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The effect of a decrease in operating temperature on the performance of two 10 dm3 anaerobic baffled reactors (ABR) was examined in terms of steady state chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency. To minimise variations, and have a totally biodegradable feed, a synthetic carbohydrate (sucrose)–protein (meat extract) substrate was used. The reactors were operated at 20 h hydraulic retention time (HRT), 4 g dm−3 COD, and 35°C as a base‐line condition. Because of their different histories, the reactors responded differently to a decrease in operating temperature to 25°C. Reactor 1 remained stable at 97% COD removal, whereas Reactor 2 decreased to 93% removal, but rose to 97% after adding an effluent recycle of 0·25. At 15°C, the efficiency of Reactor 1 dropped to 75%, while the removal of Reactor 2 declined to 83%, and no improvement in efficiency occurred with an effluent recycle at 0·25. At 25°C, the decreased rate of catabolism of the slow‐growing syntrophs and methanogens resulted in a shift of the volatile fatty acids (VFA) peak to the second compartment. However, the biomass present in the reactor prevented VFAs breaking through in the effluent. Nevertheless, at 15°C VFAs were present in the effluent, perhaps due to the lower rates of metabolism and an increase in the Ks for VFAs. Finally, at 15°C part of the increase in the effluent COD was due to the enhanced production of soluble microbial products (SMP), or a decrease in their metabolism, with these compounds constituting some 10% of the inlet COD. © 1997 SCI.

Two 10 litre Anaerobic Baffled Reactors (ABR), with 8 separate compartments, were used to examine the effect of Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT), effluent recycle and temperature changes on the trophic groups in anaerobic digestion. A synthetic carbohydrate (sucrose)-protein substrate was used, and the reactors run at 20 h HRT, and 35 degrees C. Changing the HRT from 40 to 20 hours doubled the organic loading which caused accumulation of reduced intermediates. The pattern of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) at steady state due to an increase in recycle ratios led to the breakage of microbial flocs, and a reduced overall microbial activity. However, the quantity of reduced intermediates was substantially reduced. Decreasing the temperature to 25 degrees C had differing degrees of influence on reactors I & II, but the same pattern of microbial response occurred; that is the slower growing microorganisms were more affected by the temperature drop. It was found that the unique structure of the ABR brings about the partial separation of acidogenesis and methanogenesis.