Evaluation of the Inverse Fluidized Bed Biological Reactor for Treating High-Strength Industrial Wastewaters

Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the aerobic degradation of high-strength industrial (refinery) wastewaters in the inverse fluidized bed biological reactor, in which polypropylene particles of density 910 kg/m 3 were fluidized by an upward flow of gas through a bed. Measurements of chemical oxygen demand (COD) versus residence time t were performed for various ratios of settled bed volume to reactor volume (V b /V R ) and air velocities u. The largest COD reduction, namely, from 54,840 to 2190 mg/l, i.e. a 96% COD decrease, was achieved when the reactor was operated at the ratio (V b /V R ) = 0.55, air velocity u = 0.046 m/s and t = 65 h. Thus, these values of (V b /V R ), u and t can be considered as the optimal operating parameters for a reactor when used in treatment of high-strength refinery wastewaters. In the treatment operation conducted in a reactor optimally controlled at (V b /V R ) = 0.55, u = 0.046 m/s and t = 65 h, the conversions obtained for all phenolic constituents of the wastewater were larger than 95%. The conversions of about 90% were attained for other hydrocarbons.

Optimal Aerations in the Inverse Fluidized Bed Biofilm Reactor When Used in Treatment of Industrial Wastewaters of Various Strength

“…For example, it can be noticed in Figure 4 liquid) area increased, and consequently the amount of the oxygen supplied for biomass growth increased [1,14]. for the air velocities greater than 0.014 m/s, the degradation rate of the constituents of the wastewaters was the controlling factor of the treatment process [3,15].…”

Biological wastewater treatment and bioreactor design: a review

“…Experimental studies on aerobic wastewater treatment in laboratory inverse fluidized bed biofilm reactors have been reported by many authors [65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72]. Examples are aerobic treatment of refinery wastewater (for dephenolization) and brewery wastewater [65][66][67][68], that of starch wastewater [69,70] and domestic wastewater samples [71]. Experimental data reported by these authors are encouraging, though are on laboratory bench scale.…”

Studies on Performance Analysis and Computer Aided Design of Inverse Fluidized Bed Bioreactors with Nanosupport Particles

“…Values of effectiveness factor (η) are computed from eqs (18), (19) and (23) based on typical values of kinetic parameters such as K m ¼ 5.0 mol/m 3 , r max ¼ 14 Â 10 −6 mol/(min g catalyst), K Si ¼ 75.0 mol/m 3 and α 0 ¼ 0.513 and at different values of substrate concentration (C S ) ranging from 2 mM to 10 mM. Value of effective diffusivity (D e ) employed was 2.097 Â 10 −10 m 2 /s (experimental value).…”

“…Pfeffer and Quevedo [17] have patented a method for removing contaminants such as oil and organic materials from waste water streams using inverse fluidized materials such as particulate aerogels. Sokól and Woldeyes [18] have investigated aerobic digestion of high-strength industrial (refinery) wastewaters in an inverse fluidized bed biological reactor that uses PP particles (density ¼ 910 kg/m 3 ) that were fluidized by an upward flow of gas.…”