Experiments were performed to study the change in sludge characteristics and sludge granulation during the start-up of a thermophilic methanol-fed upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor. The laboratory scale reactor, was inoculated with thermophilic granular sludge and operated at 55°C over 130 days at organic loading rates (OLR) varying from 2.7 to 47 gCOD.L−1.d−1. Physical characterisation was performed for both the seed and the cultivated sludge. Results demonstrated that a good quality, well settleable granular sludge was cultivated and retained in the reactor, allowing an OLR of 47 gCOD.L−1.d−1 with 93% of methanol removal, where 79% was converted into methane. Using a community analysis of the cultivated consortia, high numbers of rod-shaped hydrogenotrophic methanogens were enumerated. Biomass washout coincided with a high specific gas load, but was not detrimental to the system in the conditions tested.
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Research Article|
May 01 2002
Start-up of a thermophilic methanol-fed UASB reactor: change in sludge characteristics
P.L. Paulo;
P.L. Paulo
*Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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B. Jiang;
B. Jiang
*Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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K. Roest;
K. Roest
**Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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J.B. van Lier;
J.B. van Lier
*Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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G. Lettinga
G. Lettinga
*Sub-Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Water Sci Technol (2002) 45 (10): 145–150.
Citation
P.L. Paulo, B. Jiang, K. Roest, J.B. van Lier, G. Lettinga; Start-up of a thermophilic methanol-fed UASB reactor: change in sludge characteristics. Water Sci Technol 1 May 2002; 45 (10): 145–150. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2002.0313
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