Cheese whey treatability in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and determination of optimum pre-treatment method and conditions for biogas production

In this study, treatability of cheese whey-that has approximately 60 000 mg COD/L organic load and taken from AÇKAR cheese production facilities- in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), researching cheese whey pre-treatment conditions and optimum conditions for biogas production from this wastewater were investigated. Effect of cheese whey with different organic loading and pre-treatment effects of cheese whey on the reactor treatment were investigated by using 1/10, 1/8, 1/6, 1/5, 1/4, 1/3,64 and 1/3 dilution rates, respectively. The effect of pre-treatment of cheese whey in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor were studied. Also; treatment effenciency of cheese whey with different organic loading and effect of bivalent metal salts on granule formation were researched.In study, 2.36 ? liters upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor was used. Reactor was ınoculated with activated sludge taken from ASKİ- Yenikent water treatment facilitiy. At organic loadings to the reactor, hydroulic retention times between 24-28 hours were used. Initially, sludge height was 19 cm and this parameter increased with increased organic loadings. Thus, effect of increased granule formation on COD removal was investigated. One of the salts added to the system, Co2+ and Ni2+ that in trace element mixing were increased methane archaea activities and thanks to this; it is observed that treatment effenciency is positively affected with increasing composed granule bed. In different COD concentrations, the highest effenciency is obtained at 93,4 % in 1/4 dillution rate. After this rate, by decreasing dilution rate and increasing organic loading at the same time; treatment effenciency started to decrease.Key Words :Anaerobic treatment, pretreatment, UASB, cheese whey .biogas, COD removal