Development of anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR), a novel anaerobic treatment system

A novel anaerobic treatment system, the anaerobic migrating blanket reactor (AMBR), was developed after completing a parallel study with upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) processes. Using sucrose as the main component of a synthetic wastewater, the AMBR achieved a maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate of 30 g.l−1.day−1 at a 12-h hydraulic retention time (HRT). This resulted in a standard methane production rate (SMPR) of 6.5 l.l−1.day−1 and an average methane-based COD (MCOD) removal efficiency of 62.2%. A key element in granular biomass formation was migration of the biomass blanket through the reactor. Although a carbohydrate-rich wastewater was used, no separate pre-acidification was required for the AMBR, because of high mixing intensities and wash out of acidogenic bacteria. In contrast, the absence of pre-acidification created “bulking” problems (caused by abundant acidogenic bacteria at the surface of granules) in a UASB reactor, operated under conditions similar to that of the AMBR. As a result, a maximum COD loading rate and SMPR of 21 g.l−1.day−1 and 4.9 l.l−1.day−1 were achieved, respectively, for the UASB reactor at a 12-h HRT. These values were 18 g.l−1.day−1 and 3.7 l.l−1.day−1, respectively, for an ASBR at a 12-h HRT. Hence, the performance of the AMBR in treating a carbohydrate-rich wastewater was found to be superior in terms of maximum loading rate and SMPR.