Technical details of the Anaerobic Organised Pond Reactor (AOPR)
The AOPR is basically a conventional UASB reactor that can be constructed in any type of basin, including plastic lined lagoons, by eliminating the need for floor- and wall passages, using all floating internals and a dynamic inlet distribution system. To reduce the weight of the internals, mainly plastic construction materials are used, adding as a secondary benefit a significant cost reduction of the AOPR internals.
After initial equalization & hydrolysis of complex organic molecules into various simple organic acids and sugars, the water is let into the main reactor through an inlet distribution system. Unlike the static inlet distribution system that covers the entire floor of a UASB reactor, the AOPR’s ingenious inlet distribution system covers the entire floor of the reactor by moving over it. Using far less equipment to achieve the same goal.
The water flowing from the inlet distribution system maintains a constant upflow through a layer of sludge granules on the bottom of the reactor. The anaerobic bacteria in these sludge granules convert the simple organic substances into biogas and water.
The generated biogas accumulates on the surface of the sludge granule, gradually forming a biogas bubble causing the sludge granule to rise. Eventually, the biogas bubble detaches after collision with different sludge granules or the three-phase separator, causing the sludge granule to sink back into the sludge blanket upon which the whole cycle repeats itself.