Performance evaluation of a field-scale pilot bioreactor for anaerobic treatment of palm oil mill effluent

• Published in: International biodeterioration & biodegradation 2014-11, Vol.95, p.89-92
• Main Authors: Shin, Ja-Won, Pyeon, Jun-Hyeon, Son, Sung-Min, Jeong, Joo-Young, Park, Joo-Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobic treatment; Bioreactors; Combined system; Effluents; Field-scale; Hybrid reactor; Mills; Oxygen demand; Palm; Palm oil; Palm oil mill effluent; Pilots; Start-up
• ISSN: 0964-8305; 1879-0208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2014.05.005

A combined system of anaerobic reactors was applied in a field-scale pilot bioreactor to treat palm oil mill effluent (POME) from the Amagra palm plantation in Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The initial start-up of this system failed due to shock loads of suspended solids, organics, and flow rates. After adjusting for influent conditions and operation variables, the second start-up successfully proceeded, where 70% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was removed at 6 kg m−3 day−1 of the organic loading rate. Nutrients such as N or P were not added. An addition of alkalinity was made at the initial start-up and later found to be not necessary because amino and fatty acids were rapidly removed in this high rate system. •Combined system of anaerobic reactors was investigated to treat POME in Indonesia.•Initial start-up of this system failed due to shock loads of SS and OLR.•Around 70% of COD was removed at 6 kg m−3 day−1 of organic loading rate.•Addition of alkalinity was made at the initial start-up.