Search results for " Bioreactor"

Modelling of the air purification from volatile organic compounds in a trickle-bed bioreactor

2016

Badano proces oczyszczania powietrza ze styrenu, substancji zaliczanej do grupy lotnych związków organicznych (LZO), prowadzony w pilotowym bioreaktorze strużkowym (TBB). Ponieważ najważniejszym etapem procesu oczyszczania powietrza z LZO w bioreaktorze strużkowym jest biologiczna reakcja jego rozkładu, zatem, projektując proces, należy przede wszystkim starannie wyselekcjonować mikroorganizmy efektywnie rozkładające usuwane z powietrza zanieczyszczenie, określić warunki najkorzystniejsze dla ich wzrostu oraz wyznaczyć kinetykę reakcji. W wyniku testów porównawczych wyselekcjonowano szczep efektywnie wykorzystujący styren jako jedyne źródło węgla i energii. Był to, pochodzący z kolekcji VTT…

Analysis of Biomass Characteristics in MBR and MB-MBR Systems Fed with Synthetic Wastewater: Influence of a Gradual Salinity Increase

2014

The paper presents the results of a field gathering campaign carried out on two different pilot scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, treating synthetic wastewater subject to a gradual increase of salinity. One was a conventional MBR system, while the other was a moving bed biofilm membrane bioreactor (MB-MBR), which combines suspended biomass and biofilm. Indeed, the presence of suspended carriers inside the bioreactor seems to give benefits due to the collisions between the circulating media and the membrane. The aim of the study was the comparison of two configurations in terms of biomass activity characterization and performance (pollutants removal and hydraulic behaviour). The resul…

Vortex shape in unbaffled stirred vessels: experimental study via digital image analysis

2011

There is a growing interest in using unbaffled stirred tanks for addressing certain processing needs. In this work, digital image analysis coupled with a suitable shadowgraphy-based technique is used to investigate the shape of the free-surface vortex that forms in uncovered unbaffled stirred tanks. The technique is based on back-lighting the vessel and suitably averaging vortex shape over time. Impeller clearance from vessel bottom and tank filling level are varied to investigate their influence on vortex shape. A correlation is finally proposed to fully describe vortex shape also when the vortex encompasses the impeller.

Vacuum air-lift bioreactor for microalgae production

2017

Microalgae production is receiving an increasing interest both by research institutions and commercial companies (Di Caprio et al., 2016). This is due to the growing consciousness of the need to move towards renewable, sustainable feedstoks for commodities production (Wang et al., 2012). However, process development at industrial scale, either based on open or closed photobioreactors, still is in a rather early stage and there is room for further development (Morweiser et al., 2010), especially aimed at reducing process costs. In this work an innovative low-cost technology for microalgae production, currently under development at Palermo University, is described. The main ways through which…

Occurrence of Microplastics in Waste Sludge of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Comparison between Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Conventional Activated S…

2022

In this study, the presence of microplastics in the sludge of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was examined. The investigated WWTPs operated based on a conventional activated sludge (CAS) process, with (W1) or without (W2) primary clarification, and a membrane bioreactor process (MBR) (W3). The microplastics (MPs) concentration in the samples of W3 was approximately 81.1 ± 4.2 × 103 particles/kg dry sludge, whereas MPs concentrations in W1 and W2 were 46.0 ± 14.8 × 103 particles/kg dry sludge and 36.0 ± 5.2 × 103 particles/kg dry sludge, respectively. Moreover, MPs mainly consisted of fragments (66–68%) in the CAS plants, whereas the fra…

In Vitro Regeneration of

2019

Three caper (Capparis spinosa L.) biotypes grown on the Sicilian island of Salina (38°33′49″ N) were micropropagated to evaluate two different in vitro culture systems: one using the traditional solid medium, and the other based on liquid culture in a PlantForm bioreactor. PlantForm is a temporary immersion system (TIS), a new propagation method in which the shoots undergo temporary immersion in a liquid medium in order to avoid the accumulation of gas through forced ventilation. This study proposes a protocol to improve the efficiency of in vitro propagation of caper plants, while also reducing production costs, because of the elimination of the gelling agent, and manual labor, requiring l…

Discharge management in fresh and brackish water RAS: Combined phosphorus removal by organic flocculants and nitrogen removal in woodchip reactors

2020

The current study combined P and N removal using organic flocculant chemicals and woodchip bioreactors in both freshwater and brackish water (7 ppm) recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The use of carbon (C) containing flocculant chemicals in the process was hypothesized to further stimulate C-demanding N removal (denitrification) in bioreactors. The trial of combined P and N removal consisted of four treatments: freshwater and brackish water RAS with and without the addition of supernatant from flocculation process to the woodchip reactor. Duplicate woodchip reactors were used per treatment and the trial was run for six weeks. 56 % and 49 % of P was removed from fresh and brackish slud…

The role of fouling mechanisms in a submerged membrane bioreactor during the start-up

2006

THE USE OF MBR SYSTEMS FOR THE TREATMENT OF REAL SHIPBOARD SLOPS: ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE AND BIOMASS BIOKINETIC ACTIVITY

2016

In order to prevent hydrocarbon discharge at sea from ships, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) enacted the MARPOL 73/78 convention in which any oil and oil residue discharged in wastewater streams must contain less than 5 ppm hydrocarbons. Effective treatment of this petroleum-contaminated water is essential prior to its release into the environment, in order to prevent pollution problem for marine ecosystems as well as for human health. The present paper reports the first results of a field gathering campaign aimed at gaining insight about the treatment of real shipboard slops with a MBR pilot plant, in terms of pilot performance and biomass biokinetic activity. The achieved re…