RESUMEN
Performance and process biokinetics of the upflow pilot-scale anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) reactor were investigated at ambient temperature. The results of substrate testing showed that the pilot-scale ANAMMOX reactor operated stably when the influent nitrite concentration reached (380.4 +/- 18.3) mg x L(-1); while the nitrite inhibition occurred when its concentration arrived at (480.5 +/- 21.9) mg x L(-1). The results of shortening of hydraulic retention time (HRT) showed that the HRT could be shortened to 3.43 h, and the nitrogen removal rate was as high as 3.45 kg x (m3 x d)(-1). Temperature was found to affect the performance of the ANAMMOX reactor significantly during long-term operation. The modified Stover-Kincannon model was applied to model the non-inhibition performance of the pilot-scale reactor under different temperature ranges. Good fitting results were obtained. The process biokinetic parameters and effluent substrate concentration prediction equations as well as the substrate removal efficiency prediction equations obtained in different temperature ranges are helpful to the stable operation of the pilot-scale ANAMMOX bioreactor.