Many industrial activities discharge sulphate- and metal-containing wastewaters, including the manufacture of pulp and paper, mining and mineral processing, and petrochemical industries. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an example of such sulphate- and metal-containing waste streams. Formation of AMD is generally the result of uncontrolled oxidation of the sulphide minerals present in the terrain in which the drainage flows with concomitant leaching of the metals. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and other sulphate- and metal-containing waste streams are amenable to active biological treatment. Anaerobic reduction of sulphate, reaction of produced sulphide with metal ions present in the waste stream, and biooxidation of excess sulphide are three main sub-processes involved in the active biotreatment of AMD. Anaerobic reduction of sulphate can be achieved in continuous stirred tank bioreactors with freely suspended cells or in immobilized cell bioreactors. The application of freely suspended cells in a continuous system dictates a high residence time to prevent cell wash-out, unless a biomass recycle stream is used. In an immobilized cell system biomass residence time becomes uncoupled from the hydraulic residence time, thus operation of bioreactor at shorter residence times becomes possible. In the present work, kinetics of anaerobic sulphate reduction was studied in continuous immobilized cell packed-bed bioreactors. Effects of carrier matrix, concentration of sulphate in the feed and sulphate volumetric loading rate on the performance of the bioreactor were investigated. The bioreactor performance, in terms of sulphate reduction rate, was dependent on the nature of the carrier matrix, specifically the total surface area which was provided by the matrix for the establishment of biofilm. Among the three tested carrier matrices, sand displayed the superior performance and the maximum volumetric reduction rate of 1.7 g/L-h was achieved at the shortest residence time of 0.5 h. This volumetric reduction rate was 40 and 8 folds faster than the volumetric reduction rates obtained with glass beads (0.04 g/L-h; residence time: 28.6 h) and foam BSP (0.2 g/L-h; residence time: 5.3 h), respectively. Further kinetic studies with sand as a carrier matrix indicated that the extent of volumetric reduction rate was dependent on the feed sulphate concentration and volumetric loading rate. At a constant feed sulphate concentration, increases in volumetric loading rate caused the volumetric reduction rate to pass through a maximum, while increases in feed sulphate concentrations from 1.0 g/L to 5.0 g/L led to lower volumetric reduction rates. The maximum volumetric reduction rates achieved in the bioreactors fed with initial sulphate concentration of 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/L were 1.71, 0.82 and 0.68 g/L-h, respectively. The coupling of lactate utilization to sulphate reduction was observed in all experimental runs and the rates calculated based on the experimental data were in close agreement with calculated theoretical rates, using the stoichiometry of the reactions involved. The maximum volumetric reduction rates achieved in the immobilized cell bioreactors were significantly faster than those reported for freely suspended cells employed in the stirred tank bioreactors.

Many industrial activities discharge sulphate- and metal-containing wastewaters, including the manufacture of pulp and paper, mining and mineral processing, and petrochemical industries. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an example of such sulphate- and metal-containing waste streams. Formation of AMD is generally the result of uncontrolled oxidation of the sulphide minerals present in the terrain in which the drainage flows with concomitant leaching of the metals. Acid mine drainage (AMD) and other sulphate- and metal-containing waste streams are amenable to active biological treatment. Anaerobic reduction of sulphate, reaction of produced sulphide with metal ions present in the waste stream, and biooxidation of excess sulphide are three main sub-processes involved in the active biotreatment of AMD. Anaerobic reduction of sulphate can be achieved in continuous stirred tank bioreactors with freely suspended cells or in immobilized cell bioreactors. The application of freely suspended cells in a continuous system dictates a high residence time to prevent cell wash-out, unless a biomass recycle stream is used. In an immobilized cell system biomass residence time becomes uncoupled from the hydraulic residence time, thus operation of bioreactor at shorter residence times becomes possible. In the present work, kinetics of anaerobic sulphate reduction was studied in continuous immobilized cell packed-bed bioreactors. Effects of carrier matrix, concentration of sulphate in the feed and sulphate volumetric loading rate on the performance of the bioreactor were investigated. The bioreactor performance, in terms of sulphate reduction rate, was dependent on the nature of the carrier matrix, specifically the total surface area which was provided by the matrix for the establishment of biofilm. Among the three tested carrier matrices, sand displayed the superior performance and the maximum volumetric reduction rate of 1.7 g/L-h was achieved at the shortest residence time of 0.5 h. This volumetric reduction rate was 40 and 8 folds faster than the volumetric reduction rates obtained with glass beads (0.04 g/L-h; residence time: 28.6 h) and foam BSP (0.2 g/L-h; residence time: 5.3 h), respectively. Further kinetic studies with sand as a carrier matrix indicated that the extent of volumetric reduction rate was dependent on the feed sulphate concentration and volumetric loading rate. At a constant feed sulphate concentration, increases in volumetric loading rate caused the volumetric reduction rate to pass through a maximum, while increases in feed sulphate concentrations from 1.0 g/L to 5.0 g/L led to lower volumetric reduction rates. The maximum volumetric reduction rates achieved in the bioreactors fed with initial sulphate concentration of 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/L were 1.71, 0.82 and 0.68 g/L-h, respectively. The coupling of lactate utilization to sulphate reduction was observed in all experimental runs and the rates calculated based on the experimental data were in close agreement with calculated theoretical rates, using the stoichiometry of the reactions involved. The maximum volumetric reduction rates achieved in the immobilized cell bioreactors were significantly faster than those reported for freely suspended cells employed in the stirred tank bioreactors.

Esse trabalho investigou a influência de diferentes dosagens de cálcio na produção biológica de hidrogênio a partir de água residuária sintética a base de sacarose em reatores anaeróbios de leito fixo estruturado e fluxo ascendente. Cilindros de polietileno de baixa densidade foram usados como material suporte para aderência da biomassa. Os reatores foram operados com tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH) de 2 h e a 25ºC. Foram avaliadas diferentes concentrações de cálcio (Ca): 0,50; 1,06; 1,37; 1,87; 2,45 e 3,61 mg L-1 na alimentação. A remoção de sacarose apresentou valores médios acima de 54% para todas as concentrações. O biogás produzido foi composto de H2 e CO2, com porcentagens médias de H2 superiores a 60% para todas as concentrações avaliadas. Os principais produtos intermediários produzidos foram o ácido acético, o butírico e etanol. Os resultados demonstraram que há influência da suplementação de cálcio na produção de hidrogênio e a concentração de cálcio de 1,37 mg L-1 foi a que apresentou melhores resultados em relação a produção de hidrogênio, com rendimento de 1,4 mol de H2 mol-1 de sacarose, vazão molar de hidrogênio de 5,4 mmol h-1 e produção volumétrica de hidrogênio de 57 mL H2 h-1 L-1. Relacionaram-se as concentrações de cálcio com o rendimento médio de produção de hidrogênio e as curvas foram ajustadas a uma spline. Para a função ajustada chegou-se a um ponto de ótimo de rendimento de 1,5 mol H2 mol-1 sacarose obtido com concentração de cálcio de 1,54 mg L-1. / This paper investigated the influence of different dosages of calcium in the biological production of hydrogen from synthetic sucrose based wastewater in upflow anaerobic structured-bed reactor. Low density polyethylene cylinders were used as support material for biomass attachment. The reactors were operated with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 h at 25° C. The wastewater was amended with different concentrations of calcium (Ca): 0.50; 1.06; 1.37; 1.87; 2.45 e 3.61 mg L-1. The removal of sucrose showed values above 54% for all concentrations. The biogas produced was composed of H2 and CO2 with H2 average percentages above 60% for all concentrations evaluated. The main intermediates produced were acetic acid, butyric acid and ethanol. The results showed that there is influence of calcium supplementation in the production of hydrogen and calcium concentration of 1.37 mg L-1 showed the best results regarding hydrogen production, with yield of 1.4 mol H2 mol-1 sucrose, hydrogen molar flow of 5.4 mmol H2 h-1 and volumetric production of hydrogen of 57 mL H2 h-1 L-1. Calcium concentrations were correlated with the average yield of hydrogen production and the curves were fitted to a spline. From this function, an optimum yield of 1.5 mol H2 mol-1 sucrose was reached with calcium concentration of 1.54 mg L-1.

Esse trabalho investigou a influência de diferentes dosagens de cálcio na produção biológica de hidrogênio a partir de água residuária sintética a base de sacarose em reatores anaeróbios de leito fixo estruturado e fluxo ascendente. Cilindros de polietileno de baixa densidade foram usados como material suporte para aderência da biomassa. Os reatores foram operados com tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH) de 2 h e a 25ºC. Foram avaliadas diferentes concentrações de cálcio (Ca): 0,50; 1,06; 1,37; 1,87; 2,45 e 3,61 mg L-1 na alimentação. A remoção de sacarose apresentou valores médios acima de 54% para todas as concentrações. O biogás produzido foi composto de H2 e CO2, com porcentagens médias de H2 superiores a 60% para todas as concentrações avaliadas. Os principais produtos intermediários produzidos foram o ácido acético, o butírico e etanol. Os resultados demonstraram que há influência da suplementação de cálcio na produção de hidrogênio e a concentração de cálcio de 1,37 mg L-1 foi a que apresentou melhores resultados em relação a produção de hidrogênio, com rendimento de 1,4 mol de H2 mol-1 de sacarose, vazão molar de hidrogênio de 5,4 mmol h-1 e produção volumétrica de hidrogênio de 57 mL H2 h-1 L-1. Relacionaram-se as concentrações de cálcio com o rendimento médio de produção de hidrogênio e as curvas foram ajustadas a uma spline. Para a função ajustada chegou-se a um ponto de ótimo de rendimento de 1,5 mol H2 mol-1 sacarose obtido com concentração de cálcio de 1,54 mg L-1. / This paper investigated the influence of different dosages of calcium in the biological production of hydrogen from synthetic sucrose based wastewater in upflow anaerobic structured-bed reactor. Low density polyethylene cylinders were used as support material for biomass attachment. The reactors were operated with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 h at 25° C. The wastewater was amended with different concentrations of calcium (Ca): 0.50; 1.06; 1.37; 1.87; 2.45 e 3.61 mg L-1. The removal of sucrose showed values above 54% for all concentrations. The biogas produced was composed of H2 and CO2 with H2 average percentages above 60% for all concentrations evaluated. The main intermediates produced were acetic acid, butyric acid and ethanol. The results showed that there is influence of calcium supplementation in the production of hydrogen and calcium concentration of 1.37 mg L-1 showed the best results regarding hydrogen production, with yield of 1.4 mol H2 mol-1 sucrose, hydrogen molar flow of 5.4 mmol H2 h-1 and volumetric production of hydrogen of 57 mL H2 h-1 L-1. Calcium concentrations were correlated with the average yield of hydrogen production and the curves were fitted to a spline. From this function, an optimum yield of 1.5 mol H2 mol-1 sucrose was reached with calcium concentration of 1.54 mg L-1.

Os efeitos das relações DQO/sulfato e das variações progressivas da concentração de sulfato sobre o desempenho de um reator anaeróbio horizontal de leito fixo (RAHLF) em escala de bancada, tratando substrato sintético submetido a aumentos na concentração de sulfato afluente, foram investigados. O substrato sintético foi composto por glicose, acetato de amônio, bicarbonato de sódio e soluções nutricionais de sais e metais traços. O reator foi preenchido com matrizes cúbicas de espuma de poliuretano para imobilização da biomassa. A demanda química de oxigênio (DQO) no afluente foi de cerca de 2435 '+ OU -' 632 mg/L ao longo dos experimentos, enquanto a concentração de sulfato afluente foi progressivamente aumentada de 28 para 1000 e 2000 mg/L, resultando em relações DQO/sulfato de 87, 2,4 e 1,22, respectivamente, nas quatro etapas experimentais avaliadas. Sob relação DQO/sulfato de 87 houve indicações de sintrofismo entre microrganismos metanogênicos (MM) e microrganismos redutores de sulfato (MRS). Na relação DQO/sulfato de 2,4 houve predomínio da redução de sulfato, e portanto dos MRS, enquanto na relação DQO/sulfato de 1,22 houve limitação da redução de sulfato, indicando provável predomínio de MM sobre MRS, devida a limitações de biomassa ou de matéria orgânica disponível, ou de transferência de massa para o sulfato. Entretanto, metanogênese e redução de sulfato não foram processos excludentes. De maneira a melhorar a separação líquido-gás, uma nova configuração segmentada foi internamente testada no reator, de modo que o mesmo fosse capaz de atingir e manter o estado de equilíbrio dinâmico aparente / The effects of the COD to sulfate ratio and of the progressive variations of sulfate concentrations on the performance of a bench-scale horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized sludge (HAIS) reactor treating a synthetic substrate under increasing sulfate concentrations was investigated. The synthetic substrate was composed of glucose, ammonium acetate, sodium bicarbonate and trace metal nutritional solution. The reactor was filled with polyurethane foam cubic matrices for biomass immobilization. Influent chemical oxigen demand (COD) was kept almost constant along the experiments (2453 '+ OR -' 632 mg/L) while the influent sulfate concentration was increased from 28 to 1000 and 2000 mg/L, resulting in COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratios of 87; 2,4; and 1,22, respectively, in the four experimental phases assayed. Under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratio of 87, there was indication of syntrophism between methanogenic microorganisms (MM) and sulfatereducing microorganisms (SRM). Under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratio of 2,4, there was a sulfate reduction predominance and therefore, of SRM, while under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' of 1,22, there was a sulfate reduction limitation, that probably indicates a MM predominance over SRM, due to biomass limitation, or available organic matter limitation, or sulfate mass transfer limitation. Meanwhile, there was no exclusion between methanogenesis and sulfate reduction processes. In order to improve better liquid-gas separation, a new staged configuration was tested inside the reactor, so that it was able to reach and to maintain the dynamic steady-state equilibrium

Os efeitos das relações DQO/sulfato e das variações progressivas da concentração de sulfato sobre o desempenho de um reator anaeróbio horizontal de leito fixo (RAHLF) em escala de bancada, tratando substrato sintético submetido a aumentos na concentração de sulfato afluente, foram investigados. O substrato sintético foi composto por glicose, acetato de amônio, bicarbonato de sódio e soluções nutricionais de sais e metais traços. O reator foi preenchido com matrizes cúbicas de espuma de poliuretano para imobilização da biomassa. A demanda química de oxigênio (DQO) no afluente foi de cerca de 2435 '+ OU -' 632 mg/L ao longo dos experimentos, enquanto a concentração de sulfato afluente foi progressivamente aumentada de 28 para 1000 e 2000 mg/L, resultando em relações DQO/sulfato de 87, 2,4 e 1,22, respectivamente, nas quatro etapas experimentais avaliadas. Sob relação DQO/sulfato de 87 houve indicações de sintrofismo entre microrganismos metanogênicos (MM) e microrganismos redutores de sulfato (MRS). Na relação DQO/sulfato de 2,4 houve predomínio da redução de sulfato, e portanto dos MRS, enquanto na relação DQO/sulfato de 1,22 houve limitação da redução de sulfato, indicando provável predomínio de MM sobre MRS, devida a limitações de biomassa ou de matéria orgânica disponível, ou de transferência de massa para o sulfato. Entretanto, metanogênese e redução de sulfato não foram processos excludentes. De maneira a melhorar a separação líquido-gás, uma nova configuração segmentada foi internamente testada no reator, de modo que o mesmo fosse capaz de atingir e manter o estado de equilíbrio dinâmico aparente / The effects of the COD to sulfate ratio and of the progressive variations of sulfate concentrations on the performance of a bench-scale horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized sludge (HAIS) reactor treating a synthetic substrate under increasing sulfate concentrations was investigated. The synthetic substrate was composed of glucose, ammonium acetate, sodium bicarbonate and trace metal nutritional solution. The reactor was filled with polyurethane foam cubic matrices for biomass immobilization. Influent chemical oxigen demand (COD) was kept almost constant along the experiments (2453 '+ OR -' 632 mg/L) while the influent sulfate concentration was increased from 28 to 1000 and 2000 mg/L, resulting in COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratios of 87; 2,4; and 1,22, respectively, in the four experimental phases assayed. Under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratio of 87, there was indication of syntrophism between methanogenic microorganisms (MM) and sulfatereducing microorganisms (SRM). Under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' ratio of 2,4, there was a sulfate reduction predominance and therefore, of SRM, while under COD/'SO IND.4 POT.-2' of 1,22, there was a sulfate reduction limitation, that probably indicates a MM predominance over SRM, due to biomass limitation, or available organic matter limitation, or sulfate mass transfer limitation. Meanwhile, there was no exclusion between methanogenesis and sulfate reduction processes. In order to improve better liquid-gas separation, a new staged configuration was tested inside the reactor, so that it was able to reach and to maintain the dynamic steady-state equilibrium

This diploma thesis consists of two parts, part research and part attachments. The first section describes the literary problems of today's way of cleaning wastewater from small producers and characteristics of wastewater. The work is focused on the aspect of nature and all of these methods are directed towards this direction. The literary section is devoted to anaerobic environment, which is just one of the natural ways of treatment of waste water, in our case in a septic tank. The second part of the thesis deals with modeling of flow and behavior of sludge and water mixture in the cesspit septic tank sludge with variable densities and flow speeds. Modeling and calculations are made using COMSOL Multhiphysics. The conclusion is then summarized findings from the flow cesspit septic tank with the results and the assessment of whether a septic tank still has its place among the modern methods of wastewater treatment.

The most significant environmental problems related to the food industry is water consumption and pollution, energy consumption and waste production. Most of the water that does not become a part of the products ultimately leaves plants in the form of wastewater, which is often very specific and requires adequate handling / treatment / disposal. For the purpose of this thesis, brewery industry was chosen, because of its very long tradition in the Czech history and culture. Anaerobic technologies are applied for still wider range of industrial wastewater treating. In general anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) can very effectively treat wastewater of different concentration and composition and produce treated water (outlet, permeate) of excellent quality, that can be further utilised. At the same time, it can promote energy self-sufficiency through biogas production usable in WWTPs / plants. Main disadvantages include unavoidable membrane fouling and generally higher CAPEX / OPEX. Within the framework of Ph.D. studies and related research activities, immersed membrane modules for anaerobic applications were selected and lab-scale tested (designed and assembled laboratory unit), an AnMBR pilot plant was designed, built and subsequently tested under real conditions - at Černá Hora Brewery WWTP (waste waters from the brewery and associated facilities). The pilot AnMBR and the technology itself has been verified over more than a year (5/2015 – 11/2016) of trial operation - the initial and recommended operational parameters have been set up, minor construction adjustments / modifications and measurement & regulation optimizations have been made, the recommended membrane cleaning and regeneration procedure has been verified. Last, but not least, conclusions and recommendations of the trial operation were summarised - some key findings and recommendations for further operation, use and modifications of the existing AnMBR pilot plant are presented.