Performance evaluation of a biotrickling filter treating a mixture of oxygenated VOCs during intermittent loading

Laboratory scale-studies on the biodegradation of a 1:1:1 weight mixture of three oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ethanol, ethyl acetate, and methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK) in a biotrickling filter (BTF) were carried out using two identically sized columns, filled with different polypropylene rings. The performance of the BTFs was examined for a period of 10 months applying several operational strategies. Similar performance was obtained for both supports. Intermittent flow rate of trickling liquid was shown beneficial to improve the removal efficiency (RE). Continuous feeding of VOC resulted in an excessive accumulation of biomass so high pressure drop was developed in less than 2…

Influence of activated carbon on performance and microbial communities in the treatment of solvent pollutant mixtures in a continuous stirred tank reactor

The influence of the addition of granular activated carbon (GAC) on the anaerobic treatment of wastewater with a mixture of ethanol and 1-ethoxy-2-propanol (E2P), which are typical pollutants from the flexographic/printing industry, was evaluated. For this purpose, the reactor performance and microbial community in two continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), i.e. control and GAC supplemented, were assessed. Both reactors, seeded with anaerobic granular biomass, showed similar global performance (RE > 93%), except after organic load shocks and after E2P addition. GAC supplementation substantially enhanced the response of the biological system to organic load shocks and reduced the acclimat…

A Tool for Predicting the Dynamic Response of Biotrickling Filters for VOC Removal

This article presents the development of a MATLAB® computer program to simulate the performance of biotrickling filters. Since these filters behave differently during spraying and nonspraying cycles, the presented simulation tool is built on top of a mathematical description of each situation. The resulting variable-structure model is then used as the basis for simulation experiments. The model presented herein represents the first attempt to take into account the variable spraying pattern usually found in industrial installations. Overall, the software is flexible and easy to use, allowing the user to specify the emission concentration pattern, the gas concentration pattern, as well as the…

Isobaric Vapor−Liquid Equilibria for the Binary System 3-Methylpentane + 2-Methyl-2-propanol and for the Ternary System Methyl 1,1-Dimethylethyl Ether + 3-Methylpentane + 2-Methyl-2-propanol at 101.3 kPa

Isobaric vapor−liquid equilibria data were obtained for the 3-methylpentane + 2-methyl-2-propanol binary system and methyl 1,1-dimethylethyl ether + 3-methylpentane + 2-methyl-2-propanol ternary system at 101.3 kPa in a temperature range from 329 to 356 K. The data were found to be thermodynamically consistent according to the Van Ness−Byer−Gibbs method for the binary system and according to the McDermott−Ellis method for the ternary one. The binary system shows a minimum boiling azeotrope that boils at 333.4 K and contains 82.6 mol % of 3-methylpentane. The binary interaction parameters obtained from this work and literature data are used to predict the vapor−liquid equilibrium for the ter…

Modelling mass transfer properties in a biotrickling filter for the removal of isopropanol

Abstract A study was carried out to model mass transfer properties in biotrickling filters, treating isopropanol as the target pollutant. This study was extended to the mass transfer of oxygen related to the fact that the treatment of hydrophilic compounds by biotrickling filtration is often limited by oxygen. A simple method for each compound was developed based on their physical properties. The influence of temperature on Henry’s law constant of isopropanol was determined. An increase of 1.8 per 10 °C for the dimensionless Henry’s law constant was obtained. The determination of the overall mass transfer coefficients of isopropanol (KGa) was carried out, obtaining values between 500 and 18…

Photodegradation of Toluene, m-Xylene, and n-Butyl Acetate and Their Mixtures over TiO2 Catalyst on Glass Fibers

The abatement of typical paint solvent compounds as individuals and in mixtures was carried out in an annular TiO2 supported reactor, for concentrations up to 900 mg C m–3. Two different fiberglass supports were compared, and the catalyst supported over a fiber mat showed better performance, with a lower pressure drop (>35% of reduction) and a slightly higher removal efficiency (about 2%) than that supported over glass wool. For every target compound in the whole range of relative humidity studied (4–75%), the photocatalytic activity increased with the air water content. The removal of the compounds in the binary and ternary mixtures was depressed, even >90% for toluene, compared with indiv…

Abatement of 3-methylbutanal and trimethylamine with combined plasma and photocatalysis in a continuous planar reactor

International audience; This paper deals with the 3-methylbutanal ((CH3)2CHCH2COH) removal with the help of a nonthermal surface plasma discharge coupled with photocatalysis. The capability of this process for gas treatment was studied. A planar reactor system was developed in order to perform the effect of adding photocatalytic material in plasma surface discharge barrier dielectric (SDBD) zone on (i) 3-methylbutanal removal, (ii) selectivity of CO2 and CO, (iii) byproducts formation such ozone formation. It was found that the influence of the UV light generated by SDBD reactor was very low. The activation of the photocatalyst media could be negligible. Whereas, the introduction of externa…

Enhanced styrene removal in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor operated as a biotrickling filter: Towards full-scale applications

Abstract Styrene vapor abatement was investigated in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor operated as a biotrickling filter (TPPB-BTF). The removal performance of the TPPB-BTF was simultaneously compared with a conventional BTF, which served as a control. Industrial-grade silicone oil was used as the non-aqueous phase in the TPPB-BTF due to its high affinity for styrene. Both bioreactors were operated at styrene inlet concentrations ranging from 55 to 323 mg C m −3 and empty bed residence times (EBRT) of 15–30 s, corresponding to pollutant loading rates of 13–77 g C m −3  h −1 . Both bioreactors exhibited styrene removal efficiencies (REs) higher than 90% at an EBRT of 30 s. Nevertheless, th…

Hydrogen sulfide and odor removal by field-scale biotrickling filters: Influence of seasonal variations of load and temperature

Two biotrickling filters were set up at two wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in The Netherlands to investigate their effectiveness for treatment of odorous waste gases from different sources. One biotrickling filter was installed at Nieuwe Waterweg WWTP in Hook of Holland to study the hydrogen sulfide removal from headworks waste air. The other reactor was installed at Harnaschpolder WWTP (treating wastewater of the city of The Hague) to remove mercaptans and other organic compounds (odor) coming from the emissions of the anaerobic tanks of the biological nutrient removal (BNR) activated sludge. The performance of both units showed a stable and highly efficient operation under seasonal va…

UV photocatalytic oxidation of paint solvent compounds in air using an annular TiO2-supported reactor

BACKGROUND: One of the most important industrial sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is related to coating and painting applications. In this sense, photocatalytic oxidation can become an innovative and promising alternative for the remediation of air polluted by VOCs. In this study the UV photodegradation of m-xylene, toluene and n-butyl acetate, as representative compounds of paint solvents, was carried out in an annular reactor using a TiO2–glass wool supported catalyst. RESULTS The removal of each component and their mixture, simulating an industrial emission, was evaluated under different operational conditions. A maximum elimination capacity of 12, 18 and 80 mg C m−3 s−1 was …

Evaluation of a combined activated carbon prefilter and biotrickling filter system treating variable ethanol and ethyl acetate gaseous emissions

The removal of a 1:1 by weight mixture of ethanol and ethyl acetate was studied in a gas phase biotrickling filter running under conditions that simulated industrial emissions from the flexographic sector, i.e. discontinuous loading (twelve hours per day and five days per week) and oscillating concentration of the inlet stream. Three sets of experimental conditions were tested in which empty-bed residence time varied from 60 to 25s (inlet loads from 50 to 90g Cm -3 h -1 ). The biotrickling filter reached a maximum elimination capacity of 48.5g Cm -3 h -1 (removal efficiency = 68.9%) for an empty-bed residence time of 40 s. A decrease in the residence time from 40 to 25 s adversely affected …

Biotrickling filtration of isopropanol under intermittent loading conditions

This paper investigates the removal of isopropanol by gas phase biotrickling filtration. Two plastic packing materials, one structured and one random, have been evaluated in terms of oxygen mass transfer and isopropanol removal efficiency (RE). Oxygen mass transfer experiments were performed at gas velocities of 104 and 312 m h-1 and liquid velocities between 3 and 33 m h-1. Both materials showed similar mass transfer coefficients up to liquid velocities of 15 m h-1. At greater liquid velocities, the structured packing exhibited greater oxygen mass transfer coefficients. Biotrickling filtration experiments were carried out at inlet loads (IL) from 20 to 65 g C m-3 h -1 and empty bed residen…

Effect of pre-treatments based on UV photocatalysis and photo-oxidation on toluene biofiltration performance

BACKGROUND: The integration of UV photocatalysis and biofiltration seems to be a promising combination of technologies for the removal of hydrophobic and poorly biodegradable air pollutants. The influence of pre-treatments based on UV254 nm photocatalysis and photo-oxidation on the biofiltration of toluene as a target compound was evaluated in a controlled long-term experimental study using different system configurations: a standalone biofilter, a combined UV photocatalytic reactor-biofilter, and a combined UV photo-oxidation reactor (without catalyst)-biofilter. RESULTS: Under the operational conditions used (residence time of 2.7 s and toluene concentrations 600–1200 mg C m−3), relativel…

Performance of a pilot-scale biotrickling filter in controlling the volatile organic compound emissions in a furniture manufacturing facility.

A 0.75-m3 pilot-scale biotrickling filter was run for over 1 yr in a Spanish furniture company to evaluate its performance in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in the emission of two different paint spray booths. The first one was an open front booth used to manually paint furniture, and the second focus was an automatically operated closed booth operated to paint pieces of furniture. In both cases, the VOC emissions were very irregular, with rapid and extreme fluctuations. The pilot plant was operated at an empty bed residence time (EBRT) ranging from 10 to 40 sec, and good removal efficiencies of VOCs were usually obtained. When a buffering activated carbon prefil…

Enhancement of biomass retention in an EGSB reactor used to treat 1-methoxy-2-propanol

Fully aerobic bioscrubber for the desulfurization of H2S-rich biogas

Abstract A fully aerobic bioscrubber for the desulfurization of H2S-rich biogas was developed in the present study by coupling an absorption column and a bubble column bioreactor. The bioscrubber treated H2S loading rates of 37, 59, and 100 g S mliquid−3 h−1 at gas residence times of 6.6, 4.1 and 2.4 min in the absorption column, respectively. Stable H2S removal efficiencies above 80% were recorded at all the conditions tested. The bioscrubber was robust towards short- and long-term operation shutdowns (5 and 18 days), the H2S removal performance being recovered after few hours. The aerated bubble column bioreactor was operated at slightly alkaline conditions (pH 8 ± 0.5), which prevented H…

Dynamic Mathematical Modelling of the Removal of Hydrophilic VOCs by Biotrickling Filters

A mathematical model for the simulation of the removal of hydrophilic compounds using biotrickling filtration was developed. The model takes into account that biotrickling filters operate by using an intermittent spraying pattern. During spraying periods, a mobile liquid phase was considered, while during non-spraying periods, a stagnant liquid phase was considered. The model was calibrated and validated with data from laboratory- and industrial-scale biotrickling filters. The laboratory experiments exhibited peaks of pollutants in the outlet of the biotrickling filter during spraying periods, while during non-spraying periods, near complete removal of the pollutant was achieved. The gaseou…