Evaluation of the factors affecting hydrodynamic characteristics of a hybrid anaerobic baffled reactor

The residence time distribution was used to study the hydrodynamic behaviour using the pulse input tracer technique. The effect of medium, compartment-wise variation in the mixing patterns inside the reactor and hydraulic retention time on the hydrodynamic charac-teristics of the reactor was studied. The influence of the number of compartments was predominant compared to the hydraulic retention time and presence of a medi-um. The flow regime in the first, second and third com-partments was in the intermediate state whereas the flow regime was in plug-flow state in the rear com-partment. The interactive effects were evaluated using response surface methodology.