Hybrid Anaerobic Primary and Secondary Treatment with Energy Recovery

This project sought to demonstrate the efficacy of a low complexity mainstream anaerobic wastewater treatment system for energy generation and increase process understanding. The researchers posited that a hybrid system of anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs) followed by expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors and microscreen (ABR-EGSB-MS) could achieve stoichiometric methane production for energy generation with operational simplicity. The ABR system provides treatment with higher removal than conventional primary treatment. The EGSB provides effluent of secondary treatment quality using an expanded bed approach to provide efficient organic (BOD) degradation. The MS removes residual total suspended solids and particulate BOD, and provides stripping of dissolved methane. This approach significantly reduces the number of unit processes and the footprint compared to conventional wastewater treatment. Published in 2022. 

 Originally funded as WERF project TIRR2R15.