ABSTRACT
The process of neutralization, which is carried out during the refining of certain edible oils, produces a soapstock from which fatty acids are recovered by means of acid splitting. Due to fears of the possible formation of a fatty scum in upflow processes, two pilot plants, the completely mixed contact process, and the upflow anaerobic filter, were operated in parallel to establish a comparison of the effects of process configuration. The packed bed within the reactor thus remained fully submerged and the anaerobic bacteria developed primarily at the bottom and to a lesser extent within the interstices at the upper levels of the packed bed. Conventional treatment of acid water involves a combination of chemical, physical, and biological processes with substantial mechanical input required for the dewatering of byproduct sludges. In common with many studies on the anaerobic treatment of high sulfate bearing wastewaters, both anaerobic processes demonstrated negligible gas production.
