Evaluation of the Inverse Fluidized Bed Biological Reactor for Treating High-Strength Industrial Wastewaters
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Abstract
The aim of this work was to investigate the aerobic degradation of high-strength industrial (refinery) wastewaters in the inverse fluidized bed biological reactor, in which polypropylene particles of density 910 kg/m<sup>3</sup> were fluidized by an upward flow of gas through a bed. Measurements of chemical oxygen demand (COD) versus residence time t were performed for various ratios of settled bed volume to reactor volume (<i>V<sub>b</sub>/V<sub>R</sub></i>) and air velocities u. The largest COD reduction, namely, from 54,840 to 2,190 mg/l, <i>i.e</i>. a 96% COD decrease, was achieved when the reactor was operated at the ratio (<i>V<sub>b</sub>/V<sub>R</sub></i>) = 0.55, air velocity u = 0.046 m/s and <i>t</i> = 65 h. Thus, these values of (<i>V<sub>b</sub>/V<sub>R</sub></i>), u and t can be considered as the optimal operating parameters for a reactor when used in treatment of high-strength refinery wastewaters. In the treatment operation conducted in a reactor optimally controlled at (<i>V<sub>b</sub>/V<sub>R</sub></i>) = 0.55, <i>u</i> = 0.046 m/s and <i>t</i> = 65 h, the conversions obtained for all phenolic constituents of the wastewater were larger than 95%. The conversions of about 90% were attained for other hydrocarbons.
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