Process Control in Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The monitoring and control of anaerobic waste water treatment is discussed. In a first section optimum biological conditions were given. These are a nutritionally balanced waste water free from oxidants and toxicants, a temperature of 55-60 °C and a pH of 6.8-8.0. In a second section, parameters for monitoring and control were discussed. It was concluded that present system designs usually allow for the control of influent flow rate and temperature but not for the key parameter solids retention time (SRT). Process control in anaerobic waste water treatment, therefore, is more monitoring than control, a situation that is unsatisfactory.