UPGRADING AN EXISTING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BASED ON AN UPFLOW ANAEROBIC PACKED-BED REACTOR

The performance of an upflow anaerobic packed-bed reactor in the upgrading of parkandabad (mashhad,north east of iran) wastewater treatment plant was studied in a pilot plant. the experiments wereperformed at hydraulic retention times of 6, 12, 18 and 24h based on empty reactor volume and theperformance of the reactor was evaluated based on the removal of organic matter (bod5 and cod) andss. the average bod5 and cod removal efficiencies were in the ranges of 79.0-89.3% and 75.7-87.2%,respectively, depending on hrt. the relationship between the organic loading rate and organic removalrate was linear in the loading range of 0.52-2.10kg bod5/m3.d. the average ss removal efficiencies athydraulic retention times of 6, 12, 18 and 24h were obtained to be 82.9, 83.6, 81.2 and 87.4%,respectively. the results indicated that the reactor in combination with existing biological treatmentprocess (completely mixed aerated lagoon) can produce a high quality effluent.