1. New engineering paradigm for high loaded
domes2c wastewater as a result of agro-
industrial wastewater discharge
Isam Sabbah
The Ins(tute of Applied Research, The Galilee Society
and Braude College of Engineering
Visi2ng Professor at SIMAU Department – Marche Polytechnic University, Italy.
14 July 2023 June 23rd, Bari, Italy 1

2. History of Anaerobic Reactors
1881: First conven(onal anaerobic digester was used to
liquidify the solid components of sewage
1891: First sep(c tank to retain solids in sewage
1905: Development of the ‘Imhoff’ tank in Germany
1930s: Digesters were started to be mixed and heated to
improve the diges(on of solids in the sewage
1955: Anaerobic contact process was developed to treat
soluble organics and dilute wastewaters (first high-
rate system)

4. This energy potential is about four times the energy
required for the wastewater treatment
(Jules van Lier, 2009)
High Rate Anaerobic System is the solution!
McCarty et al, 2014

5. Anaerobic process for municipal
sewage? Limita(ons
• Although well accepted for sewage treatment, s(ll
many opera(onal limita(ons:
– Granula(on and start-up
– Reactor configura(ons
– Energy recovery
– Post treatment
– Dissolved methane
• Low Concentra(on of COD (chemical oxygen demand)
• Temperature
• Variability of the inlet
• Stability (solid washout)
• Scum build up • What’s about post treatment?
• Nutrients removal?

6. UASB-Post Treatment (A]er Chernicharo, 2015)
UASB + Ac(vated sludge
Piracicamirim WWTP- Brazil
50,000 inhabitants 8700 m3/
day

7. Innova(ve Approach
The general objec(ve is to develop a “Stable” with
resource recovery approach for upgrading
wastewater treatment plants by integra(ng
innova(ve anaerobic treatment technology into the
aerobic process.

8. The applica(on
Inlet
Outlet
Biogas
Sabbah et al., 2016, USA Patent # 9452458
Sabbah et al., 2018, Israeli Patent # 221638
Massalha et al., Biores. Technol., 2015
Massalha et al., Chem. Eng. J., 2015

9. Integra(on of Anaerobic-Aerobic Treatment
Bar Screen
WW
Inlet Grit
Chamber
UASB
Secondary
Seiling
Disinfec(on
Ter(ary
Filtra(on
Effluent
Outlet
Sludge
Diges(on
Sludge
Dewatering
Sludge
Evacua(on
Biogas
produc(on
Sludge
Thickening
Biogas
produc(on
RAS
~ -40%
CAPEX &
OPEX
~ -30%
CAPEX &
OPEX
Anoxic
Tank
Aerobic
Tank

10. Bar Screen
WW
Inlet Grit
Chamber Balance
Tank
Primary
Seiling
Secondary
Seiling
Disinfec(on
Ter(ary
Filtra(on
Effluent
Outlet
Sludge
Diges(on
Sludge
Dewatering
Sludge
Evacua(on
Biogas
produc(on
Sludge
Thickening
Biogas
produc(on
RAS
~ -40%
CAPEX &
OPEX
~ -30%
CAPEX &
OPEX
Anoxic
Tank
Aerobic
Tank
Reduced
Chemicals

12. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant
agreement No 690323 12
Secondary mainstream biogas recovery
by polyfoam biofilter
Partners: Agrobics, Mekorot
Polyfoam filling
• …

13. Mass Balance: Conven(onal Process Vs. AAT
+ 25%
Biogas
- 10%
Sludge
AAT
Sabbah et al., 2015

14. 2. Biogas produc2on in CS6 Shafdan & Karmiel:
Immobilized high-rate anaerobic system (AAT) & biogas process stabilizing measures

15. Symbiosis in Karmiel and Shafdan:
Karmiel Shafdan
Current situa2on
- Pre-treatment
- Primary clarfier
- Ac(vated sludge
- Ter(ary treatment via SAT
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
Shafdan
WWTP
400 K m3/d
- Pre-treatment
- Primary clarifier
- Ac(vated sludge
- Sand filtra(on
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW and (demo
scale AAT)
Karmiel WWTP
30 K m3/d

16. 16
ENERGY - Task 1.3.3
Biogas produc(on from anaerobic pre-
treatment of municipal and/or industrial
wastewater in Karmiel

17. ENERGY - Task 1.3.3
Biogas produc(on from anaerobic pre-treatment of
municipal and/or industrial wastewater in Karmiel
OBJECTIVE:
Reducing the high organic load peaks in WWTP
main stream, caused by mixing with olive mill and
slaughterhouse wastewater, using iimmobilized high
rate anaerobic system (AAT).
Karmiel WWTP
30 K m3/d
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
(120 m3/d)
OMW
(0.5-2 m3/d)
OMW tank / pre-
treatment
Mixing
tank
AAT
Biogas recovery:
(8-15) m3/d
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Packed
resin bed
OMW
(0.5-2 m3/d)
OMW tank /
pre-treatment
Mixing
tank
AAT
Tests under different ra(os of
discharge
Biogas recovery:
(8-15) m3/d
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
(120 m3/d)
Recovery of
polyphenols task
1.4.5
Methane Yield: 0.12-0.15 m3 CH4/kg oDM

18. Case study 6 - Karmiel and Shafdan
Karmiel Shafdan

19. ENERGY -
Biogas produc(on from anaerobic pre-treatment of
municipal and/or industrial wastewater in Karmiel
Partners:
OBJECTIVE:
Reducing the high organic load peaks in WWTP main
stream, caused by mixing with olive mill wastewater,
using immobilized Advanced Anaerobic treatment
(AAT). Karmiel WWTP
30K m3/d
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
(120 m3/d)
OMW
(0.5-2 m3/d)
OMW storage
tank
Mixing
tank
AAT
Biogas recovery:
(8-15) m3/d
Scenario 1
Packed
resin
bed
OMW
(0.5-2 m3/d)
OMW storage
tank
Mixing
tank
AAT
Tests under different ra(os of
discharge
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
(120 m3/d)
Scenario 2
Biogas recovery:
(8-15) m3/d
Recovery of
polyphenols task
1.4.5

20. COD: Stable AAT effluent
despite the fluctua(ons in the
influent as a result of OMW
discharge.
Biogas produc2on: AAT
produces biogas throughout
its opera(on. In summer
biogas produc(on is its
maximum rate and is highly
dependent on the influent
COD and high temperature.

21. ENERGY - Task 1.3.4
Combining anaerobic biofilm treatment with membrane
filtra(on and ac(vated carbon in Shafdan
OBJECTIVE:
Tes(ng the efficiency of AnMBR based on AAT
combined with Activated carbon for higher
biogas produc(on (biofouling reduc(on/op(mal
opera(on) from mixed domes(c and agro-
industrial wastewater
Shafdan
WWTP
400 K m3/d
Agro-industrial
WW
(winery/dairy/OMW)
Tank/Pre-
treatment
AAT AnMBR/AC
Biogas recovery:
(3-5) m3/d
Municipal /
Agro-industrial
WW
12-24 m3/d
Mixing
tank
Methane Yield: 0.18-0.22 m3 CH4/kg oDM

23. Acknowledgements
Financial Support
Dr. Keren Yanuka-Golub
Dr. Ka2e Baransi Karkaby
Dr. Nedal Massalha
Eng. Mahdi Hassanin
Jenny Yusim
PhD student
Maryana
Habibi
Lab Engineer
Saleh Ztme
Research Ass.
Stav Shimshoni
M.Sc. Student Avi Aharoni
Hadas
Raanan Kiperwas
Grazie mille
Thank you very much