title: Influence of agitation rate on the performance of a stirred anaerobic sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass.
abstract: The present work reports on the influence of the mechanical agitation rates on the performance of a stirred anaerobic sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass on polyurethane foam, as inert support, treating synthetic domestic wastewater. The reactor was operated at 30 degrees C and an 8-hour cycle was used to treat approximately 0.5 L of the synthetic substrate with a COD concentration of nearly 500 mg/L. The studied agitation rates ranged from no agitation to 750 rpm. The system attained non-filtered substrate removal efficiency greater than 83% when agitation was employed. A very short start-up period and good solid retention could be observed. The use of agitation increased the efficiency of the reactor and enabled reduction of the total cycle time. An empirical equation and a first-order kinetic model are proposed to analyze the influence of agitation rates on the reactor's performance.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Engenharia Química e de Alimentos-Escola de Engenharia Mauá-Centro Universitário Mauá-Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia (IMT), Praça Mauá 1, CEP 09.580-900, São Caetano do Sul-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ratusznei
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaiat
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Borzani
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000502:physiology*; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D007700:Kinetics; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011140:Polyurethanes; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes; C028279:polyurethane foam; D010100:Oxygen