Effect of different seed sludge on the rapid start-up of two-phase anaerobic process

A laboratory-scale experiment was conducted fed with the wastewater from production of traditional Chinese medicine by seeding the anoxic and aerobic sludge. The experiments demonstrated that applying the patent and high-powered two-phase anaerobic reactors invented by our research center, almost the same speed of start-up could be achieved after seeding the anoxic and aerobic sludge. Rapid start-up can be realized within 30 days. The volume-loading rate which aerobic sludge start-up system can stand was higher than anoxic sludge start-up system. And the ability of resistance to the shock loading of aerobic sludge start-up system was higher, too. (The range of suitable volume-loading rate 7-9 kgCOD/(m³·d) at matha-nogenic phase and 6-8 kgCOD/(m³·d) at two anaerobic system, both COD removal were above 90%). Furthermore, from the scan electron microscope microorganism photos taken in two-phase anaerobic reactors, the richness of bacteria communities and suitable ecology structure of aerobic sludge start-up system were observed. Therefore it was suggested that aerobic sludge to seed reactors was more suitable to treat high strength refractory wastewater. In addition, it also could realize rapid start-up economically and stable running under high volume-loading rate.