performance evaluation and biogas production of an uasb reactor in treating synthetic municipal wastewater

In the present study, the performance and biogas production of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (uasb) reactor for the biological treatment of synthetic municipal wastewater at a hydraulic retention time of 10 h and organic loading rate of 1.43 kg cod/m3.day, and temperature 32°c during 25 days of the operation was investigated. during the operation of the uasb, the concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids decreased from 60605±2431 and 30252±1916 to 40989±1140 and 21174±742 mg/l, respectively. the average chemical oxygen demand (cod) concentration decreased from about 600 to 121±2 mg/l under steady-state conditions, and the cod removal efficiency reached 79.6±0.5%. with the increase of cod removal efficiency, the daily volume of biogas production increased from about 4 to 22 l/day, and consequently, the daily volume of methane reached a maximum of 14 l/day. moreover, along with improving the performance of the uasb reactor, the turbidity removal efficiency reached 45.6±0.5%.