Application of an Upflow Anaerobic Baffled Reactor for Mainstream Treatment of Domestic Wastewater

Applications of anaerobic biological processes and technologies have the potential to invert energy demands of municipal wastewater treatment. One of the major barriers to widespread full-scale implementation of anaerobic technologies in mainstream wastewater treatment is the need for modern design parameters to guide utilities’ decision making. Anaerobic technologies are underutilized in wastewater treatment, mistakenly perceived to exclusively treat high strength (e.g. industrial) wastewater or primary and secondary solids in municipal treatment. To contradict these misperceptions, a pilot-scale (720 L) anaerobic baffled reactor was operated by the Colorado School of Mines, continuously treating raw domestic wastewater for 7 years.