• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.6 s.101
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• pp.451-455
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• 2006

An efficient pilot scale (10 ton) three-stage methane fermentation system to digest food waste has been developed in this laboratory. This system consisted of three stages: semianaerobic hydrolysis, anaerobic acidogenesis and strictly anaerobic methanogenesis. From the secondary acidogenesis reactor, a novel strain KA4 responsible for alcohol fermentation was isolated and characterized. The cell was oval and its dimension was $5.5-6.5{\times}3.5-4.5\;{\mu}m$. This strain was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae KA4 by 26S rDNA D1/D2 rDNA sequence. Optimal culture temperature was $30-35^{\circ}C$. Cells were tolerant to 5% (v/v) ethanol concentration, however, were inhibited significantly by higher ethanol concentration up to 7%. The strain could grow well up to 50% (w/v) initial glucose concentration in the YM liquid medium, however, optimal concentration for ethanol fermentation was 10%. It could produce ethanol in a broad initial pH range from 4 to 10, and optimal pH was 6. In this condition, the strain converted 10% glucose to 7.4% ethanol during 24 hr, and ethanol yield was estimated to be 2.87 moi EtOH/mol glucose.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2010

A pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant combined with rotating biological contactor and tapered aeration reactors was operated with the wastewater discharged from a food factory for 5 months. The bacterial communities of this plant were investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes. In spite of high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as organic carbon, removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus was 98%, 93%, and 95%, respectively. Bacterial community at the initial operation stage was clearly distinguished from that of the stable operation stage. The most predominant phylum in the sample of stable stage was Bacteroidetes. Major population of operation period was Haliscomenobacter, Sphaerotilus, and candidate division TM7, which were classified as filamentous bacteria. However, sludge bulking caused by these bacteria was not observed. The population that has a close relationship with Haliscomenobacter increased during the stable operation stage, emerging as the most predominant group. These results suggest that the filamentous bacteria participated in nutrient removal when using rotating biological contactor and tapered aeration reactor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.997-1006
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• 2009

Organic removal efficiency and methane production rate, a feasibility of power generation from biogas, and the optimum conditions for membrane operation were evaluated for the pilot scale (5 tons/day) two-phase anaerobic digestion coupled with ultra filtration (TPADUF) system fed with garbage leachate. The TPADUF system is consisted of a thermophilic acidogenic reactor, a mesophilic methanogenic reactor, and an UF membrane. When garbage leachate with 150 g/L of TCOD was fed to the TPADUF up to organic loading rate (OLR) of 11.1 g COD/L/d, the effluent TCOD was lower than 6 g/L and the average removal efficiencies of TCOD and SCOD were higher than 95%. The methane composition of the gas was 65%, and the methane yield was 39 $m^3/m^3$ garbage leachatefed, 260 $m^3$/tons $COD_{added}$, or 270 $m^3$/tons $COD_{removed}$, even there was some gas leak. The power production per consumed gas was 0.96 kWh/$m^3$ gas or 1.49 kWh/$m^3$ methane. This lower power production efficiency mainly due to the small capacity of gas engine (15 kW class). The membrane was operated at the average flux of 10 L/$m^2$/hr. When the flux decreased, washing with water and chemical (NaOCl) was conducted to restore the flux. In the TPADUF system, optimum pH could be maintained without alkali addition by recycling the membrane concentrate or mixed liquor of the methanogenic digester to the acidogenic reactor. Also, partial production of methane in the acidogenic reactor had a positive effect on lowering the OLR of the methanogenic reactor.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.323-328
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• 2016

Pressurized membrane used for side-stream MBR process requires fouling control strategy both for normal and abnormal operation conditions for stable operation of the facilities. In this study, $85m^3/day$ of pilot-scale side-stream MBR process was constructed for the evaluation of fouling mitigation by air bubble injection into the membrane module. In addition, fouling phenomena at abnormal operation conditions of low influent and/or loading rate were also investigated. Injection of air bubble was found to be effective in delaying transmembrane pressure (TMP) increase mainly due to scouring effect on the membrane surface, resulting in expanded filtration cycle at a high flux of $40L/m^2{\cdot}h$ (LMH). At abnormal operation condition, injection of PACl (53 mg/L as Al) into the bioreactor showed 19% reduction of TMP increase. However, inhibition of nitrifying bacteria by continuous PACl injection was observed from batch experiments. In contrast, injection of powdered activated carbon (PAC, 0.6 g/L) was able to maintain the initial TMP of $0.2kg/cm^2$ for 5 days at the abnormal conditions. It may have been caused from the adsorption of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which was known to be excessively released during growth inhibition condition and act as the major foulants in MBR operations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1110-1117
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• 2014

Tidal flats are continuously contaminated by human activities. This study assessed the bioremediation efficiency of tidal flat soil using microcosm reactors and microorganisms originating from the tidal area. We screened 135 bacterial strains that produce extracellular enzymes from the tidal area located in the North port of Incheon bay. Two bacterial strains (Pseudoalteromonas sp. and IC35 Halothiobacillus neapolitanus IC_S22) were selected and used in the microcosm reactors, which were specially designed to functionally mimic the ecological conditions of the tidal flats. Pseudoalteromonas sp. IC35 was selected based on its relatively high activity of the enzymes amylase, cellulose, lipase, and protease. Halothiobacillus neapolitanus IC_S22 was selected for oxidation of sulfur. The M1 and M2 microcosm reactors were operated by continuous feeding of seawater under the same conditions, but M2 was first inoculated with Pseudoalteromonas sp. IC35 before the seawater feeding. The initial COD in both the M1 and M2 microcosm reactors was 320 mg/l. The final COD was 21 mg/l (M1) and 7 mg/l (M2). The M3 and M4 microcosm reactors were operated by continuous feeding of seawater under the same conditions, but M4 was first inoculated with H. neapolitanus IC_S22. The initial sulfate concentration in both the M3 and M4 microcosm reactors was 660 mg/l, and the maximum sulfate concentration was 1,360 mg/l (M3) and 1,600 mg/l (M4).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1087-1093
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• 2010

Autotrophic denitrification is known as an effective and economical alternative for heterotrophic denitrification using external carbon sources such as methanol. In this study, we evaluated design and operation parameters for a sulfur denitrification reactor (SDR) treating high strength nitrogen wastewater. The SDR was filled with spherical sulfur media in connected to a pilot-scale nutrient removal process (daily flow rate, $Q=18\;m^3/d$) using moving spongy media. Total nitrogen (TN) concentration of the final effluent was below the 7.0 mg TN/L because nitrate was additionally removed through autotrophic denitrificationin without adding alkalinity (initial alkalinity was $169.4{\pm}20.8\;mg$ $CaCO_3$/L). During the test period, 60~80% of nitrogen in the influent was removed even in low temperature (below $15^{\circ}C$). The alkalinity consumption for nitrate removal in SDR was $4.09{\pm}1.29$ g $CaCO_3/g$ ${NO_3}^-$-N, and the residual alkalinity of influent of SDR was higher than that of theoretical requirements for full conversion of nitrate. The consumption of sulfur was 943.8 g S/d and it was 2.4 times higher than theoretical value (400.1 g S/d) due to abrasion and loss of sulfur media in backwash, etc.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.715-721
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• 2007

Residual calcium concentration is high, in general, at the effluent of the fluoride removal process in the electronics industry manufacturing semiconductor and LCD. To increase the stability of the membrane process incorporated for reuse of wastewater, the residual calcium is required to be pre-removed. Hyperkinetic Vortex Crystallization(HVC) process was installed in the electronics industry manufecturing semi conductor as a pilot scale for accelerating calcification of calcium ion. Compared to the conventional soda ash method, the 31% higher calcium removal efficiency was achieved when HVC was applied at the same sodium carbonate dosage. In order to maintain the economic calcium removal target of 70% preset by manufacturer, the dosing concentration of the soda ash was 530 mg/L based on influent flowrate. The seed concentration in the reactor was one of the critical factors and should be maintained in the range of $800\sim1,200mg$ SS/L to maximize the calcium removal efficiency. The calcite production rate was 0.30 g SS/g $Na_2CO_3$ in the average. The economic HVC passing time of the mixture was in the range of $2\sim5$ times. Relatively, stable calcium concentration was maintained in the range of $30\sim72$ mg/L(average 49 mg/L) although the calcium concentration in the feed was severely fluctuated with $74\sim359$ mg/L(average 173 mg/L). The HVC process was characterized as environment-friendly technology reducing chemical dosage and chemical sludge production and minimizing maintenance cost.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2007

Sawdust biofiltration is an emerging bio-technology for control of ammonia emissions including compost odors from composting of biological wastes. Although sawdust is widely used as a medium for bulking agent in composting system and for microbial attachment in biofiltration systems, the performance of agitated bed composting and sawdust biofiltration are not well established. A pilot-scale composting of hog manure amended with sawdust and sawdust biofiltration systems for practical operation were investigated using aerated and agitated rectangular reactor with compost turner and sawdust biofilter operated under controlled conditions, each with a working capacity of approximately $40m^3\;and\;4.5m^3$ respectively. These were used to investigate the effect of compost temperature, seed germination rate and the C/N ratio of the compost on ammonia emissions, compost maturity and sawdust biofiltration performance. Temperature profiles showed that the material in three runs had been reached to temperature of 55 to $65^{\circ}C$ and above. The ammonia concentration in the exhaust gas of the sawdust biofilter media was below the maximum average value as 45 ppm. Seed germination rate levels of final compost was maintained from 70 to 93% and EC values of the finished compost varied between 2.8 and 4.8 ds/m, providing adequate conditions for plant growth.