Implementation of a UASB-type reactor for mead treatment

Abstract

This article presents the results of the investigation project that had as objective the evaluation of the implementation of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) for the treatment of coffee processing wastewater (obtained after using the water for washing the coffee beans, removing the pulp and doing the fermentation) , evaluating if this reactor is capable of increasing the value of the hydrogen potential and decreasing the amount of organic matter contained in the wastewater. The reactor was designed at a laboratory scale, and worked with a retention time of 54.67 hours. The coffee wastewater that entered into it, had an average hydrogen potential of 3.51 units, and the outlet has an average hydrogen potential of 3.74 units, which means that the treatment was capable of increasing the hydrogen potential in 6%, but the wastewater didn´t achieve the neutrality range.