Influence of Using Packing Materials on the UASB Performance

Abstract

A lot of researchers studied the main factors affecting the performance of using the Up flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors for domestic wastewater treatment. The previous researches and experiments to investigate some parameters which affecting the treatment process using UASB reactors such as Hydraulic retention time, sludge blanket thickness, mode of operation (Continues and feed – feed less), feed less period and internal media inside the reactor.This paper investigate the influence of using pieces of sponge used as an internal media (packing materials) on the UASB performance in treating the municipal wastewater. The main purpose of using the internal media inside the reactor is to allocate large surface area for bacterial community growth.A pilot scale setup was designed and constructed at Zenien wastewater treatment plant (Zenien WWTP) in Giza Governorate, Egypt. It was operated under ambient environmental conditions.The experimental works shows increment at the UASB performance of the main parameters COD, BOD, TSS and VSS.

Keywords: Sewage treatment, Packing Materials, UASB