Abstract
This study investigates the anaerobic-aerobic treatment of an industrial wastewater from
a Fischer-Tropsch process. The considered synthetic wastewater has an overall
concentration of 28 gCOD/L, mainly due to alcohols. The continuous anaerobic process
was studied in a fixed-bed reactor under mesophilic conditions (35°C). Gradual start-up,
starting from 3.4 gCOD/L/day, was used in order to overcome potential inhibition from
long-chain alcohols (>C6). Then, the process was operated successfully by feeding with
the wastewater, with neither pretreatment nor dilution, up to an organic load rate of 20
gCOD/L/day (hydraulic retention time 1.4 days). 96% COD removal and full
conversion of removed COD into methane was obtained (about one third coming from
hydrogenophilic methanogenesis). By considering a potential of 200 tCOD/day to be
treated, that would also correspond to a net production of electric energy of about 8*107
kWh/year. The effluent of the anaerobic reactor contained only acetic and propionic
acids, that were easily removed under aerobic conditions.
a Fischer-Tropsch process. The considered synthetic wastewater has an overall
concentration of 28 gCOD/L, mainly due to alcohols. The continuous anaerobic process
was studied in a fixed-bed reactor under mesophilic conditions (35°C). Gradual start-up,
starting from 3.4 gCOD/L/day, was used in order to overcome potential inhibition from
long-chain alcohols (>C6). Then, the process was operated successfully by feeding with
the wastewater, with neither pretreatment nor dilution, up to an organic load rate of 20
gCOD/L/day (hydraulic retention time 1.4 days). 96% COD removal and full
conversion of removed COD into methane was obtained (about one third coming from
hydrogenophilic methanogenesis). By considering a potential of 200 tCOD/day to be
treated, that would also correspond to a net production of electric energy of about 8*107
kWh/year. The effluent of the anaerobic reactor contained only acetic and propionic
acids, that were easily removed under aerobic conditions.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 451-458 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
Volume | 14 |
Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Event | Industrial Biotechnology International Conference - Naples, Italy Duration: 8 Jun 2008 → 11 Jun 2008 |
Bibliographical note
This research was carried out under the contract 122/2006 between the Department ofChemistry and Enitecnologie S.p.A (now Eni S.p.A). The kind assistance of ACEAATO2 staff at the “Roma Nord” WWTP is gratefully acknowledged.