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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/K77150/01
Title: THE ANAEROBIC TREATMENT OF DILUTE WASTEWATERS
Principal Investigator: Stuckey, Professor DC
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Chemical Engineering
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 February 1997 Ends: 31 January 2000 Value (£): 199,289
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Water Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
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Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Treatment of dilute domestic and industrial wastewaters is often carried out using biological methods, however, due to a number of misconceptions, aerobic rather than anaerobic treatment is mainly the method of choice. Recently, great advances have been made in reactor design, and in uderstanding the complex microbial processes that go on in anaerobic digestion. Hence the aim of the research is to critically evaluate the effect of systems parameters (HRT, 5-35 C, shocks) on the removal efficiency (COD) of a novel anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) treating complex dilute wastes (500mg/l COD) in order to maximise its treatment efficiency so that the effluent can be discharged into the environment, The benefits if a sucessful outcome to this work are potentially enormous. All domestic waste could be treated anaerobically initially, thereby substantially reducing the volume of waste sludge to be disposed of by dumping or incineration. Many industrial wastes could also be treated on site thereby reducing the load on domestic treatment plants. In addition, since the reactor is simple, robust and produced rather than uses energy, the technology would also result in substantial savings in energy. Finally since the reactor is fully enclosed it would prevent VOCs and odour escaping to the environment.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk