Conversion of Full-Scale Wet Scrubbers to Biotrickling Filters for Control at Publicly Owned Treatment Works
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 130, Issue 10
Abstract
Until recently, biological treatment of odors in biofilters or biotrickling filters was thought to require a longer gas contact time than chemical scrubbing, hence bioreactors for air treatment required a larger footprint. This paper discusses the conversion of chemical scrubbers to biological trickling filters. Initially, research was conducted with a laboratory-scale biotrickling filter. An effective open-pore polyurethane packing material was identified and biotreatment performance was quantified. Key technical issues in determining the general suitability of converting wet scrubbers to biotrickling filters were identified, and a generic ten-step conversion procedure was developed. Following the laboratory research, five full-scale chemical scrubbers treating odorous air at the Sanitation District of Orange County, Calif., were converted to biotrickling filters. The original airflow rate was maintained, resulting in a gas contact time as low as . The converted biotrickling filters demonstrated an excellent capability for treating high concentrations to concentrations below regulatory limits. This study shows outstanding potential for converting chemical scrubbers to biotrickling filters at publicly owned treatment works.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Card, T. ( 2001). “Chemical odour scrubbing systems.” Odours in wastewater treatment: Measuring, modelling and control, R. Stuetz and F. B. Frechen, eds., International Water Association, London, 309–344.
2.
Chung, Y. C., Huang, C., Tseng, C. P., and Pan, J. R. (2000). “Biotreatment of and -containing waste gases by co-immobilized cells biofilter.” Chemosphere, 41, 329–336.
3.
Cox, H. H. J., and Deshusses, M. A. (1998). “Biological waste air treatment in biotrickling filters.” Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 9(3), 256–262.
4.
Cox, H. H. J., and Deshusses, M. A. (2002). “Co-treatment of and toluene in a biotrickling filter.” Chem. Eng. J., 87, 101–110.
5.
Gabriel, D., Cox, H.H. J., Brown, J., Torres, E., and Deshusses, M.A. ( 2002). “Biotrickling filters for POTWs air treatment: Full-scale experience with a converted scrubber.” Proc., Odors and Toxic Air Emissions 2002, Water Environment Federation, Alexandria, Va.
6.
Gabriel, D., and Deshusses, M. A. (2003b). “Performance of a full-scale biotrickling filter treating at a gas contact time of .” Environ. Prog., 22, 111–118.
7.
Gabriel, D., and Deshusses, M. A. (2003a). “Retrofitting existing chemical scrubbers to biotrickling filters for emission control.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 100, 6308–6312.
8.
Koe, L. C. C., and Yang, F. (2000). “A bioscrubber for hydrogen sulphide removal.” Water Sci. Technol., 41, 141–145.
9.
Lobo, R., Revah, S., and Viveros-García, T. (1999). “An analysis of a tricklied-bed bioreactor: carbon disulfide removal.” Biotechnol. Bioeng., 63(1), 98–109.
10.
Loy, J., Heinrich, K., and Egerer, B. ( 1997). “Influence of filter material on the elimination rate in a biotrickling filter bed.” Proc., 90th Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Air and Waste Management Association, Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh.
11.
Smet, E., Lens, P., and Van Langenhove, H. (1998). “Treatment of waste gases contaminated with odorous sulfur compounds.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol., 28, 89–117.
12.
Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF). ( 1996). “A critical review of odor control equipment for toxic air emissions reduction.” Water Environment Research Foundation Project 91-VOC-2, Alexandria, Va.
13.
Wu, L., Loo, Y. Y., and Koe, L. C. C. (2001). “A pilot study of a biotrickling filter for the treatment of odorous sewage air.” Water Sci. Technol., 44, 295–299.
14.
Yang, Y. H., and Allen, E. R. (1994). “Biofiltration control of hydrogen sulfide 1. Design and operational parameters.” J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 44, 863–868.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 ASCE.
History
Published online: Oct 1, 2004
Published in print: Oct 2004
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.