73 / 2023-12-29 18:42:06

Removal of Organic Components in Wastewater using an Aerated Submerged Biofilm Reactor

aerated submerged biofilm,aerobic reactor,biofilm

A reactor of Aerated Submerged Biofilm (ASB) was designed, built and evaluated using a synthetic substrate to remove organic loads expressed through the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD _5.20 ) and Chemical Oxygen Demand_. (COD). The experiment and determination of parameters were carried out in the laboratory of the company Diseños Ambientales CA, authorized to carry out water analysis by the Ministry of the Environment. ASB components included: a) wastewater storage tank with a volume of 200 L. b) the wastewater pumping system consisted of a model A-48A diaphragm pump, with a power of 0.004 Hp and a maximum flow rate. of 7.5 L/h. c) The reactor aeration and sludge recirculation system was made up of a set of 3/16-inch diameter plastic hoses to connect the diffusers to three blowers, as well as feed the reactor at 12 points. d) The reactor was built in plexiglass material , having dimensions: width: 40 cm, length: 40 cm, and height of 70 cm, achieving a total volume of 112 L, and a useful volume of 105 L. e) The solid support medium was made up of 24 corrugated PVC sheets, with a specific area factor of 100 m ² /m ³. f) Dimensions of biofilm support medium used according to the size of reactor were 37x39x55 cm. g) Settler was built in the shape of a half hopper, surface area of 24 cm ² . In the biomass acclimatization stage, 30 L of sludge from the digester of a textile plant were used. Biomass acclimatization stage lasted 1 month. At the end of this stage, biofilm reached a thickness between 0.5 and 2.9 mm. Dissolved oxygen in reactor varied between 2 and 8 mg/L. In wastewater treatment stage, three organic loads were applied to the ASB reactor (2.78 g BOD _5,20 /m ² /d, 1.85 g BOD _5.20 /m ² /d, 0.93 g BOD _5.20 /m ² /d BOD _5.20 /m ² /d), corresponding to three hydraulic loads (7.5 L/m ² /d, 5 L/m ² /d, 2.5 L/m ² /d), varying the rate of flow in 20, 40 and 60 L/d. The synthetic substrate reached a concentration of organic matter expressed as BOD of 371 mg/L and COD of 1287 mg/L. The removal efficiency of organic matter in terms of BOD_5,20 varied between 71 and 97%, in COD between 54 and 96%. The removal of organic matter increased as the hydraulic load decreased.