ABSTRACT
Bench-scale treatability studies were performed with both synthetic and actual high strength industrial wastewaters to evaluate the concept of employing high-rate biological thermophilic activated sludge technology with conventional gravity solids/liquid separation as a pretreatment alternative. The thermophilic activated sludge processes were operated at 55°C and 60°C. The major advantage noted compared to lower temperature mesophilic processes was significantly lower sludge production at comparable levels of treatment. The bench-scale studies show promise for conventional activated sludge technology operating under thermophilic conditions for treating high temperature, high strength, or combinations of high temperature high strength industrial wastewaters as a pretreatment alternative under high loading rate (F/M) conditions.
