Abstract
Performances and internal behaviors of the upflow hybrid anaerobic filters treating a dairy wastewater were analyzed to identify the functions and roles of the modular crossflow media and sludge bed layer and to discover their interrelationship in the filter. The media could perform independent biological and physical separation role without buildup of sludge bed, while the role of sludge bed was dependent on the function of the media. The filter packed with the crossflow media did not necessarily require the formation of sludge bed when treating a dairy wastewater. Biological contribution of the media was controlled by that of biologically active sludge bed complementing mutually each other. The gas-liquid-solid separation capability of the media was indispensible to ensure the active biological role of sludge bed, since sludge bed buildup without the media had no independently effective biological function. It was believed that the filter in itself could also function as a selector for physical gas-liquid-solid separation resulting in selectively concentrating particles with superior settleability in sludge bed. The sludge bed in the filter played a key role in the physical solids capture from influent as well as biological organics removal.