Bioresource Technology 64 (1998) 33-38

© 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

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ELSEVIER PI 1:S0960-8524(97)00154-5

ANAEROBIC TREATMENT OF BREWERY WASTEWATER

USING UASB REACTORS SEEDED WITH ACTIVATED
SLUDGE

C. Cronin & K. V. Lo*

Chemical and Bio-Resource Engineering Department, Universityof British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z4

(Received 27 September 1996; revised version received 9 October 1997; accepted 11 October 1997)

Abstract characterized by large variations in these parameters

In this study, two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (Huang and Hung, 1987). In particular, brewery
(UASB) reactors seeded with aerobic activated sludge effluents are generally characterized by high total
were used to treat brewery wastewater. The reactors biochemical oxygen demand (TBODs), total
were identical in design and were continuously chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) and total
operated at 19-24°C. Reactor A was seeded with suspended solids (TSS), and large variations in flow
1"98 g volatile suspended solids (VSS) per liter of accli- and strength (LeClair, 1984). Aerobic treatment has
matized activated sludge, while Reactor B was seeded had proven success on the industrial scale in the
with 1.98 g VSS l - l of acclimatized sludge and past, as demonstrated by the deep shaft treatment
3"95g VSS1-1 of unacclimatized sludge (a total of system at Molsons Brewery in Barrie, Ontario
5.93 g VSS l - 1). The study examined reactor perform- (LeClair, 1984). However, power requirements and
ance in terms of treatment efficiency and methane sludge handling and disposal significantly raised the
production under different hydraulic retention times projected cost of operation of the treatment system.
(HRT) and organic loading rates, and evaluated the Anaerobic treatment, compared with aerobic treat-
effect of amount of seed sludge on reactor start-up and ment, produces less sludge, has lower energy
performance. The results indicate that as the chemical requirements, and produces methane which may be
oxygen demand (COD) loading rate increases with burned as an additional energy source. High rate
time, the influence of the amount of seed sludge anaerobic treatment systems can be used to treat a
becomes more pronounced. Reactor B consistently variety of industrial wastewaters and are proving to
out-performed Reactor A under shorter HRTs of 1"5 be an attractive alternative to aerobic treatment
days to 12 h with maximum COD and VSS removal systems. In this study a high rate anaerobic treat-
rates of 91% and 81%, respectively, at a sludge loading ment system, the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket
rate of 0"25gCODg -J VSSday -I and an H R T of (UASB) reactor, was chosen to treat brewery
18h. The results also confirm that an acclimation effluent. UASB reactors were chosen because they
period of at least 2 weeks is necessary to prevent delays are simple in design and have been successful in
in the start-up process when using activated sludge as treating brewery effluent in laboratory-scale experi-
seed. Using 5"93 g VSS l - ~ of activated sludge as seed ments as well as on an industrial scale (Huang and
enabled Reactor B to achieve satisfactory performance. Hung, 1987). As the success of a UASB reactor
© 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights operation depends on good bacterial floc formation,
reserved. either a proper start-up procedure or the use of
pre-granulated seeds to reduce the necessary start-
Key words: Anaerobic, brewery wastewater, activated up time is required (Goodwin et al., 1992).
sludge, sludge blanket reactor. Activated sludge was chosen to seed the UASB
reactors. Wu et al. (1987) have found that activated
INTRODUCTION sludge is a good alternative to digested sewage
sludge for the start-up of UASB reactors because a
Brewery plants produce large quantities of waste- considerable amount of methanogenic bacteria is
water with high concentrations of organic pollutants found in activated sludge and it is easy to obtain
and low concentrations of nutrients, and which is large amounts from activated sludge plants. Another
advantage is that activated sludge contains little sand
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. or soil and is composed mostly of biomass, thus
33
34 C. Cronin & K. V Lo

there is no problem with a dead space, consisting of (m

sand and grit, which is commonly found in digested (c)
sewage sludge, coming from the seed material. Since
activated sludge consists mostly of aerobic bacteria,
an acclimation period is necessary to cultivate an
active anaerobic bacteria population in order for the
wastewater to be treated under anaerobic conditions (a) ..........~ .......
(Wu et al., 1987). The acclimation period allows for
oxygen levels to decrease to prevent inhibition of
anaerobic bacteria, as well as for the bacteria
population to adjust to the feed substrate. Wu et al.
(1987) recommend that the amount of seed material
be kept at approximately 15 g volatile suspended t-
I
solids (VSS) per liter and to incubate the seed
sludge intermittently or semi-continuously for more (a) Effluent
than half a month in advance of continuous feed. Co) Three phase sepmator
(c) Biogas
The objective of this study, therefore, was to (a) Wet gas meter
examine the impact that the amount of seed sludge (e) Water seal
(I) Sampling taps
has on reactor start-up and performance when using (g) Feed pump
activated sludge as seed, and to determine if less (h) Feed tank

/
03
than the 15 g VSS 1-1 recommended by Wu et al.
(1987) could be used in the start-up process.

METHODS
I ......~.......
Reactor design and operation
The two reactors, A and B, were identical in design
and were constructed from acrylic plastic with an Fig. 1. Configurationof UASB reactor.
inner diameter of 11.5 cm and a height of 168 cm.
The working capacity of each reactor was 16"0 1. The seed sludge consisted of activated sludge
Eleven sampling ports were installed along the from the Penticton Sewage Treatment Plant,
height of each reactor, starting from a distance of Penticton, B.C. and was incubated at room tempera-
4 c m from the reactor bottom. A three-phase ture (19-24°C) in an airtight glass container for 3
(gas-liquid-solid) separator was located in the weeks before being seeded into the reactors. Each
upper part of the reactor for separating and reactor was seeded with 21 of this sludge at a
collecting the gas produced. The liquid effluent concentration of 15"8 g 1-1 VSS, for a total of 31.6 g
above the separator overflowed into a collector, VSS in each reactor (1.98 g VSS 1-x of reactor).
while the sludge was retained in the reactor. The Reactor B was seeded with an additional 63.2 g VSS
configuration and system layout are depicted in of unacclimatized sludge (3.95 g VSS 1-1), giving a
Fig. 1 (Lo et al., 1991). A peristaltic pump was used total of 5.93 g VSS 1- i of reactor.
to continuously pump the influent from the feed The reactors were continuously fed with the
tank to the reactors, introduced at the bottom of the adjusted feed substrate. The organic loading rate
reactors. Both reactors were continuously operated was gradually increased by reducing the hydraulic
at room temperature (19-24°C). retention time (HRT) in a step-wise fashion, while
Brewery wastewater obtained from a local keeping the COD concentration in the range of
brewery was subjected to sedimentation for solids 1000-2500mg1-1. Campos and Anderson (1992)
settling. It was then adjusted to form the feed have suggested that the start-up of a UASB reactor
substrate with a desired COD concentration of be carried out with a medium concentration of
1000-2500 mg 1-i and a suspended solids concentra- substrate (around 1000 mg 1- x COD) to allow a high
tion of less than 500 mg 1-1 since high suspended
solids levels have been shown to inhibit granule Table 1. Characteristics of the adjusted feed substrate
formation in the UASB reactor (Lettinga and
BOD 1 703_ 509
Hulshoff Pol, 1988). The adjusted wastewater COD 1 955 -t-597
characteristics are summarized in Table 1. The pH Total solids 2 134 + 681
of the wastewater was adjusted to 7 by adding either Volatile solids 1 016___504
NaOH or HC1. Owing to the lack of buffering Total suspended solids 206 + 136
capacity of the wastewater, a phosphate buffer was Volatile suspended solids 171 + 105
pH 7.0 + 02
used to maintain a pH of 7.
 Anaerobic treatment of brewery wastewater 35

hydraulic loading rate and thus a higher upflow RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
liquid velocity. This method of increasing the
organic loading rate acts as a selection pressure in Owing to the large fluctuations in the strength of the
which poorly settling sludge is washed out of the brewery wastewater, the influent COD concentration
reactor due to an increased liquid upflow velocity so showed large variations, making it difficult to
that the heavier sludge settles to the bottom of the maintain a constant organic loading rate at each
reactor. Thus, the heavier sludge receives the feed hydraulic retention time. The average organic
substrate first and granulation takes place more loading rate (g COD l-J day - 1) for Reactors A and
quickly than if no selection pressure was used. The B at each retention time is given in Table 2. In
reactors were first operated with an H R T of 5 days, general, the organic loading rate increased as the
for an acclimation period from day 1 to 28 of HRT was decreased. Since each reactor was seeded
reactor operation. The HRT was then decreased to with different amounts of seed sludge, i.e.
3 days from day 29 to 101 (the long period was to 1-98 g VSS 1-1 for Reactor A and 5.93 g VSS 1-~ for
ensure a stabilized operation). The HRT was then Reactor B (with 1"98g VSS l - 1 acclimatized and
further decreased to 1.5 days from day 102 to day 3-95 g VSS l - 1 unacclimatized), the sludge loading
132, and 18 h from day 133 to 162. The final H R T rate was different for each reactor, even though the
was 12 h, from day 163 to 189 of reactor operation. organic loading rate was kept relatively constant. It
should be noted that days 1-16 were considered the
start-up period, during which the unacclimatized
Analysis
sludge made the transition from aerobic to
Chemical analyses were conducted on both the feed
anaerobic. After day 16, the reactors were more
substrate and the effluent. The total solids (TS),
stable even though this transition may have still been
volatile solids (VS), TSS, VSS and BOD5 were
in progress. Therefore, in Table 2 under 5 day HRT,
determined according to standard methods
only daily data collected from day 17 to 28 were
(American Public Health Association, 1995).
used in the calculations. The sludge loading rate
According to the standard methods, the following
versus HRT is depicted in Table 2. Paired t-tests
relative standard deviations for these analyses were
were conducted to compare the results from the
calculated as approximately 7% for TS, 7% for VS,
reactors. These included COD reduction (%), VSS
10% for TSS, 17% for VSS, and 15% for BODs.
reduction (%), biogas methane content (%),
The method detection limit for BOD5 was deter-
volumetric methane production (1 CH41 l day-~),
mined as 2 mg 1-1 BODs. COD was determined by
and methane yield (1 CH4 g-1 COD removed per
the colorimetric method (Knechtel, 1978). The
day).
relative standard deviation for this analysis was
calculated as approximately 9%, with a detection
COD reduction
limit of 1 mg 1-1. Gas production was measured by a
The average COD reductions for both reactors at
wet gas meter. All gas measurements are expressed
each HRT is presented in Table 2. The average
at 0°C and standard pressure (760mm of Hg).
COD reduction rate for Reactor A was highest at
Biogas composition (percent methane) was analyzed
71% at the 3 day HRT, when the sludge loading rate
on a gas chromatograph (HP 5890A) with a thermal
was 0.38 g COD g - 1 VSS day- 1, which is within the
conductivity detector (TCD). A stainless steel
range of sludge loading rates of
column (183 cm × 0-32cm i.d.) filled with Porapack
0.3-0.5 g COD g - t VSS day- 1 recommended during
Q-80 mesh at 80°C was used to determine methane
start-up by Wu et al. (1987). The difference in COD
composition. The method detection limit for this
reductions between the two reactors was greatest at
analysis is 1% methane, with a relative standard
theshorter HRTs and higher organic loading rates,
deviation of 0.1% methane. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen
with Reactor A having an average COD reduction
(TKN) was determined with a block digester and an
of 51% at the 18 h HRT and 47% at the 12 h HRT.
Auto Analyzer (Technicon) using the methods of
Reactor A apparently became overloaded at these
Schumann et al. (1983). The detection limit for this
higher organic loading rates (COD loading rates of
analysis is 1 mg 1-t with a relative standard devia-
1"53-2"91 g COD 1-1 day-l, and sludge loading
tion of approximately 9%.
rates of 1.55-2.95 g COD g - 1 VSS day- J). There
was an increase in the COD reduction rate for
Statistical analysis Reactor B, from 20% during start-up to 44% during
For each test run conducted, the average and days 17-28 of the 5 day HRT operation. As the
standard deviation were calculated. Paired data HRT decreased the COD reduction rate increased
obtained for both reactors, under different HRTs, to 83% at the 3 day HRT. This can be attributed to
were then subjected to the paired t-test for means, the fact that three-quarters of the seed sludge in
using the Microsoft Excel Analysis ToolPak (Micro- Reactor B was unacclimatized. This unacclimatized
soft Corporation, 1994) to determine whether the seed sludge consisted of aerobic bacteria, and there-
results under each HRT were significantly different. fore needed time to adapt to the brewery effluent
A confidence level of 95% or larger was selected. and the anaerobic conditions of the reactor environ-
36 C. Cronin & K. V. L o

B ment before it contained a sufficiently large active

~ 1 b'- t",l ~
anaerobic bacteria population to break down the
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 influent COD. High COD reduction rates were
CD
maintained for Reactor B at the shorter HRTs.
Reactor B achieved COD reductions of 91% at the
18h H R T and 85% at the 12h HRT, when the
average sludge loading rate was between 0.25 and
.~ ,,,~ ~
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
0-47 g COD g - 1 VSS day- 1. Comparing the results
of the two reactors, as the COD loading rate
~ h
increased, the influence of the amount of seed
sludge used became more pronounced. The
performance of Reactor B was significantly better
than that of Reactor A at high organic loading rates,
4-1 +1 -H +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
"~" ~D t¢3 t"q and was comparable to other reactors operating
under similar conditions. Fang et al. (1990) operated
a UASB pilot plant for the treatment of brewery
effluent and reported that the process operated at
,,~..,~ .o
26°C could reduce over 89% COD and 92% BOD
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
with an H R T of 13.3 h and a COD loading rate of
4
4 . 9 k g m - 3 d a y -1, with an average influent of
2692 mg 1-1 COD and 1497 mg 1-1 BOD.
Z
. ~..~ .o
Volatile suspended solids
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
The VSS reductions for both reactors versus HRT
are shown in Table 2. At the 5 day HRT, Reactor A
o
experienced very little sludge washout and was able
to maintain a VSS reduction of 40% throughout the
5 day HRT operation. At the 3 day HRT, the VSS
I 4-1 4-1 I +1 +1 +1 +1 I reduction improved to 65%. As the liquid upflow
t"-I °;
t,e) ¢¢~ tr~ t--4 ¢¢~
velocity increased when the H R T was decreased to
1.5 days, 18 h, and 12h, some of the sludge in
Reactor A was washed out of the reactor, resulting
e~ in lower VSS reductions of 36%, 56% and 52%,
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 respectively. Reactor B experienced considerable
~E sludge washout at the beginning of reactor opera-
t'-,l :..~ ta
tion. During days 1-16 of the 5 day H R T run, there
was an increase in effluent VSS by 21%. As time
progressed VSS reduction reached 24%. These
+1 +i +1 +1 +t +1 +l +1 +1 results confirm that the acclimation period is neces-
~ooeq O
eq~ ~5 sary to cultivate an active anaerobic bacteria popula-
t',,I
tion and to improve the settling characteristics of
the seed sludge. Toward the end of the 3 day HRT,
settling properties of the sludge in Reactor B had
+1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
improved considerably, and there was a significant
t~ increase in the VSS reductions, with an average VSS
reduction of 77% for Reactor B at the 3 day HRT.
The VSS reduction for Reactor B increased to 81%
I +1 +1 I I +1 +1 +1 I at the 18 h H R T and decreased to 72% at the 12 h
~oo ~ tt% o ~
HRT. Taking into account the COD and VSS reduc-
t"q
tions of 91% and 81%, respectively, this may signify
a near optimum condition for operation at 18h
o I HRT.

Biogas methane content

The biogas methane content for both reactors is
presented in Table 2. The methane content of the
biogas was low for both reactors at the 5 day HRT,
8._= "at 45% methane for Reactor A, and 41% for
Reactor B. The methane content increased from
51% at the 3 day H R T to 58% at the 1.5 day and
 Anaerobic treatment of brewery wastewater 37

18 h HRTs and fell back to 52% at the 12 h HRT and 3.95 g VSS 1-1 of unacclimatized activated
for Reactor A. Reactor B experienced similar sludge) was able to achieve higher COD removals
increases of 58% at the 3 day HRT, and 66% and and higher methane production at the higher
67% at the 1.5 day and 18 h HRTs, respectively, and organic loading rates than Reactor A, which was
63% at the 12 h HRT. The biogas methane content seeded with 1.98 g VSS 1-1 of acclimatized activated
from Reactor B was consistently higher than from sludge. The performance of Reactor B was compar-
Reactor A. However, the methane content for both able to other UASB reactors operating under similar
reactors was lower in comparison with the results of conditions. Thus, it is possible to start up a UASB
other U A S B reactors treating brewery wastewater reactor and achieve satisfactory performance with
found in the literature. This may be a result of the 5"93gVSS1 -~ of seed which is less than the
lower methanogenic activity of the sludge used in 15 g VSS 1-1 of acclimatized activated sludge recom-
this experiment compared with the aforementioned mended by Wu et al. (1987).
UASB reactors which were seeded with granular The sludge loading rate is also an important
sludge. For example, de Vegt et al. (1992) reported operating parameter in the operation of UASB
a methane purity of 85% while treating brewery reactors. While the quality of the seed sludge, and
wastewater at 15-27°C and an HRT of 4-3 h with an consequently the performance of the reactors,
organic loading rate of 11"7 kg COD m -3 day- ~with improved as the sludge loading rate increased with
a UASB reactor seeded with granular sludge. time, the average sludge loading rates of
1.55 g COD g - I VSS day- J or higher for Reactor A
was too high and resulted in low COD removals
Volumetric methane production (less than 50% COD reductions). A sludge loading
The average volumetric methane production rates rate of less than 0-47 g COD g - 1 VSS day- 1 appears
for Reactors A and B are shown in Table 2. Both to be suitable for the UASB reactor, as in the case
reactors experienced increases in methane produc- of Reactor B.
tion when the HRT was decreased. From the 5 day An acclimation period is vital to the start-up of
HRT to the 3 day HRT, methane production UASB reactors seeded with activated sludge. A
increased from 0.08 to 0.191CH41-1day -1 for period of at least 2 weeks is necessary to allow the
Reactor A and from 0"08 to 0.21 1 C H 4 1 - ~ day- 1 for sludge to stabilize and to cultivate an active
Reactor B. At the 1.5 day HRT, the average anaerobic bacteria population. Reactor B, which was
methane production rate of Reactor B was more seeded with 3-95 g VSS 1-1 of unacclimatized sludge
than twice that of Reactor A, with values of 0.23 and and 1.98gVSS1-1 of acclimatized seed sludge
0"51 ICH4 1-1 day -1 for Reactors A and B, respec- experienced increases in effluent COD concentra-
tively. Both reactors experienced the highest average tions, low methane production, and excessive sludge
methane production rate ( 0 . 4 5 and 0-791 washout during the first 16 days of reactor opera-
CH4 l-1 day-l for Reactors A and B, respectively), tion. After this time, the sludge appeared to have
at the 12 h HRT, when the average organic loading acclimatized to the feed substrate and the anaerobic
rate was 2-91 g COD 1-1 day- 1. reactor environment, and the treatment efficiency of
Reactor B improved significantly.
Methane yield (per COD removed)
The methane yield, expressed in terms of liters of
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