• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.9-19
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• 1998

Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the performance of anaerobic sequencing batch reactor(ASBR) for digestion of a municipal sludge. Each cycle of the ASBR comprised feeding, two-or three-day reaction, one-day thickening, and withdrawal. The reactors were operated at an HRT of 10days and 5days with an equivalent organic loading rate of 0.8-1.54 gVS/l/d, 1.81-3.56 gVS/l/d at 35$\circ$C, respectively. Solids accumulation was remarkable in the ASBR during start-up period, and directly affected by settleable solids in the feed sludge. Floatation thickening occured in the ASBRs, and Solids profiles at the end of thickening step dramatically changed at solid-liquid interface. Slight difference in solids concentrations was observed within thickened sludge bed. Efficiencies through floatation thickening were comparable to that of additional thickening of the completely mixed control reactor. Average solids concentrations in the ASBRs were 2.2-2.6 times higher than that in the control throughout the total operation period. The dehydrogenase activity had a strong correlation with the solids concentration. Organics removals based on clarified effluent of the ASBRs were consistently above 86%. Remarkable increase in equivalent gas production of 27-52% was observed at the ASBRs compared with the control though the control and ASBRs showed similiar effluent quality. Thus, digestion of a municipal sludge was possible using the ASBR in spite of high concentration of solids in the sludge.