• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.238-242
• /
• 2009

This study investigated the effects of organic loading rates on simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal in an innovative fixed-film aerobic bioreactor. The fixed-film bioreactor (FFB) was composed of a two-compartment aeration tank, in which a synthetic filamentous carrier was submerged as biofilm support media, and a settling tank which polyvinylidene media (Saran) was used as settling aid for suspended solids. Three different organic loading rates, ranging from 0.92-2.02 kg chemical oxygen demand/$m^3$/day were applied by varying hydraulic retention time (HRT). The total soluble organic carbon removal efficiencies were in the range of 90-97%. The removal efficiency of ammonia was found to be in the range of 70-84%. Total nitrogen removal efficiency was found to be in the range of 40-45%, which indicates that denitrification reactions occurred simultaneously in the attached biofilm on the fibrous media in the aeration tank. The settling performance of suspended solids was significantly improved due to the presence of Saran media in the settling compartment, even for a short HRT. The fixed-film aerobic bioreactor used in this study demonstrated efficient treatment efficiency even at higher organic loading rates and at short HRTs.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.263-271
• /
• 2018

The objective of this work was to analyze organic matter removal, nitrification, biomass growth and membrane fouling in a submerged flat-sheet membrane bioreactor, fed with synthetic wastewater, of similar composition to the effluents generated in a fish meal industry. After biomass acclimatization with saline conditions of 12 gNaCl/L and COD/N ratio of 15 in the bioreactor, results showed that the organic matter removal was higher than 90%, for all organic loading rates (0.8, 1, 1.33 and $2gCOD/L{\cdot}d$) and nitrogen loading rates (0.053, 0.067, 0.089 and $0.133gN/L{\cdot}d$) tested during the study. However, nitrification was only carried out with the lowest OLR ($0.8gCOD/L{\cdot}d$) and NLR ($0.053gN/L{\cdot}d$). An excessive concentration of organic matter in the wastewater appears as a limiting factor to this process' operating conditions, where nitrification values of 65% were reached, including nitrogen assimilation to produce biomass. The analysis of membrane fouling showed that the bio-cake formation at the membrane surface is the most impacting mechanism responsible of this phenomenon and it was demonstrated that organic and nitrogen loading rates variations affected membrane fouling rate.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.59-64
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate anoxic-RBC-anoxic-RBC process and its application to remove biologically organics and nitrogen. BOD and total-nitrogen(T-N) removal efficiencies were decreased as volumetric loading rate increased. But, the removal efficiency changes of T-N were little, as compared to BOD. Increase of internal recycle rate had few affect of BOD and T-N removal rates. Also, influent allocation(to 2nd anoxic reactor) had few affect of BOD removal efficiency rate. However, when the influent allocation rate was 30%, T-N removal efficiency was increased to 84.1 %. BOD/N ratio applied to 2nd anoxic reactor was increased to range of 3.65-4.37 as influent allocation rate increased to range 20∼35%. But, it might also cause adverse effect such as decrease of denitrification rate in excessive influent allocation rate.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.64-70
• /
• 2009

The aims of this study is to examine the effects of the changes in HRT(Hydraulic Retention Time) and media charge in a water-mill, among other operation factors, on the nitrogen and phosphorus removal in order to use up-flow anaerobic reactors, anoxic reactors and water-mill aerobic reactors for sewage treatment. The extension of HRT improved the nitrogen removal efficiency, however the removal pattern was constant regardless of HRT. The removal of phosphorus was constant (80%-90%) regardless of the change in HRT. The removal rate with change in influx load varied such that at the OLR (Organic Load Rate) of 1-3 kg/d, the T-N removal efficiency was 80.7%-88.9% and the T-P removal efficiency was 82.9%-89.3% while at the NLR (Nitrogen Loading Rate) of 0.108-0.156 kg/d the removal efficiencies were 80.7-88.9% (T-N) and 82.9-89.3% (T-P). The analyses of the nitrogen and phosphorous removal characteristics with the C/N and C/P ratio showed that the mean T-N removal rate was 88% at the C/N ratio of 1.2-2.6, and that the mean T-P removal rate was 86% at the C/P ratio of 7.2-14.1. Also, the analysis of nitrogen and phosphorous removal characteristics were analyzed in relation to media charge. The comparison between with and without media charge in the water-mill showed that while the nitrogen removal efficiencies were 86-94% and 85-89% respectively, the difference of phosphorous removal efficiencies were between the two conditions was not significant, thus it suggested that the media charge has less effect on the removal efficiency of phosphorous compared to that of nitrogen.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.896-902
• /
• 2015

Milking center wastewater (MCW) has a relatively low ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N ratio), which should be separately managed from livestock manure due to the negative impacts of manure nutrients and harmful effects on down-stream in the livestock manure process with respect to the microbial growth. Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) is linked to inhibition of the second nitrification and reduces around 40% of the carbonaceous energy available for denitrification. Thus, this study was conducted to find the optimal operational conditions for the treatment of MCW using an attached-growth biofilm reactor; i.e., nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 0.14, 0.28, 0.43, and $0.58kg\;m^{-3}\;d^{-1}$ and aeration rate of 0.06, 0.12, and $0.24\;m^3\;h^{-1}$ were evaluated and the comparison of air-diffuser position between one-third and bottom of the reactor was conducted. Four sand packed-bed reactors with the effective volume of 2.5 L were prepared and initially an air-diffuser was placed at one third from the bottom of the reactor. After the adaptation period of 2 weeks, SND was observed at all four reactors and the optimal NLR of $0.45kg\;m^{-3}\;d^{-1}$ was found as a threshold value to obtain higher nitrogen removal efficiency. Dissolved oxygen (DO) as one of key operational conditions was measured during the experiment and the reactor with an aeration rate of $0.12\;m^3\;h^{-1}$ showed the best performance of $NH_4-N$ removal and the higher total nitrogen removal efficiency through SND with appropriate DO level of ${\sim}0.5\;mg\;DO\;L^{-1}$. The air-diffuser position at one third from the bottom of the reactor resulted in better nitrogen removal than at the bottom position. Consequently, nitrogen in MCW with a low C/N ratio of 2.15 was successfully removed without the addition of external carbon sources.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.18-25
• /
• 2009

Nitrogen removal and methane production from piggery wastewater were investigated in two-phase anaerobic digestion (TPAD) coupled with biological nitrogen removal (BNR) process at $35^{\circ}C$. Methane production rate was about $0.7L/L{\cdot}day$ at organic loading rate (OLR) of $1.2g{\cdot}TCOD/L{\cdot}day$ in methanogenic UASB. Conversion efficiency of the removed TCOD into methane in UASB was as high as 72% and overall TCOD removal efficiency in this system was over 97%. Ammonia nitrogen were stably removed in BNR system and overall efficiency were 98%. With recirculation of the nitrified final effluent to TPAD, nitrogen oxides were completely removed by anaerobic denitrification in the acidogenic reactor, which did not inhibit the acidogenic activities. Overall TN removal efficiency in the TPAD-BNR system was as high as 94%.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.95-104
• /
• 1997

The objectives of this study are to investigate the effect of media on the removal efficiency of nitrate-nitrogen and the biofilm thickness in the fluidized bed biofilm reactor(FBBR) used for the high rate denitrification of nitric acid wastewater. Granular activated carbon(GAC) of 1.274 mm diameter and sand of 0.455 mm diameter were used as the media in the FBBR of 0.05 m diameter and 1.5 m height. As the nitrate-nitrogen concentration of the influent was increased stepwise from 600 to 4800 mg/l, the nitrate- and nitrite-nitrogen concentration of the effluent, biofilm thickness and biofilm dry density were measured to study the effects of media on the denitrification efficiency. The biofilm thickness increased with the substrate loading rate, and the biofilm dry density decreased with the increase of the biofilm thickness. At the influent nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 2400 mg/l, the removal efficiency in the FBBR with GAC was 88%, while that in the FBBR with sand was 99.6%. The biofilm in the FBBR with GAC was so thick, 754.9 $\mu$m, as to increase the mass transfer resistance, compared to that, 143.7 $\mu$m, in the FBBR with sand. The maximum specific denitrification rate in the FBBR with GAC was 15.0 kg-N/m$^3\cdot$ day, while that in the FBBR with sand was 18.0 kg-N/m$^3\cdot$ day. The biomass concentration in the FBBR with sand exhibited the high value 37 kg/m$^3$.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.437-446
• /
• 2004

To develop sewage treatment apparatus by natural purification method, the sewage treatment plant that consisted of aerobic and anaerobic plot was constructed. And then, the effects of treatment conditions on the removal of pollutants in the relation to sewage loading, sewage injection method and season according to the pebble kind. Removal rate of BOD and COD according to the sewage loading in effluent were over 95 and 77%, respectively. Removal rate of nitrogen in treated water by aerobic plot and effluent using sand were about 22~40 and 49~75%, respectively. Those of effluent using sand 75%+ oyster shell 25% and sand 50%+ oyster shell 50% as filter media in comparison with using sand were about 7~25 and 16~23%, respectively. Removal rate of phosphorus in treated water by aerobic plot and effluent using sand as filter media were about 30~36 and 52~56%, respectively. Those of effluent using sand 75%+ oyster shell 25% and sand 50%+ oyster shell 50% in comparison with using sand as filter media were about 11~40 and 12~45%, respectively. Removal efficiency of BOD and COD according to the intermittent injection method of sewage were slightly decreased, but those of nitrogen and phosphorus were little varied in comparison with continuous injection method. Removal efficiency of BOD and COD in winter in comparison with the others were little varied, but those of nitrogen and phosphorus slightly decreased.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 2009

This research examined the effect of ammonia nitrogen loading rate(NVLR) on the anaerobic digestion of slurry-typed swine wastewater. The anaerobic reactor was used an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process. This UASB reactor was operated at a NVLR of $0.02{\sim}0.96kg{NH_4}^+-N/m^3/day$. The methane content showed the range of 73.3~77.9% during the steady state period. Free ammonia(FA) concentration increased over inhibition level as pH increase from 7.3 to 8.2. However, in consideration of methane content, methane producing bacteria (MPB) inhibition by FA and total ammonia(TA) was not observed. A stepwise increase of the NVLR resulted in a deterioration in the COD removal rate in UASB reactor. The COD removal rate were 60% for NVLR up to $0.55kg{NH_4}^+-N/m^3/day$. As the NVLR increased from 0.09 to $0.96kg{NH_4}^+-N/m^3/day$, the biogas production rate varied from 3.71 to 9.14L/d and the methane conversion rate of the COD varied from 0.32 to $0.20m^3CH_4/kg$ COD removed. Consequently, in considerations of FA concentration, COD removal rate, and $CH_4$ production rate, the UASB reactor must be operated to lower than $0.40kg{NH_4}^+-N/m^3/day$ of NVLR.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.25 no.10
• /
• pp.1670-1679
• /
• 2015

Two hollow fiber membrane biofilm reactors (HF-MBfRs) were operated for autotrophic nitrification and hydrogenotrophic denitrification for over 300 days. Oxygen and hydrogen were supplied through the hollow fiber membrane for nitrification and denitrification, respectively. During the period, the nitrogen was removed with the efficiency of 82-97% for ammonium and 87-97% for nitrate and with the nitrogen removal load of 0.09-0.26 kg NH₄⁺-N/m³/d and 0.10-0.21 kg NO₃^--N/m³/d, depending on hydraulic retention time variation by the two HF-MBfRs for autotrophic nitrification and hydrogenotrophic denitrification, respectively. Biofilms were collected from diverse topological positions in the reactors, each at different nitrogen loading rates, and the microbial communities were analyzed with partial 16S rRNA gene sequences in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Detected DGGE band sequences in the reactors were correlated with nitrification or denitrification. The profile of the DGGE bands depended on the NH₄⁺ or NO₃^- loading rate, but it was hard to find a major strain affecting the nitrogen removal efficiency. Nitrospira-related phylum was detected in all biofilm samples from the nitrification reactors. Paracoccus sp. and Aquaspirillum sp., which are an autohydrogenotrophic bacterium and an oligotrophic denitrifier, respectively, were observed in the denitrification reactors. The distribution of microbial communities was relatively stable at different nitrogen loading rates, and DGGE analysis based on 16S rRNA (341f /534r) could successfully detect nitrate-oxidizing and hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria but not ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in the HF-MBfRs.