AEROBIC THERMOPHILIC TREATMENT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE WASTEWATER

Aerobic thermophilic pilot plant studies were performed for a high temperature medium strength fermentation processing effluent. This wastewater was not high enough in organic COD concentration to be autothermal; however, the wastewater discharge temperature was high enough to justify thermophilic treatment consideration. Therefore, the decision was made to perform large-scale on-site aerobic thermophilic pilot plant studies as a pretreatment option. The aerobic thermophilic pilot plant was a trailer-mounted unit with a reactor volume of 860 gallons, utilizing a jet-mixing aeration system. The investigative program included wastewater feed rates of around 300 gallons per day to over 800 gallons per day. Aeration reactor temperatures were investigated over a range of 49°F to 55°F. Wastewater discharge characteristics, pilot plant operating conditions, and pilot plant treatment performance are presented herein. The pilot plant studies have proven the technical feasibility of employing aerobic thermophilic biological treatment for high temperature medium strength process wastewaters. The specific approach and methodology utilized for data collection and analysis, monitoring, kinetic evaluation, process design and operational process control of aerobic thermophilic activated sludge treatment are discussed.