An Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor can be used to treat concentrated waste and wastewaters such as toilet wastewater (black water) and/or grinded organic kitchen waste.The waste(water) enters the bottom of the reactor and flows upwards through a sludge bed. While passing through the sludge bed, organic matter is converted into biogas. In the upper part of the UASB reactor, the liquid effluent and biogas are separated. Sludge remains inside the reactor and excess biomass is periodically taken out.
Most of the nitrogen and phosphorous compounds are present in the effluent. Therefore, the effluent of a UASB is suitable for the application of subsequent nutrient recovery technologies.
The UASB reactor is applied in demosites Helsingborg, Sneek and Ghent. In Sneek a more new type of UASB is developed; the High Temperature Anaerobic Digestor (HTAD). More information on the HTAD can be found here.
For more information on the UASB in general please download the factsheet.
