Application of the gradual concentric chambers (GCC) reactor for low investment sewage treatment in developing countries

Abstract:

Anaerobic digestion is an energy producing technology that is widely used. Anaerobic sewage treatment presents more advantages to be applied in tropical-low and middle-income communities than aerobic treatments, because the latter are often of large scale, and require large financial resources. To be applied in low income countries, anaerobic digesters must be characterized by simple designs, the use of non sophisticated equipment, high treatment efficiencies, energy recovery and low operating and capital costs. Nevertheless, the urgent need of such anaerobic treatments contrasts with the scarcity of designs offered for the low income countries. At the onset of the study, the proposal of an anaerobic design fulfilling low investment sewage treatment (LIST) requirements was considered. Thus, the Gradual Concentric Chambers (GCC) reactor was proposed because it has an easy assemblage of its parts and low cost and accessible materials. It was evaluated at lab-scale and its efficiency was compared with that of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) reactor. Eventually, the GCC and UASB reactors showed organic matter removal efficiencies of 90%, reflecting a good efficiency of the GCC system. The elimination of nitrogen was on the order of 57% and 61% for TKN and TAN, respectively, in the GCC reactor. The economic analysis based on the type of material and the use of solar collectors for heating revealed a higher cost-benefit ratio for GCC reactors built at industrial scale and using polyethylene as basic material. From the economic analysis, opex costs of 5 USD I.E.-1y-1 and 0.3 USD water treated, using solar collectors, were …

Año de publicación:

2010

Keywords:

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