High rate anaerobic digestion of swine wastewater in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Abstract

Efficient treatment of swine wastewater at a high rate would facilitate the development of a sustainable pig industry. In this study, to investigate methane fermentation and membrane filtration performance, an anaerobic membrane bioreactor was operated under mesophilic conditions for 207 days during four stages, with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) decreasing from 5 to 3, 2, and 1 day, and a changing of solid retention time/hydraulic retention time (SRT/HRT) ratio from 18,18 to 8 and 3.2. The results showed that a higher volumetric methane production of 1.63 L/(L.d) and a lower VFAs concentration (<200 mg/L at stable stage) could achieved when the HRT was 1 day and SRT/HRT ratio was only 3.2. The specific methanogenic activity slightly decreased under the shorter HRT, and with SRT/HRT shortening, hydro-genotrophic Methanocorpusculum tended to dominate in bulk sludge while acetoclastic Methanosaeta dominated in the biofilm. Membrane fouling was observed after 4 months with a flux decline and a significant increase in trans-membrane pressure. A serial cleaning test indicated that organic pollutants contributed highly to the membrane fouling. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords

AnMBR; Swine wastewater; Hydraulic retention time; Methanogenesis; Membrane fouling

Published in

Energy
2020, volume: 193, article number: 116783
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

• Westerholm, Maria

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

Food Waste

Global goals (SDG)

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production

UKÄ Subject classification

Water Treatment

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116783

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/104925