TREATMENT OF POME BY PILOT PLANT ANAEROBIC FLUIDISED BED REACTOR

A pilot scale anaerobic fluidised bed reactor (AnFBR) of 2000 L capacity was studied to determine its performance to treat palm oil mill effluent (POME). The pilot plant was operated at ambient temperature with diluted POME as substrate. It took 17 days for the start-up of the reactor with pre-seeded sand media. The AnFBR was capable to remove a large portion of organics at relatively shorter retention time. Maximum and minimum COD removal efficiency of 85% and 65% were attained at a loading rate of 4.0 and 13.8 kgCOD/m3.d. BOD and TSS removal rates varied within the range of 64% - 91% and 68% - 89%, respectively. The AnFBR exhibited low sludge production with lower sludge volume indices (SVI). Maximum and minimum effluent indices for the effluent were 35 mL/g and 11 mL/g, respectively. Low SVI values indicated that, anaerobic fluidised bed reactors generate less sludge with fast settling properties. Promising performance at ambient temperature and for detention time shorter than the present practices supported the possibility of AnFBR to treat POME to meet the new requirement set by the DOE Malaysia.