Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) is one of the wastewater treatment systems that is designed based on the use of microorganisms in anaerobic conditions to remove organic pollutants in industrial wastewater. The UASB anaerobic treatment reactor, also known as the upstream anaerobic sludge blanket, is used in a variety of industries such as the food and pharmaceutical industries to produce treated wastewater and biogas as an output. Seven Industrial Group; The manufacturer of the UASB wastewater treatment package provides a comprehensive guide for this group of products. This guide includes the introduction of the UASB reactor, how it works, the layers considered in the design, production and construction of the UASB wastewater treatment package and the advantages, disadvantages and applications of this package.
What is a UASB wastewater treatment package?
UASB anaerobic wastewater treatment reactor or package is a special type of water treatment equipment that passes through the granular sludge layers at the bottom of the tank, causing the organic matter in the wastewater to react with the sludge layer microorganisms and eventually cause Biogas such as methane and carbon dioxide can be produced. The passage of wastewater through the sludge layers and the removal of organic pollutants from it largely carry out the treatment steps, and finally the biogas and treated wastewater are transferred to the top of the reactor and are transferred out of the specified layers outside the device. UASB reactor has the ability to remove organic matter and therefore is mostly used in pre-treatment stages and its output cannot be used directly in the food and pharmaceutical industries and so on.
How UASB reactor works (upstream anaerobic sludge blanket)
As mentioned above, the UASB wastewater treatment package removes organic matter from the wastewater with the help of sludge layers produced by microorganisms and anaerobic molecules. In general, the procedure and operation of the UASB reactor is as follows:
· Industrial and sanitary wastewater with organic matter in it enters the tank from the end of the reactor and passes through the sludge layer.
· The contact of the wastewater with the sludge layer leads to the reaction of organic matter with microorganisms, which eventually causes the production of bio gas such as methane and carbon dioxide.
· Due to the fact that in the design of the UASB wastewater treatment package, the system and its general structure are designed with upward flow, as a result, the wastewater passes through the elementary sludge layer with high density and volume and reacts with lower density organic matter. The result of this reaction is the removal of organic matter and the production of gas and the movement all upwards.
· The UASB wastewater treatment reactor separation layers, known as GLS, perform the process of separating gas, liquid and solid, causing gases to be transferred from the intended sections to the outside of the reactor and liquid and solid are transferred to the relevant sections and eventually logged out.
It should be noted that various factors such as pH, temperature, intensity and speed of wastewater entering the system and the amount of chemical oxygen required (COD) affect the efficiency of this group of wastewater treatment equipment. This is why most USAB reactors are more efficient for treatment plants in the tropics with high COD wastewater. It is also necessary to check the pH of the wastewater regularly so that it does not exceed 3.6 to 8.7.
Anaerobic wastewater treatment reactor layers
In general, and according to the steps of separation of organic matter from wastewater in the UASB anaerobic system, it can be said that the layers intended for this reactor include the following:
· Sewage inlet layer by pumps installed in the device in the lowest part of the UASB system
· Sludge layer with granular properties and high adhesion strength and density
· Sludge blanket (layer of masses accumulated by microorganisms with lower density)
· Liquid, gas and solid separation layer GLS
· Chimneys for the discharge of biogas produced
· Sewage drain valves and transfer to subsequent tanks
Design of UASB wastewater treatment package
In order to implement wastewater treatment with UASB method, it is necessary to consider several standards in the design of UASB wastewater treatment package. One of the most important factors in designing a UASB reactor is the height of different layers of the device. In general, based on several experiments, the best height for the sludge layer is 1.5 to 2.5 meters, which in some cases is considered one meter. This means 30 to 60 percent of the total height of the reactor. As a result, it can be said that the height of the reactor is at least 4 and at most 8 meters, which of course is often 4.5 to 6.5 meters in the design of the UASB wastewater treatment package.
It should also be noted that the height of the UASB separation layer is about 4 meters, which accounts for 15 to 30% of the total volume of the reactor. The average loading power of UASB is another important factor that is considered in the design of UASB wastewater treatment package, which is a variable value and is often considered 10kgCOD / m3.d. Water temperature, sludge concentration, the ratio of sludge bed height to the total height of the reactor, sludge retention time at the reactor floor and important factors in creating equilibrium in the UASB system are among the important factors in designing the UASB reactor.
Construction of UASB wastewater treatment package
Seven Industrial Group is one of the most experienced design, production and manufacturing teams of UASB wastewater treatment package, and all the steps taken in presenting these products are performed under the supervision of professional engineers. The reactors produced in this complex have different dimensions and sizes with various capabilities and features that are designed and produced according to the desired environment and treatment plant. In order to receive more information on how to build a wastewater treatment package using the UASB method and review the features of each product, you can contact the experts of Seven Industrial Group.
UASB system price
Anaerobic wastewater treatment reactors are one of the most complex equipments in the field of wastewater treatment, which in addition to many differences in their types, are also different in terms of price. The price of UASB reactor is determined based on various factors, including the body material, size and capacity of the tank, brand and materials used in the equipment and fittings of the device, height, etc. You can use the communication channels at the bottom of the page to inquire about the price of the UASB wastewater treatment package.
Application of UASB wastewater treatment
As mentioned, the upstream anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) wastewater treatment system has the ability to separate organic matter from industrial and sanitary wastewater. Therefore, this equipment is mostly used as wastewater pre-treatment in various industries. The most important applications of UASB treatment system are the following:
Use of UASB reactors in beverage factories
Factories and food industries
Paper industry
Alcohol production
Textile wastewater treatment
Advantages of UASB
UASB treatment system has many advantages over aerobic reactors, the most important of which are:
· No need for sludge layer food for long
· Production of biogas in the process of reaction of organic matter with biological waste and production of energy from them
· Production of concentrated sludge and its use in agricultural fields
· High efficiency in the removal of organic matter from industrial and sanitary wastewater
· Low space required for installation of USAB wastewater treatment system
· Low odor production compared to aerobic methods
· Cheaper cost to build, install and maintain
Disadvantages of Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment
Despite all the advantages of anaerobic wastewater treatment systems, this equipment has limitations, but many of them can be addressed by various methods. Among the disadvantages of anaerobic wastewater treatment reactors are the following options:
· Lack of proper performance in low temperature environments
· Inability to remove all contaminants in the wastewater and the need for a complete treatment stage after the wastewater leaves the anaerobic system
· Time consuming stage of designing, manufacturing and producing USAB wastewater treatment package
