START-UP STRATEGY FOR SBR TREATMENT OF COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL WASTE-WATER

In SBR processes, the strut-up operation is of considerable interest, not only because of the effect of the efficiency on normal operation, but also because of the cost of the transport of sludge seed and the related feeding time with artificial substrate. The selection of the strategy ha not been studied previously as far as we know, although it is a problem of considerable economic importance. This is not only a problem of the relation between seed magnitude and the start-up timing, but also the effect on the process efficiency. The start-up in SBRs is more frequent than in conventional activated sludge when considering SBRs are mainly used for industrial wastewater treatment, where there ate more stops and changes of organic load A start-up strategy for SBR biological treatment of industrial wastewater with several complex organic components, based on two steps (Filling and Conditioning Periods), has been proposed and put into operation in a pilot plant column. The strategy looks for minimum time to achieve high steady state efficiency, and low cost of implementation, and sludge seeding. It makes a provision for feed on the basis of inhibition potential and organic needs, and introduces instructions during the operation, depending on the results being obtained. The results of this strategy using a complex organic high salinity water are presented. The presence in this case of two types of solvents and very high salts concentration has been a good test problem for the proposed strategy because of the necessity of multiple adaptation of sludge and the considerably difficult problem to be solved.