A new device to select carriers for biomass immobilization and application in an aerobic/anaerobic fixed-bed sequencing batch biofilm reactor for nitrogen removal

2016 ◽  
Vol 74 (11) ◽  
pp. 2666-2674 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sarti ◽  
A. W. Lamon ◽  
A. Ono ◽  
E. Foresti

This study proposes a new approach to selecting a biofilm carrier for immobilization using dissolved oxygen (DO) microsensors to measure the thickness of aerobic and anaerobic layers in biofilm. The biofilm carriers tested were polyurethane foam, mineral coal (MC), basaltic gravel, and low-density polyethylene. Development of layers in the biofilm carrier surface was evaluated using a flow cell device, and DO profiles were conducted to determine the size of the layers (aerobic and anaerobic). MC was the biofilm carrier selected due to allowing the development of larger aerobic and anaerobic layers in the biofilm (896 and 1,058 μm, respectively). This ability is supposed to improve simultaneous nitrogen removal by nitrification and denitrification biological processes. Thus, as a biofilm carrier, MC was used in a fixed-bed sequencing batch biofilm reactor (FB-SBBR) for treatment of wastewater with a high ammonia concentration (100–400 mgNH4+-N L−1). The FB-SBBR (15.0 L) was filled with matrices of the carrier and operated under alternating aeration and non-aeration periods of 6 h each. At a mean nitrogen loading rate of 0.55 ± 0.10 kgNH4+-N m−3 d−1, the reactor attained a mean nitrification efficiency of 95 ± 9% with nitrite as the main product (aerobic period). Mean denitrification efficiency during the anoxic period was 72 ± 13%.

Author(s):  
Mehdi Hajsardar ◽  
Seyed Mehdi Borghei ◽  
Amir Hessam Hassani ◽  
Afshin Takdastan

Abstract A series of reactors including a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) were used for nitrogen removal. The aim of this study was simultaneous removal of NH4+-N and NOx–-N from synthetic wastewater. In the novel proposed method, the effluent from SBR was sequentially introduced into SBBR, which contained 0.030 m3 biofilm carriers, so the system operated under a paired sequence of aerobic-anoxic conditions. The effects of different carbon sources and aeration conditions were investigated. A low dissolved oxygen (DO) level in the biofilm depth of the fixed-bed process (SBBR) simulated the anoxic phase conditions. Accordingly, a portion of NH4+-N that was not converted to NO3–-N by the SBR process was converted to NO3–-N in the outer layer of the biofilm in the SBBR process. Further, simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) was achieved in the SBBR where NO2–-N was converted to N2 directly, before NO3–-N conversion (partial nitrification). The level of mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS) was 2740 mg/l at the start of the experiments. The required carbon source (C: N ratio of 4) was provided by adding an internal carbon source (through step feeding) or ethanol. Firstly, as part of the system (SBR and SBBR), SBR operated at a DO level of 1 mg/l while SBBR operated at a DO concentration of 0.3 mg/l during Run-1. During Run-2, the system operated at the low DO concentration of 0.3 mg/l. When the source of carbon was ethanol, the nitrogen removal rate (RN) was higher than the operation with an internal carbon source. When the reactors were operated at the same DO concentration of 0.3 mg/l, 99.1 % of the ammonium was removed. The NO3–-N produced during the aerobic SBR operation of the novel method was removed in SBBR reactor by 8.3 %. The concentrations of NO3--N and NO2–-N in the SBBR effluent were reduced to 2.5 and 5.5 mg/l, respectively. Also, the total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency was 97.5 % by adding ethanol at the DO level of 0.3 mg/l. When C:N adjustment was carried out SND efficiency at C:N ratio of 6.5 reached to 99 %. The increasing nitrogen loading rate (NLR) to 0.554 kg N/m3 d decreased SND efficiency to 80.7 %.


2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 2599-2606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Xiao ◽  
Ping Yang ◽  
Hong Peng ◽  
Yanzong Zhang ◽  
Shihuai Deng ◽  
...  

A study was conducted regarding the biological nitrogen removal from the livestock and poultry breeding wastewater (LPBWs) using a novel sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). Nitrogen removal process was studied under three aeration strategies/modes, referred to as MODE 1, 2, and 3. The results showed that MODE 2 (one operation period: instant fill of LPBWs, 3.0 h aeration, 1.5 h non-aeration, 1.5 h aeration, 1.0 h non-aeration and rapid drain of treated LPBWs) performed the best in nitrogen removal. Under MODE 2, the removal efficiencies were as high as 96.1 and 92.1% for NH3-N and TN, respectively. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND), as well as shortcut nitrification and denitrification are likely to be the two main mechanisms for the nitrogen removal in this study. Nitrifying bateria were not inhibited by heterotrophic bacteria with C/N ratios ranging from 18.1 to 21.4 and DO concentration of 2.0 mg/l. Alternation between aeration and non-aeration played an important role in NO2−-N accumulation.


1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wobus ◽  
S. Ulrich ◽  
I. Röske

Two identical fixed bed reactors containing gas-permeable tubings as carrier material were compared for the elimination of chlorophenols. Under plug flow conditions, the continuous flow operation resulted in a stratification of biomass due to concentration gradients. To achieve a homogeneous colonization, the sequencing batch mode has been applicated to one biofilm reactor (Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor - SBBR). Concentration gradients after filling, probably due to sorption phenomena, caused an uneven distribution of biomass in the SBBR. However, the colonization of the SBBR was more homogeneous as compared to the continuously operated reactor (CFBR). As to the elimination of a trichlorophenol (2,4,5-trichlorophenol - TCP), no significant differences between the SBBR and the CFBR were observed with regard to its sensitivity against load surges. It is to be supposed that sorption to the biofilm was included in the elimination of chlorophenols. A higher diversity of protozoan community and meiofauna is obviously to be attributed to continuous flow.


2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 149-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Gut ◽  
E. Płaza ◽  
J. Trela ◽  
B. Hultman ◽  
J. Bosander

One-year (2004) comprehensive investigations in a semi-industrial pilot plant (5 m3) were carried out with the aim of assessing the influence of operational parameters on the partial nitritation/Anammox system performance. In the system designed as a moving-bed biofilm reactor, the influent nitrogen load to the Anammox reactor was progressively increased and a stable Anammox bacterial culture was obtained. Interaction between subsequent aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the partial nitritation and Anammox reactors, respectively, granted conditions to remove nitrogen through the nitrite route. It implies that the oxygen supply can be limited to a high extent. A control strategy for the partial nitritation step relied on concomitant adjustment of the air supply with a variable influent nitrogen load, which can be monitored by both pH and conductivity measurements. In the Anammox reactor, an influent nitrite-to-ammonium ratio plays a vital role in obtaining efficient nitrogen removal. During the 1-year experimental period, the Anammox reactor was operated steadily and average nitrogen removal efficiency was 84% with 97% as the maximum value.


2013 ◽  
Vol 67 (12) ◽  
pp. 2677-2684 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Christensson ◽  
S. Ekström ◽  
A. Andersson Chan ◽  
E. Le Vaillant ◽  
R. Lemaire

ANITA™ Mox is a new one-stage deammonification Moving-Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) developed for partial nitrification to nitrite and autotrophic N-removal from N-rich effluents. This deammonification process offers many advantages such as dramatically reduced oxygen requirements, no chemical oxygen demand requirement, lower sludge production, no pre-treatment or requirement of chemicals and thereby being an energy and cost efficient nitrogen removal process. An innovative seeding strategy, the ‘BioFarm concept’, has been developed in order to decrease the start-up time of new ANITA Mox installations. New ANITA Mox installations are started with typically 3–15% of the added carriers being from the ‘BioFarm’, with already established anammox biofilm, the rest being new carriers. The first ANITA Mox plant, started up in 2010 at Sjölunda wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Malmö, Sweden, proved this seeding concept, reaching an ammonium removal rate of 1.2 kgN/m3 d and approximately 90% ammonia removal within 4 months from start-up. This first ANITA Mox plant is also the BioFarm used for forthcoming installations. Typical features of this first installation were low energy consumption, 1.5 kW/NH4-N-removed, low N2O emissions, <1% of the reduced nitrogen and a very stable and robust process towards variations in loads and process conditions. The second ANITA Mox plant, started up at Sundets WWTP in Växjö, Sweden, reached full capacity with more than 90% ammonia removal within 2 months from start-up. By applying a nitrogen loading strategy to the reactor that matches the capacity of the seeding carriers, more than 80% nitrogen removal could be obtained throughout the start-up period.


Author(s):  
Qian Zhang ◽  
Xue Chen ◽  
Heng Wu ◽  
Wandong Luo ◽  
Xiangyang Liu ◽  
...  

In recent years, there is a trend of low C/N ratio in municipal domestic wastewater, which results in serious problems for nitrogen removal from wastewater. The addition of an external soluble carbon source has been the usual procedure to achieve denitrification. However, the disadvantage of this treatment process is the need of a closed, rather sophisticated and costly process control as well as the risk of overdosing. Solid-phase denitrification using biodegradable polymers as biofilm carrier and carbon source was considered as an attractive alternative for biological denitrification. The start-up time of the novel process using PCL (polycaprolactone) as biofilm carrier and carbon source was comparable with that of conventional process using ceramsite as biofilm carrier and acetate as carbon source. Further, the solid-phase denitrification process showed higher nitrogen removal efficiency under shorter hydraulic retention time (HRT) and low carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio since the biofilm was firmly attached to the clear pores on the surface of PCL carriers and in this process bacteria that could degrade PCL carriers to obtain electron donor for denitrification was found. In addition, solid-phase denitrification process had a stronger resistance of shock loading than that in conventional process. This study revealed, for the first time, that the physical properties of the biodegradable polymer played a vital role in denitrification, and the different microbial compositions of the two processes was the main reason for the different denitrification performances under low C/N ratio.


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