Diseño de un reactor anaerobio piloto previo al tratamiento con microalgas de efluentes porcinos

Abstract

CONDITION FOR PROJECT PUBLICATION. In Ecuador, the swine industry accounts for 8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating approximately four million liters of high-strength wastewater per day, of which only 10% receives adequate treatment. This project focuses on the conceptual design of an anaerobic reactor for a pilot-scale swine wastewater treatment line in Ecuador, aiming to optimize biological systems by reducing Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) prior to entering a High-Rate Algal Pond (HRAP). Using two anaerobic sludge samples, sourced from the brewing and bakery industries, experimental tests were conducted in laboratory-scale batch and semi-batch reactors to develop an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor design capable of coupling with the HRAP system. Experimental results indicated that the brewery sludge was the most efficient in terms of COD removal, achieving efficiencies of up to 93% under semi-continuous conditions. The highest average efficiency achieved by the prototype reactor was 78.93% at a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 18 hours. Finally, the compatibility of the digested effluent with the microalgae Spirulina platensis was validated, ensuring the viability of the combined UASB–HRAP system. Keywords: Anaerobic digestion, swine effluents, UASB, Spirulina Platensis.