UPFLOW ANAEROBIC SLUDGE

BLANKET(UASB)
COURSE INSTRUCTOR Presented by
Dr. ATIF MUSTAFA SHAKIL AHMED
EN-04/2014-15

Department of Environmental Engineering

NED University of Engineering & Technology Karachi
CONTENTS

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1. INTRODUCTION OF UASB

• The up flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) is a single tank

process.
• Wastewater enters the reactor from the bottom, and flows upward.
• A suspended sludge blanket filters and treats the wastewater as the
wastewater flows through it.

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2. WHY UASB?

• In developing countries, pond systems are still the most widely implemented
wastewater treatment process.
• They require a very low degree of mechanism and are the most economic
alternative.
• With respect to the environment, they do however have some major
drawbacks:
• Their land demand as well as greenhouse gas and odour emissions are
considerably high.
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2. WHY UASB?

• In countries like Pakistan with a warm climate during 7 to 8months of the

whole year, which results the high wastewater temperatures.
• Which are a requirement for anaerobic degradation, allow and favour an
anaerobic treatment of the entire sewage flow, not only the sludge portion.
• As ventilation or other means of aeration are not necessary for this
process, the technology can be kept considerably more simple.

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3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• 1881 First conventional anaerobic digester was used to liquidify the solid
components of sewage.
• 1891 First septic tank to retain solids in sewage
• 1905 Development of the ‘Imhoff’ tank in Germany
• 1930s Digesters were started to be mixed and heated to improve the digestion
of solids in the sewage.
• 1955 Anaerobic contact process was developed to treat soluble organics and
dilute wastewaters
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3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• In 1963, Young and McCarty (1968) began work, which eventually led to
the development of the anaerobic up flow filter (AF) process.
• Up flow anaerobic sludge blanket process (UASB) was developed by
Lettinga and his co-workers in Holland in the early 1970's.

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4. PROCESS DESCRIPTION OF UASB

• The process is essentially based on a special flow condition allowing the

sewage to get into contact with a ”sludge blanket“ or “sludge bed”
situated in the reactor, and a following 3-phase-separation of water, sludge
and gas (methane).
• The sludge blanket is comprised of microbial granules (1 to 3 mm in
diameter). Because of their weight, resist being washed out in the up flow.
• The microorganisms in the sludge layer degrade organic compounds.
• As a result, gases (methane and carbon dioxide i.e. biogas) are released.
The clarified effluent is extracted from the top of the tank.
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4. PROCESS DESCRIPTION OF UASB

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 5. ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL
TECHNOLOGIES
Advantages
 Requires less space or area as compared
to conventional processes.
 High reduction in BOD
 Low sludge production
 Biogas can be used for power generation.
 Reduction of CH4 & CO2 emissions
 Effluent is rich in nutrient can be used for
agriculture.
 Can withstand high organic loading rates
upto 10 kg BOD/m3/d
Disadvantages
 Long start-up time.
 To work at full capacity a constant source
of electricity is required.
 Not all parts and materials may be locally
available.
 Requires expert design and construction.
 Effluent and sludge require further
treatment and/or appropriate discharge.
 Not adapted for cold regions.
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 References

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12397675
• http://
www.sswm.info/category/implementation-tools/wastewater-treatment/hard
ware/semi-centralised-wastewater-treatments/u
• http://akvopedia.org/wiki/Upflow_Anaerobic_Sludge_Blanket_Reactor
• Anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater in UASB-reactors by TBW
GmbH, Frankfurt March 2001

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