Engineering aspects of a mixed methanotrophic culture in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 255-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Casey ◽  
S. Rishell ◽  
B. Glennon ◽  
G. Hamer

Methanotrophic biodegradation using the membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) is a technology offering several advantages over both conventional biofilm reactors and suspended-cell processes. In this study the oxidation efficiency of a methanotrophic biofilm in a 1.5 litre MABR was investigated. Measurements of oxygen and methane uptake rates together with biofilm thickness were taken for developing biofilms. It was found that the specific rate of metabolic activity of the biofilm was unusually high as determined by the methane and oxygen uptake rates. Microbial activity stratification was evident and the location of stratified layers of oxygen consuming components of the consortium could be manipulated via the intra-membrane oxygen pressure.

2004 ◽  
Vol 49 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Wanner ◽  
E. Morgenroth

AQUASIM is a computer program for the identification and simulation of aquatic systems. The program includes a one-dimensional multisubstrate and multispecies biofilm model and represents a suitable tool for biofilm simulation. The program can be used to calculate substrate removal in biofilm reactors for any user specified microbial system. One-dimensional spatial profiles of substrates and microbial species in the biofilm can be predicted. The program also calculates the development of the biofilm thickness and of the substrates and microbial species in the biofilm and in the bulk fluid over time. Detachment and attachment of microbial cells at the biofilm surface and in the biofilm interior can be considered, and simulations of sloughing events can be performed. Furthermore, AQUASIM allows pseudo two-dimensional modeling of plug flow biofilm reactors by a series of biofilm reactor compartments. The most significant limitation of the model is that it only considers spatial gradients of substrates and microbial species in the biofilm in the direction perpendicular to the substratum.


2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Boltz ◽  
G. T. Daigger

While biofilm reactors may be classified as one of seven different types, the design of each is unified by fundamental biofilm principles. It follows that state-of-the art design of each biofilm reactor type is subject to the same uncertainties (although the degree of uncertainty may vary). This paper describes unifying biofilm principles and uncertainties of importance in biofilm reactor design. This approach to biofilm reactor design represents a shift from the historical approach which was based on empirical criteria and design formulations. The use of such design criteria was largely due to inherent uncertainty over reactor-scale hydrodynamics and biofilm dynamics, which correlate with biofilm thickness, structure and function. An understanding of two fundamental concepts is required to rationally design biofilm reactors: bioreactor hydrodynamics and biofilm dynamics (with particular emphasis on mass transfer resistances). Bulk-liquid hydrodynamics influences biofilm thickness control, surface area, and development. Biofilm dynamics influences biofilm thickness, structure and function. While the complex hydrodynamics of some biofilm reactors such as trickling filters and biological filters have prevented the widespread use of fundamental biofilm principles and mechanistic models in practice, reactors utilizing integrated fixed-film activated sludge or moving bed technology provide a bulk-liquid hydrodynamic environment allowing for their application. From a substrate transformation perspective, mass transfer in biofilm reactors defines the primary difference between suspended growth and biofilm systems: suspended growth systems are kinetically (i.e., biomass) limited and biofilm reactors are primarily diffusion (i.e., biofilm growth surface area) limited.


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 567-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Ruiz-Treviño ◽  
S. González-Martínez ◽  
C. Doria-Serrano ◽  
M. Hernández-Esparza

This paper presents the kinetic analysis, using Generalized Power-Law equations to describe the results of an experimental investigation conducted on a batch submerged biofilm reactor for phosphorus removal under an anaerobic/aerobic cycle. The observed rates and amounts of phosphorus release and organic substrate uptake in the anaerobic phase leads to a kinetic model in which these two variables are dependent on each other with a non-linear behaviour and reach equilibrium values in both cases, at different times and are function of rate constants ratio. The model has a good fit with experimental data except for C uptake at anaerobic contact times longer than four hours, where other kinetics are implied. Kinetic parameters were obtained with different initial substrate concentrations, anaerobic contact cycles, and type of substrates.


1998 ◽  
Vol 37 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 171-175
Author(s):  
Artem Khlebnikov ◽  
Falilou Samb ◽  
Paul Péringer

p-toluenesulphonic acid degradation by Comamonas testosteroni T-2 in multi-species biofilms was studied in a fixed bed biofilm reactor. The polypropylene static mixer elements (Sulzer Chemtech Ltd., Switzerland) were used as a support matrix for biofilm formation. Biofilm respiration was estimated using the dynamic gassing-out oxygen uptake method. A strong relation between oxygen uptake and reactor degradation efficiency was observed, because p-toluenesulphonate degradation is a strictly aerobic process. This technique also allowed us to estimate the thickness of the active layer in the studied system. The mean active thickness was in order of 200 μm, which is close to maximum oxygen penetration depth in biofilms. A transient mathematical model was established to evaluate oxygen diffusitivity in non-steady-state biofilms. Based on the DO concentration profiles, the oxygen diffusion coefficient and the maximum respiration activity were calculated. The oxygen diffusion coefficient obtained (2 10−10-1.2 10−9 m2 s−1) is in good agreement with published values. The DO diffusion coefficient varied with biofilm development. This may be, most likely, due to the biofilm density changes during the experiments. The knowledge of diffusivity changes in biofilms is particularly important for removal capacity estimation and appropriate reactor design.


Author(s):  
Qianqian Lu ◽  
Nannan Zhang ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Miao Zhang ◽  
Dehua Zhao ◽  
...  

Lab-scale simulated biofilm reactors, including aerated reactors disturbed by short-term aeration interruption (AE-D) and non-aerated reactors disturbed by short-term aeration (AN-D), were established to study the stable-state (SS) formation and recovery after disturbance for nitrogen transformation in terms of dissolved oxygen (DO), removal efficiency (RE) of NH4+-N and NO3−-N and activity of key nitrogen-cycle functional genes amoA and nirS (RNA level abundance, per ball). SS formation and recovery of DO were completed in 0.56–7.75 h after transition between aeration (Ae) and aeration stop (As). In terms of pollutant REs, new temporary SS formation required 30.7–52.3 h after Ae and As interruptions, and seven-day Ae/As interruptions required 5.0% to 115.5% longer recovery times compared to one-day interruptions in AE-D and AN-D systems. According to amoA activity, 60.8 h were required in AE-D systems to establish new temporary SS after As interruptions, and RNA amoA copies (copy number/microliter) decreased 88.5%, while 287.2 h were required in AN-D systems, and RNA amoA copies (copy number/microliter) increased 36.4 times. For nirS activity, 75.2–85.8 h were required to establish new SSs after Ae and As interruptions. The results suggested that new temporary SS formation and recovery in terms of DO, pollutant REs and amoA and nirS gene activities could be modelled by logistic functions. It is concluded that temporary SS formation and recovery after Ae and As interruptions occurred at asynchronous rates in terms of DO, pollutant REs and amoA and nirS gene activities. Because of DO fluctuations, the quantitative relationship between gene activity and pollutant RE remains a challenge.


1955 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irving H. Heller ◽  
K. A. C. Elliott

Per unit weight, cerebral and cerebellar cortex respire much more actively than corpus callosum. The rate per cell nucleus is highest in cerebral cortex, lower in corpus callosum, and still lower in cerebellar cortex. The oxygen uptake rates of the brain tumors studied, with the exception of an oligodendroglioma, were about the same as that of white matter on the weight basis but lower than that of cerebral cortex or white matter on the cell basis. In agreement with previous work, an oligodendroglioma respired much more actively than the other tumors. The rates of glycolysis of the brain tumors per unit weight were low but, relative to their respiration rate, glycolysis was higher than in normal gray or white matter. Consideration of the figures obtained leads to the following tentative conclusions: Glial cells of corpus callosum respire more actively than the neurons of the cerebellar cortex. Neurons of the cerebral cortex respire on the average much more actively than neurons of the cerebellar cortex or glial cells. Considerably more than 70% of the oxygen uptake by cerebral cortex is due to neurons. The oxygen uptake rates of normal oligodendroglia and astrocytes are probably about the same as the rates found per nucleus in an oligodendroglioma and in astrocytomas; oligodendroglia respire much more actively than astrocytes.


1991 ◽  
Vol 23 (7-9) ◽  
pp. 1417-1425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng-Kun Chen ◽  
Chin-Kun Juaw ◽  
Sheng-Shung Cheng

Two sets of fixed-film biological processes were operated separately for nitritification of amnonium and for denitritification of nitrite associated with organic compounds. High strength amnonium wastewater (50-1000 mg NH4+-N/l) could be effectively nitritified by a draft-tube fluidized bed which was operated at an extremely high loading of 1.0 kg NH4−1-N/m3.day with 95% amnonium conversion and 60 to 95% nitrite formation. Additionally, a biofilm fixed-bed was employed to denitritify the high strength nitrite (200 to 1000 mg NO2−-N/l) associated with organic compounds of glucose, acetate and benzoic acid. Complete nitrite removal could be achieved with sufficient HRT and COD/NO2−-N ratio. The conversion ratios were estimated experimentally at 2.5 for glucose and acetate, and 2.0 g ∆COD/g ∆NO2−-N for benzoic acid. A proposed process of an aerobic nitritifying biofilm reactor combined with an anoxic denitritifying biofilm reactor in series could be employed for complete nitrogen removal.


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 703-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Rusten ◽  
H. Ødegaard ◽  
A. Lundar

A novel moving bed biofilm reactor has been developed, where the biofilm grows on small, free floating plastic elements with a large surface area and a density slightly less than 1.0 g/cm3. The specific biofilm surface area can be regulated as required, up to a maximum of approximately 400 m2/m3. The ability to remove organic matter from concentrated industrial effluents was tested in an aerobic pilot-plant with two moving bed biofilm reactors in series and a specific biofilm surface area of 276 m2/m3. Treating dairy wastewater, the pilot-plant showed 85% and 60% COD removal at volumetric organic loading rates of 500 g COD/m3h and 900 g COD/m3h respectively. Based on the test results, the moving bed biofilm reactors should be very suitable for treatment of food industry effluents.


2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-244
Author(s):  
Fang He ◽  
Fusheng Li ◽  
Haihong Zhou ◽  
Lingling Niu ◽  
Liguo Wang

In this research, biocompounds designed out of two polymers having different degradability was investigated for use as the sole carbon source and biofilm carrier to remove perchlorate in particle-fixed biofilm reactors. Both laboratory batch and column experiments were conducted with perchlorate contaminated groundwater. Batch experiments demonstrated clearly that ClO4– was removed from the aqueous phase readily and the degradation rate constants (k) changed in the range of 0.23–0.37 mg/L h as ClO4– concentration increased from 2 to 8 mg/L. Simultaneous perchlorate and nitrate degradation occurred in the polymer bioreactor. Effluent concentrations of perchlorate varied positively with temperature and fitted the Arrhenius equation expression as k=k20•100.0316(t–20) over the range of 13–30 °C. No perchlorate was detected in the effluent of polymer columns after 20 days’ startup. Complete perchlorate removal was observed at a hydraulic loading rate doubled to 1.8 mL/min. Images prove the concept of the pore and filament structure within the biocompounds, which provide both a heterotrophic biofilm and carbon source. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis and partial sequencing of 16S rRNA genes indicated that formerly reported perchlorate-reducing bacteria were present in the polymer particle-fixed biofilm reactors.


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