Denitrification kinetics in a rotating disk biofilm reactor

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1997

Authors

Rui Boaventura (Author) FEUP; Alírio Rodrigues (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Engineering and Applied Science

Vol. 65

Pages: 227-285

ISSN: 1110-1903

Publisher: Cairo University

Indexing

Scopus - 9 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00F-NPX

Abstract (EN): Denitrification kinetics of a synthetic substrate containing molasses, sodium nitrate. Na2HPO4·12H2O, KH2PO4 and tap water treated with Na2SO3 was studied in a rotating disk biofilm reactor (RDBR). Experiments were performed at various conditions: biofilm thickness in the range 100-1100 ¿m and nitrate concentration in the feed of 5 to 50 mg N l-1. Biofilm density decreases with increasing biofilm thickness. Most experiments were in the kinetic controlled regime or fully penetrated biofilms. The intrinsic zero-order kinetic constant was found to be ko = 7.96 × 10-6 kg NO3-N*kg biofilm-1 s-1 (at 25°C). Some runs were in the diffusion controlled regime or partially penetrated biofilms; the effective diffusivity of nitrate in the biofilm which fitted experimental results was Db = 1.5 × 10-9 m2 s-1. The efficiency of the RDBR, considered as a CSTR, predicted by a model based on a zero-order reaction and diffusion inside the biofilm, reasonably agrees with experimental data.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific