A MICROCOMPUTER-BASED INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEM FOR ANAEROBIC WASTEWATER-TREATMENT PROCESSES

A microcomputer-based system for monitoring and control of anaerobic wastewater treatment processes is described. Instrumentation includes a gas chromatograph that measures CH4, CO2, H2 and CO concentrations in the gas phase every 2 min, a second gas chromatograph that measures volatile acids (C1C4) every 12 min, and sensors for continuous measurement of temperature, pH, ORP and gas production rate. The H2 and CO detection limits are less than 1 ppm. Nutrient and substrate feed rates can be varied in a pre-programmed manner to allow automated collection of transient-response data. Data are presented for experiments in which a fluidized-bed reactor (for which the main carbon source is butyrate) is subjected to multi-frequency binary variations in feed flow rate. © 1990.