Efficient and automated start-up of a pilot reactor for nitritation of reject water : from batch granulation to high rate continuous operation
Torà Suárez, Josep Anton (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Moliné, Eduard (Depuración de Aguas del Mediterráneo)
Carrera, Julian (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Pérez Cañestro, Julio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2013
Abstract:	An automated sequencing batch reactor operation based on online measurement of the ammonium concentration was investigated as a tool for improving the start-up of a nitrifying granular airlift reactor. The effectiveness of this start-up procedure was verified with the characteristics of the developed granular sludge but also the improvement of the start-up was confirmed when comparing with the results achieved with two continuous-mode start-up strategies. Once a stable granular biomass was obtained, the reactor started to operate in continuous mode during more than 100 days, maintaining the characteristics of the granular biomass and achieving a nitrogen loading rate of 1. 75 g N L⁻¹ d⁻¹. The intermittent recirculation of small flocs of nitrifying biomass was explored as an alternative to increase the biomass concentration in the reactor and consequently, to increase the treated loading rate.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2011-24745/PPQ Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2010/VALOR0096
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Airlift reactor ; Biofilm ; Granular sludge ; Online TAN measurement ; Partial nitrification
Published in:	Chemical engineering journal, Vol. 226 (June 2013) , p. 319-325, ISSN 1873-3212

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2013.04.013

Post-print 25 p, 1.9 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Engineering > GENOCOV
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