title: Multiscale hydrodynamic investigation to intensify the biogas production in upflow anaerobic reactors.
abstract: Hydrodynamics plays a main role for the performance of an anaerobic reactor involving three phases: wastewater, sludge granules and biogas bubbles. The present work was focused on an original approach to investigate the hydrodynamics at different scales and then to intensify the performance of such complex reactors. The experiments were carried out respectively in a 3D reactor at macroscale, a 2D reactor at mesoscale and a 1D anaerobic reactor at microscale. A Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), a micro-PIV and a high-speed camera were employed to quantify the liquid flow fields and the relative motion between sludge granules and bubbles. Shear rates exerted on sludge granules were quantified from liquid flow fields. The optimal biogas production is obtained at mean shear rate varying from 28 to 48s(-1), which is controlled by two antagonistic mechanisms. The multiscale approach demonstrates pertinent mechanisms proper to each scale and allows a better understanding of such reactors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jiankai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jinbai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy cedex, France.
authors.forename: Souhila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poncin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy cedex, France. Electronic address: Huai-Zhi.Li@univ-lorraine.fr.
authors.forename: Huai Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D056804:Biofuels; D019149:Bioreactors; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D012212:Rheology; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D012722:Sewage
keywords: Biogas production; Hydrodynamics; Multiscale approach; PIV and micro-PIV; Upflow anaerobic reactor