Chemical Engineering Department

Wastewater treatment by upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor (UASB) and valorisation of gas production by absorption on ionic liquids.

The treatment of wastewater, which presents a high chemical oxygen demand concentration and needs to be treated. Anaerobic digestion of that liquid is an adequate biotechnology to optimize energy recovery. In this sense, UASB reactors are a good option for the treatment of industrial wastewaters, therefore their use for the stabilization of this liquid fraction seems to be a good option.

The objective of this TFM is to optimize the operating conditions at mesophilic temperature (organic loading rate, retention time) for enhance the methane yield. The evolution of parameters like pH, alkalinity, ammoniac nitrogen, volatile fatty acids concentration, chemical oxygen demand removal, as well as biogas yield and composition, will be determined. Moreover, evolution of microorganisms population will be also analysed.

Finally, a post-treatment of the gas effluent by using ionic liquids based material to capture selectively the CO2 and H2S produced during the anaerobic digestion, with the aim to obtain a CH4 rich stream.