KINETICS OF SUGAR MILL WASTE-WATER TREATMENT BY DOWN-FLOW ANAEROBIC FIXED-BED REACTORS

It was found that pseudo first order kinetics described the anaerobic digestion of sugar mill wastewater using laboratory-scale fixed bed re actors. A pseudo first order equation described the relationship of CO D removal rate with the effluent GOD. The values of the maximum COD re moval rate and saturation constant were found to be 3.02 g COD/1 day a nd 0.34 g GOD/1 respectively. Based on the similar approach, values of the maximum specific substrate utilization rate, U-m, and the coeffic ient of surface loading saturation, K-U, were 0.44 and 0.49 Kg COD/m(2 ) day, respectively. Similar expression was employed to evaluate the e ffect of the organic volumetric loading rate (B-v) and the organic vol umetric loading removal rate (B-vR). Variations in experimental data f rom the theoretical values obtained using the model were assessed with respect to the efficiency corresponding to each of the hydraulic rete ntion times and influent concentrations. Theoretical values were calcu lated with a 15% error band using the kinetic parameters obtained. The experimental values were within this error band in all cases. With th e pseudo first order kinetic model, values of mu(m) and K-d were found to be 1.08 and 0.31 (1/days) respectively.