Anerobic Biological Treatment of Liquid Wastes from Pyrolysis Processes, Final Report, 1980

(1980) Anerobic Biological Treatment of Liquid Wastes from Pyrolysis Processes, Final Report, 1980. University of Iowa

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Abstract

This research project resulted from a proposal submitted by the writer to the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration (now the U.S . Department of Energy) in July, 1976. The proposal was subsequently accepted and funded and the project began on July l, 1977. At the time this work began it was known that the liquid wastes from the scrubbing of product gases from the pyrolysis of municipal refuse were extremely high in organic pollutants. It had been reported by Union Carbide (Linde Division) that the wastewaters from their PUROX * process had a 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) averaging 52,000 mg/1 and 77,000 mg/1, respectively. Prevalent concepts for handling the wastewaters at that time were to discharge them to the sewer or to treat them with an activated sludge process. Anaerobic biological processes are ideal for application to the treatment of strong wastes. Rather than requiring an energy input, as do aerobic biological processes, a net energy output is possible as a result of methane (CH4) gas production. Thus the process not only produces a fuel gas, but also eliminates the need to apply energy to treat the wastewaters aerobically.