The treatment of yeast factory effluent by an anaerobic submerged filter

This thesis reports the results of an experimental investigation into the treatment of yeast wastes by biological digestion in an anaerobic submerged filter. The waste to be treated was very strong, with a COD of 59 000 mg/l and was almost entirely soluble, with a high organic content. Experiments showed that the waste could be treated by the anaerobic submerged filter, with a maximum loading applicable for extended periods of 10 kg COD/(m³day), based on the void volume of the filter. The reduction in COD effected by the filter at these loadings varied between 40 and 60% of the applied COD, of which only approximately 70% was biologically degradable. Loadings of up to 16 kg COD/(m³day) were applied with 40% COD reduction, but digestion at these loadings seemed unstable and could not be continued for long periods. Diluted yeast waste was used during the investigation in order to control loading rates and it was necessary to add sodium bicarbonate to the feed to give an alkalinity greater than 2 000 mg/l as calcium carbonate to buffer digestion at the optimum pH. This thesis also reports the establishment of an operating procedure for a laboratory scale anaerobic submerged filter, and proposes recommendations for further work. This work is aimed at improving the performance of the filter by modifying the operating procedure and increasing the understanding of the digestion process by studies of a fundamental nature.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Chemical Engineering

Year dc:date.issued

1972

Author dc:creator

• Warren, Michael Pavely

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hansford, Geoffrey Spearing

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17709

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/17709