title: Decentralised treatment of concentrated sewage at low temperature in a two-step anaerobic system: two upflow-hybrid septic tanks.
abstract: The decentralised treatment of concentrated sewage (about 3,600 mgCOD/l) at low temperature was investigated in a two-step anaerobic system: two-anaerobic hybrid (AH) septic tanks (each 0.575 m3). The two reactors were placed in a temperature controlled-room and the HRT was 2.5 days for each reactor. The system was fed with concentrated domestic sewage, mainly black water from about 40 toilets flushed with only 4 litre of water and a limited amount of grey water. The system showed high removal efficiency for the different COD fractions. Mean removal efficiencies in the two-step AH-septic tank at 5 days HRT and 13 degrees C were 94, 98, 74 and 78% for total COD, suspended COD, colloidal COD and dissolved COD respectively. The results of short run experiments indicated that the presence of reticulated polyurethane foam (RPF) media in the AH-septic tank improved the removal of suspended COD by 22%. The first AH-septic tank was full of sludge after 4 months of operation due to the high removal of particulate COD and the limited hydrolysis at low temperature conditions. Therefore, a simple mathematical model was developed based on ADM1 (the IWA model in 2002). Based on the experimental results and the mathematical model, only a one-step AH septic tank is required. An HRT of 5.5-7.5 days is needed for that one-step AH septic tank to treat concentrated sewage at a low temperature of 13 degrees C. Such a system can provide a total COD removal as high as 87% and will be full of sludge after a period of more than a year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Benha High Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 13512, Benha El-Gedida, Benha, Egypt. t_elmitwalli@yahoo.com
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Elmitwalli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Groendijk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Lier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zeeman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lettinga
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000502:physiology*; D019149:Bioreactors; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage