Influence of organic loading rate on the anaerobic treatment of sugarcane vinasse and biogás production in fluidized bed reactor.

This study evaluated an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) that contained polystyrene particles as a support material for the treatment of vinasse that resulted from the alcoholic fermentation of sugarcane molasses. The AFBR was inoculated with sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor that treated poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. The AFBR was operated with a hydraulic retention time of 24 h at a temperature of 30°C with influent vinasse concentrations that ranged from 2273 to 20,073 mg COD L(-1). The reactor was subjected to increased organic loading rates (OLR) that ranged from 3.33 to 26.19 kg COD m(-3) d(-1), with COD removal efficiencies that ranged from 51% to 70% and maximum removal at an OLR of 13.93 ± 2.18 kg COD m(-3) d(-1). The maximum biogas productivity was 5.37 m(3) CH4 m(-3) d(-1) for an OLR of 25.32 kg COD m(-3) d(-1) (average removal of 51%)..