Horizontal-Flow Biofilm System with Step Feed for Nitrogen Removal
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 6
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a simple biological system suitable for the treatment of dairy parlor wash waters. A novel horizontal-flow biofilm system with step feed was designed, constructed, and tested in the laboratory for organic carbon removal, nitrification, and denitrification of a synthetic dairy wastewater with average filtered chemical oxygen demand of , total nitrogen (TN) of , and ammonia nitrogen of . The novel biofilm system consisted of two reactor units placed on top of one another, each comprising a stack of horizontal plastic sheets. Part of the wastewater was pumped onto Sheet 1 (top feed) and the remainder onto Sheet 11 (step feed) and flowed over the horizontal sheets down through the system. Three hydraulic loading rates were examined: 32.3, 25.1, and , based on the top plan area, and the respective removals of were 96, 96, and 97% and of TN, 86, 83, and 75% were achieved. The system was simple and cheap to construct and operate.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge the award of a Walsh Fellowship to L. W. X. by Teagasc. They also acknowledge the assistance of their colleagues: Xinmin Zhan, Aoife Lambe, Richael Duffy, and Eoghan Clifford.
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© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 5, 2005
Accepted: Dec 19, 2006
Published online: Jun 1, 2007
Published in print: Jun 2007
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