Course material week 10
Biological Process
Technology
Environmental Engineering
Dept.
Institut Teknologi Bandung
2013
Introduction
Biofilm
Physical and Chemical Properties
Kinetics of Biofilm Systems
Biological Biofilm Systems
Trickling Filter
Fludized Bed
Packed Bed
Used for removal of organic pollutants from
wastewaters
Biological treatment is popular due to:
low cost
effective in removal of a wide range of organic
contaminants
effective in removal of colloidal organics
can remove toxic non-organic pollutants such as
heavy metals
Aerobic:
Organic matter + O2 CO2 + H2O + cell + energy
Anaerobic:
N 1P
Organic matter intr. + CO2 + H2O + cell + energy
N 1P
intermediates + CH4 + CO2 + energy
Acclimation period is usually required
Sensitivity of the microorganisms to shock
loading
Processesmay produce by-products that are
more toxic than the initial substance
Certainindustrial wastewater required
pretreatment
Temperature should not exceed 110°F
(43°C)
Definition
“A gelatinous layer consisting of cells immobilized in
an organic polymer matrix of microbial origin”
Physical Characteristics
• Thickness ranges from few
microns to over 1000 microns
• Surface is irregular “rough”
• Specially heterogeneous
• Consists of two compartments:
• Base film
• Surface film
Chemical Properties
The Extra-Cellular Polymers (EPS) give the biofilm its chemical
properties
EPS compounds are dominated by hydroxyl and carboxylic groups (
OH-, COO- )
The biofilm has a net anionic charge which influence transport of
contaminants
Kinetics of Biofilm Systems
Physical mass transport:
The rate of mass transport of substrate from the bulk liquid across
a unit area of the stagnant liquid layer to the biofilm surface is
called the flux.
Ns = KL (Sb - Ss)
where:
Ns = flux in units of mass per unit area per unit time
KL = mass transfer coefficient, length per time
Sb = substrate concentration in the bulk liquid
Ss = substrate concentration at the biofilm surface
Several correlations have been suggested describing the mass
transfer coefficient such as:
KL = 1.3 Sc-1/2 Re-1/2
or
K = 0.817 Sc-2/3 Re-1/2
where: = viscosity of fluid
Sc = Schmidt number ( /Pd)
Re = Reynolds number
Reaction at the Surface of the biofilm
The rate of consumption of substrate at the surface of the biofilm
is given by Monod kinetics:
qm Ss
-rs = -------------
(Ks + Ss)
where:
-rs = reaction rate, mass per unit time per unit area
qm = maximum specific substrate removal rate, mass per
unit time per unit area
Ks = saturation constant, mass per unit volume
Ss = substrate concentration at the biofilm surface
Mass Transfer Within the Biofilm
Substrate transport within the biofilm occurs through the process
of diffusion which is characterized by Fick’s law as the following:
Ns = -D (ds/dx)
where: D = diffusion coefficient,
area per unit time
ds/dx = concentration
gradient
Diffusion within the film:
Ns = -De (ds/dx)
Types of biofilm systems
Fixed-medium systems
Trickling filters
Packed bed reactors
Moving-medium systems
Rotating biological contactors
Fluidized bed reactors
Trickling filters consists of three major components;
filter media, distribution system, and underdrain system.
Microorganisms become attached to the media and form a
biological layer or fixed film. Organic matter in the wastewater
diffuses into the film, where it is metabolized. Periodically,
portions of the film slough off the media
Filter Media
The filter media provide the surface and voids
Should have the following characteristics:
Provide large surface area
Allows liquid to flow in a thin sheet
Has sufficient void spaces
Biologically inert
Chemically stable
Mechanically stable
Stone media
usually crushed granite or lime stone
size ranges between 2-4 inches
surface area ranges from 50-98 m2/m3 with around 50% voids
Plastic media
Provides large surface area
Provides large void spaces
Dumped plastic media, surface area ranges from 98-340 m2/m3 with
void ratios of 95%
Modular plastic media, surface area ranges from 81-195 m2/m3
Distribution system
Provides uniform hydraulic loading on the filter surface
Rotational speed is usually 1 rev/10 min
Underdrain system
Supports the media
Collects the effluent
Permits circulation of air through the bed
Made of vitrified clay (for stone media) or simple metal gratings
(for plastic media)
Configuration
Trickling filters can be employed as a single unit, units in series,
or units in parallel
Filter design parameters
Hydraulic Loading
Flow per unit area (m3/day.m2)
Upper and lower limits should be considered
Lower limit to wet all of the media
(for plastic media limit is higher than stone
media)
higher limit to prevent flooding of filter bed
Organic loading
Is the mass application rate of organic matter per
unit volume of reactor (lb BOD/day-1000ft3)
Higher organic loading leads to excessive growth of
microorganisms
Recirculation is used to increase the hydraulic
loading while keeping organic loading constant
Biological tower/Activated sludge processes
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Advantages:
Ideal for remote sites or small communities due to their
simplicity and ease of operation
Can handle shock loading due to the large mass of
microorganisms present in the filter and the nature of
the biofilm
Produce dense sludge that can be easily removed by
settling
Disadvantages:
There is no control on the effluent quality in response
to change in flow rate, organic concentration, and
temperature
Breeding of flies and other insects in the summer
months creates a nuisance condition in the vicinity
It consists of a series of circular disks of polystyrene or
polyvinyl chloride that are submerged in wastewater and
rotated slowly through it
The disk rotation alternately contacts the biomass with the
organic material and then with atmosphere for adsorption of
oxygen
Excess solids are removed by shearing forces created by the
rotation mechanism
RBC staging arrangements
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Advantages Disadvantages
Short contact periods Need for covering
Handles a wide range units installed in cold
of flows climate to protect
against freezing
Easily separates
biomass from waste Shaft bearings and
stream mechanical drive units
require frequent
Low operating costs
maintenance
Short retention time
Low sludge production
Excellent process
control
Description:
Fluidized bed systems are a combination of attached-
growth and suspended-growth systems
Bed media consists of small particles usually sand or
granular activated carbon. Also, glass particles and
fabricated media can be used
The bed packing material is kept in a suspension by
an upward flow of influent wastewater
The effluent is discharged into a settling tank to
separate biomass escaping in the effluent
• Upflow system
with velocity 30-
36 m/h
• Bed of 0.4-0.5
mm sand or
activated carbon
• Bed depth 3-4 m
• 1000 m2/m2 Metcalf & Eddy 2003
For aerobic applications, influent is aerated to
predissolve oxygen, because adding air to the bed
will discharge packing to the effluent;
Mainly for post-denitrification
Principles of the Process:
Liquid is passed upwards through a bed of solid
particles
As the liquid velocity is increased, the bed expands
The particles separate and become free to more
relative to each other
The liquid velocity required to achieve this effect
depends on the relative densities of the liquid and
the particles, as well as the size and shape of the
particles
Advantages:
Eliminate problems of clogging
A very large surface area is available for the growth
of microorganisms
Small compact systems
Because the microorganisms are attached to the
solid particles, wash-out of microorganisms are
eliminated
Eliminate the need to recycle microorganisms back
to the reactor as the case of activated sludge
systems
Eliminates flow short-circuiting
Efficient mass transport
Disadvantages:
Requires high degree of control
Large accumulations of biological film on the
surface of the particles can lead to
aggregation of particles which would
adversely affect system performance
Moving-Bed Biofilm Reactor
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Wastewater flows upward
through a sludge blanket
composed of biological
granules that decompose
organic matter
Some of the generated
gas attaches to granules
that rise and strike
degassing baffles
releasing the gas
Free gas is collected by
special domes
The effluent passes into a
settling chamber
Advantages Disadvantages
Low energy demand Long start-up period
Low land requirement Requires sufficient
Low sludge production amount of granular
seed sludge for faster
Less expensive than
other anaerobic start-up
processes Significant wash out
of sludge during initial
High organic removal
phase of process
eficiency
Lower gas yield than
other anaerobic
processes
Submerged upflow reactor packed with
synthetic media
Operated under anaerobic conditions
Recycle is desirable to dilute influent
Media used:
Sand particles
Plastic media
Aluminum oxide particles
Advantages:
Cell yield is low
No oxygen is required
Production of energy source (CH4)
Low nutrient requirements
Disadvantages:
Low growth rates
Sensitivity to pH changes
Susceptibility to toxicity and inhibition
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Ringlace® packing is a looped polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
material (~5 mm in diameter); 25-35 % of reactor’s
volume; individual strands at 40-100 mm apart; specific
surface area 120-500 m2/m2.
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
• Biocarbone® process is
termed the biological
aerated filter (BAF).
• Over 100 facilities have
been constructed
worldwide.
• 3-5 mm fired clay material is used in current designs.
• High DO is required (3-5 mg/L).
• Generally, in the final effluent: BOD and TSS < 10 mg/L and
NH4-N 1-4 mg/L with nitrification.
Biocarbone®
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
>100 installations in Europe and North
America
Bed depth 2-4 m; packing termed
Biolite®, an clay material 2-4 mm.
Used for BOD removal and nitrification/
tertiary nitrification and denitrification
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
• Upflow system
• Developed in
Denmark
Bed depth 1.5-3 m; packing with polystyrene beads 2-4
mm; specific surface area 1000 m2/m2.
Used for BOD removal only/ combined BOD removal and
nitrification/ tertiary nitrification and post-
denitrification.
Average effluent BOD, TSS and NH4-N concentrations of 7,
11 and 1.8 mg/L, respectively for long-term operation.
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
Metcalf & Eddy 2003
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Nebel and Wright 1998
Risk of the transmission of disease
through the use of untreated
wastewater for vegetable irrigation.
Studies has shown that bacterial levels
are highest on leafy vegetables such
as lettuce and cabbage, as high as
37,000 TC per 100g or 3,600 FC per
100g
Rinsing in tap-water does not reduce
the indicators to safe levels and
outbreak of diseases such as cholera
have been associated with wastewater
irrigation of vegetables.
Outbreaks of parasites have also been
linked to this practice.
In Israel, stool samples containing Ascaris worms climbed to
35% when wastewater irrigation was used but fell to <1% after it
was banned.
In the US, a coliform level of 2.2 per 100 ml wastewater is
allowed for food crops whereas for non-edible crops and/or for
general landscape irrigation, it is 5,000 per 100 ml, and for
recreational use 23 per 100 ml.
Recycle Treated Wastewater
• Reuse of treated effluent
from the Ngong Ping
Sewage Treatment Works.
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REFERENSI
Biological Biofilm Process, Dr. Alaadin A. Bukhari, Centre for
Environment and Water, Research Institute, KFUPM
(faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/.../abukhari/.../BiofilmNew_...)
Wastewater Treatment Technology, Prof. George Ayoub, Faculty of
Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut
(www.uest.gr/.../Treatment_Technologies.PPT)
Metcalf & Eddy, 2003
