| The objective of the current work has been to study the applicability of the thermophilic anaerobic fluidized bed technology to reduce the contaminant matter of the effluents with high content of fatty and oily matter until the adequate level to their discharge to the urban collectors or any other channels. Several studies have been carried out in order to achieve this objective in different conditions.; At the first time, different thermophilic anaerobic biodegradation assays were carried out, at 55°C, in batch process, of the oily wastewater coming from the factory of Delphi Automotive Systems S.A., located at Puerto Real (Cadiz). The obtained results from these assays noticed that the organic matter elimination output are bigger with the inouculum percentage independently of the waste used. These results advise about the using of technologies that allow us to maintain high biomass amount in the medium.; Biofilm development in an open-pore sintered-glass material (SIRAN(TM)) was carried out using a laboratory scale, anaerobic fixed-film reactor, under thermophilic conditions operating in semicontinuos flow. This support, due to its properties of low density, high porosity and specific area, is suitable for the immobilisation of slow-growing micro-organisms.; Then, the start up of the fluidized bed bioreactor was carried out using as inouculum the SIRAN previously colonized. The unit used consists of a laboratory plant of fluidized bed integrating a bioreactor of 0.85 litres volume capacity, pH and temperature regulation and control systems. The process evolution modifying the hydraulic retention time in the system and the organic loading rate supply in the treatment of the oily wastewater was studied. The final results let us to conclude the technical viability of the thermophilic anaerobic fluidized bed for the treatment of the oily wastewater.; Finally, a comparison between the treatment studied and the physic-chemical treatment applied in the factory is carried out. This comparative analyses allow us to remark the advantages of the application of the technology of anaerobic fluidized bed bioreactor to treat the oily wastewater: an important environmental improvement takes place due to quality of the effluents are better than the current ones (obtained with physic-chemical treatment). |
