Practical application of the ADUF process to the full-scale treatment of maize-processing effluent

• Published in: Water science and technology Vol. 25; no. 10; pp. 27 - 39
• Main Authors: Ross, W.R, Barnard, J.P, Strohwald, N.K.H, Grobler, C.J, Sanetra, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London IWA Publishing 01-01-1992
• Subjects: Anaerobic digestion; Anaerobic processes; Anaerobic treatment; Biomass; Chemical cleaning; Chemical oxygen demand; Cleaning; Colloiding; Corn; Effluent treatment; Effluents; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acids; flow; Industrial effluents; Industrial wastes; Industrial wastewater; Inlet pressure; Inlets (waterways); Load distribution; Membranes; Organic compounds; permeability; Polyethersulfones; processing technology; Q1; Removal; Separation; Shock loads; Sludge digestion; Suspended particulate matter; Suspended solids; Ultrafiltration; waste treatment; Wastewater treatment; South Africa
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.2166/wst.1992.0235

ADUFR (anaerobic digestion ultrafiltration) is a membrane-assisted process for positive separation of biomass from the treated effluent. Pilot and full-scale ADUFR studies were carried out on a maize-processing effluent (15 kgCOD/m3) at the Meyerton mill of Messrs. African Products, South Africa. The results after 15 months of full-scale operation have illustrated the merits of the process for the production of a colloid-free effluent at a mean COD removal efficiency of 97%. The permeate flux varied in the range 37 to 8 l.m−2.h−1 at 35°C, inlet pressure of 450 kPa, linear tube velocity of 1.6 m/s and digester suspended solids concentration of 21 kg/m3. Periodic chemical cleaning of the unsupported tubular polyethersulphone membranes with EDTA was only commenced after 13 months operation. A mean plant space load rate of 3 kgCOD.m−3.d−1 guaranteed reliability to withstand high COD shock loadings due to variations in the feed load. Bio-membrane separation technology of this nature holds important economic advantages for the treatment of a wide spectrum of organic industrial effluents.