/m3 day. The buffer action of effluent alkalinity guaranteed that the pH levels in the forepart compartments and the latter compartment were of great advantage to acidogens and methanogens respectively. Variation of VFAs and biogas longitudinally down the reactor indicated the sequential degradation of substrate. The potential usage of HABR widens the usage of multi-phase anaerobic technology for industrial wastewater treatment.