The effects of organic loading rate on the performance of an Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) treating beet sugar wastewater: pilot experiments

A pilot-scale Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) effective volume 1.2 m³ and four compartments was used for the treatment of a beet sugar wastewater. The effect of organic loading rates on the operational performance was investigated. The experimental results showed that when influent COD concentration varied from 2000 mg/L to 9000 mg/L, the reactor was rapidly started-up with a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 60 h at ambient temperature. Since then the HRT was steadily reduced to 48 h, 36 h and 24 h eventually, the COD removal efficiency was more than 70% at all HRTs tested. The system was effective for the treatment of high-strength wastewater with the potential of rapid start-up, run smoothly, high removal efficiency both at low and high organic loading rate.

Keywords: ABR, anaerobic baffled reactors, beet sugar wastewater, pilot plant, organic loading rate, wastewater treatment, hydraulic retention time