75    THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON PERFORMANCE OF
SEQUENCING BATCH REACTORS TREATING POTATO
PROCESSING WASTEWATER
Shannon R. Grant, Environmental Engineer
Robert C. Landine, Senior Environmental Engineer
Dwain R. Wilson, Laboratory Manager
ADI Systems Inc.
Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada
Albert A. Cocci, Wastewater Treatment and Energy Specialist
ADI Systems Inc.
Salem, New Hampshire 03079
Peter J. McCarthy, Environmental Scientist
Graham J. Brown, Senior Process Engineer
Richard C. Landine, Environmental Engineer
ADI Limited
Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada
Norbert W. Schmidtke, President
Norbert W. Schmidtke & Associates Ltd
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
INTRODUCTION
The sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is an aerobic activated sludge process that relies on a timer
controller or programmable logic controller (PLC) to vary filling, decanting, mixing, and aeration
sequentially over a period of time. This creates the proper environmental conditions for various
biochemical reactions involved with carbon oxidation, nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus
removal to occur within a single basin, including clarification.
The SBR process has several key advantages over more conventional continuous-flow systems, such
as: lower capital and operating costs, higher effluent quality, greater process stability, resistance to
sludge bulking, and more system flexibility and control. In addition, there is no need for external
clarifiers and return sludge pumps. A further description of different aspects and advantages of the
SBR process can be found in Grant et al.1, McCarthy et al.2, and Cocci et al.3
The SBR is an ideal process to apply to the treatment of biodegradable wastewaters from many
industries. In the case of high-strength industrial wastewaters, such as potato processing, it is often
economically feasible to precede the SBR with anaerobic treatment.
ADI Systems Inc. has conducted an in-depth research study over the past few years to identify a
variety of operating strategies and associated design parameters for the application of SBR technology
to both raw and anaerobically pretreated industrial wastewaters. This paper will discuss the results of
one specific study which focused on the impact of temperature on SBR performance for the treatment
of a potato processing wastewater.
Study Objective
Three SBR pilot plants were set to operate at temperatures of 12°, 22° and 32°C. Each of the three
reactors were run at identical loading conditions up to and including a steady-state period (a total time
period of about 50 days). Following the steady-state period, loading adjustments were made to briefly
observe the effects of such changes. Different loading adjustments were made for each SBR depending on the system temperature regime.
49th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, 1994 Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, Michigan 48118. Printed in
U.S.A.
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