High-rate aerobic and anaerobic technologies for carbon management and achieving energy neutrality

摘要

Three pilot studies of an A-stage, UASB, and AnMBR were conducted to evaluate the COD removal mechanisms and operational control strategies to optimize carbon capture to further the quest of WRRFs to achieve energy neutrality. Currently, the A-stage is the only process out of the three that has been used full-scale in conjunction with anaerobic digestion of solids to manage carbon for nutrient removal and achieve energy neutrality. Fully anaerobic technologies have the potential to maximize energy recovery by directly converting the influent carbon to biogas. The AnMBR pilot experienced 80% COD removal at a nominal HRT of 8 hours and the effluent was primarily soluble COD. The primary disadvantage of the AnMBR was the significant amount of effort required to maintain sufficient tlux rates due to fouling. The performance of the UASB was mainly driven by solids removal as the effluent was dominated by particulate COD and suffered at HRTs lower than about 15 hours.