FAST START-UP OF METHANOGENIC FLUIDIZED-BED REACTORS BY CONTROL OF ORGANIC LOAD AND COMPOSITION

Overloading with substrate, especially acetate, was found to be the major obstacle for the fast development of a starting FB‐reactor. This could be overcome by a rigid control of substrate concentrations during the start‐up phase and led to a first steady state 19 days after inoculation had been stopped. The conversion rate reached at this point could again be achieved within 24 h after a 10‐day interruption. A similar interruption of a reactor operating at full scale, recovery even faster, so that the former conversion rates for acetate, propionate and butyrate could be reached after respectively 7. 6 and 4 hours. © 1990 Publications Division Selper Ltd.