TRATAMIENTO DE AGUAS RESIDUALES MEDIANTE REACTORES ANAERÓBICOS DE PLACAS VERTICALES PARALELAS EN ACRÍLICO.

Some anaerobic filters with bed stone built in the department of Cauca (Colombia), are presenting problems of obstruction. If the stone is replaced by vertical parallel plates, it eliminates the problem of obstruction. This paper presents the development and results of a study performed in laboratory scale that evaluated the potential of anaerobic reactors of vertical parallel plates in acrylic to remove pollutants (organic matter and suspended solids). The anaerobic reactor of parallel plates in acrylic served as secondary treatment; was fed with wastewater effluent of an Imhoff Tank with average concentrations of 156 ± 14 mg/L BOD5, 438 ± 32 mg/L of COD and 98 ± 22 mg/L of total suspended solids. The reductions of COD and BOD in the reactor are over 50% and the reduction of suspended solids exceeded 60% for time of detention for 24 hours. The ease in operating the reactor makes it viable as anaerobic biological treatment of wastewater previously decanted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]