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A novel technology suitable for centralised and decentralised wastewater treatment has been developed, extensively tested at laboratory-scale, and trialled at a number of sites for populations ranging from 15 to 400 population equivalents (PE). The two-reactor-tank pumped flow biofilm reactor (PFBR) is characterised by: (i) its simple construction; (ii) its ease of operation and maintenance; (iii) low operating costs; (iv) low sludge production; and (v) comprising no moving parts or compressors, other than hydraulic pumps. By operating the system in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) mode, the following treatment can be achieved: 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS) reduction; nitrification and denitrification. During a 100-day full-scale plant study treating municipal wastewater and operating at 165 PE and 200 PE (Experiments 1 and 2, respectively), maximum average removals of 94% BOD5, 86% TSS and 80% ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) were achieved. During the latter part of Experiment 2, effluent concentrations averaged: 14 mg BOD5/l; 32 mg COD(filtered)/l; 14 mg TSS/l; 4.4 mg NH4-N/l; and 4.0 mg NO3-N/l (nitrate-nitrogen). The average energy consumption was 0.46-0.63 kWh/m3(treated) or 1.25-1.76 kWh/kg BOD5 removed. No maintenance was required during these experiments. The PFBR technology offers a low energy, minimal maintenance technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater.

A horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) designed for the treatment of synthetic wastewater (SWW) was studied to examine the spatial distribution and dynamics of nitrogen transformation processes. Detailed analyses of bulk water and biomass samples, giving substrate and proportions of ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB) gradients in the HFBR, were carried out using chemical analyses, sensor rate measurements and molecular techniques. Based on these results, proposals for the design of HFBR systems are presented. The HFBR comprised a stack of 60 polystyrene sheets with 10-mm deep frustums. SWW was intermittently dosed at two points, Sheets 1 and 38, in a 2 to 1 volume ratio respectively. Removals of 85.7% COD, 97.4% 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and 61.7% TN were recorded during the study. In the nitrification zones of the HFBR, which were separated by a step-feed zone, little variation in nitrification activity was found, despite decreasing in situ ammonia concentrations. The results further indicate significant simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) activity in the nitrifying zones of the HFBR. Sensor measurements showed a linear increase in potential nitrification rates at temperatures between 7 and 16 degrees C, and similar rates of nitrification were measured at concentrations between 1 and 20mg NH(4)-N/l. These results can be used to optimise HFBR reactor design. The HFBR technology could provide an alternative, low maintenance, economically efficient system for carbon and nitrogen removal for low flow wastewater discharges., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The spatial distributions and activities of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) were investigated for a novel laboratory-scale sequencing batch pumped-flow biofilm reactor (PFBR) system that was operated for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The PFBR comprised of two 16.5l tanks (Reactors 1 and 2), each with a biofilm module of 2m(2) surface area. To facilitate the growth of AOB and PAOs in the reactor biofilms, the influent wastewater was held in Reactor 1 under stagnant un-aerated conditions for 6 h after feeding, and was then pumped over and back between Reactors 1 and 2 for 12 h, creating aerobic conditions in the two reactors during this period; as a consequence, the biofilm in Reactor 2 was in an aerobic environment for almost all the 18.2 h operating cycle. A combination of micro-sensor measurements, molecular techniques, batch experiments and reactor studies were carried out to analyse the performance of the PFBR system. After 100 days operation at a filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD(f)) loading rate of 3.46 g/m(2) per day, the removal efficiencies were 95% COD(f), 87% TN(f) and 74% TP(f). While the PFBR microbial community structure and function were found to be highly diversified with substantial AOB and PAO populations, about 70% of the phosphorus release potential and almost 100% of the nitrification potential were located in Reactors 1 and 2, respectively. Co-enrichment of AOB and PAOs was realized in the Reactor 2 biofilm, where molecular analyses revealed unexpected microbial distributions at micro-scale, with population peaks of AOB in a 100-250 microm deep sub-surface zone and of PAOs in the 0-150 microm surface zone. The micro-distribution of AOB coincided with the position of the nitrification peak identified during micro-sensor analyses. The study demonstrates that enrichment of PAOs can be realized in a constant or near constant aerobic biofilm environment. Furthermore, the findings suggest that when successful co-enrichment of AOB and PAOs occur in biofilm environments, such as in the PFBR system, they do so at different zone depths in the biofilm.

This study investigated the performance of a horizontal-flow biofilm reactor in treating domestic-strength synthetic wastewater (SWW) under three hydraulic and chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rates (phases 1 to 3) ranging from 152 L/m2 x d and 58.9 g COD/m2 x d to 497 L/m2 x d and 192.7 g COD/m2 x d, respectively; the rates were based on the top surface plan area (TSPA) of the reactor. The reactor comprised a stack of 30 horizontal polystyrene sheets. The SWW, intermittently dosed onto the unit, flowed over and back along sequential sheets in the stack before exiting at the bottom of the unit. Maximum average removals of > 98% biochemical oxygen demand and 96.2% total ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) were observed. The TSPA COD and NH4-N removal rates were high for all phases. The unit provides a high-performance, economic, low-maintenance, and flexible alternative for removing carbon and ammonium from low-flow point sources.

Nutrient removal from domestic strength synthetic wastewater by an alternating pumped flow sequencing batch biofilm reactor (APFSBBR) was investigated in this laboratory study. The APFSBBR comprised two reactor tanks (Reactors 1 and 2) with two identical biofilm modules of vertical tubular plastic media with a high specific surface area, one in each tank. The APFSBBR was operated in cycles of four phases: fill, anaerobic, aerobic, and draw. During the fill phase, Reactor 1 was half-filled with domestic strength synthetic wastewater. During the subsequent anaerobic phase, most of the phosphorus release took place from the submerged biofilm in this reactor. In the aerobic phase, the wastewater was circulated by pumps between Reactors 1 and 2, resulting in denitrification at the start of the aerobic phase due to low oxygen concentrations, followed by nitrification and luxury uptake of phosphorus when oxygen concentrations increased. During the draw phase, Reactor 2 was half-emptied of the treated water. At the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) loading rates on the total biofilm area of 3.20 g COD, 0.33 g TN, and 0.06 g TP m(-2) d(-1), the removal efficiencies were 97, 85, and 92% for COD, TN, and TP, respectively.

A novel laboratory bench-scale sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) system was developed for the treatment of synthetic domestic strength wastewater, comprising two side-by-side 18 l reactor tanks, each containing a plastic biofilm media module. Aerobic and anoxic conditions in the biofilms were effected by intermittent alternate pumping of wastewater between the two reactors. With a media surface area loading rate of 4.2 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/m2.d, the average influent COD, total nitrogen (TN) and ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) concentrations of 1021 mg/l, 97 mg/l and 54 mg/l, respectively, reduced to average effluent concentrations of 72 mg COD/l, 17.8 mg TN/l, and 5.5 mg NH4-N /l. Using a similar alternating biofilm exposure arrangement, a 16 person equivalent pilot (PE) plant was constructed at a local village treatment works to remove organic carbon from highly variable settled municipal wastewater and comprised two reactors, one positioned above the other, each containing a module of cross-flow plastic media with a surface area of 100 m2. Two different pumping sequences (PS) in the aerobic phase were examined where the average influent COD concentrations were 220 and 237 mg/l for PS1 and PS2, respectively, and the final average effluent COD was consistently less than 125 mg/l--the European Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive limit--with the best performance occurring in PS1. Nitrification was evident during both PS1 and PS2 studies. A 300 PE package treatment plant was designed based on the bench-scale and pilot-scale studies, located at a local wastewater treatment works and treated municipal influent with average COD, suspended solids (SS) and TN concentrations of 295, 183 and 15 mg/l, respectively resulting in average effluent concentrations of 67 mg COD/l, 17 mg SS/l and 9 mg TN/l. The SBBR systems performed well, and were simple to construct and operate., (IWA Publishing 2008.)

In Ireland, land-spreading is the most widely used method for treating dairy wastewaters. This can be labour intensive and can cause, in some cases, nitrate contamination of groundwater. In this study a simple pilot-scale horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) with a step-feed was developed and tested at a dairy farm site in County Offaly, Ireland for partial remediation of this soiled water prior to landspreading.During the 122-day study, the top surface plan area (TSPA) hydraulic loading rate was 50 L/m2/day. Influent concentrations averaged: 2904.2 mg total chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L, 950 mg 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5)/L and 177.9 mg total nitrogen (TN)/L. Between Days 1 and 45 frequent ambient temperatures below 4 degrees C inhibited the build-up of biomass resulting in low removals. From Day 45 the HFBR unit removed 74.9% total COD and 69.6% BOD5, equivalent to TSPA removals of 108.8 g COD/m2/day and 33.1 g BOD5/m2/day. On Sheet 29, by the end of the study, the NH4-N had reduced from 123.1 mg/L in the influent to 37.0 mg/L. TN removal in the reactor averaged 56.0% equating to a TSPA removal rate of 5.0 g TN/m2/day.The HFBR does not require any mechanical aeration, was simple and inexpensive to construct and can provide a robust and economical alternative for the remediation of agricultural soiled water before landspreading., (IWA Publishing 2008.)

Recirculation of fully nitrified effluent from a laboratory horizontal-flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) to a mixed pre-denitrification reactor (DR) was used to remove organic carbon and nitrogen from synthetic dairy wastewater. Three recirculation ratios of 2, 4, and 6 were examined in this study and the average filtered chemical oxygen demand (CODf) and total nitrogen (TN) removals were up to 97.4% and 85.5%, respectively, at 11 degrees C. In the DR, the nitrate nitrogen removal efficiencies and rates were 86-96% and 22-34 g N/m3 d. In the HFBR, the ammonium nitrogen removal rates were 293-337 mg N/m2 d.

A laboratory continuous feed biofilm reactor, comprising a bulk fluid reactor, a biofilm plastic module, a feed tank, and pneumatic devices and controls, was operated for a total period of 257 days, including seeding time, to treat domestic-strength synthetic wastewater under increasing ammonium nitrogen (NH(4)(+)--N) loading rates, ranging from 0.17+/-0.01 (0.71+/-0.06 gm(-2)d(-1)) to 0.70+/-0.02 kgm(-3)d(-1) (2.9+/-0.1 gm(-2)d(-1)). The biofilm plastic module was moved vertically in and out of the wastewater in continuous cycles. The maximum NH(4)(+)-N removal rate was reached during the maximum loading phase, when a NH(4)(+)--N loading rate of 0.70+/-0.02 kgm(-3)d(-1) (2.9+/-0.1 gm(-2)d(-1)) was applied to the system. During this loading period, the average NH(4)(+)--N removal rate was 0.30+/-0.10 kgm(-3)d(-1) (1.30+/-0.40 gm(-2)d(-1)).

An alternating pumped sequencing batch biofilm reactor (APSBBR) system was developed to treat small-scale domestic wastewater. This laboratory system had two reactor tanks, Reactor 1 and Reactor 2, with two identical plastic biofilm modules in each reactor. Reactor 1 of the APSBBR had five operational phases--fill, anoxic, aerobic, settle and draw. In the aerobic phase, the wastewater was circulated between the two reactor tanks with centrifugal pumps and aeration was mainly achieved through oxygen absorption by microorganisms in the biofilms when they were exposed to the air. This paper details the performance of the APSBBR system in treating synthetic domestic wastewater over 18 months. The effluent from the APSBBR system satisfied the European Wastewater Treatment Directive requirements, with respect to COD, ammonium-nitrogen and suspended solids. The biofilm growth in the two reactor tanks was different due to the difference in substrate loadings and growth conditions.

A novel biofilm reactor-alternating pumped sequencing batch biofilm reactor (APSBBR)-was developed to treat synthetic dairy wastewater at a volumetric chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading rate of 487 g COD m(-3) d(-1) and an areal loading rate of 5.4 g COD m(-2) d(-1). This biofilm reactor comprised two tanks, Tanks 1 and 2, with two identical plastic biofilm modules in each tank. The maximum volume of bulk fluid in the two-tank reactor was the volume of one tank. The APSBBR was operated as a sequencing batch biofilm reactor with five operational phases-fill (25 min), anoxic (9 h), aerobic (9 h), settle (6 h) and draw (5 min). The fill, anoxic, settle and draw phases occurred in Tank 1. In the aerobic phase, the wastewater was circulated between the two tanks with centrifugal pumps and aeration was mainly achieved through oxygen absorption by micro-organisms in the biofilms when they were exposed to the air. In this paper, the biofilm growth and characteristics in the APSBBR were studied in a 98-day laboratory-scale experiment. During the course of the study, it was found that the biofilm thickness (delta) in Tank 1 ranged from 1.2 to 7.2 mm and that in Tank 2 from 0.5 to 2.2 mm; the biofilm growth against time (t) can be simulated as delta=0.07t0.99 (R2 = 0.97, P = 0.002) in Tank 1 and delta = 0.08t0.66 (R2 = 0.81, P = 0.04) in Tank 2. The biomass yield coefficient, Y, was 0.18 g volatile solids (VS) g(-1) COD removal. The biofilm density in both tanks, X, decreased as the biofilm thickness increased and can be correlated to the biofilm thickness, delta .

A laboratory sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR), operated for a period of 158 days, was used to treat domestic-strength synthetic effluent. The biofilm reactor comprised a bulk fluid reactor, a biofilm plastic module, a synthetic wastewater feed tank, and pneumatic devices with pneumatic controls. The reactor cycle time was 8 h, and its operation consisted of five phases: feeding (59 min), mixing (1 min), anoxic/anaerobic (3 h), aerobic (3 h), and settling (1 h). At total chemical oxygen demand (CODT) loading rates of 8.8 g CODT m(-2) d(-1) and 1.2 kg CODT m(-3) d(-1), expressed in terms of the plastic module surface area and reactor volume, respectively, the SBBR had average removal rates of 8.3 g CODT m(-2) d(-1) and 1.1 kg CODT m(-3) d(-1), or 94%. Total orthophosphorus (PO4-PT) and filtered orthophosphorus (PO4-PF) removals were 44% and 50%, respectively.

In this study, a biological nitrogen removal process using a vertically moving biofilm system was used to treat synthetic wastewater. The process consisted of two pre-denitrification units, one combined carbonaceous removal/nitrification unit and three nitrification units. Each unit employed biofilm growth on a plastic module. In the anoxic units, the modules were vertically moved, while always submerged, in the bulk fluid; in the aerobic units, they were moved vertically up into the air and down into the wastewater. Three small-scale experiments, having different recirculation ratios and influent loadings, were conducted at a controlled temperature of 11 degrees C. In this system, the carbonaceous removal efficiency was in the range of 94-96% and the total nitrogen removal efficiency was 77-82%. In the anoxic units, the denitrification efficiency was 94-98% and the areal denitrification rates, based on the surface area of the biofilm modules, were 2.9-3.8 g NO3-N/(m2 x d). The nitrification efficiency occurring in the aerobic tanks was up to 95% and the maximum areal ammonium removal rates were 1.3-1.8 g NH4-N/(m2 x d)., (Copyright 2003 Elsevier Ltd.)

In this paper, the performance of a sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) using an anoxic/anaerobic phase followed by an aerobic phase for nutrient removal from wastewater was investigated. In the laboratory SBBR unit, biofilm was grown on a plastic biofilm media module, which was vertically moved up into the air and down into the bulk fluid during the aerobic phase. The vertical movement of the biofilm module supplied oxygen to the microorganisms. The module was submerged in the wastewater during the anoxic/anaerobic phase. The percentage removals of total chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and soluble orthophosphate (PO4-P) were 95.4%, 68.3% and 89.5% respectively at influent concentrations of COD 773 mg l(-1), TN 49.9 mg l(-1) and PO4-P 16.5 mg l(-1). The effluent COD was 35 mg l(-1), NH4-N 10.2 mg l(-1), NO3-N 5.5 mg l(-1), soluble PO4-P 1.7 mg l(-1) and suspended solids (SS) 19 mg l(-1).

A novel moving anaerobic biofilm reactor was used to treat whey wastewater. In this process, biofilm was grown on a plastic biofilm media module, which was vertically moved up and down in the bulk fluid. The objectives of the study were to investigate the mixing and performance characteristics of the new process in treating whey wastewater. The mixing efficiency was indicated by a dispersion number, D(L)/uL. D(L)/uL was up to 1.34, showing that the anaerobic reactor can be taken as a completely mixed reactor. At mesophilic conditions (35+/-2 degrees C), the admissible volumetric COD loading rate up to 11.6kg COD m(-3) day(-1) was achieved with the COD removal efficiency of 89% and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1 day. When the HRT was 0.6 days, the volumetric COD loading rate was 15.2 kg COD m(-3) day(-1), but COD removal efficiency decreased to 81%. The percentage of methane (CH4) in the biogas was 63% on average and the yield of methane was 333.4 L CH4 kg(-1) COD removal at ambient conditions.

The pilot plant study comprised the construction and monitoring of a new vertically moving biofilm system (VMBS) for treating municipal wastewater. The system operated on site for 11 months. The biofilm module in this system, consisting of high surface area plastic media, was vertically and repeatedly moved in cycles up into the air and down into the wastewater. The vertical movement of the biofilm module supplied sufficient oxygen for the removal of the organic carbon in the wastewater. The overall physical oxygen transfer coefficient (Kla) measured at the cycle speed of six cycles per minute was 2.53 per hour. During the pilot study, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the bulk fluid were in the range of 1.5-5 mg/l. It was found that the areal removal rate of filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD) was up to 35 g COD/(m(2)day) and the bulk fluid volumetric filtered COD removal rate was 2.62 kg COD/(m(3)day). The field experiment showed that clogging commonly found in other biofilm systems did not occur in this system. The power consumption was in the range of 0.09-0.25 k Wh/m(3) wastewater flow, 0.40-2.19 k Wh/kg COD removal and 1.24-1.74 k Wh/kg BOD removal. The new biofilm system offers potential for reduced reactor volumes, energy saving, simple construction and easy operation.

The aim of this laboratory study was to establish the efficacy of a new experimental biofilm system for the removal of nitrogen from synthetic wastewater. The system consisted of six reactors in series: one anaerobic, one anoxic and four aerobic reactors. In both the anaerobic and anoxic reactors, a plastic cuboid module was repeatedly moved up and down in the wastewater, while being totally submerged at all times. In each of the aerobic reactors, an identical module to that used in the anaerobic and anoxic reactors was intermittently and repeatedly immersed in and lifted out of the wastewater. All the individual reactors had a bulk fluid volume of 28.2 litres and the average temperature of the wastewater was about 10 degrees C. Each module consisted of crossflow corrugated plastic sheets with a surface area of 1.824 m2. The nitrate recycle flow from the fourth aerobic tank to the anoxic tank was twice the inflow to that tank. In the anoxic reactor, filtered COD was removed at an average rate of 2.22 kg COD/m3 x d and nitrate-nitrogen was denitrified at a rate of 0.42 kg NO3-N/m3 x d. The average nitrification rate in the second aerobic reactor was 0.12 kg NH4-N/m3 x d. The new biofilm system was simple to construct and operate.

Ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) removal using a vertically moving biofilm system was investigated at a temperature of 11 degrees C. The biofilms in this process were grown on biofilm modules, consisting of high surface area plastic media, which were vertically and repeatedly moved up into the air and down into the wastewater. The maximum NH4-N removal efficiency was up to 98.8% and the areal NH4-N removal rates, based on the surface area of the biofilm modules, were within the range of 0.68-1.94 g NH4-N m(-)2 day(-1). The kinetics of ammonium removal occurring after carbonaceous oxidation was completed can be simulated by using a zero-order empirical model. The ammonium removal rate was found to be proportional to the square root of the mass of biofilms on the modules. Monitoring DO concentrations in the bulk fluid showed that the vertically moving biofilm system possessed good aeration efficiency.

This laboratory study consisted of the construction and testing of a new experimental biofilm system for the carbonaceous oxidation of a synthetic wastewater. In the system, a biofilm cuboid module with a high surface area was vertically and repeatedly immersed in and lifted out of the wastewater in a reactor. The performance of two different biofilm modules were compared: one module was constructed from crossflow corrugated plastic sheets with a specific surface area of 410 m2m(-3) and had a calculated surface area of 6.24 m2; the other consisted of honeycombed plastic with hexagonal vertical columns and an estimated surface area of about 2.8 m2. Filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates per bulk fluid volume for the corrugated and honeycombed modules of 7.2 kg COD m(-3) d(-1) and 7.6 kg COD m(-3) d(-1) were respectively achieved and these rates compare favourably with other wastewater treatment systems. The new biofilm system was simple to construct and operate, and was very effective in removing biodegradable COD from the synthetic wastewater. The system offers potential for reduced reactor volumes, energy saving, low solids production and easy solids removal.

The provision of technologies that can meet increasingly stringent wastewater discharge standards while reducing energy, operation, and maintenance costs is vital to government, local authorities, industry, and the public at large. The air suction flow biofilm reactor (ASF-BR) is a novel batch biofilm technology suitable for treating wastewaters from municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources. This paper presents an investigation into the performance of a laboratory-scale ASF-BR in treating municipal-strength wastewater over two operational periods-Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 concentrated on organic carbon removal and nitrification, whereas Phase 2 included an anoxic step to achieve denitrification. The operation of the unit was also investigated by monitoring organic carbon and nitrogen in the reactors during a number of treatment cycles. In Phases 1 and 2 (29 and 124 days of steady-state operation, respectively) of this laboratory study, using a municipal-strength synthetic wastewater, the average influent total chemical oxygen demand () was 288 and , whereas the average influent filtered COD () was 127 and , respectively. The average removal rates were 92 and 79% during Phases 1 and 2, respectively. Average nitrogen removals during Phases 1 and 2 of greater than 95% ammonium nitrogen () were achieved. By reducing the number of pumping cycles during the aerobic step, the overall energy consumed was reduced by 37.5% during Phase 2 while achieving similar results. On the basis of these positive initial results, a pilot-scale reactor has been constructed at a local wastewater-treatment facility, and commissioning of the unit is currently underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) has been adapted and tested for its efficiency in treating hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and methane (CH4) gas. Six pilot-scale HFBR reactors were commissioned, three each treating CH4 and H2S respectively. The reactors were operated at 10 °C, often typical of ambient temperatures in Ireland, and were simultaneously dosed with an air mixture containing the gas in question and with synthetic wastewater (SWW). Three reactors (HFBR 1, 2 and 3), treating an air mixture containing CH4, were operated over three phases (Phases 1-3) lasting 180 days in total. During each phase the air mixture flow rate (AFR) and the plastic media top plan surface area (TPSA) loading rate to HFBR 1, 2 and 3 were 1.2 m³/m³/h and 0.6 m³/m² TPSA/h respectively. In Phase 1 the reactors were operated in triplicate and were loaded with 8.6 g CH4/m³ reactor/h (4.3 g CH4/m² TPSA/h) and a synthetic wastewater (SWW) similar to domestic sewage at 10 °C. During Phase 2 (reactors also operated in triplicate) the effect of temperature on the reactor performance was examined. During Phase 3 the reactors were operated independently in order to examine the effects of omitting organic carbon and adding additional nitrogen in the formof nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), rather than ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N). During Phase 3, CH4 removal efficiencies (RE) of up to 92.8% were achieved at an empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 50 min, equating to a maximum removal of 8.0 g CH4/m³ reactor/h. Three additional reactors (HFBR 4, 5 and 6) were used to treat an air mixture containing H2S and were loaded at an AFR of 15 m³/m³ reactor/h (7.5 m³/m² TPSA/h) with an average H2S loading rate of 3.34 g H2S/m³ reactor/h (1.67 g H2S/m² TPSA/h). After 50 days of operation, the RE reached 100% for all three reactors at an EBRT of 4 min. In each reactor, profile samples of biofilm, air and liquid were taken periodically from various regions of the HFBR. These allowed detailed description of removal processes and optimisation of the reactors by detailing changes in air, liquid and biofilm composition as air moved through the reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the performance of intermittently loaded, 150 mm-diameter stratified filter columns of 2 depths (0.65 and 0.375 m) comprising different media - sand, crushed glass and soil - in polishing the effluent from a laboratory horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) treating synthetic domestic-strength wastewater. The HFBR has been successfully used to remove organic carbon and ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) from domestic wastewater. In this treatment method, wastewater is allowed to flow over and back along a stack of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets. Biofilms on the sheets reduce organic carbon, suspended matter, and nutrients in the wastewater, but to achieve the quality of a septic tank system, additional treatment is required. In all filters, at a hydraulic loading rate of 100 L m-2 d-1, 40-65% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and practically 100% of total suspended solids (TSS) were removed, nitrification was complete, and bacterial numbers were reduced by over 80%, with best removals achieved in the soil filters (93%). Soil polishing filters with the depth of 0.65 m performed best in terms of organic carbon, total nitrogen (Tot-N) and bacterial removal. Data from this preliminary study are useful in the design of treatment systems to polish secondary wastewaters with similar water quality characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ireland, dairy farmyard washwater commonly comprises farmyard run-off and dairy parlour washings. Land-spreading is the most widely used method for treating this wastewater. However, this method can be labour intensive and can cause, in some cases, the degradation of surface and ground waters, mainly due to nitrogen contamination. In this study, a horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) with step-feed was constructed and tested in the laboratory, to remove organic carbon and nitrogen from a agricultural strength synthetic washwater (SWW). The HFBR had an average top plan surface area (TPSA) of 0.1002m2 and consisted of a stack of 45 polystyrene horizontal sheets—–15 sheets embedded with 25mm deep frustums above 30 sheets with 10mm deep frustums. The frustums acted as miniature reservoirs. The sheets were alternately offset to allow the wastewater to flow horizontally along each sheet and vertically from sheet to sheet down through the reactor. Biofilms developed on the sheets and treated the wastewater. During the 212-d study, the total hydraulic loading rate based on the TPSA of the sheets was 35lm−2 d−1. SWW was pumped for 10min each hour, in a step feed arrangement at a rate of 23.33lm−2 d−1 on to the top sheet during Phases 1 and 2, and 11.67lm−2 d−1 onto Sheet 16 during Phase 1 (days 1–92) and onto Sheet 30 during Phase 2 (days 93–212). The substrate loading rate during Phases 1 and 2 was 94.8g total chemical oxygen demand (COD)m−2 d−1 and 10.5g total nitrogen (TN)m−2 d−1, based on the TPSA. At steady state in Phase 2, the unit achieved excellent carbon removal of 99.7% 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and 96.7% total COD, equivalent to TPSA removal rates of 67.5g BOD5 m−2 d−1 and 91.7g CODm−2 d−1. The nitrogen removal percentages were 98.3% total ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-Nt) and 72.8% TN, which equated to TPSA removal rates of 4.8g NH4-Nt m−2 d−1 and 7.6g TNm−2 d−1. No sloughing of solids or clogging of media occurred during the study. The unit was simple to construct and operate, with little maintenance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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 (CODf) of 2,060 mg/L, total nitrogen (TN) of 288 mg/L, and ammonia nitrogen (NH4–N) of 127 mg/L. 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 19.3 L/m2 day, based on the top plan area, and the respective removals of CODf were 96, 96, and 97% and of TN, 86, 83, and 75% were achieved. The system was simple and cheap to construct and operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a simple biological system that would be suitable for the treatment of dairy parlour wash waters. A novel horizontal-flow biofilm system was designed, constructed and tested in the laboratory for organic carbon and nitrogen removal from a synthetic dairy wastewater with average filtered chemical oxygen demand (COD f ) of 2947.7 mg/L and total nitrogen (TN) of 295.5 mg/L. The novel biofilm system consisted of two reactor units one on top of the other. Each reactor unit comprised a stack of horizontal plastic sheets placed above one another that were supported and separated by vertical plastic cone frustums, which were formed in the sheets during manufacture. The wastewater was pumped onto the top sheet of the top reactor unit at hourly intervals for a 5-minute period and flowed over and back along alternate sheets down through the 2 units. The top unit had 8 plastic sheets and 25 mm high frustums to cater for heavy biofilm growth, and the bottom unit had 17 sheets and 11 mm high frustums for thinner biofilm growth. The organic loading of 57 g COD f /m 2 ·d—based on the plan area of the system—was applied to the top reactor unit. When the reactor process reached pseudo steady-state, about 96% COD f , 71% TN and 100% ammonium nitrogen were removed. Low solids production occurred. The system was simple and easy to construct and operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on-site treatment of wastewaters from single dwellings requires simple, low maintenance systems that reduce the chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD and BOD respectively), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N), orthophosphate (PO4-P), phosphorus (P), and microorganisms to acceptable concentrations. Sand filters have the potential to achieve these reductions. In this study, a sand tank model of a percolation trench and filter was constructed in the laboratory, loaded with wastewater, and monitored for a period of 293 days. The silty sand filter was seeded for 153 days with effluent from an aerobic biofilm treatment unit. The filter was then loaded with synthetic wastewater of domestic strength for 193 days, when the average organic and hydraulic loading rates on the percolation trench were 13.33 g BOD/m2 d and 75 L/m2 d respectively. Removal rates of 90% for total COD, 99.3% for BOD5, >99% for total NH4-N, 89% for total PO4-P, and 96% for total suspended solids (TSS) were recorded during the study. No excessive clogging of the sand filter was observed. During the study very good dispersion of the wastewater over the sand filter by the percolation trench was recorded. The sand filter was simple to construct and operate and achieved excellent results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four moving-medium biofilm reactors treating wastewater were reviewed in this paper: the rotating biological contactor (RBC), the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), the vertically moving biofilm reactor (VMBR) and the fluidized-bed reactor (FBR). The RBC process has been applied widely. MBBR is a good process for upgrading current wastewater treatment systems. VMBR is suitable for treating small wastewater flows. FBR can maximize pollutant removals and minimize sludge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]