Jump to main content.

Research Project Search
 Enter Search Term:
   
 NCER Advanced Search

A Comparison of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (USAB) and the Anaerobic Biofilm Fluidized Bed Reactor (ABFBR) for the Treatment of Municipal Wastewater

EPA Grant Number: R827933C008
Subproject: this is subproject number 008 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R825427
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Urban Waste Management and Research Center (University New Orleans)
Center Director: McManis, Kenneth
Title: A Comparison of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (USAB) and the Anaerobic Biofilm Fluidized Bed Reactor (ABFBR) for the Treatment of Municipal Wastewater
Investigators: La Motta, Enrique J.
Institution: University of New Orleans
EPA Project Officer: Krishnan, Bala S.
Project Period:    
RFA: Urban Waste Management & Research Center (1998)
Research Category: Targeted Research

Description:

Objective:

Anaerobic treatment of municipal waste waters has recently gained worldwide attention due to its effectiveness, low cost, and low energy requirements. Particularly in developing countries, this technology is competing favorably with the more traditional stabilization ponds that require large areas that, very often, are no longer available around large cities.

Of all the anaerobic wastewater treatment processes currently used, the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) and the Anaerobic Biofilm Fluidized Bed (ABFB) reactors have an excellent potential to become highly competitive for municipal wastewater treatment. Although the former has been successfully used in full- scale treatment plants, the latter continues to be an experimental system despite its inherent advantages over the UASB system. One of the reasons for the low acceptance of both the UASB and the ABFBR among American sanitary engineers is the long start-up period that is often required. However, by coating the support particles with a synthetic polymer, a significant reduction of the start-up period was obtained.

The objective of this project is to evaluate the capability of ABFB and UASB reactors to remove pathogens from unsettled municipal sewage. It was observed that both technologies are efficient at fecal coliform removal. Coliform bacteria are colloidal and supra-colloidal particles which, in general, tend to associate with suspended solids. Because it has been demonstrated that these reactors are efficient in the removal of suspended solids, it follows that coliforms attached to solids are also retained in the ABFB and UASB reactors. If properly designed and operated, these units may also remove the unattached coliforms.

The specific research objectives of this project are as follows:

1 compare the performance of ABFB and UASB reactors in the removal of fecal coliform under similar operating conditions;

2 determine the most important mechanisms for the removal of fecal coliform in the ABFB and UASB reactors;

3 evaluate how the most critical operational parameters in anaerobic reactor operation affect the mechanisms for removal of fecal coliform and the performance of these units; and

4 make recommendations for the units= configuration, design and operational parameters in order to optimize both pathogen removal and secondary treatment of municipal wastewater.

Supplemental Keywords:

Water, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Wastewater, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, Municipal, treatment, water quality, wastewater treatment, Anaerobic Biofilm Fluidized Bed Reactor (ABFBR), Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (USAB), municipal wastewater treatment, anaerobic digestion, wastewater treatment plants, support particles, pathogen removal, municipal wastewater

Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R825427    Urban Waste Management and Research Center (University New Orleans)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R825427C001 Comprehensive Evaluation of The Dual Trickling Filter Solids Contact Process
R825427C002 Issues Involving the Vertical Expansion of Landfills
R825427C003 Deep Foundations on Brownfields Sites
R825427C004 Ambient Particulate Concentration Model for Traffic Intersections
R825427C005 Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Approaches for I/I Reduction
R825427C006 Urban Solid Waste Management Videos
R825427C007 UWMRC Community Outreach Multimedia Exhibit
R825427C008 Including New Technology into the Investigation of Inappropriate Pollutant Entries into Storm Drainage Systems - A User's Guide
R825427C009 Investigation of Hydraulic Characteristics and Alternative Model Development of Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands
R825427C010 Beneficial Use Of Urban Runoff For Wetland Enhancement
R825427C011 Urban Storm and Waste Water Outfall Modeling
R827933C001 Development of a Model Sediment Control Ordinance for Louisisana
R827933C002 Inappropriate Discharge to Stormwater Drainage (Demonstration Project)
R827933C003 Alternate Liner Evaluation Model
R827933C004 LA DNR - DEQ - Regional Waste Management
R827933C005 Landfill Design Specifications
R827933C006 Geosynthetic Clay Liners as Alternative Barrier Systems
R827933C007 Used Tire Monofill
R827933C008 A Comparison of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (USAB) and the Anaerobic Biofilm Fluidized Bed Reactor (ABFBR) for the Treatment of Municipal Wastewater
R827933C009 Integrated Environmental Management Plan for Shipbuilding Facilities
R827933C010 Nicaragua
R827933C011 Louisiana Environmental Education and Resource Program
R827933C012 Costa Rica - Costa Rican Initiative
R827933C013 Evaluation of Cr(VI) Exposure Assessment in the Shipbuilding Industry
R827933C014 LaTAP, Louisiana Technical Assistance Program: Pollution Prevention for Small Businesses
R827933C015 Louisiana Environmental Leadership Pollution Prevention Program
R827933C016 Inexpensive Non-Toxic Pigment Substitute for Chromium in Primer for Aluminum Sibstrate
R827933C017 China - Innovative Waste Composting Plan for the City of Benxi, People's Rupublic of China
R827933C018 Institutional Control in Brownfields Redevelopment: A Methodology for Community Participation and Sustainability
R827933C019 Physico-Chemical Assessment for Treatment of Storm Water From Impervious Urban Watersheds Typical of the Gulf Coast
R827933C020 Influence of Cyclic Interfacial Redox Conditions on the Structure and Integrity of Clay Liners for Landfills Subject to Variable High Groundwater Conditions in the Gulf Coast Region
R827933C021 Characterizing Moisture Content Within Landfills
R827933C022 Bioreactor Landfill Moisture Management
R827933C023 Urban Water Issues: A Video Series
R827933C024 Water Quality Modeling in Urban Storm Water Systems
R827933C025 The Development of a Web Based Instruction (WBI) Program for the UWMRC User's Guide (Investigation of Inappropriate Pollutant Entries Into Storm Drainage Systems)
R827933C027 Legal Issues of SSO's: Private Property Sources and Non-NPDES Entities
R827933C028 Brownfields Issues: A Video Series
R827933C029 Facultative Landfill Bioreactors (FLB): A Pilot-Scale Study of Waste Stabilization, Landfill Gas Emissions, Leachate Treatment, and Landfill Geotechnical Properties
R827933C030 Advances in Municipal Wastewater Treatment
R827933C031 Design Criteria for Sanitary Sewer System Rehabilitation
R827933C032 Deep Foundations in Brownfield Areas: Continuing Investigation
R827933C033 Gradation-Based Transport, Kinetics, Coagulation, and Flocculation of Urban Watershed Rainfall-Runoff Particulate Matter
R827933C034 Leaching and Stabilization of Solid-Phase Residuals Separated by Storm Water BMPs Capturing Urban Runoff Impacted by Transportation Activities and Infrastructure
R827933C035 Fate of Pathogens in Storm Water Runoff
R87933C020 Influence of Cyclic Interfacial Redox Conditions on the Structure and Integrity of Clay Liners for Landfills Subject to Variable High Groundwater Conditions in the Gulf Coast Region

Top of page

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.