Performance evaluation of novel UASB reactor with built in DHS module for the treatment of municipal sewage

Abstract

Rapid industrialization and urbanization has put a threat to the goal of sustainable development for every developing nation. Alarming issue faced by every developing/underdeveloped country would be the discharge of untreated or partially treated municipal sewage into water bodies, due to the lack of proper wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Besides this rising environmental crisis, thirst for potable water has also increased over decades with a boom in population growth. Having finite resources in hand, the only sound option to meet our demands would be the conservation of existing waterbodies and aquatic resources. As global warming is also one big threatener of this era, treatment schemes should be designed in such a way to have reduced carbon footprints. High rate anaerobic systems come for rescue in this regard- among which the granule based UASB reactors are considered the most robust. UASB is a well proven system for treating various high strength industrial wastewaters, but when it comes to municipal sewage the reactor lacks with high treatment efficiency. Another big shortfall of this technology would be the need of a polishing facility- for the effluent to meet the prescribed (NGT- discharge standards for STPs). Hence UASB reactors are often accompanied with post treatment units. Though UASB reactors followed by DHS units have proven to improve the effluent quality, going for a separate system would demand more of energy and capital. Hence this study took benefit of the characteristics of UASB, enhanced its phase separator and incorporated a DHS module within it to improve the effluent quality. newline