The treatability of a high strength industrial wastewater, 9,000 mg/L as chemical oxygen demand (COD), by three sequencing batch reactor (SBRs) systems operated under alternating redox environments: anaerobic/aerobic (ANA), anoxic/aerobic (ANX), and aerobic was investigated. A synthetic wastewater was modeled after a wastewater from an existing chemical processing facility. The largest component, hydroxypivaldehyde, was unavailable for the use in this research and was substituted by pivalic acid, both of which have a tertiary carbon. No significant degradation occurred in the anaerobic phase of operation; however, 55-65% of the COD was removed during anoxic operation. Simultaneous removal of pivalic acid and acetic acid was seen in both the anoxic and aerobic reaction phases. The anoxic/aerobic SBR provided the best overall treatability of the synthetic wastewater based on: effluent quality, sludge characteristics and settling properties. The results suggested that anoxic/aerobic treatment schemes are a viable treatment alternative for industrial wastewaters containing high concentrations of organic acids, including acids with tertiary carbons. The treatability of the three alternating redox environments on the Industry's wastewater was also investigated. Again, no significant degradation of the industrial wastewater occurred during the anaerobic reaction phase. During the anoxic reaction phase, 15-20% of the COD was removed from the industrial wastewater in contrast to the high removals seen with the synthetic wastewater. The aerobic SBR provided the best COD removal for the industrial wastewater. The performance differences between the synthetic and industrial wastewaters stress the importance of treatability studies on the actual industrial wastewater. Biological treatment of the synthetic and Industry wastewaters was unable to achieve the effluent goal of 100 mg/L as COD. Sand filtration followed by granular activated carbon adsorption treatment of the effluent from the synthetic wastewater-fed ANA SBR provided the COD removal necessary to achieve the effluent goal. / Master of Science

The objective of this research was to design an alternative wastewater treatment system for turkey processing plants to recover energy and reduce N and P to allowable discharge levels. The objective included: 1. Determine the quantity and quality of biogas produced from the turkey processing wastewater (TPW) and COD reduction efficiency. 2. Design a waste treatment system and validate proof of concept for simultaneous P and N removal with a goal of attaining effluent concentrations of 0.1 mg/L and 4 mg/L, for P and N, respectively. A lab-scale complete mixed anaerobic digester was used for turkey processing wastewater (TPW) digestion and biogas recovery running for 6 months. Along with the anaerobic digester, a two-sludge system called A2N-SBR consisting of an anaerobic-anoxic sequencing batch reactor and an attached growth post-nitrification reactor was added for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal running for 3 months. Biogas production yields of 778 + 89 mL/gVSadded and 951.30 mL/g COD were obtained through anaerobic digestion. Also, an energy balance was conducted on a pilot scale digester for a turkey processing plant with wastewater production of 2160 m3/d and using a combined heat and power (CHP) enginefor conversion of biogas to heat and electricity. Although the biogas yield achieved in a complete mixed reactor was relatively lower than yields obtained in previous studies using reactors such as UASB, still a complete mixed reactor can be a good choice for biogas recovery from TPW and can be used for codigestion with some specific turkey processing byproducts for biogas recovery. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the A2N-SBR system were 47% and 75%, respectively, and during the study the nitrogen and phosphorus removal mean concentration in effluent did not meet the nutrient limits specified in the objectives. Average TP and TN in the effluent were 3.2 mg/L and 137 mg/L, respectively. Throughout the study, the nitrification reactor biofilm was not completely developed. Incomplete nitrification and poor settling might be the reasons that quality obtained in effluent was low. To improve the process condition in A2N-SBR, online monitoring of pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) can help to optimize each stage in the SBR and stages duration can be set based on the results. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScEng (Process Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to the growing demands for fresh and clean water, the investigation into the treatment, reuse and recycling of wastewater from all industries are becoming more of a priority, both globally and in South Africa where as much as 62 % of the total water used per year is used by the agricultural sector. The investigation into the recycling and reuse of wastewater in the agricultural sector (especially the dairy farming industry) is therefore no exception. The water usage in five typical South African milking parlours was estimated in this study and ranged from 15 to 51 L.cow-1.day-1. However, the water used for the cleaning in place (CIP) washing of the milking equipment were rather similar in all five milking parlours and ranged between 4.9 and 6.4 L.cow-1.day-1. The possibility of handling and treating the CIP wastewater separately from the rest of the milking parlour wastewater has been considered in the past by other researchers. Anaerobic digestion, as a means of treating wastewater from the dairy industry, has been employed successfully in both full scale and laboratory scale projects. The wastewater from equipment washing of milking parlours is assumed to have similar characteristic to that generated from dairy factories. The anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) system is gaining popularity as a wastewater treatment technology lately due to its simplicity, ease of operation and compact design and is therefore expected to be a suitable and practical solution for dairy farmers in treating milking parlour wastewater from equipment washing. Investigation into anaerobic treatment at lower temperatures than the conventional mesophilic range is also becoming of interest due to lower energy requirements. The aim of this study was to determine whether the ASBR technology could be considered as a suitable technology for treating wastewater from the CIP washing of milking parlour equipment. To support this study, the water usage and CIP effluent generated at typical South African milking parlours were firstly verified. Subsequently, laboratory work entailed: • Assessing the sensitivity of the ASBR process (at mesophilic temperature of 35 °C) to fluctuations in the concentration of the detergents in synthetic CIP milking parlour wastewater; and • Evaluating the performance of the ASBR process at 22.5 and 35 °C when treating real wastewater from the CIP washing of milking equipment. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies between 89 and 98 % were achieved when the synthetic wastewater (similar to wastewater from the CIP washing of milking equipment with COD concentrations ranging between 12 600 and 13 400 mg.L-1) was treated in an ASBR. The results showed that an increase in the CIP detergent concentration up to four times the concentration normally used in milking parlours did not significantly affect the ASBR performance in terms of methane productivity, methane yield and COD removal efficiencies when OLRs between 0.6 and 5.2 g COD.L-1.day-1 were applied. The results also showed that COD removal efficiencies between 92 and 98 % could be achieved in the ASBR process operated at 35 °C when treating real CIP milking parlour effluent (with COD concentrations ranging between 14 900 and 28 800 mg.L-1) when applying OLRs up to 6.6 g COD.L-1.day-1, without nutrient control. Therefore, the ASBR process is suitable to treat real milking parlour wastewater with OLRs above 6 g COD.L-1.day-1 at mesophilic temperatures. At an operating temperature of 22.5 °C, the ASBR achieved TCOD removal efficiencies between 86 and 98 % when treating real CIP effluent. Despite these high COD removal efficiencies, the reactor failed at an OLR of 2.9 g COD.L-1.day-1. As such, the ASBR process appears to be susceptible to failure (due to overloading) when the OLR is increased too rapidly at this low operating temperature. This is most probably due to the fact that methanogenic bacteria do not acclimatise and operate as well at temperatures below the mesophilic range. However, during a second attempt at 22.5 oC, the ASBR achieved COD removal efficiencies between 89 and 97 % when the OLR was increased less rapidly, up to 3.3 g COD.L-1.day-1. These results show that the ASBR process can indeed treat real milking parlour wastewater at 22.5 °C without nutrient control at OLRs above 3 g COD.L-1.day-1. The COD concentration in the effluent from the ASBRs when the maximum OLRs were applied were always below 1 000 mg.L-1. This is notably lower than the South African legal limit for irrigation of up to 50 m3 of wastewater per day. However, this is significantly higher than the South African legal limit of 75 mg.L-1 for safe disposal into a fresh water body. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wêreldwye toename in die aanvraag na vars, skoon water het tot gevolg dat die ondersoek in die behandeling, hergebruik en herwinning van afvalwater tans groot aandag geniet. Nie net wêreldwyd nie, maar ook in Suid-Afrika waar tans 62 % van die water wat gebruik word per jaar, aangewend word vir die lanbou sektor. Daarom is die ondersoek na besparing van water in lanbou aktiwiteite (veral melkboerderye) geen uitsondering nie. Die watergebruik tydens melktyd in 5 verskillende melkerye is ondersoek en dit blyk dat die watergebruik in die 5 melkery drasties van mekaar verskil. Dit strek van ‘n minimum van 15 litres per koei per dag tot ‘n maksimum van 51 liters per koei per dag. Die volume water wat gebruik word vir die outomatiese was van die melktoerusting het nie so baie gevarieer nie en het gestrek tussen 4.9 en 6.4 liter per koei per dag. Die moontlikheid om die afvalwater wat gegenereer word tydens die outomatiese was van die melktoerusting apart te hou van die res van die afvalwater, is in die verlede deur ander navorsers oorweeg. Afvalwater van suiwelfabrieke is in die verlede al deur middel van anaerobiese vertering in ‘n groot aantal laboratorium- en volskaalse anaerobiese aanlegte behandel. Daar word aangeneem dat die afvalwater wat gegenereer word tydens die was van melktoerusting min of meer dieselfde samestelling sal hê as die afvalwater van suiwelfabrieke. Die anaerobiese opvolgende lot reaktor (AOLR) word al hoe meer gewild in anaerobiesewaterbehandeling as gevolg van die eenvoudige en maklike werking en kompakte ontwerp. Dit word verwag dat hierdie tegnologie ‘n gepaste en praktiese oplossing sal wees om die afvalwater van die was van melktoerusting te behandel. Die anaerobiese behandeling van afvalwater by temperature laer as die normale mesofiliese temperature word ook al hoe meer gewild as gevolg van minder hitte wat benodig word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of die AOLR tegnologie ‘n gepaste tegnologie is om afvalwater wat gegeneer word tydens die outomatiese was proses van melkery toerusting te behandel. Ter ondersteuning van die doel, is die watergebruik in ‘n paar tipiese, Suid- Afrikaanse melkerye eers bevestig. Daaropvolgend, het die laboratoriumwerk die volgende behels: • The bepaal of die AOLR proses (wat by mesofiliese temperatuur van 35 °C bedryf was) sensitief is vir veranderinge in die konsentrasie van sepe in sintetiese waswater wat na ‘n AOLR gevoer word; en • Om die werking van die AOLR proses te ondersoek wanneer regte afvalwater van melkery by onderskeidelik 22.5 en 35 °C behandel word. Chemiese suurstof behoefte (CSB) verwydering van 89 to 98 % is bereik toe sintetiese afvalwater wat gelykstaande aan afvalwater gegenereer tydens die was van melk toerusting is (met CSB konsentrasies tussen 12 600 en 13 400 mg.L-1) in ‘n AOLR behandel is. Die resultate het getoon dat daar geen aanmerklike verskil in die werking van die AOLR in terme van metaanproduksie, metaanopbrengs en CSB verwyderingseffektiwiteit was met a toename tot en met so hoog as vier maal die normale seepkonsentrasie in die afvalwater was toe organiese ladingstempo’s (OLTs) tussen 0.6 en 5.2 g CSB.L-1.dag-1 aangewend was nie. Die resultate het ook getoon dat die CSB van regte afvalwater van melkerye (met CSB konsentrasies tussen 14 900 en 28 800 mg.L-1) met 92 tot 98 % verminder kan word wanneer dit in ‘n AOLR (wat by 35 °C bestuur word) en OLTs tot so hoog as 6.6 g CSB.L-1.dag-1 aangewend word, sonder dat die nutrientinhoud in die afvalwater beheer was. Hierdie AOLR proses wat is dus gepas om afvalwater van melkery te behandel met OLTs bo 6 CSB.L-1.dag-1 by mesofiliese temperature. Die AOLR wat by ‘n temperatuur van 22.5 °C bedryf was, het CSB verwydering tussen 86 en 98 % behaal. Ondanks die hoë CSB verwydering het die reaktor misluk by ‘n maksimum OLT van 2.9 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Dit het getoon dat die AOLR proses meer geneig is om vatbaar te wees vir mislukking (as gevolg van ‘n oorlading) wanneer die OLT te vinnig verhoog word by laer temperature. Dit is moontlik as gevolg daarvan dat die metanogeniese bakterieë nie so goed aanpas en werk by temperature laer as mesofiliese temperature nie. Nietemin, tydens ‘n tweede probeerslag by 22.5 °C, het die AOLR CSB verwydering tussen 89 en 97 % behaal tydens ‘n stadiger toename in die OLT tot en met 3.3 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Hierdie resultate dui aan dat die AOLR proses wat by ‘n temperatuur van 22.5 °C bedryf word ook gepas is om afvalwater van melkerye te behandel, sonder nutrient beheer by OLTs hoër as 3 g CSB.L-1.dag-1. Die CSB konsentrasies in die afvloeisel van die AOLR’e in die studie tydens die aanwending van die hoogste OLTs, was altyd laer as 1 000 mg.L-1. Dit is merkbaar laer as die limiet vir besproeiing van tot en met 50 m3 per dag in Suid-Afrika. Maar, dit was nogtans regdeur hoër as die limiet van 75 mg.L-1 vir veilige storting in ‘n varswaterbron.

O projeto proposto teve como objetivo principal à avaliação do suporte no desempenho do reator anaeróbio operado em bateladas seqüenciais, com agitação, contendo biomassa imobilizada no tratamento de esgoto sanitário do Campus da USP em São Carlos. O estudo do desempenho global deste tipo de configuração de reator é extremamente vinculado com o suporte inerte o qual proporciona a aderência e crescimento da biomassa. Neste trabalho foram estudados três suportes inertes: espuma de poliuretano, carvão vegetal e polietileno de baixa densidade reciclado. A avaliação global foi realizada sob análise de três diferentes e dependentes variáveis locais: o desempenho do reator, a análise cinética e os exames microbiológicos. A espuma de poliuretano pôde ser considerada como sendo o material mais adequado para tal finalidade, apresentando maiores eficiências de redução da DQO de amostras brutas e filtradas de 61% e 71%, respectivamente, o melhor coeficiente cinético aparente de primeira ordem (k1T): 0,52 ± 0,04 h-1, e uma biomassa predominantemente caracterizada por arqueas metanogênicas e bactérias fototróficas. O carvão vegetal apresentou resultados intermediários, no entanto não satisfatórios, na redução de DQO e ainda uma biomassa não compatível com a esperada para um tratamento anaeróbio biológico. Ou seja, pode-se inferir que neste tipo de suporte houve seleção de biomassa inadequada para se tratar esgoto sanitário. Por fim, o polietileno apresentou os resultados menos expressivos, porém, dada sua caracterização microbiológica constatou-se ser um suporte com potencial para o tratamento de esgoto sanitário quando nele for aplicado um tratamento prévio, objetivando melhores características físico-químicos, como rugosidade, por exemplo. / The main objective of this study was the evaluation of bed materials on the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor, with agitation, treating sewage wastewater of the Campus of University of São Paulo in São Carlos. The study of the global performance of this reactor configuration is extremely linked with the bed material which provides adhesive and growing conditions. In this work three different bed materials were investigated : polyurethane foam, vegetal carbon and recycled low-density polyethylene. The global evaluation was performed under analysis of three different and dependant local variables: the reactor performance, kinetic analyses and microbial exams. The polyurethane foam was considered the most suitable material. Using the polyurethane foam as a bed material were obtained the highest COD removal efficiencies, 61% and 71% corresponding to total and filtered samples, respectively. In Addition, the polyurethane foam showed the best modified first-order kinetic model (k1T) of 0,52 ± 0,04 h-1, and a biomass predominately characterized by microorganisms resembling to methanogenic archea and phototrophic bacteria . The vegetal carbon showed intermediate results, which were not satisfactory enough, in the COD removal. Also, the vegetal carbon showed an incompatible biomass in accordance with the expected anaerobic biomass. In others words, it can be inferred that, using this type of material, there was a selective biomass process in which an inappropriate biomass was selected. Finally, the recycled low-density polyethylene showed the less expressive results. However, because of its microbial characterization, it can be concluded that the polyethylene material has potential to be applied as a bed material in the sewage wastewater treatment. Nevertheless, a previous treatment physics-chemical must be applied in this kind of bed material to improve the physics-chemical properties such as porosity and surface area.

Aerobic biodegradation kinetics of 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by acclimated mixed cultures were examined separately and in mixture using batch and sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Biodegradation abilities of acclimated mixed cultures were also compared with those of isolated pure species. Complete degradation of chlorophenols and high COD removal efficiencies were observed throughout the SBRs operation. During the degradation of 4-CP, 5-chloro-2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde, (the -meta cleavage product of 4-CP), accumulated but was subsequently removed completely. Chlorophenol degradation rates increased with increasing chlorophenols concentration in the feed of the SBRs. Gradually decreasing feed peptone concentration did not adversely affect chlorophenol degradation profiles in SBRs. Only competent biomass was thought to be responsible for chlorophenol degradation due to required unique metabolic pathways. It was assumed that the fraction of competent biomass (specialist biomass) is equal to COD basis fraction of chlorophenols in the feed of the reactors as competent biomass grows on chlorophenols only. Models developed using this assumption agreed well with experimental data. The performance of a two stage rotating biological contactor (RBC) was also evaluated for the treatment of synthetic wastewater containing peptone, 4-CP and 2,4-DCP at 5 rpm. High chlorophenols (&gt / 98%) and COD (&gt / 94%) removals were achieved throughout the reactor operation up to 1000 mg/L 4-CP and 500 mg/L 2,4-DCP in the feed. Results showed that RBC is more resistant than suspended growth reactors to high chlorophenols load. The change of dominant species during the operation of SBRs and RBC was also followed using API 20NE identification kits.

O projeto proposto teve como objetivo principal à avaliação do suporte no desempenho do reator anaeróbio operado em bateladas seqüenciais, com agitação, contendo biomassa imobilizada no tratamento de esgoto sanitário do Campus da USP em São Carlos. O estudo do desempenho global deste tipo de configuração de reator é extremamente vinculado com o suporte inerte o qual proporciona a aderência e crescimento da biomassa. Neste trabalho foram estudados três suportes inertes: espuma de poliuretano, carvão vegetal e polietileno de baixa densidade reciclado. A avaliação global foi realizada sob análise de três diferentes e dependentes variáveis locais: o desempenho do reator, a análise cinética e os exames microbiológicos. A espuma de poliuretano pôde ser considerada como sendo o material mais adequado para tal finalidade, apresentando maiores eficiências de redução da DQO de amostras brutas e filtradas de 61% e 71%, respectivamente, o melhor coeficiente cinético aparente de primeira ordem (k1T): 0,52 ± 0,04 h-1, e uma biomassa predominantemente caracterizada por arqueas metanogênicas e bactérias fototróficas. O carvão vegetal apresentou resultados intermediários, no entanto não satisfatórios, na redução de DQO e ainda uma biomassa não compatível com a esperada para um tratamento anaeróbio biológico. Ou seja, pode-se inferir que neste tipo de suporte houve seleção de biomassa inadequada para se tratar esgoto sanitário. Por fim, o polietileno apresentou os resultados menos expressivos, porém, dada sua caracterização microbiológica constatou-se ser um suporte com potencial para o tratamento de esgoto sanitário quando nele for aplicado um tratamento prévio, objetivando melhores características físico-químicos, como rugosidade, por exemplo. / The main objective of this study was the evaluation of bed materials on the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor, with agitation, treating sewage wastewater of the Campus of University of São Paulo in São Carlos. The study of the global performance of this reactor configuration is extremely linked with the bed material which provides adhesive and growing conditions. In this work three different bed materials were investigated : polyurethane foam, vegetal carbon and recycled low-density polyethylene. The global evaluation was performed under analysis of three different and dependant local variables: the reactor performance, kinetic analyses and microbial exams. The polyurethane foam was considered the most suitable material. Using the polyurethane foam as a bed material were obtained the highest COD removal efficiencies, 61% and 71% corresponding to total and filtered samples, respectively. In Addition, the polyurethane foam showed the best modified first-order kinetic model (k1T) of 0,52 ± 0,04 h-1, and a biomass predominately characterized by microorganisms resembling to methanogenic archea and phototrophic bacteria . The vegetal carbon showed intermediate results, which were not satisfactory enough, in the COD removal. Also, the vegetal carbon showed an incompatible biomass in accordance with the expected anaerobic biomass. In others words, it can be inferred that, using this type of material, there was a selective biomass process in which an inappropriate biomass was selected. Finally, the recycled low-density polyethylene showed the less expressive results. However, because of its microbial characterization, it can be concluded that the polyethylene material has potential to be applied as a bed material in the sewage wastewater treatment. Nevertheless, a previous treatment physics-chemical must be applied in this kind of bed material to improve the physics-chemical properties such as porosity and surface area.

Nitrogen cycling processes can be tracked using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) to determine the presence and qReverse Transcriptase-PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine expression of key genes, or ‘biological markers’, for nitrogen metabolism. Nitrification is catalyzed in part, by two enzymes: ammonia monooxygenase (AMO; NH3 NH2OH) and nitrite oxidoreductase (NXR; NO2- NO3-). For denitrification, four enzymes act sequentially: nitrate reductase (NAR/NAP; NO3- NO2-), nitrite reductase (NIR; NO2- NO), nitric oxide reductase (NOR; NO  N2O), and nitrous oxide reductase (NOS; N2O  N2). A principle of wastewater treatment (WWT) is to remove excess nitrogen by taking advantage of natural nitrogen cycling or biological nitrogen removal (BNR). This process involves using microorganisms to bring influent ammonia through nitrification and denitrification to release nitrogen gas, which does not contribute to eutrophication. A novel shortcut nitrogen removal configuration could increase nitrogen removal efficiency by promoting nitritation/denitritation, reducing the classic nitrogen cycle by removing the redundant oxidation/reduction step to nitrate (NO3-). Here, three nitrogen transformations were used to track the three main phases in the nitrogen cycle; ammonia monooxygenase for nitrification, nitrite oxidoreductase for shortcut, and nitrous oxide reductase for denitrification. Primers for qPCR and qRT-PCR were designed to capture as much sequence diversity as possible for each step. Genes from bacteria known to perform the nitrogen transformations of interest (amoA, nxrB, nosZ) were used to BLAST-query the Integrated Microbial Genomes & Microbiomes database (img.jgi.doe.gov) to find homologs from organisms commonly found in WWT. These sequences were then aligned to find regions sufficiently conserved for primer design. These PCR primers were tested against standards for each gene and used to track nitrogen transformation potential and expression in a novel lab-scale algal photo-sequencing batch reactor which promotes shortcut nitrogen removal from wastewater across three solids retention times (SRT, or mean cell residence time); 5, 10 and 15 days. SRT 15 had the greatest total nitrogen removal with nitritation and denitritation observed. Nitrate was not detected in the first cycle and shortcut nitrogen removal was supported by low levels of nxrB genes and transcripts. Simultaneous nitrification/denitrification was supported by elevated concentrations of nosZ during the light period and less nitrite produced than ammonium consumed. Nitritation was predominantly performed by Betaproteobacteria amoA and nitrous oxide reduction was predominantly from nosZ group I (Proteobacteria-type).

O avanço da tecnologia anaeróbia para tratamento de esgotos deve ser creditado em grande parte ao desenvolvimento dos modernos reatores de alta taxa de aplicação orgânica, com os maiores méritos ao filtro anaeróbio ascendente e principalmente, à configuração do UASB. A evolução dos reatores levou à busca para maximizar a aplicação prática para aproveitar todas as potencialidades dos processos anaeróbios. Todas as modernas configurações têm em comum a preocupação em atender requisitos essenciais em um reator: formação e retenção de grande quantidade de biomassa e melhoria do contato biomassa/matéria orgânica. Esta pesquisa tem como principal objetivo avaliar dois reatores anaeróbios, operados em batelada seqüencial e periodicamente aerados, como unidade de tratamento das águas residuárias geradas no campus da Universidade de São Paulo em São Carlos. Um dos reatores contém biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano e o outro é operado com biomassa suspensa ou auto-imobilizada, sem utilização de suporte inerte. Os sistemas, na primeira etapa operacional, anaeróbia, apresentaram remoção de matéria orgânica, com eficiências médias para espuma de 61% (ASBBR) e grânulos de 56% (ASBR) e eficiências na remoção de sólidos iguais a 62% de SST e 65% de SSV no ASBBR e 56 % de SST e 61% de SSV no ASBR. Na segunda etapa operacional, anaeróbia e aeróbia, os reatores ASBR e ASBBR, mostrou que a estratégia de operação com etapa anaeróbia seguida por período com aeração não foi adequada para remoções de matéria orgânica e nitrogênio. Os reatores operaram com grande instabilidade e baixas eficiências de remoção de matéria orgânica, abaixo das observadas em reator operado de forma anaeróbia. / The advance of anaerobic technology for wastewater treatment should be credited in great part to the development of the modern reactors with high rates of organic application, with merit to the ascendant anaerobic filter and mainly to the UASB configuration. The evolution of reactors led to the search to maximize the practical aplication to make the best use of all the potentialities of the anaerobic processes. All the modern configurations have in common the preoccupation to deal with essential requisites in a reactor: formation and retention of a large quantity of biomass and improvement in the biomass/organic matter contact. This research prime objective is to evaluate two anaerobic reactors, operated in sequential batch and periodically aerated, as unity of treatment of wastewaters generated at the campus of the University of São Paulo in São Carlos. One of the reactors contains biomass immobilized on polyurethane foam and the other is operated with suspended or autoimmobilized biomass, without the use of inert support. The systems, in the first operational step, anaerobic, presented organic matter removal, with medium efficiencies for foam of 61% (ASBBR) and granule of 56% (ASBR) and efficiencies in the removal of solids equal to 62% of TSS and to 65% of VSS in the ASBBR and to 56% of TSS and to 61% of VSS in the ASBR. In the second operational step, anaerobic and aerobic, the ASBBR and ASBR reactors showed that the strategy of operation with anaerobic step followed by a period with aeration was not adequate for the removal of organic matter and nitrogen. The reactors operated with great instability and low efficiency of organic matter removal, with results below of the ones observed in a reactor operated in the anaerobic way.

Este estudo foi motivado pela necessidade de se tratar o excesso de vazão afluente às estações de tratamento de esgoto, que ocorre em dias de chuvas intensas. A hipótese central deste estudo é a de que a adoção de processo físico-químico para o tratamento de esgoto excedente diluído, pode ser vantajosa em relação ao aumento da capacidade com a ampliação dos sistemas exclusivamente biológicos. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida na ETE Martim de Sá da SABESP, localizada em Caraguatatuba/SP, onde o esgoto é tratado por lodos ativados em bateladas sequenciais. Estudou-se a variação da vazão de esgoto afluente na época de chuvas, bem como o funcionamento das bateladas. Além disso, foi avaliado o emprego da coagulação, floculação e sedimentação em decantador laminar para tratar o excesso de vazão com aplicação de sulfato de alumínio, cloreto férrico e polímero catiônico em uma estação piloto, após a realização de ensaios em escala de bancada em aparelho de Jar Test. O monitoramento da vazão afluente mostrou que em dias de chuvas e com ocorrência de desvios, a vazão máxima foi 220 L/s, ou seja, até 6 vezes maior que a vazão média de tempo seco. Para esta situação, o processo físico-químico pode tornar-se uma alternativa promissora, devido à sua capacidade de trabalho sob altas vazões em instalações de menor porte. Nos ensaios para se avaliar o tratamento físico-químico utilizou-se esgoto bruto pertencente a duas faixas de DBO: 50 e 100 mg/L e taxa de aplicação superficial no decantador de 76,82 m³ / m² / dia. A melhor dosagem de produto químico utilizada para tratar o esgoto bruto da faixa de DBO igual a 50 mg/L foi 40mg/L de cloreto férrico mais 0,5mg/L de polímero catiônico resultando em efluentes com DBO média de 26mg/L. Para o esgoto bruto da faixa de DBO igual a 100 mg/L a melhor dosagem foi a de 60mg/L de cloreto férrico, com DBO média dos efluentes igual a 44mg/L. Para esta faixa de trabalho é recomendável prever a aplicação de polímero. Por esta pesquisa concluiu-se que é possível atender aos limites legais de qualidade do esgoto tratado com o emprego do tratamento físico-químico, além disso produziu elementos importantes para subsidiar a avaliação econômica para a implantação desta tecnologia em paralelo ao sistema de lodo ativado nas situações de sobrecarga hidráulica. No entanto, a análise do fluxograma do funcionamento da estação com o processo de lodos ativado em bateladas, indicou que é possível efetuar o tratamento da vazão de 220 L/s pelo processo biológico. Assim, é recomendável a implantação do tratamento físico-químico somente se, após a realização do teste em escala real do funcionamento das bateladas com a vazão de 220 L/s, o tratamento biológico não atender aos padrões estabelecidos. / This study was motivated by the need to treat high wastewater influent exceeding in sewage treatment plants, which occurs on days of heavy rain. The central hypothesis of this study is that the physical-chemical process to treat dilute sewage overflow, it can be advantageous with respect to increased capacity and expansion of biological systems. The research was conducted in ETE Martim de Sá (SABESP), located in Caraguatatuba / SP, where the sewage is treated by sequencing batch reactor. It was studied the variation of the flow of wastewater during the rainy season, and the operation of the batch. Furthermore, it was evaluated the use of coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation in plate settler with application of aluminium sulfate, ferric chloride and cationic polymer in a pilot plant, after the testing of bench scale apparatus in Jar Test. Monitoring the inflow showed that on days of rainfall and bypass, the maximum flow was 220 L/s, up to 6 times the dry weather average flow. For this situation, the physico-chemical process may become a promising alternative, due to its ability to work under high flow rates in smaller facilities. In tests to evaluate the physical-chemical treatment was used two kinds of raw sewage: 50 and 100 mg/L BOD, overflow rate used in the plated settling tank was 76.82 m³/m² / day. The best dosage of chemical used to treat the raw sewage BOD of 50 mg/L was 40 mg/L ferric chloride plus 0.5 mg/L of cationic polymer, resulting in average effluent with BOD of 26 mg/L. For the raw sewage of the range BOD of 100 mg/L, 60 mg/L ferric chloride was the best dosage with an average BOD of effluent equal to 44 mg/L. For this range of work is recommended to provide for the application of polymer. This research concluded that it is possible to comply with the legal standard of treated sewage with physical-chemical treatment, also produced evidence that can help in the economic evaluation for the implementation of this technology in parallel with the activated sludge system in hydraulic overload situations. However, analysis of the flow diagram of operation of the station with the sequencing batch reactor, indicated that it is possible to make the treatment of flow of 220 L/s by the biological process. Therefore, is recommend the implementation of physical-chemical treatment only if after the test-scale operation of the batches with the flow rate of 220 L/s, the biological treatment doesn\'t meet the established standards.

Este trabalho apresenta e discute os resultados obtidos na operação de quatro reatores anaeróbios operados em bateladas seqüenciais, projetados em escala piloto, para tratamento de 7,8 m3.dia-1 de esgotos sanitários, coletados da rede coletora que atravessa o Campus da USP de São Carlos. Cada sistema (1,2 m3) foi concebido para tratamento de 1,95 m3.dia-1 de esgoto sanitário, com concepções geométricas (relação L-altura/D-diâmetro), mecânicas (agitação mecânica ou recirculação de líquido) e tipo de retenção de biomassa diferentes. Três unidades eram do tipo ASBR (anaerobic sequencing batch reactor) e outro tipo ASBBR (anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor) com leito fixo composto de matrizes cúbicas de espuma de poliuretano. Os ciclos operacionais tinham duração de oito horas perfazendo no total três ciclos por dia em cada sistema. O monitoramento dos reatores incluiu a determinação de DQO, pH, sólidos em suspensão totais (SST) e voláteis, ácidos voláteis totais, alcalinidade no afluente e efluente, bem como a concentração de metano no biogás. O ensaio experimental foi dividido em duas etapas distintas, sendo que na primeira (227 dias), os reatores não receberam inóculo e na segunda (66 dias) houve a inoculação prévia de lodo anaeróbio granular. Em ambas etapas, os dois reatores ASBR com mesmo tipo de agitação por recirculação de líquido, mas com diferente relação L/D não apresentaram desempenho satisfatório. Os valores médios de eficiência de remoção de DQO e de SST foram próximos de 40% e 60%, respectivamente. No efluente a concentração média foi de 300 mgDQO/L e de 100 mgSST/L. Nos reatores, ASBR com agitação mecânica e, ASBBR com biomassa imobilizada, os resultados médios obtidos foram melhores. O reator ASBBR atingiu eficiência média de 65% e 75% em remoção de DQO e SST, enquanto no ASBR com agitação mecânica chegou-se a 60% e 85%, respectivamente. A concentração média no efluente dos reator foi de 150 mgDQO/L e 60 mgSST/L no ASBBR e 220 mgDQO/L e 50 mgSST/L no ASBR com agitação mecânica. / This study reports and discuss several data obtained using four pilot scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, treating 7.8 m3.d-1 of domestic sewage from the Sao Paulo University sewer treatment system (Campus- São Carlos). Each reactor system (1.2 m3) was designed for the treatment of 1.95 m3.d-1 of domestic sewage with different geometric reactor characteristics (ratio L-length/D-diameter), mechanical (mechanical mixing or liquor re-circulation) and biomass retention type. Three reactors were a conventional ASBR (anaerobic sequencing batch reactor) with granular biomass and another one, an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR), which was composed with cubic matrices of polyurethane foam. The reactors were operated within 8-h of a sequential batch cycle, which were attained in three cycles by day for each system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, total suspended solids (TSS), volatile fatty acids, bicarbonate alkalinity in both the influent and effluent were monitored in the different cycles. Methane concentration was also assessed in the same period using Gas Chromatography (GC). The experiments were divided in two different phases. In the first phase, which corresponded to 227 d, the reactors were not inoculated. In the second phase (66 d) the reactors were then inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge. It was observed that in both operational phases, the two ASBR reactors, with the same re-circulating process of the mixed liquor, but with different L/D ratio, showed non-satisfactory results. The average values of COD and TSS removal were close to 40 and 60%, respectively. In the effluent, the average values were of 300 mgDQO/L and 100 mgTSS/L. ASBR reactors with mechanical mixing and ASBBR reactor with immobilized biomass showed better results. The average removal efficiency observed was of 65 and 75% for COD and TSS, respectively. ASBR reactors with mechanical mixing reached the efficiency of 60 and 85% for COD and TSS removal. The average concentration in the effluent was of 150 mgDQO/L and 60 mgSST/l in the ASBBR reactor; and 220 mgCOD/L and 50 mgTSS/L in the ASBR reactor with mechanical mixing.