Study of RBC Efficiency in Aniline Removal by Increasing Contactor Specific Surface

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Grad. Student of Civil Eng. Dept., Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran

2 Prof., Dept of Civil and Environmental Eng. Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran

3 Assoc. Prof., Dept of Civil and Environmental Eng. Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran

Abstract

Aniline is a first type amino aromatic compound and has various applications in different pharmaceutical, synthetic dye, plastic, and petrochemical industries. It is poisonous and its discharge into the environment causes serious hazards that warrant it removal by an efficient treatment process.  In this study, the efficiency of rotating biological contactors in aniline removal was investigated using four 3-liter parallel systems (in two series). Two reactors in the first series had 27 disks. The second series had 14 discs with packings in each reactor with the same specific surfaces as compared to the first system.Aniline concentrations from 100 to 1200 mg/L and hydraulic loading rates from 1.57 to 6.28 L/m2.d were used throughout the study period in two treatments. The effect of disc rotation speed on system efficiency was also investigated. The results indicated that COD removal efficiency decreased with increasing hydraulic loading rate but increased with increasing disc speed from 5 to 15 rpm. The best removal efficiencies of 88 and 86 percent for RBCI and RBCII, respectively, were obtained for an aniline concentration of 400 mg/L, a hydraulic loading rate of 1.57 L/m2.d, and a disc speed of 15 rpm. Based on the results, although both systems yield almost equal efficiencies, the start-up period was shorter in RBCII with a clearer effluent due to the lower quantity of suspended microorganisms in the reactor than that in RBCI. Use of packing may decrease energy consumption for disc rotation due to the overall weight reduction of the system.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab ( in persian )
Volume 21, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
Serial number:76
January 2011
Pages 20-27

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