Anaerobic wastewater digester systems are a collection of processes by which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion, a simple process, can greatly reduce the amount of organic matter that might otherwise be destined to be dumped at sea, dumped in landfills, or burned in incinerators.
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Whether for waste-to-energy or for conditioning of biosolids prior to disposal, WesTech offers complete digestion systems. WesTech’s systems provide effective and reliable solids storage, heating, and mixing of biosolids, as well as the capture of biogas to convert into usable energy.
Read our blog post to learn how municipal WWTPs and food processing and livestock companies are working together to increase biogas utilization by combining sewage sludge, food waste, and manure in anaerobic digesters.
Anaerobic lagoons are large man-made ponds, typically ranging between 1-2 acres in size, and up to 20 feet deep. They are used widely for treatment of agricultural wastewater resulting from meat production, as well as treatment of other industrial wastewater streams, and as a primary treatment step in municipal wastewater treatment. Wastewater is typically piped into the bottom of the lagoon, where it settles out to form an upper liquid layer, and a semi-solid sludge layer. The liquid layer prevents oxygen from reaching the sludge layer, allowing a process of anaerobic digestion to break down the organic materials in the wastewater. On average, this process can take as little as a few weeks, or up to six months to bring BOD/COD levels to the target range. Anaerobic bacteria favor certain environmental conditions, such as warm water temperatures (85-95° F) and a near-neutral pH, therefore, maintaining optimal conditions will enhance the rate of anaerobic microorganism activity, resulting in a shorter wastewater detention time. The rate of anaerobic respiration can also be limited by a number of factors, including fluctuations in BOD/COD concentration, and presence of substances such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
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Sludge blanket reactors are a type of anaerobic treatment where wastewater is passed through a free-floating “blanket” of suspended sludge particles. As the anaerobes in the sludge digest the organic constituents in the wastewater, they multiply and collect into larger granules that settle to the bottom of the reactor tank, and can be recycled for future cycles. The treated effluent flows upward and out of the unit. Biogases resulting from the degradation process are collected by collection hoods throughout the treatment cycle.
Anaerobic sludge blanket reactors are available in a few different forms, including:
Anaerobic filter reactors are comprised of a reactor tank outfitted with a fixed filter medium of some kind. Anaerobic microorganisms are allowed to establish themselves on the filter media, forming what is known as a biofilm. Filter media vary from one system to the next, with common materials including plastic films and particles, as well as gravel, pumice, bricks and other materials. New filter media must be inoculated with anaerobes, and the biofilm may take several months to become established to the point that it is ready for treatment at full capacity.
During treatment cycles, the wastewater stream is passed through the filter media, which serves to capture particles from the stream, while also providing ample surface area for exposing anaerobes in the biofilm to the organic materials present in the stream. Filter reactor performance must be carefully monitored over time, as the filter media will eventually become clogged with excess biofilm and particulate buildup, requiring maintenance steps such as backwashing and cleaning to maintain optimal performance.
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