Evaluation of Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater in a Modified Packed Bed Biofilm Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Azizi, Shohreh; Kamika, Ilunga; Tekere, Memory

2016-01-01

For the effective application of a modified packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR) in wastewater industrial practice, it is essential to distinguish the tolerance of the system for heavy metals removal. The industrial contamination of wastewater from various sources (e.g. Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni) was studied to assess the impacts on a PBBR. This biological system was examined by evaluating the tolerance of different strengths of composite heavy metals at the optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 hours. The heavy metal content of the wastewater outlet stream was then compared to the source material. Different biomass concentrations in the reactor were assessed. The results show that the system can efficiently treat 20 (mg/l) concentrations of combined heavy metals at an optimum HRT condition (2 hours), while above this strength there should be a substantially negative impact on treatment efficiency. Average organic reduction, in terms of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the system, is reduced above the tolerance limits for heavy metals as mentioned above. The PBBR biological system, in the presence of high surface area carrier media and a high microbial population to the tune of 10 000 (mg/l), is capable of removing the industrial contamination in wastewater. PMID:27186636

Forced Convection Heat Transfer of a sphere in Packed Bed Arrangement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dong-Young; Chung, Bum-Jin

2016-01-01

This paper analysis and discuss the forced convective heat transfer from heated single sphere, which is buried in unheated packed bed, depending on Re d with porosity. The present work determines the test matrix for the packed bed experiment. And this study discuss difference of heat transfer according to the location of heated sphere and compared heated bed with heated sphere in packed bed and compared FCC (Face Centered Cubic), HCP (Hexagonal Closed Packed) structured packed bed with random packed. This paper is to discuss and make the plan to experiment the heat transfer for depending on location of heated single sphere in unheated packed bed, to compare single sphere in packed bed with heated packed bed and to compare the structured packed bed with random packed bed. The Nu d increase as heated single sphere is close to the wall and bottom because of increasing porosity and enhancing eddy motion respectively. The existing experiment of heated sphere in packed bed do not consider the preheating effect which decrease heat transfer on downstream. The heat transfer rate of structured packed bed is different from random packed bed because of unsteady flow in random packed bed. In this study, mass transfer experiments will replace heat transfer experiments based on analogy concept. An electroplating system is adopted using limiting current technique

Forced Convection Heat Transfer of a sphere in Packed Bed Arrangement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dong-Young; Chung, Bum-Jin [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

This paper analysis and discuss the forced convective heat transfer from heated single sphere, which is buried in unheated packed bed, depending on Re{sub d} with porosity. The present work determines the test matrix for the packed bed experiment. And this study discuss difference of heat transfer according to the location of heated sphere and compared heated bed with heated sphere in packed bed and compared FCC (Face Centered Cubic), HCP (Hexagonal Closed Packed) structured packed bed with random packed. This paper is to discuss and make the plan to experiment the heat transfer for depending on location of heated single sphere in unheated packed bed, to compare single sphere in packed bed with heated packed bed and to compare the structured packed bed with random packed bed. The Nu{sub d} increase as heated single sphere is close to the wall and bottom because of increasing porosity and enhancing eddy motion respectively. The existing experiment of heated sphere in packed bed do not consider the preheating effect which decrease heat transfer on downstream. The heat transfer rate of structured packed bed is different from random packed bed because of unsteady flow in random packed bed. In this study, mass transfer experiments will replace heat transfer experiments based on analogy concept. An electroplating system is adopted using limiting current technique.

Characterization and Optimization of Dual Anaerobic/Aerobic Biofilm Process

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Togna, A

1997-01-01

The purpose of this Phase I STTR effort was to develop and characterize a dual anaerobic/aerobic biofilm process that promotes anaerobic reductive dehalogenation and aerobic cometabolic biodegradation...

Packed- and fluidized-bed biofilm reactor performance for anaerobic wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Denac, M; Dunn, I J

1988-07-05

Anaerobic degradation performance of a laboratory-scale packed-bed reactor (PBR) was compared with two fluidized-bed biofilm reactors (FBRs) on molasses and whey feeds. The reactors were operated under constant pH (7) and temperature (35 degrees C) conditions and were well mixed with high recirculation rates. The measured variables were chemical oxygen demand (COD), individual organic acids, gas composition, and gas rates. As carrier, sand of 0.3-0.5 mm diameter was used in the FBR, and porous clay spheres of 6 mm diameter were used in the PBR. Startup of the PBR was achieved with 1-5 day residence times. Start-up of the FBR was only successful if liquid residence times were held low at 2-3 h. COD degradations of 86% with molasses (90% was biodegradable) were reached in both the FBR and PBR at 6 h residence time and loadings of 10 g COD/L day. At higher loadings the FBR gave the best performance; even at 40-45 g COD/L day, with 6 h residence times, 70% COD was degraded. The PBR could not be operated above 20 g COD/L day without clogging. A comparison of the reaction rates show that the PBR and FBR per formed similarly at low concentrations in the reactors up to 1 g COD/L, while above 3 g COD/L the rates were 17.4 g COD/L day for the PBR and 38.4 g COD/L day for the FBR. This difference is probably due to diffusion limitations and a less active biomass content of the PBR compared with the fluidized bed.The results of dynamic step change experiments, in which residence times and feed concentrations were changed hanged at constant loading, demonstrated the rapid response of the reactors. Thus, the response times for an increase in gas rate or an increase in organic acids due to an increase in feed concentration were less than 1 day and could be explained by substrate limitation. Other slower responses were observed in which the reactor culture adapted over periods of 5-10 days; these were apparently growth related. An increase in loading of over 100% always resulted

Biofilm Fixed Film Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dipesh Das

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The work reviewed here was published between 2008 and 2010 and describes research that involved aerobic and anoxic biofilm treatment of water pollutants. Biofilm denitrification systems are covered when appropriate. References catalogued here are divided on the basis of fundamental research area or reactor types. Fundamental research into biofilms is presented in two sections, Biofilm Measurement and Characterization and Growth and Modeling. The reactor types covered are: trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, fluidized bed bioreactors, submerged bed biofilm reactors, biological granular activated carbon, membrane bioreactors, and immobilized cell reactors. Innovative reactors, not easily classified, are then presented, followed by a section on biofilms on sand, soil and sediment.

Survey of Basic Red 18 Dye Removal Using Biofilm Formed on Granular Bagass in Continuous Aerobic Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferdos Kord Mostafapour

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dyes comprising a major pollutant in the effluent from textile plants are mostly toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and non-biodegradable. This experimental-laboratory study was carried out using a biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor to investigate the kinetic coefficients of the aerobic reactor as well as the effects of color concentration (30-200 mg/l, hydraulic retention time (2-8 h, and BOD concentration (200-100 mg /l on the removal of Basic Red (18 from textile effluents. The results revealed a maximum removal efficiency of 90% for an initial color concentration of 30 mg/l and a hydraulic retention time of 8 hours. A color removal efficiency of 86% was recorded for an influent BOD concentration of 200 mg/l. Also, maximum substrate utilization rate (K for organic loadings of 100 and 200 mg/L were 0.23 and 1.41 while the half velocity constant values were 44.85 and 19.39, respectively. Moreover, for the same organic loadings, the values of 0.35 and 0.5 were recorded for decay coefficient (Kd and 37.36, 4.83 for maximum specific growth rate coefficient (μm, respectively. Based on the findings of this study, it may be claimed that the biofilm formed on a granular bagass bed in a continuous aerobic reactor has a good Basic Red (18 removal efficiency.

Biodegradation of phenolic waste liquors in stirred-tank, packed-bed, and fluidized-bed bioreactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holladay, D W; Hancher, G W; Chilcote, D D; Scott, C D

1978-11-01

The biological degradation of phenolic scrub liquors similar to those that arise in coal conversion processes was studied for symbiotic bacterial populations contained in a continuously stirred tank bioreactor, a three-phase packed-bed bioreactor, and a three-phase, fluidized-bed bioreactor. The conversions of phenol compounds were comparable in the three-phase, packed-bed bioreactor and the continuously stirred tank bioreactor; however, the packed-bed bioreactor degradation rates were as much as twice those in the continuously stirred tank bioreactor, and packed-bed bioreactor retention times were as low as one- tenth those of the continuously stirred tank bioreactors (minimum time was 12 hours).

Fluid bed porosity equation for an inverse fluidized bed bioreactor with particles growing biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos-Diaz, K. E.; Limas-Ballesteros, R.

2009-01-01

Fluid Bed Bioreactor performance is strongly affected by bed void fraction or bed porosity fluctuations. Particle size enlargement due to biofilm growth is an important factor that is involved in these variations and until now there are no mathematical equations that consider biofilm growth. In this work a mathematical equation is proposed to calculate bed void fraction in an inverse fluid bed bioreactor. (Author)

Aerobic exercise deconditioning and countermeasures during bed rest.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Stuart M C; Moore, Alan D; Everett, Meghan E; Stenger, Michael B; Platts, Steven H

2010-01-01

Bed rest is a well-accepted model for spaceflight in which the physiologic adaptations, particularly in the cardiovascular system, are studied and potential countermeasures can be tested. Bed rest without countermeasures results in reduced aerobic capacity and altered submaximal exercise responses. Aerobic endurance and factors which may impact prolonged exercise, however, have not been well studied. The initial loss of aerobic capacity is rapid, occurring in parallel with the loss of plasma volume. Thereafter, the reduction in maximal aerobic capacity proceeds more slowly and is influenced by central and peripheral adaptation. Exercise capacity can be maintained during bed rest and may be improved during recovery with appropriate countermeasures. Plasma volume restoration, resistive exercise, orthostatic stress, aerobic exercise, and aerobic exercise plus orthostatic stress all have been tested with varying levels of success. However, the optimal combination of elements-exercise modality, intensity, duration, muscle groups exercised and frequency of aerobic exercise, orthostatic stress, and supplementary resistive or anaerobic exercise training-has not been systematically evaluated. Currently, frequent (at least 3 days per week) bouts of intense exercise (interval-style and near maximal) with orthostatic stress appears to be the most efficacious method to protect aerobic capacity during bed rest. Further refinement of protocols and countermeasure hardware may be necessary to insure the success of countermeasures in the unique environment of space.

Axenic aerobic biofilms inhibit corrosion of copper and aluminum.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaraman, A; Ornek, D; Duarte, D A; Lee, C C; Mansfeld, F B; Wood, T K

1999-11-01

The corrosion behavior of unalloyed copper and aluminum alloy 2024 in modified Baar's medium has been studied with continuous reactors using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An axenic aerobic biofilm of either Pseudomonas fragi K or Bacillus brevis 18 was able to lessen corrosion as evidenced by a consistent 20-fold increase in the low-frequency impedance value of copper as well as by a consistent four- to seven-fold increase in the polarization resistance of aluminum 2024 after six days exposure compared to sterile controls. This is the first report of axenic aerobic biofilms inhibiting generalized corrosion of copper and aluminum. Addition of the representative sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) Desulfovibrio vulgaris (to simulate consortia corrosion behavior) to either the P. fragi K or B. brevis 18 protective biofilm on copper increased the corrosion to that of the sterile control unless antibiotic (ampicillin) was added to inhibit the growth of SRB in the biofilm.

Hydrodynamics of multi-phase packed bed micro-reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Márquez Luzardo, N.M.

2010-01-01

Why to use packed bed micro-reactors for catalyst testing? Miniaturized packed bed reactors have a large surface-to-volume ratio at the reactor and particle level that favors the heat- and mass-transfer processes at all scales (intra-particle, inter-phase and inter-particle or reactor level). If the

Direct contact condensation in packed beds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yi; Klausner, James F.; Mei, Renwei; Knight, Jessica [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States)

2006-12-15

A diffusion driven desalination process was recently described where a very effective direct contact condenser with a packed bed is used to condense water vapor out of an air/vapor mixture. A laboratory scale direct contact condenser has been fabricated as a twin tower structure with two stages, co-current and countercurrent. Experiments have been operated in each stage with respective saturated air inlet temperatures of 36, 40 and 43{sup o}C. The temperature and humidity data have been collected at the inlet and exit of the packed bed for different water to air mass flow ratios that vary between 0 and 2.5. A one-dimensional model based on conservation principles has been developed, which predicts the variation of temperature, humidity, and condensation rate through the condenser stages. Agreement between the model and experiments is very good. It is observed that the countercurrent flow stage condensation effectiveness is significantly higher than that for the co-current stage. The condensation heat and mass transfer rates were found to decrease when water blockages occur within the packed bed. Using high-speed digital cinematography, it was observed that this problem can occur at any operating condition, and is dependent on the packing surface wetting characteristics. This observation is used to explain the requirement for two different empirical constants, depending on packing diameter, suggested by Onda for the air side mass transfer coefficient correlation. (author)

The Kaldnes Moving Bed biofilm technology for treatment of industrial wastewater; Tecnologia Kaldnes Moving Bed biofilm (KMT) para la depuracion de aguas residuales industriales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rasmussen, V.; Garcia Carrion, M.; Farre Solsona, C.

2004-07-01

The Kaldnes Moving bed biofilm technology is a biofilm process which is very suitable for treatment of industrial wastewaters. Biofilm processes have several acknowledged advantages compared to suspended biomass processes, e. g. resistance to toxicity and load variations. Traditionally biofilm processes have been known to clog at high loads and hence have not been suited for industrial effluents: however, the Kaldnes Moving Bed biofilm process has overcome this problem. This article describes how the process has been used as pre-treatment up front of activated sludge at a dairy in USA, and as sole treatment at pharmaceutical industry in Sweden. (Author)

Dimensioning of aerated submerged fixed bed biofilm reactors ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The description of a biofilm mathematical model application for dimensioning an aerated fixed bed biofilm reactor (ASFBBR) for petrochemical wastewater polishing is presented. A simple one-dimensional model of biofilm, developed by P Harremöes, was chosen for this purpose. The model was calibrated and verified ...

Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage with packed bed thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbour, Edward; Mignard, Dimitri; Ding, Yulong; Li, Yongliang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of A-CAES using packed bed regenerators. • The packed beds are used to store the compression heat. • A numerical model is developed, validated and used to simulate system operation. • The simulated efficiencies are between 70.5% and 71.1% for continuous operation. • Heat build-up in the beds reduces continuous cycle efficiency slightly. - Abstract: The majority of articles on Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) so far have focussed on the use of indirect-contact heat exchangers and a thermal fluid in which to store the compression heat. While packed beds have been suggested, a detailed analysis of A-CAES with packed beds is lacking in the available literature. This paper presents such an analysis. We develop a numerical model of an A-CAES system with packed beds and validate it against analytical solutions. Our results suggest that an efficiency in excess of 70% should be achievable, which is higher than many of the previous estimates for A-CAES systems using indirect-contact heat exchangers. We carry out an exergy analysis for a single charge–storage–discharge cycle to see where the main losses are likely to transpire and we find that the main losses occur in the compressors and expanders (accounting for nearly 20% of the work input) rather than in the packed beds. The system is then simulated for continuous cycling and it is found that the build-up of leftover heat from previous cycles in the packed beds results in higher steady state temperature profiles of the packed beds. This leads to a small reduction (<0.5%) in efficiency for continuous operation

Ceramic breeder pebble bed packing stability under cyclic loads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Chunbo, E-mail: chunbozhang@fusion.ucla.edu [Fusion Science and Technology Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States); Ying, Alice; Abdou, Mohamed A. [Fusion Science and Technology Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States); Park, Yi-Hyun [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • The feasibility of obtaining packing stability for pebble beds is studied. • The responses of pebble bed to cyclic loads have been presented and analyzed in details. • Pebble bed packing saturation and its applications are discussed. • A suggestion is made regarding the improvement of pebbles filling technique. - Abstract: Considering the optimization of blanket performance, it is desired that the bed morphology and packing state during reactor operation are stable and predictable. Both experimental and numerical work are performed to explore the stability of pebble beds, in particular under pulsed loading conditions. Uniaxial compaction tests have been performed for both KIT’s Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} and NFRI’s Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds at elevated temperatures (up to 750 °C) under cyclic loads (up to 6 MPa). The obtained data shows the stress-strain loop initially moves towards the larger strain and nearly saturates after a certain number of cyclic loading cycles. The characterized FEM CAP material models for a Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} pebble bed with an edge-on configuration are used to simulate the thermomechanical behavior of pebble bed under ITER pulsed operations. Simulation results have shown the cyclic variation of temperature/stress/strain/gap and also the same saturation trend with experiments under cyclic loads. Therefore, it is feasible for pebble bed to maintain its packing stability during operation when disregarding pebbles’ breakage and irradiation.

A novel approach for harnessing biofilm communities in moving bed biofilm reactors for industrial wastewater treatment

OpenAIRE

Joe A. Lemire; Marc A. Demeter; Iain George; Howard Ceri; Raymond J. Turner

2015-01-01

Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) are an effective biotechnology for treating industrial wastewater. Biomass retention on moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) carriers (biofilm support materials), allows for the ease-of-operation and high treatment capacity of MBBR systems. Optimization of MBBR systems has largely focused on aspects of carrier design, while little attention has been paid to enhancing strategies for harnessing microbial biomass. Previously, our research group demonstrated that ...

Evaluation of Packed-Bed Reactor and Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor for the Production of Colchicine Derivatives

OpenAIRE

Dubey, Kashyap Kumar; Kumar, Dhirendra; Kumar, Punit; Haque, Shafiul; Jawed, Arshad

2013-01-01

Bioconversion of colchicine into its pharmacologically active derivative 3-demethylated colchicine (3-DMC) mediated by P450BM3 enzyme is an economic and promising strategy for the production of this inexpensive and potent anticancer drug. Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and packed-bed reactor (PBR) of 3 L and 2 L total volumes were compared for the production of 3-demethylated colchicine (3-DMC) a colchicine derivative using Bacillus megaterium MTCC*420 under aerobic conditions. Statis...

Anaerobic acidogenic digestion of olive mill wastewaters in biofilm reactors packed with ceramic filters or granular activated carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Lorenzo; Lampis, Silvia; Todaro, Daniela; Scoma, Alberto; Vallini, Giovanni; Marchetti, Leonardo; Majone, Mauro; Fava, Fabio

2010-08-01

Four identically configured anaerobic packed bed biofilm reactors were developed and employed in the continuous acidogenic digestion of olive mill wastewaters to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which can be exploited in the biotechnological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates. Ceramic porous cubes or granular activated carbon were used as biofilm supports. Aside packing material, the role of temperature and organic loading rate (OLR) on VFA production yield and mixture composition were also studied. The process was monitored through a chemical, microbiological and molecular biology integrated procedure. The highest wastewater acidification yield was achieved with the ceramic-based technology at 25 degrees C, with an inlet COD and an OLR of about 17 g/L and 13 g/L/day, respectively. Under these conditions, about the 66% of the influent COD (not including its VFA content) was converted into VFAs, whose final amount represented more than 82% of the influent COD. In particular, acetic, propionic and butyric acids were the main VFAs by composing the 55.7, 21.5 and 14.4%, respectively, of the whole VFA mixture. Importantly, the relative concentrations of acetate and propionate were affected by the OLR parameter. The nature of the packing material remarkable influenced the process performances, by greatly affecting the biofilm bacterial community structure. In particular, ceramic cubes favoured the immobilization of Firmicutes of the genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus and Clostridium, which were probably involved in the VFA producing process. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A CFD model for biomass combustion in a packed bed furnace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karim, Md. Rezwanul [Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, VIC 3122 (Australia); Department of Mechanical & Chemical Engineering, Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur 1704 (Bangladesh); Ovi, Ifat Rabbil Qudrat [Department of Mechanical & Chemical Engineering, Islamic University of Technology, Gazipur 1704 (Bangladesh); Naser, Jamal, E-mail: jnaser@swin.edu.au [Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, VIC 3122 (Australia)

2016-07-12

Climate change has now become an important issue which is affecting environment and people around the world. Global warming is the main reason of climate change which is increasing day by day due to the growing demand of energy in developed countries. Use of renewable energy is now an established technique to decrease the adverse effect of global warming. Biomass is a widely accessible renewable energy source which reduces CO{sub 2} emissions for producing thermal energy or electricity. But the combustion of biomass is complex due its large variations and physical structures. Packed bed or fixed bed combustion is the most common method for the energy conversion of biomass. Experimental investigation of packed bed biomass combustion is difficult as the data collection inside the bed is challenging. CFD simulation of these combustion systems can be helpful to investigate different operational conditions and to evaluate the local values inside the investigation area. Available CFD codes can model the gas phase combustion but it can’t model the solid phase of biomass conversion. In this work, a complete three-dimensional CFD model is presented for numerical investigation of packed bed biomass combustion. The model describes the solid phase along with the interface between solid and gas phase. It also includes the bed shrinkage due to the continuous movement of the bed during solid fuel combustion. Several variables are employed to represent different parameters of solid mass. Packed bed is considered as a porous bed and User Defined Functions (UDFs) platform is used to introduce solid phase user defined variables in the CFD. Modified standard discrete transfer radiation method (DTRM) is applied to model the radiation heat transfer. Preliminary results of gas phase velocity and pressure drop over packed bed have been shown. The model can be useful for investigation of movement of the packed bed during solid fuel combustion.

Kinetics of aerobic oxidation of volatile sulfur compounds in wastewater and biofilm from sewers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rudelle, Elise Alice; Vollertsen, Jes; Hvitved-Jacobsen, Thorkild

2013-01-01

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the kinetics of aerobic chemical and biological oxidation of selected odorous volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) by wastewater and biofilm from sewers. The VSCs included methyl mercaptan (MeSH), ethyl mercaptan (EtSH), dimethyl sulfide (DMS......-spot downstream of a force main and the other was a gravity sewer transporting young aerobic wastewater. The kinetics of VSC oxidation for both wastewater and suspended biofilm samples followed a first-order rate equation. The average values of the reaction rate constants demonstrated the following order...... in the aerobic wastewater....

Biofilm Effect on Flow Structure over a Permeable Bed

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemifar, F.; Blois, G.; Aybar, M.; Perez-Calleja, P.; Nerenberg, R.; Sinha, S.; Hardy, R. J.; Best, J.; Sambrook Smith, G.; Christensen, K. T.

2017-12-01

Biofilms constitute an important form of bacterial life in aquatic environments and are present at the fluid-solid interfaces in natural and industrial settings, such as water distribution systems and riverbeds among others. The permeable, heterogeneous, and deformable structure of biofilms can influence mass and momentum transport between the subsurface and freestream. However, this interaction is not fully understood, in part due to technical obstacles impeding quantitative experimental investigations. In this work, the effect of biofilm on flow structure over a permeable bed is studied. Experiments are conducted in a closed water channel equipped with an idealized two-dimensional permeable bed. Prior to conducting flow experiments, the models are placed within an independent recirculating reactor for biofilm growth. Once a targeted biofilm growth stage is achieved, the models are transferred to the water channel and subjected to transitional and turbulent flows. Long-distance microscopic particle image velocimetry measurements are performed to quantify the effect of biofilm on the turbulence structure of the free flow as well as the freestream-subsurface flow interaction.

Comparison of packed bed and fluidized bed membrane reactors for methane reforming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gallucci, F.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2009-01-01

In this work the performance of different membrane reactor concepts, both fluidized bed and packed bed membrane reactors, have been compared for the reforming of methane for the production of ultra-pure hydrogen. Using detailed theoretical models, the required membrane area to reach a given

Using atomic layer deposited tungsten to increase thermal conductivity of a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Norman, Staci A.; Falconer, John L.; Weimer, Alan W., E-mail: alan.weimer@colorado.edu [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 596, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0596 (United States); Tringe, Joseph W.; Sain, John D. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, California 94550 (United States); Yang, Ronggui [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, UCB 427, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0427 (United States)

2015-04-13

This study investigated the effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of packed-beds that contained porous particles with nanoscale tungsten (W) films of different thicknesses formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD). A continuous film on the particles is vital towards increasing k{sub eff} of the packed beds. For example, the k{sub eff} of an alumina packed bed was increased by three times after an ∼8-nm continuous W film with 20 cycles of W ALD, whereas k{sub eff} was decreased on a polymer packed bed with discontinuous, evenly dispersed W-islands due to nanoparticle scattering of phonons. For catalysts, understanding the thermal properties of these packed beds is essential for developing thermally conductive supports as alternatives to structured supports.

Ozo-Dyes mixture degradation in a fixed bed biofilm reactor packed with volcanic porous rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Contreras-Blancas, E.; Cobos-Vasconcelos, D. de los; Juarez-Ramirez, C.; Poggi-Varaldo, H. M.; Ruiz-Ordaz, N.; Galindez-Mayer, J.

2009-01-01

Textile industries discharge great amounts of dyes and dyeing-process auxiliaries, which pollute streams and water bodies. Several dyes, especially the ones containing the azo group, can cause harmful effects to different organisms including humans. Through bacterial and mammalian tests, azo dyes or their derived aromatic amines have shown cell genotoxicity. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of air flow rate on azo-dyes mixture biodegradation by a microbial community immobilized in a packed bed reactor. (Author)

Ozo-Dyes mixture degradation in a fixed bed biofilm reactor packed with volcanic porous rock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contreras-Blancas, E.; Cobos-Vasconcelos, D. de los; Juarez-Ramirez, C.; Poggi-Varaldo, H. M.; Ruiz-Ordaz, N.; Galindez-Mayer, J.

2009-07-01

Textile industries discharge great amounts of dyes and dyeing-process auxiliaries, which pollute streams and water bodies. Several dyes, especially the ones containing the azo group, can cause harmful effects to different organisms including humans. Through bacterial and mammalian tests, azo dyes or their derived aromatic amines have shown cell genotoxicity. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of air flow rate on azo-dyes mixture biodegradation by a microbial community immobilized in a packed bed reactor. (Author)

Numerical simulation and experimental verification of gas flow through packed beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natarajan, S.; Zhang, C.; Briens, C.

2003-01-01

This work is concerned with finding out an effective way of eliminating oxygen from a packed bed of monomer particles. This process finds application in industries involved in the manufacture of Nylon12. In the manufacture of the polymer Nylon12, the polymerization reaction is hindered by the presence of oxygen. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to get rid of the oxygen by injecting nitrogen to displace the oxygen from the voids in-between the monomer particles before they are introduced into the polymerization reactor. This work involves the numerical simulation and experimental verification of the flow in a packed bed. In addition, a parametric study is carried out for the parameters such as the number of injectors, the radial position of injectors, and the position of the injectors along the circumference of the packed bed to find out the best possible combination for effective elimination of the oxygen. Nitrogen does not interact with the monomer particles and hence there is no chemical reaction involved in this process. The nitrogen is introduced into the packed bed at a flow rate which will keep the superficial velocity well below the minimum fluidization velocity of the monomer particles. The packed bed will be modeled using a porous medium approach available in the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software FLUENT. The fluid flow inside the packed bed will be a multicomponent gas flow through a porous medium. The simulation results are validated by comparing with the experimental results. (author)

Theoretical comparison of packed bed and fluidized bed membrane reactors for methane reforming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gallucci, F.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2010-01-01

In this theoretical work the performance of different membrane reactor concepts, both fluidized bed and packed bed membrane reactors, has been compared for ultra-pure hydrogen production via methane reforming. Using detailed theoretical models, the required membrane area to reach a given conversion

Biofilm structure and mass transfer in a gas phase trickle-bed biofilter.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, X; Suidan, M T; Alonso, C; Yu, T; Kim, B J; Kim, B R

2001-01-01

Mass transport phenomena occurring in the biofilms of gas phase trickle-bed biofilters are investigated in this study. The effect of biofilm structure on mass transfer mechanisms is examined using experimental observation from the operating of biofilters, microelectrode techniques and microscopic examination. Since the biofilms of biofilters used for waste gas treatment are not completely saturated with water, there is not a distinguishable liquid layer outside the biofilm. Results suggest that due to this characteristic, gas phase substrates (such as oxygen or volatile organic compounds) may not be limited by the aqueous phase because transport of the compound into the biofilm can occur directly through non-wetted areas. On the other hand, for substrates that are present only in the liquid phase, such as nitrate, the mass transfer limitation is more serious because of the limited liquid supply. Microscopic observations show that a layered structure with void spaces exists within the biofilm. Oxygen concentration distributions along the depth of the biofilms are examined using an oxygen microelectrode. Results indicate that there are some high dissolved oxygen zones inside the biofilm, which suggests the existence of passages for oxygen transfer into the deeper sections of the biofilm in a gas phase trickle-bed biofilter. Both the low gas-liquid mass transfer resistance and the resulting internal structure contribute to the high oxygen penetration within the biofilms in gas phase trickle-bed biofilters.

Biodegradation of tributyl phosphate, an organosphate triester, by aerobic granular biofilms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nancharaiah, Y.V., E-mail: venkatany@gmail.com; Kiran Kumar Reddy, G.; Krishna Mohan, T.V.; Venugopalan, V.P.

2015-02-11

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Aerobic granular biomass was cultivated by feeding TBP along with acetate. • Rapid biodegradation of TBP when used as a co-substrate or as the sole carbon source. • Biodegradation of 2 mM TBP in 5 h with degradation rate of 0.4 μmol mL{sup −1} h{sup −1}. • High phosphatase activity was observed in TBP-degrading granular biomass. • n-Butanol, hydrolyzed product of TBP, was rapidly metabolized by aerobic granules. - Abstract: Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is commercially used in large volumes for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. TBP is a very stable compound and persistent in natural environments and it is not removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants. In this study, cultivation of aerobic granular biofilms in a sequencing batch reactor was investigated for efficient biodegradation of TBP. Enrichment of TBP-degrading strains resulted in efficient degradation of TBP as sole carbon or along with acetate. Complete biodegradation of 2 mM of TBP was achieved within 5 h with a degradation rate of 0.4 μmol mL{sup −1} h{sup −1}. TBP biodegradation was accompanied by release of inorganic phosphate in stoichiometric amounts. n-Butanol, hydrolysed product of TBP was rapidly biodegraded. But, dibutyl phosphate, a putative intermediate of TBP degradation was only partially degraded pointing to an alternative degradation pathway. Phosphatase activity was 22- and 7.5-fold higher in TBP-degrading biofilms as compared to bioflocs and acetate-fed aerobic granules. Community analysis by terminal restriction length polymorphism revealed presence of 30 different bacterial strains. Seven bacterial stains, including Sphingobium sp. a known TBP degrader were isolated. The results show that aerobic granular biofilms are promising for treatment of TBP-bearing wastes or ex situ bioremediation of TBP-contaminated sites.

Biodegradation of tributyl phosphate, an organosphate triester, by aerobic granular biofilms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nancharaiah, Y.V.; Kiran Kumar Reddy, G.; Krishna Mohan, T.V.; Venugopalan, V.P.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Aerobic granular biomass was cultivated by feeding TBP along with acetate. • Rapid biodegradation of TBP when used as a co-substrate or as the sole carbon source. • Biodegradation of 2 mM TBP in 5 h with degradation rate of 0.4 μmol mL −1 h −1 . • High phosphatase activity was observed in TBP-degrading granular biomass. • n-Butanol, hydrolyzed product of TBP, was rapidly metabolized by aerobic granules. - Abstract: Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is commercially used in large volumes for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. TBP is a very stable compound and persistent in natural environments and it is not removed in conventional wastewater treatment plants. In this study, cultivation of aerobic granular biofilms in a sequencing batch reactor was investigated for efficient biodegradation of TBP. Enrichment of TBP-degrading strains resulted in efficient degradation of TBP as sole carbon or along with acetate. Complete biodegradation of 2 mM of TBP was achieved within 5 h with a degradation rate of 0.4 μmol mL −1 h −1 . TBP biodegradation was accompanied by release of inorganic phosphate in stoichiometric amounts. n-Butanol, hydrolysed product of TBP was rapidly biodegraded. But, dibutyl phosphate, a putative intermediate of TBP degradation was only partially degraded pointing to an alternative degradation pathway. Phosphatase activity was 22- and 7.5-fold higher in TBP-degrading biofilms as compared to bioflocs and acetate-fed aerobic granules. Community analysis by terminal restriction length polymorphism revealed presence of 30 different bacterial strains. Seven bacterial stains, including Sphingobium sp. a known TBP degrader were isolated. The results show that aerobic granular biofilms are promising for treatment of TBP-bearing wastes or ex situ bioremediation of TBP-contaminated sites

Treatment of Ni-EDTA containing wastewater by electrocoagulation using iron scraps packed-bed anode.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Xiaokun; Zhang, Junya; Zhang, Yan; Lv, Yuancai; Dou, Rongni; Wen, Shulong; Li, Lianghao; Chen, Yuancai; Hu, YongYou

2016-12-01

The unique electrocoagulator proposed in this study is highly efficient at removing Ni-EDTA, providing a potential remediation option for wastewater containing lower concentrations of Ni-EDTA (Ni ≤ 10 mg L -1 ). In the electrocoagulation (EC) system, cylindrical graphite was used as a cathode, and a packed-bed formed from iron scraps was used as an anode. The results showed that the removal of Ni-EDTA increased with the application of current and favoured acidic conditions. We also found that the iron scrap packed-bed anode was superior in its treatment ability and specific energy consumption (SECS) compared with the iron rod anode. In addition, the packed density and temperature had a large influence on the energy consumption (ECS). Over 94.3% of Ni and 95.8% of TOC were removed when conducting the EC treatment at an applied current of 0.5 A, initial pH of 3, air-purged rate 0.2 L min -1 , anode packed density of 400 kg m -3 temperature of 313 K and time of 30 min. SEM analysis of the iron scraps indicated that the specific area of the anode increased after the EC. The XRD analysis of flocs produced during EC revealed that hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) were the main by-products under aerobic and anoxic conditions, respectively. A kinetic study demonstrated that the removal of Ni-EDTA followed a first-order model with the current parameters. Moreover, the removal efficiency of real wastewater was essentially consistent with that of synthetic wastewater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Udder health in a Danish compost bedded pack barn

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svennesen, Line; Enevoldsen, Carsten; Bjerg, Bjarne Schmidt

Besides welfare advantages of the compost bedded pack system (CBP) there could be a negative effect of the organic bedding on udder health. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of a CBP on udder health compared to a free stall system (FS) with sand bedded cubicles. Within the same Danish...

Microbial community composition and dynamics of moving bed biofilm reactor systems treating municipal sewage.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Kristi; Turner, Susan J

2012-02-01

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) systems are increasingly used for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, yet in contrast to activated sludge (AS) systems, little is known about their constituent microbial communities. This study investigated the community composition of two municipal MBBR wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Wellington, New Zealand. Monthly samples comprising biofilm and suspended biomass were collected over a 12-month period. Bacterial and archaeal community composition was determined using a full-cycle community approach, including analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA). Differences in microbial community structure and abundance were observed between the two WWTPs and between biofilm and suspended biomass. Biofilms from both plants were dominated by Clostridia and sulfate-reducing members of the Deltaproteobacteria (SRBs). FISH analyses indicated morphological differences in the Deltaproteobacteria detected at the two plants and also revealed distinctive clustering between SRBs and members of the Methanosarcinales, which were the only Archaea detected and were present in low abundance (<5%). Biovolume estimates of the SRBs were higher in biofilm samples from one of the WWTPs which receives both domestic and industrial waste and is influenced by seawater infiltration. The suspended communities from both plants were diverse and dominated by aerobic members of the Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. This study represents the first detailed analysis of microbial communities in full-scale MBBR systems and indicates that this process selects for distinctive biofilm and planktonic communities, both of which differ from those found in conventional AS systems.

The Performance of Structured Packings in Trickle-Bed Reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frank, M.J.W.; Kuipers, J.A.M.; Versteeg, G.F.; Swaaij, W.P.M. van

1999-01-01

An experimental study was carried out to investigate whether the use of structured packings might improve the mass transfer characteristics and the catalyst effectiveness of a trickle-bed reactor. Therefore, the performances of a structured packing, consisting of KATAPAK elements, and a dumped

Thermal-hydraulic and characteristic models for packed debris beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, G.E.; Sozer, A.

1986-12-01

APRIL is a mechanistic core-wide meltdown and debris relocation computer code for Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) severe accident analyses. The capabilities of the code continue to be increased by the improvement of existing models. This report contains information on theory and models for degraded core packed debris beds. The models, when incorporated into APRIL, will provide new and improved capabilities in predicting BWR debris bed coolability characteristics. These models will allow for a more mechanistic treatment in calculating temperatures in the fluid and solid phases in the debris bed, in determining debris bed dryout, debris bed quenching from either top-flooding or bottom-flooding, single and two-phase pressure drops across the debris bed, debris bed porosity, and in finding the minimum fluidization mass velocity. The inclusion of these models in a debris bed computer module will permit a more accurate prediction of the coolability characteristics of the debris bed and therefore reduce some of the uncertainties in assessing the severe accident characteristics for BWR application. Some of the debris bed theoretical models have been used to develop a FORTRAN 77 subroutine module called DEBRIS. DEBRIS is a driver program that calls other subroutines to analyze the thermal characteristics of a packed debris bed. Fortran 77 listings of each subroutine are provided in the appendix

Accumulation of BSA in Packed-bed Microfluidics

Science.gov (United States)

Summers, Samantha; Hu, Chuntian; Hartman, Ryan

2012-11-01

Alzheimers and Parkinsons are two diseases that are associated with protein deposition in the brain, causing loss of either cognitive or muscle functioning. Protein deposition diseases are considered progressive diseases since the continual aggregation of protein causes the patient's symptoms to slowly worsen over time. There are currently no known means of treatment for protein deposition diseases. Our goal is to understand the potential for packed-bed microfluidics to study protein accumulation. Measurement of the resistance to flow through micro-scale packed-beds is critical to understanding the process of protein accumulation. Aggregation in bulk is fundamentally different from accumulation on surfaces. Our study attempts to distinguish between either mechanism. The results from our experiments involving protein injection through a microfluidic system will be presented and discussed. Funding received by NSF REU Grant 1062611.

Early stages in biofilm development in methanogenic fluidized-bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lauwers, A.M.; Heinen, W.; Gorris, L.G.M.; Drift, C. van der (Katholieke Univ. Nijmegen (Netherlands). Dept. of Microbiology and Evolution Biology)

1990-06-01

Biofilm development in methanogenic fluidized-bed reactors with sand as the carrier was studied on a laboratory scale. The microorganisms present in consecutive layers of the biofilm of mature sludge granules were prelimilarily characterized on the basis of their morphology, element composition and adhesion capacity and were compared to bacteria which take part in the initial colonization of sand. The early phase of biofilm development was monitored with reactors receiving waste-waters containing different mixtures of volatile fatty acids and inoculated with fluidized-bed reactor effluent for different lengths of time. The results obtained indicate that facultative anaerobic bacteria abundantly present in the outermost biofilm layers of mature sludge granules are probably the main primary colonizers of the sand. Methanothrix spp. or other methanogens were rarely observed among the primary colonizers. The course of biofilm formation was comparable under the various start-up conditions employed including variations in waste-water composition, inoculation and anaerobicity. However, omission of waste-water and thus of substrate resulted in rapid wash-out of the attached biomass. (orig.).

Cyanuric acid biodegradation by a mixed bacterial culture of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Acinetobacter sp. in a packed bed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Galíndez-Nájera, S P; Llamas-Martínez, M A; Ruiz-Ordaz, N; Juárez-Ramírez, C; Mondragón-Parada, M E; Ahuatzi-Chacón, D; Galíndez-Mayer, J

2009-02-01

Cyanuric acid (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triol [OOOT]) is a common biodegradation byproduct of triazinic herbicides, frequently accumulated in soils or water when supplementary carbon sources are absent. A binary bacterial culture able to degrade OOOT was selected through a continuous selection process accomplished in a chemostat fed with a mineral salt (MS) medium containing cyanuric acid as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. By sequence comparison of their 16S rDNA amplicons, bacterial strains were identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Acinetobacter sp. When the binary culture immobilized in a packed bed reactor (PBR) was fed with MS medium containing OOOT (50 mg L(-1)), its removal efficiencies were about 95%; when it was fed with OOOT plus glucose (120 mg L(-1)) as a supplementary carbon source, its removal efficiencies were closer to 100%. From sessile cells, attached to PBR porous support, or free cells present in the outflowing medium, DNA was extracted and used for Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA analysis. Electrophoretic patterns obtained were compared to those of pure bacterial strains, a clear predominance of A. tumefaciens in PBR was observed. Although in continuous suspended cell culture, a stable binary community could be maintained, the attachment capability of A. tumefaciens represented a selective advantage over Acinetobacter sp. in the biofilm reactor, favoring its predominance in the porous stone support.

Characteristics of convective heat transport in a packed pebble-bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdulmohsin, Rahman S., E-mail: rsar62@mst.edu [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 400 West 11th Street/231 Schrenk Hall, Rolla, MO 65409-1230 (United States); Al-Dahhan, Muthanna H., E-mail: aldahhanm@mst.edu [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 400 West 11th Street/231 Schrenk Hall, Rolla, MO 65409-1230 (United States); Department of Nuclear Engineering, 301 W. 14th St./222 Fulton Hall (United States)

2015-04-01

Highlights: • A fast-response heat transfer probe has been developed and used in this work. • Heat transport has been quantified in terms of local heat transfer coefficients. • The method of the electrically heated single sphere in packing has been applied. • The heat transfer coefficient increases from the center to the wall of packed bed. • This work advancing the knowledge of heat transport in the studied packed bed. - Abstract: Obtaining more precise results and a better understanding of the heat transport mechanism in the dynamic core of packed pebble-bed reactors is needed because this mechanism poses extreme challenges to the reliable design and efficient operation of these reactors. This mechanism can be quantified in terms of a solid-to-gas convective heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, in this work, the local convective heat transfer coefficients and their radial profiles were measured experimentally in a separate effect pilot-plant scale and cold-flow experimental setup of 0.3 m in diameter, using a sophisticated noninvasive heat transfer probe of spherical type. The effect of gas velocity on the heat transfer coefficient was investigated over a wide range of Reynolds numbers of practical importance. The experimental investigations of this work include various radial locations along the height of the bed. It was found that an increase in coolant gas flow velocity causes an increase in the heat transfer coefficient and that effect of the gas flow rate varies from laminar to turbulent flow regimes at all radial positions of the studied packed pebble-bed reactor. The results show that the local heat transfer coefficient increases from the bed center to the wall due to the change in the bed structure, and hence, in the flow pattern of the coolant gas. The findings clearly indicate that one value of an overall heat transfer coefficient cannot represent the local heat transfer coefficients within the bed; therefore, correlations are needed to

A novel approach for harnessing biofilm communities in moving bed biofilm reactors for industrial wastewater treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joe A. Lemire

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs are an effective biotechnology for treating industrial wastewater. Biomass retention on moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR carriers (biofilm support materials, allows for the ease-of-operation and high treatment capacity of MBBR systems. Optimization of MBBR systems has largely focused on aspects of carrier design, while little attention has been paid to enhancing strategies for harnessing microbial biomass. Previously, our research group demonstrated that mixed-species biofilms can be harvested from an industrial wastewater inoculum [oil sands process water (OSPW] using the Calgary Biofilm Device (CBD. Moreover, the resultant biofilm communities had the capacity to degrade organic toxins (naphthenic acids—NAs that are found in OSPW. Therefore, we hypothesized that harnessing microbial communities from industrial wastewater, as biofilms, on MBBR carriers may be an effective method to bioremediate industrial wastewater.Here, we detail our methodology adapting the workflow employed for using the CBD, to generate inoculant carriers to seed an MBBR.In this study, OSPW-derived biofilm communities were successfully grown, and their efficacy evaluated, on commercially available MBBR carriers affixed within a modified CBD system. The resultant biofilms demonstrated the capacity to transfer biomass to recipient carriers within a scaled MBBR. Moreover, MBBR systems inoculated in this manner were fully active 2 days post-inoculation, and readily degraded a select population of NAs. Together, these findings suggest that harnessing microbial communities on carriers affixed within a modified CBD system may represent a facile and rapid method for obtaining functional inoculants for use in wastewater MBBR treatment systems.

Simulation of turbulent flow in a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, B.; Yu, A. [Centre for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems and School of Material Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052 (Australia); Wright, B.; Zulli, P. [BlueScope Steel Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 202, Port Kembla, NSW 2505 (Australia)

2006-05-15

Numerous models for simulating the flow and transport in packed beds have been proposed in the literature with few reported applications. In this paper, several turbulence models for porous media are applied to the gas flow through a randomly packed bed and are examined by means of a parametric study against some published experimental data. These models predict widely different turbulent eddy viscosity. The analysis also indicates that deficiencies exist in the formulation of some model equations and selection of a suitable turbulence model is important. With this realization, residence time distribution and velocity distribution are then simulated by considering a radial profile of porosity and turbulence induced dispersion, and the results are in good agreement with the available experimental data. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Experimental study of gas–liquid two-phase flow through packed bed under natural circulation conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Shao-Wen; Miwa, Shuichiro; Griffiths, Matt

2016-01-01

Dry-out phenomena in packed beds or porous media may cause a significant digression of cooling/reaction performance in heat transfer/chemical reactor systems. One of the phenomena responsible for the dry-out in packed beds is known as the counter-current flow limitation (CCFL). In order to investigate the CCFL phenomena induced by gas–liquid two-phase flow in packed beds inside a pool, a natural circulation packed bed test facility was designed and constructed. A total of 27 experimental conditions covering various packing media sizes (sphere diameters: 3.0, 6.4 and 9.5 mm), packed bed heights (15, 35 and 50 cm) and water level heights (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m) were tested to examine the CCFL criteria with adiabatic air–water two-phase flow under natural circulation conditions. Both CCFL and flow reversal phenomena were observed, and the experimental data including instantaneous and time-averaged void fraction, differential pressure and superficial gas–liquid velocities were collected. The CCFL criteria were determined when periodical oscillations of void fraction and differential pressure appear. In addition, the Wallis correlation for CCFL was utilized for data analysis, and the Wallis coefficient, C, was determined experimentally from the packed bed CCFL tests. Compared to the existing data-sets in literature, the higher C values obtained in the present experiment suggest a possibly higher dry-out heat flux for natural circulation debris systems, which may be due to the water supply from both top and bottom surfaces of the packed beds. Considering the effects of bed height and hydraulic diameter of the packing media, a newly developed model for the Wallis coefficient, C, under natural circulation CCFL is presented. The present model can predict the experimental data with an averaged absolute error of ±7.9%. (author)

Experimental measurement of effective thermal conductivity of packed lithium-titanate pebble bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandal, D.; Sathiyamoorthy, D.; Vinjamur, M.

2012-01-01

Lithium titanate is a promising solid breeder material for the fusion reactor blanket. Packed lithium titanate pebble bed is considered for the blanket. The thermal energy; that will be produced in the bed during breeding and the radiated heat from the reactor core absorbed must be removed. So, the experimental thermal property data are important for the blanket design. In past, a significant amount of works were conducted to determine the effective thermal conductivity of packed solid breeder pebble bed, in helium atmosphere, but no flow of gas was considered. With increase in gas flow rate, effective thermal conductivity of pebble bed increases. Particle size and void fraction also affect the thermal properties of the bed significantly. An experimental facility with external heat source was designed and installed. Experiments were carried out with lithium-titanate pebbles of different sizes at variable gas flow rates and at different bed wall temperature. It was observed that effective thermal conductivity of pebble bed is a function of particle Reynolds number and temperature. From the experimental data two correlations have been developed to estimate the effective thermal conductivity of packed lithium-titanate pebble bed for different particle Reynolds number and at different temperatures. The experimental details and results are discussed in this paper.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of anaerobic fluidized bed biofilm reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Fuentes

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This work presents an experimental and theoretical investigation of anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBRs. The bioreactors are modeled as dynamic three-phase systems. Biochemical transformations are assumed to occur only in the fluidized bed zone. The biofilm process model is coupled to the system hydrodynamic model through the biofilm detachment rate; which is assumed to be a first-order function of the energy dissipation parameter and a second order function of biofilm thickness. Non-active biomass is considered to be particulate material subject to hydrolysis. The model includes the anaerobic conversion for complex substrate degradation and kinetic parameters selected from the literature. The experimental set-up consisted of two mesophilic (36±1ºC lab-scale AFBRs (R1 and R2 loaded with sand as inert support for biofilm development. The reactor start-up policy was based on gradual increments in the organic loading rate (OLR, over a four month period. Step-type disturbances were applied on the inlet (glucose and acetic acid substrate concentration (chemical oxygen demand (COD from 0.85 to 2.66 g L-1 and on the feed flow rate (from 3.2 up to 6.0 L d-1 considering the maximum efficiency as the reactor loading rate switching. The predicted and measured responses of the total and soluble COD, volatile fatty acid (VFA concentrations, biogas production rate and pH were investigated. Regarding hydrodynamic and fluidization aspects, variations of the bed expansion due to disturbances in the inlet flow rate and the biofilm growth were measured. As rate coefficients for the biofilm detachment model, empirical values of 3.73⋅10(4 and 0.75⋅10(4 s² kg-1 m-1 for R1 and R2, respectively, were estimated.

Operation of Packed-Bed Reactors Studied in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Motil, Brian J.; Balakotaiah, Vemuri

2004-01-01

The operation of a packed bed reactor (PBR) involves gas and liquid flowing simultaneously through a fixed-bed of solid particles. Depending on the application, the particles can be various shapes and sizes but are generally designed to force the two fluid phases through a tortuous route of narrow channels connecting the interstitial space. The PBR is the most common type of reactor in industry because it provides for intimate contact and high rates of transport between the phases needed to sustain chemical or biological reactions. The packing may also serve as either a catalyst or as a support for growing biological material. Furthermore, this type of reactor is relatively compact and requires minimal power to operate. This makes it an excellent candidate for unit operations in support of long-duration human space activities.

Treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater containing heavily polluting substances in an aerobic submerged fixed-bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Vendramel, S; Bassin, J P; Dezotti, M; Sant'Anna, G L

2015-01-01

Petroleum refineries produce large amount of wastewaters, which often contain a wide range of different compounds. Some of these constituents may be recalcitrant and therefore difficult to be treated biologically. This study evaluated the capability of an aerobic submerged fixed-bed reactor (ASFBR) containing a corrugated PVC support material for biofilm attachment to treat a complex and high-strength organic wastewater coming from a petroleum refinery. The reactor operation was divided into five experimental runs which lasted more than 250 days. During the reactor operation, the applied volumetric organic load was varied within the range of 0.5-2.4 kgCOD.m(-3).d(-1). Despite the inherent fluctuations on the characteristics of the complex wastewater and the slight decrease in the reactor performance when the influent organic load was increased, the ASFBR showed good stability and allowed to reach chemical oxygen demand, dissolved organic carbon and total suspended solids removals up to 91%, 90% and 92%, respectively. Appreciable ammonium removal was obtained (around 90%). Some challenging aspects of reactor operation such as biofilm quantification and important biofilm constituents (e.g. polysaccharides (PS) and proteins (PT)) were also addressed in this work. Average PS/volatile attached solids (VAS) and PT/VAS ratios were around 6% and 50%, respectively. The support material promoted biofilm attachment without appreciable loss of solids and allowed long-term operation without clogging. Microscopic observations of the microbial community revealed great diversity of higher organisms, such as protozoa and rotifers, suggesting that toxic compounds found in the wastewater were possibly removed in the biofilm.

Aerobic desulfurization of biogas by acidic biotrickling filtration in a randomly packed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montebello, Andrea M.; Mora, Mabel; López, Luis R.; Bezerra, Tercia; Gamisans, Xavier; Lafuente, Javier; Baeza, Mireia; Gabriel, David

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Desulfurization of high loads of H 2 S is feasible by acidic biotrickling filtration. • Robustness of the process is demonstrated in the long-term (550 d). • Biosulfur to sulfate oxidation under H 2 S starvation was successfully performed. • Lower sulfate production found at acidic pH compared to that at neutral pH. • Plastic material is recommended for long-term acidic biotrickling filtration. - Abstract: Biotrickling filters for biogas desulfurization still must prove their stability and robustness in the long run under extreme conditions. Long-term desulfurization of high loads of H 2 S under acidic pH was studied in a lab-scale aerobic biotrickling filter packed with metallic Pall rings. Reference operating conditions at steady-state corresponded to an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 130 s, H 2 S loading rate of 52 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 and pH 2.50–2.75. The EBRT reduction showed that the critical EBRT was 75 s and the maximum EC 100 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 . Stepwise increases of the inlet H 2 S concentration up to 10,000 ppm v lead to a maximum EC of 220 g S–H 2 S m −3 h −1 . The H 2 S removal profile along the filter bed indicated that the first third of the filter bed was responsible for 70–80% of the total H 2 S removal. The oxidation rate of solid sulfur accumulated inside the bioreactor during periodical H 2 S starvation episodes was verified under acidic operating conditions. The performance under acidic pH was comparable to that under neutral pH in terms of H 2 S removal capacity. However, bioleaching of the metallic packing used as support and chemical precipitation of sulfide/sulfur salts occurred

Aerobic desulfurization of biogas by acidic biotrickling filtration in a randomly packed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montebello, Andrea M.; Mora, Mabel; López, Luis R.; Bezerra, Tercia [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Gamisans, Xavier [Department of Mining Engineering and Natural Resources, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Bases de Manresa 61-73, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Lafuente, Javier [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Baeza, Mireia [Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Gabriel, David, E-mail: david.gabriel@uab.cat [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)

2014-09-15

Highlights: • Desulfurization of high loads of H{sub 2}S is feasible by acidic biotrickling filtration. • Robustness of the process is demonstrated in the long-term (550 d). • Biosulfur to sulfate oxidation under H{sub 2}S starvation was successfully performed. • Lower sulfate production found at acidic pH compared to that at neutral pH. • Plastic material is recommended for long-term acidic biotrickling filtration. - Abstract: Biotrickling filters for biogas desulfurization still must prove their stability and robustness in the long run under extreme conditions. Long-term desulfurization of high loads of H{sub 2}S under acidic pH was studied in a lab-scale aerobic biotrickling filter packed with metallic Pall rings. Reference operating conditions at steady-state corresponded to an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 130 s, H{sub 2}S loading rate of 52 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1} and pH 2.50–2.75. The EBRT reduction showed that the critical EBRT was 75 s and the maximum EC 100 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1}. Stepwise increases of the inlet H{sub 2}S concentration up to 10,000 ppm{sub v} lead to a maximum EC of 220 g S–H{sub 2}S m{sup −3} h{sup −1}. The H{sub 2}S removal profile along the filter bed indicated that the first third of the filter bed was responsible for 70–80% of the total H{sub 2}S removal. The oxidation rate of solid sulfur accumulated inside the bioreactor during periodical H{sub 2}S starvation episodes was verified under acidic operating conditions. The performance under acidic pH was comparable to that under neutral pH in terms of H{sub 2}S removal capacity. However, bioleaching of the metallic packing used as support and chemical precipitation of sulfide/sulfur salts occurred.

Biodegradation of the herbicide Diuron in a packed bed channel and a double biobarrier with distribution of oxygenated liquid by airlift devices: influence of oxygen limitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Castañón-González, J Humberto; Galíndez-Mayer, Juvencio; Ruiz-Ordaz, Nora; Rocha-Martínez, Lizeth; Peña-Partida, José Carlos; Marrón-Montiel, Erick; Santoyo-Tepole, Fortunata

2016-01-25

From agricultural soils, where the herbicide Diuron has been frequently applied, a microbial community capable of degrading Diuron and 3,4-dichloroaniline was obtained. The volumetric rates and degradation efficiencies of Diuron and 3,4-DCA were evaluated in two distinct biofilm reactors, which differ in their operating conditions. One is a horizontal fixed bed reactor; plug-flow operated (PF-PBC) with severe limitation of oxygen. In this reactor, the air was supplied to an equalizer reservoir at the start of the PF-PBC reactor. The other is a compartmentalized aerobic biobarrier with internal recirculation of liquid aerated through airlift devices (ALB), continuously or intermittently operated. Both reactors were inoculated with a microbial community capable of degrading Diuron, isolated from a sugarcane field. In the oxygen-limited PF-PBC reactor, 3,4-DCA accumulation was detected, mainly in the middle zone of the packed channel. On the contrary, in the fully aerobic ALB reactor, minimal accumulation of catabolic byproducts was detected, and high Diuron removal efficiencies and removal rates were obtained when it was continuously operated in steady-state conditions. Additionally, the influence of oxygen limitation on the kinetic behavior of the PF-PBC reactor was determined, and a method to estimate the local removal rates of Diuron RV,CD along the plug-flow channel is described. It was observed that the local values of the instantaneous removal rate of Diuron dCD/dt are high in the aerobic region of the PF-PBC reactor; but, suddenly decay in the reactor zones limited by dissolved oxygen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Udder health in a Danish compost bedded pack barn

OpenAIRE

Svennesen, Line; Enevoldsen, Carsten; Bjerg, Bjarne Schmidt; Klaas, Ilka Christine

2014-01-01

Besides welfare advantages of the compost bedded pack system (CBP) there could be a negative effect of the organic bedding on udder health. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of a CBP on udder health compared to a free stall system (FS) with sand bedded cubicles. Within the same Danish organic farm, 330 multiparous cows were randomly allocated to CBP or FS. During the experimental period (EP), December 2012 to May 2013, proportions of cows with blinded teats were registered monthly a...

An integrated mathematical model for chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR) including predation and hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Revilla, Marta; Galán, Berta; Viguri, Javier R

2016-07-01

An integrated mathematical model is proposed for modelling a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) under aerobic conditions. The composite model combines the following: (i) a one-dimensional biofilm model, (ii) a bulk liquid model, and (iii) biological processes in the bulk liquid and biofilm considering the interactions among autotrophic, heterotrophic and predator microorganisms. Depending on the values for the soluble biodegradable COD loading rate (SCLR), the model takes into account a) the hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable compounds in the bulk liquid, and b) the growth of predator microorganisms in the bulk liquid and in the biofilm. The integration of the model and the SCLR allows a general description of the behaviour of COD removal by the MBBR under various conditions. The model is applied for two in-series MBBR wastewater plant from an integrated cellulose and viscose production and accurately describes the experimental concentrations of COD, total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen and phosphorous obtained during 14 months working at different SCLRs and nutrient dosages. The representation of the microorganism group distribution in the biofilm and in the bulk liquid allow for verification of the presence of predator microorganisms in the second reactor under some operational conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidation of ethene in a wall-cooled packed-bed reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, E.P.S.; Borman, P.C.; Westerterp, K.R.

1994-01-01

The selective oxidation of ethene over a silver on α-alumina catalyst was studied in a pilot plant with a wall-cooled tubular packed bed reactor. Gas and solid temperatures in the catalyst bed were measured at different axial and radial positions as well as concentrations at different axial

Toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in an aerobic fixed-film reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

Aerobic biodegradation of toluene in a biofilm system was investigated. Toluene is easily biodegradable, like several other aromatic compounds. The degradation was first order at bulk concentrations lower than 0.14 mg/l and zero order above 6–8 mg/l. An average yield coefficient of 1 mg biomass...

Packed Bed Reactor Technology for Chemical-Looping Combustion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noorman, S.; Sint Annaland, van M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2007-01-01

Chemical-looping combustion (CLC) has emerged as an alternative for conventional power production processes to intrinsically integrate power production and CO2 capture. In this work a new reactor concept for CLC is proposed, based on dynamically operated packed bed reactors. With analytical

Biofilm reactors for ethanol production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vega, J L; Clausen, E C; Gaddy, J L

1988-07-01

Whole cell immobilization has been studied in the laboratory during the last few years as a method to improve the performance and economics of most fermentation processes. Among the various techniques available for cell immobilization, methods that provide generation of a biofilm offer reduced diffusional resistance, high productivities, and simple operation. This paper reviews some of the important aspects of biofilm reactors for ethanol production, including reactor start-up, steady state behavior, process stability, and mathematical modeling. Special emphasis is placed on covalently bonded Saccharomyces cerevisiae in packed bed reactors.

A fungal biofilm reactor based on metal structured packing improves the quality of a Gla::GFP fusion protein produced by Aspergillus oryzae.

Science.gov (United States)

Zune, Q; Delepierre, A; Gofflot, S; Bauwens, J; Twizere, J C; Punt, P J; Francis, F; Toye, D; Bawin, T; Delvigne, F

2015-08-01

Fungal biofilm is known to promote the excretion of secondary metabolites in accordance with solid-state-related physiological mechanisms. This work is based on the comparative analysis of classical submerged fermentation with a fungal biofilm reactor for the production of a Gla::green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein by Aspergillus oryzae. The biofilm reactor comprises a metal structured packing allowing the attachment of the fungal biomass. Since the production of the target protein is under the control of the promoter glaB, specifically induced in solid-state fermentation, the biofilm mode of culture is expected to enhance the global productivity. Although production of the target protein was enhanced by using the biofilm mode of culture, we also found that fusion protein production is also significant when the submerged mode of culture is used. This result is related to high shear stress leading to biomass autolysis and leakage of intracellular fusion protein into the extracellular medium. Moreover, 2-D gel electrophoresis highlights the preservation of fusion protein integrity produced in biofilm conditions. Two fungal biofilm reactor designs were then investigated further, i.e. with full immersion of the packing or with medium recirculation on the packing, and the scale-up potentialities were evaluated. In this context, it has been shown that full immersion of the metal packing in the liquid medium during cultivation allows for a uniform colonization of the packing by the fungal biomass and leads to a better quality of the fusion protein.

Biofilm development in fixed bed biofilm reactors: experiments and simple models for engineering design purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Szilágyi, N; Kovács, R; Kenyeres, I; Csikor, Zs

2013-01-01

Biofilm development in a fixed bed biofilm reactor system performing municipal wastewater treatment was monitored aiming at accumulating colonization and maximum biofilm mass data usable in engineering practice for process design purposes. Initially a 6 month experimental period was selected for investigations where the biofilm formation and the performance of the reactors were monitored. The results were analyzed by two methods: for simple, steady-state process design purposes the maximum biofilm mass on carriers versus influent load and a time constant of the biofilm growth were determined, whereas for design approaches using dynamic models a simple biofilm mass prediction model including attachment and detachment mechanisms was selected and fitted to the experimental data. According to a detailed statistical analysis, the collected data have not allowed us to determine both the time constant of biofilm growth and the maximum biofilm mass on carriers at the same time. The observed maximum biofilm mass could be determined with a reasonable error and ranged between 438 gTS/m(2) carrier surface and 843 gTS/m(2), depending on influent load, and hydrodynamic conditions. The parallel analysis of the attachment-detachment model showed that the experimental data set allowed us to determine the attachment rate coefficient which was in the range of 0.05-0.4 m d(-1) depending on influent load and hydrodynamic conditions.

Effect of packing fraction variations on reactivity in pebble-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snoj, L.; Ravnik, M.

2004-01-01

The pebble-bed reactor (PBR) core consists of large number of randomly packed spherical fuel elements. The effect of fuel element packing density variations on multiplication factor in a typical PBR is studied using WIMS code. It is observed that at normal conditions the k-eff increases with packing fraction. Effects of secondary coolant ingress (water or molten lead) in the core at accidental conditions are studied at various packing densities. The effect of water ingress on reactivity depends strongly on water density and packing fraction and is prevailingly positive, while the lead ingress reduces multiplication factor regardless of lead effective density and packing fraction. Both effects are stronger at lower packing fractions. (author)

Discharge Characteristics of Series Surface/Packed-Bed Discharge Reactor Diven by Bipolar Pulsed Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Jian; Jiang Nan; Li Jie; Shang Kefeng; Lu Na; Wu Yan; Mizuno Akira

2016-01-01

The discharge characteristics of the series surface/packed-bed discharge (SSPBD) reactor driven by bipolar pulse power were systemically investigated in this study. In order to evaluate the advantages of the SSPBD reactor, it was compared with traditional surface discharge (SD) reactor and packed-bed discharge (PBD) reactor in terms of the discharge voltage, discharge current, and ozone formation. The SSPBD reactor exhibited a faster rising time and lower tail voltage than the SD and PBD reactors. The distribution of the active species generated in different discharge regions of the SSPBD reactor was analyzed by optical emission spectra and ozone analysis. It was found that the packed-bed discharge region (3.5 mg/L), rather than the surface discharge region (1.3 mg/L) in the SSPBD reactor played a more important role in ozone generation. The optical emission spectroscopy analysis indicated that more intense peaks of the active species (e.g. N2 and OI) in the optical emission spectra were observed in the packed-bed region. (paper)

Numerical modelling for the effective thermal conductivity of lithium meta titanate pebble bed with different packing structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panchal, Maulik, E-mail: maulikpanchal@ipr.res.in [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar-382428 (India); Chaudhuri, Paritosh [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar-382428 (India); Van Lew, Jon T; Ying, Alice [UCLA, MAE Department, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1597 (United States)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • The effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of lithium meta-titanate (Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}) pebble beds is an important parameter for the design and analysis of TBM in ITER. • The k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds under stagnant helium gas have been determined numerically using different uniform packing structures and random close packing (RCP) structures. • k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds with different packing fractions have been reported as function of temperature; k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed is compared with reported experimental results. • The numerically-determined k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed agrees reasonably well with the experimental data and Zehner-Schlunder correlation. - Abstract: The effective thermal conductivity (k{sub eff}) of lithium meta-titanate (Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}) pebble beds is an important parameter for the design and analysis of IN LLCB TBM (Indian Lead Lithium Ceramic Breeder Test Blanket Module). The k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds under stagnant helium gas have been determined numerically using different uniform packing structures and random close packing (RCP) structures. The uniform packing structures of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed are modelled by using the simple cubic, body centered cubic and face centered cubic arrangement. The packing structure of the RCP bed of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebbles is generated with the discrete element method (DEM) code. k{sub eff} of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble beds with different packing fractions have been reported as function of temperature; k{sub eff} of the RCP Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed is compared with reported experimental results from literature. The numerically determined k{sub eff} of the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebble bed agrees reasonably well with the experimental data.

The Dynamic Behavior of Water Flowing Through Packed Bed of Different Particle Shapes and Sizes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haneen Ahmed Jasim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available An experimental study was conducted on pressure drop of water flow through vertical cylindrical packed beds in turbulent region and the influence of the operating parameters on its behavior. The bed packing was made of spherical and non-spherical particles (spheres, Rasching rings and intalox saddle with aspect ratio range 3.46 D/dp 8.486 obtaining bed porosities 0.396 0.84 and Reynolds number 1217 21758. The system is consisted of 5 cm inside diameter Perspex column, 50 cm long; distilled water was pumped through the bed with flow rate 875, 1000, 1125, 1250,1375 and 1500 l/h and inlet water temperature 20, 30, 40 and 50 ˚C. The packed bed system was monitored by using LabVIEW program, were the results have been obtained from Data Acquisition Adaptor (DAQ.

Physicochemical characteristics and microbial community evolution of biofilms during the start-up period in a moving bed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yan; Zhang, Yan; Ren, Hong-Qiang; Geng, Jin-Ju; Xu, Ke; Huang, Hui; Ding, Li-Li

2015-03-01

This study aimed to investigate biofilm properties evolution coupled with different ages during the start-up period in a moving bed biofilm reactor system. Physicochemical characteristics including adhesion force, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), morphology as well as volatile solid and microbial community were studied. Results showed that the formation and development of biofilms exhibited four stages, including (I) initial attachment and young biofilm formation, (II) biofilms accumulation, (III) biofilm sloughing and updating, and (IV) biofilm maturation. During the whole start-up period, adhesion force was positively and significantly correlated with the contents of EPS, especially the content of polysaccharide. In addition, increased adhesion force and EPS were beneficial for biofilm retention. Gram-negative bacteria mainly including Sphaerotilus, Zoogloea and Haliscomenobacter were predominant in the initial stage. Actinobacteria was beneficial to resist sloughing. Furthermore, filamentous bacteria were dominant in maturation biofilm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon Sequestration in Olivine and Basalt Powder Packed Beds.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Wei; Wells, Rachel K; Giammar, Daniel E

2017-02-21

Fractures and pores in basalt could provide substantial pore volume and surface area of reactive minerals for carbonate mineral formation in geologic carbon sequestration. In many fractures solute transport will be limited to diffusion, and opposing chemical gradients that form as a result of concentration differences can lead to spatial distribution of silicate mineral dissolution and carbonate mineral precipitation. Glass tubes packed with grains of olivine or basalt with different grain sizes and compositions were used to explore the identity and spatial distribution of carbonate minerals that form in dead-end one-dimensional diffusion-limited zones that are connected to a larger reservoir of water in equilibrium with 100 bar CO 2 at 100 °C. Magnesite formed in experiments with olivine, and Mg- and Ca-bearing siderite formed in experiments with flood basalt. The spatial distribution of carbonates varied between powder packed beds with different powder sizes. Packed beds of basalt powder with large specific surface areas sequestered more carbon per unit basalt mass than powder with low surface area. The spatial location and extent of carbonate mineral formation can influence the overall ability of fractured basalt to sequester carbon.

Ammonia, Total Reduced Sulfides, and Greenhouse Gases of Pine Chip and Corn Stover Bedding Packs.

Science.gov (United States)

Spiehs, Mindy J; Brown-Brandl, Tami M; Parker, David B; Miller, Daniel N; Berry, Elaine D; Wells, James E

2016-03-01

Bedding materials may affect air quality in livestock facilities. Our objective in this study was to compare headspace concentrations of ammonia (NH), total reduced sulfides (TRS), carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), and nitrous oxide (NO) when pine wood chips ( spp.) and corn stover ( L.) were mixed in various ratios (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100% pine chips) and used as bedding with manure. Air samples were collected from the headspace of laboratory-scaled bedded manure packs weekly for 42 d. Ammonia concentrations were highest for bedded packs containing 0, 10, and 20% pine chips (equivalent to 501.7, 502.3, and 502.3 mg m, respectively) in the bedding mixture and were lowest when at least 80% pine chips were used as bedding (447.3 and 431.0 mg m, respectively for 80 and 100% pine chip bedding). The highest NH concentrations were observed at Day 28. The highest concentration of TRS was observed when 100% pine chips were used as bedding (11.4 µg m), with high concentrations occurring between Days 7 and 14, and again at Day 35. Greenhouse gases were largely unaffected by bedding material but CH and CO concentrations increased as the bedded packs aged and NO concentrations were highly variable throughout the incubation. We conclude that a mixture of bedding material that contains 30 to 40% pine chips may be the ideal combination to reduce both NH and TRS emissions. All gas concentrations increased as the bedded packs aged, suggesting that frequent cleaning of facilities would improve air quality in the barn, regardless of bedding materials used. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

UJI COBA TEKNOLOGI BIOFILM KONSORSIUM BAKTERI PADA REAKTOR SEMIANAEROB-AEROB UNTUK PENGOLAHAN AIR LIMBAH DI INDUSTRI PENCELUPAN TEKSTIL SKALA RUMAH TANGGA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dewa Ketut Sastrawidana

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektifitas teknologi biofilm konsorsium bakteri pada  reaktor semianaerob-aerob ntuk mengolah air limbah pencelupan tekstil. Bakteri pada reaktor semianaerob terdiri dari  Aeromonas sp. Pseudomonas sp, dan Flavobacterium sp. sedangkan pada reaktor aerob terdiri dari Vibrio sp. Plesiomonas sp. dan Enterobacter sp. Perombakan proses pertumbuhan terlekat diawali dengan menumbuhkan konsorsium bakteri pada masing-masing reaktor selama 10  hari menggunakan pada batu vulkanik merah sebagai media pelekatan bakteri. Setelah terbentuk biofilm,selanjutnya digunakan untuk merombak limbah denagn waktu tinggal limbah 2 hari. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan teknologi biofilm cukup efektif diaplikasikan pada skala lapang menghasilkan efisiensi perombakan TSS, BOD dan COD secara berturut-turut sebesar 84,7%; 80,56% dan 90,40%. Uji toksisitas air limbah tekstil menggunakan ikan nila dengan waktu paparan 3 hari menunjukkan bahwa air limbah tekstil sebelum diolah berkatagori toksik ringan dengan nilai EC50 adalah 88,80% sedangkan setelah diolah dalam reaktor biofilm konsorsium bakteri sistem anaerob-aerob selama 2 hari menjadi katagori tidak toksik dengan nilai EC50 sebesar 101,64%. Dengan demikian, pengolahan limbah tektil dengan sistem kombinasi anaerob-aerob menghasilkan kualitas limbah dengan kriteria sudah memenuhi baku mutu untuk dibuang ke lingkungan.

Method for immobilizing particulate materials in a packed bed

Science.gov (United States)

Even, Jr., William R.; Guthrie, Stephen E.; Raber, Thomas N.; Wally, Karl; Whinnery, LeRoy L.; Zifer, Thomas

1999-01-01

The present invention pertains generally to immobilizing particulate matter contained in a "packed" bed reactor so as to prevent powder migration, compaction, coalescence, or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a technique for immobilizing particulate materials using a microporous foam-like polymer such that a) the particulate retains its essential chemical nature, b) the local movement of the particulate particles is not unduly restricted, c) bulk powder migration and is prevented, d) physical and chemical access to the particulate is unchanged over time, and e) very high particulate densities are achieved. The immobilized bed of the present invention comprises a vessel for holding particulate matter, inlet and an outlet ports or fittings, a loosely packed bed of particulate material contained within the vessel, and a three dimensional porous matrix for surrounding and confining the particles thereby fixing the movement of individual particle to a limited local position. The established matrix is composed of a series of cells or chambers comprising walls surrounding void space, each wall forming the wall of an adjacent cell; each wall containing many holes penetrating through the wall yielding an overall porous structure and allowing useful levels of gas transport.

Short communication: Bacterial counts in recycled manure solids bedding replaced daily or deep packed in freestalls.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorter, D E; Kester, H J; Hogan, J S

2014-05-01

An experiment was conducted to compare bacterial counts of mastitis pathogens in deep-packed manure solids bedding with those in manure solids bedding replaced daily from mattresses. Eighteen Holstein cows were housed in 1 pen with 18 stalls. One row of 9 stalls was equipped with mattresses topped with bedding. The back one-third of these stalls toward the alleyway was covered in 25 mm of recycled manure solids, which was removed daily for the next 6 d and replaced with bedding from the brisket board and lunge space areas of stalls. The second row of 9 stalls was bedded for 3 wk with 100 to 150 mm of deep-pack recycled manure bedding from which only fecal matter was removed daily. After 3 wk, bedding treatments were changed between rows in a switchback design. Mean total gram-negative bacterial counts did not differ between treatments throughout the experiment. Coliform and Klebsiella spp. bacterial counts were lower in daily replaced bedding compared with deep pack across the experiment and on each of d 0, 1, 2, and 6. Streptococcal counts were reduced in daily replacement stalls compared with deep-pack stalls on d 0 and greater in daily replacement stalls compared with deep-pack stalls on d 1, 2, and 6. Daily replacement of recycled manure bedding from the back one-third of the stalls appeared to be an effective approach to reducing exposure to coliforms, specifically Klebsiella, but not streptococci. However, bacterial counts in bedding from both treatments were elevated throughout the trial and resulted in considerable risk for exposure to teats and development of intramammary infections. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Porous structure analysis of large-scale randomly packed pebble bed in high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Cheng; Yang, Xingtuan; Liu, Zhiyong; Sun, Yanfei; Jiang, Shengyao [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Key Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety; Li, Congxin [Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People' s Republic of China, Beijing (China). Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center

2015-02-15

A three-dimensional pebble bed corresponding to the randomly packed bed in the heat transfer test facility built for the High Temperature Reactor Pebble bed Modules (HTR-PM) in Shandong Shidaowan is simulated via discrete element method. Based on the simulation, we make a detailed analysis on the packing structure of the pebble bed from several aspects, such as transverse section image, longitudinal section image, radial and axial porosity distributions, two-dimensional porosity distribution and coordination number distribution. The calculation results show that radial distribution of porosity is uniform in the center and oscillates near the wall; axial distribution of porosity oscillates near the bottom and linearly varies along height due to effect of gravity; the average coordination number is about seven and equals to the maximum coordination number frequency. The fully established three-dimensional packing structure analysis of the pebble bed in this work is of fundamental significance to understand the flow and heat transfer characteristics throughout the pebble-bed type structure.

The influence of bamboo-packed configuration to mixing characteristics in a fixed-bed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Detalina, M.; Pradanawati, S. A.; Widyarani; Mamat; Nilawati, D.; Sintawardani, N.

2018-03-01

Fixed-bed reactors are commonly used as bioreactors for various applications, including chemicals production and organic wastewater treatment. Bioreactors are fixed with packing materials for attaching microorganisms. Packing materials should have high surface area and enable sufficient fluid flow in the reactor. Natural materials e.g. rocks and fibres are often used as packing materials. Commercially, packing materials are also produced from polymer with the advantage of customizable shapes. The objective of this research was to study the mixing pattern in a packed-bed reactor using bamboo as packing material. Bamboo was selected for its pipe-like and porous form, as well as its abundant availability in Indonesia. The cut bamboo sticks were installed in a reactor in different configurations namely vertical, horizontal, and random. Textile dye was used as a tracer. Our results show that the vertical configuration gave the least liquid resistant flow. Yet, the random configuration was the best configuration during mixing process.

Breakthrough of toluene vapours in granular activated carbon filled packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohan, N.; Kannan, G.K.; Upendra, S.; Subha, R.; Kumar, N.S.

2009-01-01

The objective of this research was to determine the toluene removal efficiency and breakthrough time using commercially available coconut shell-based granular activated carbon in packed bed reactor. To study the effect of toluene removal and break point time of the granular activated carbon (GAC), the parameters studied were bed lengths (2, 3, and 4 cm), concentrations (5, 10, and 15 mg l -1 ) and flow rates (20, 40, and 60 ml/min). The maximum percentage removal of 90% was achieved and the maximum carbon capacity for 5 mg l -1 of toluene, 60 ml/min flow rate and 3 cm bed length shows 607.14 mg/g. The results of dynamic adsorption in a packed bed were consistent with those of equilibrium adsorption by gravimetric method. The breakthrough time and quantity shows that GAC with appropriate surface area can be utilized for air cleaning filters. The result shows that the physisorption plays main role in toluene removal.

Discharge Characteristics of Series Surface/Packed-Bed Discharge Reactor Diven by Bipolar Pulsed Power

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jian; Jiang, Nan; Li, Jie; Shang, Kefeng; Lu, Na; Wu, Yan; Mizuno, Akira

2016-03-01

The discharge characteristics of the series surface/packed-bed discharge (SSPBD) reactor driven by bipolar pulse power were systemically investigated in this study. In order to evaluate the advantages of the SSPBD reactor, it was compared with traditional surface discharge (SD) reactor and packed-bed discharge (PBD) reactor in terms of the discharge voltage, discharge current, and ozone formation. The SSPBD reactor exhibited a faster rising time and lower tail voltage than the SD and PBD reactors. The distribution of the active species generated in different discharge regions of the SSPBD reactor was analyzed by optical emission spectra and ozone analysis. It was found that the packed-bed discharge region (3.5 mg/L), rather than the surface discharge region (1.3 mg/L) in the SSPBD reactor played a more important role in ozone generation. The optical emission spectroscopy analysis indicated that more intense peaks of the active species (e.g. N2 and OI) in the optical emission spectra were observed in the packed-bed region. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51177007), the Joint Funds of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1462105), and Dalian University of Technology Fundamental Research Fund of China (No. DUT15RC(3)030)

Mass transfer controlled reactions in packed beds at low Reynolds numbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fedkiw, P.S.

1978-12-01

The a priori prediction and correlation of mass-transfer rates in transport limited, packed-bed reactors at low Reynolds numbers is examined. The solutions to the governing equations for a flow-through porous electrode reactor indicate that these devices must operate at a low space velocity to suppress a large ohmic potential drop. Packed-bed data for the mass-transfer rate at such low Reynolds numbers were examined and found to be sparse, especially in liquid systems. Prior models to simulate the solid-void structure in a bed are reviewed. Here the bed was envisioned as an array of sinusoidal periodically constricted tubes (PCT). Use of this model has not appeared in the literature. The velocity field in such a tube should be a good approximation to the converging-diverging character of the velocity field in an actual bed. The creeping flow velocity profiles were calculated. These results were used in the convective-diffusion equation to find mass transfer rates at high Peclet number for both deep and shallow beds, for low Peclet numbers in a deep bed. All calculations assumed that the reactant concentration at the tube surface is zero. Mass-transfer data were experimentally taken in a transport controlled, flow-through porous electrode to test the theoretical calculations and to provide data resently unavailable for deeper beds. It was found that the sinusoidal PCT model could not fit the data of this work or that available in the literature. However, all data could be adequately described by a model which incorporates a channelingeffect. The bed was successfully modeled as an array of dual sized straight tubes.

Mass transfer between a fluid and an immersed object in liquid–solid packed and fluidized beds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NEVENKA BOSKOVIC-VRAGOLOVIC

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Themass transfer coefficient between fluid and an immersed sphere in liquid packed and fluidized beds of inert spherical particles have been studied experimentally using a column 40 mm in diameter. The mass transfer data were obtained by studying the transfer of benzoic acid from the immersed sphere to flowing water using the dissolution method. In all runs, the mass transfer rates were determined in the presence of inert glass particles 0.50-2.98 mm in diameter. The influence of different parameters, such as: liquid velocity, particles size and bed voidage, on the mass transfer in packed and fluidized beds is presented. The obtained experimental data for mass transfer in the packed and particulate fluidized bed were correlated by a single correlation, thus confirming the similarity between the two systems.

Minimum Energy Dissipation under Cocurrent Flow in Packed Beds

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Akramov, T.A.; Stavárek, Petr; Jiřičný, Vladimír; Staněk, Vladimír

2011-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 18 (2011), s. 10824-10832 ISSN 0888-5885 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA104/09/0880 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : energy dissipation * current flow * packed bed Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 2.237, year: 2011

Biological Phosphorus Removal in a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helness, Herman

2007-09-15

The scope of this study was to investigate use of the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process for biological phosphorus removal. The goal has been to describe the operating conditions required for biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal in a MBBR operated as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), and determine dimensioning criteria for such a process

Study of Co-Current and Counter-Current Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow Through Packed Bed in Microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Revankar, Shripad T.

2002-11-01

The main goal of the project is to obtain new experimental data and development of models on the co-current and counter-current gas-liquid two-phase flow through a packed bed in microgravity and characterize the flow regime transition, pressure drop, void and interfacial area distribution, and liquid hold up. Experimental data will be obtained for earth gravity and microgravity conditions. Models will be developed for the prediction of flow regime transition, void fraction distribution and interfacial area concentration, which are key parameters to characterize the packed bed performance. Thus the specific objectives of the proposed research are to: (1) Develop experiments for the study of the gas liquid two-phase flow through the packed bed with three different flow combinations: co-current down flow, co-current upflow and counter current flow. (2) Develop pore scale and bed scale two-phase instrumentation for measurement of flow regime transition, void distribution and gas-liquid interfacial area concentration in the packed bed. (3) Obtain database on flow regime transition, pressure drop, void distribution, interfacial area concentration and liquid hold up as a function of bed characteristics such as bed particle size, porosity, and liquid properties such as viscosity and surface tension. (4) Develop mathematical model for flow regime transition, void fraction distribution and interfacial area concentration for co-current gas-liquid flow through the porous bed in gravity and micro gravity conditions.(4) Develop mathematical model for the flooding phenomena in counter-current gas-liquid flow through the porous bed in gravity and micro gravity conditions. The present proposal addresses the most important topic of HEDS-specific microgravity fluid physics research identified by NASA 's one of the strategic enterprises, OBPR Enterprise. The proposed project is well defined and makes efficient use of the ground-based parabolic flight research aircraft facility. The

Freezing process in unsaturated packed beds; Fuhowa ryushi sonai ni okeru suibun toketsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akahori, M; Aoki, K; Hattori, M [Nagaoka University of Technology, Niigata (Japan); Tani, T [Oji Paper Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-04-25

The freezing process in unsaturated packed beds has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Water transport to the frozen front plays an important part on freezing. The rate of the absorption of water into frozen layer depended on the freezing heat flux and the water saturation at the freezing front. As a result, ice content in the frozen layer was related to the rate of the absorption of water and the freezing heat flux. A one-dimensional freezing model in unsaturated packed beds has been presented, accounting for the water transport. The predicted water saturation and temperature distributions in the body and the thickness of frozen layer were compared with the experimental results using a porous bed composed of glass beads. 12 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.

Computational study of fluid flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jian; Wu, Jiangquan; Zhou, Lang; Wang, Qiuwang

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds with low d_t/d_p_e are investigated. • The wall effect would be restrained with radially layered composite packing (RLM). • Heat flux and overall heat transfer efficiency can be improved with RLM packing. - Abstract: The effect of the tube wall on the fluid flow and heat transfer would be important in the packed bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio, which may lead to flow and temperature maldistributions inside, and the heat transfer performance may be lowered. In the present paper, the flow and heat transfer performances in both the composite and uniform packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter were numerically investigated, where the composite packing means randomly packing with non-uniform spheres and the uniform packing means randomly packing with uniform spheres, including radially layered composite packing (RLM), axially layered composite packing (ALM), randomly composite packing (RCM) and randomly uniform packing (RPM). Both the composite and uniform packings were generated with discrete element method (DEM), and the influence of the wall effect on the flow and heat transfer in the packed beds were carefully studied and compared with each other. Firstly, it is found that, the wall effect on the velocity and temperature distributions in the randomly packed bed of uniform spheres (RPM) with low tube to particle diameter ratio were obvious. The average velocity of the near-tube-wall region is higher than that of the inner-tube region in the bed. When the tube wall is adiabatic, the average temperature of the near-tube-wall region is lower. With radially layered composite packing method (RLM), smaller pores would be formed close to the tube wall and big flow channels would be formed in the inner-tube region of the bed, which would be benefit to restrain the wall effect and improve heat transfer in the bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio. Furthermore, it is also

Computational study of fluid flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jian, E-mail: yangjian81@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049 (China); Wu, Jiangquan [CSR Research of Electrical Technology and Material Engineering, Zhuzhou, Hunan 412001 (China); Zhou, Lang; Wang, Qiuwang [Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049 (China)

2016-04-15

Highlights: • Flow and heat transfer in composite packed beds with low d{sub t}/d{sub pe} are investigated. • The wall effect would be restrained with radially layered composite packing (RLM). • Heat flux and overall heat transfer efficiency can be improved with RLM packing. - Abstract: The effect of the tube wall on the fluid flow and heat transfer would be important in the packed bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio, which may lead to flow and temperature maldistributions inside, and the heat transfer performance may be lowered. In the present paper, the flow and heat transfer performances in both the composite and uniform packed beds of spheres with low tube to particle diameter were numerically investigated, where the composite packing means randomly packing with non-uniform spheres and the uniform packing means randomly packing with uniform spheres, including radially layered composite packing (RLM), axially layered composite packing (ALM), randomly composite packing (RCM) and randomly uniform packing (RPM). Both the composite and uniform packings were generated with discrete element method (DEM), and the influence of the wall effect on the flow and heat transfer in the packed beds were carefully studied and compared with each other. Firstly, it is found that, the wall effect on the velocity and temperature distributions in the randomly packed bed of uniform spheres (RPM) with low tube to particle diameter ratio were obvious. The average velocity of the near-tube-wall region is higher than that of the inner-tube region in the bed. When the tube wall is adiabatic, the average temperature of the near-tube-wall region is lower. With radially layered composite packing method (RLM), smaller pores would be formed close to the tube wall and big flow channels would be formed in the inner-tube region of the bed, which would be benefit to restrain the wall effect and improve heat transfer in the bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio. Furthermore, it

Experimental Study of the Flooding and Appearance of a Bubble Bed on Top of a Countercurrent Packed-Bed Column

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jiřičný, Vladimír; Staněk, Vladimír; Svoboda, Petr; Ondráček, Jakub

2001-01-01

Roč. 40, č. 1 (2001), s. 407-412 ISSN 0888-5885 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/97/1174 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4072921 Keywords : appearance * bubble-bed * packed bed column Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 1.351, year: 2001

Dimensioning of aerated submerged fixed bed biofilm reactors based on a mathematical biofilm model applied to petrochemical wastewater - the link between theory and practice

OpenAIRE

Trojanowicz, Karol; Wójcik, Wtodzimierz

2014-01-01

The description of a biofilm mathematical model application for dimensioning an aerated fixed bed biofilm reactor (ASFBBR) for petrochemical wastewater polishing is presented. A simple one-dimensional model of biofilm, developed by P Harremöes, was chosen for this purpose. The model was calibrated and verified under conditions of oil-refinery effluent. The results of ASFBBR dimensioning on the basis of the biofilm model were compared with the bioreactor dimensions determined by application of...

Mixing and scale affect moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamstra, Andries; Blom, Ewout; Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn

2017-01-01

Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) are used increasingly in closed systems for farming of fish. Scaling, i.e. design of units of increasing size, is an important issue in general bio-reactor design since mixing behaviour will differ between small and large scale. Research is mostly performed on

Removal of micropollutants in Moving Bed Biofilm reactors (MBBRs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torresi, Elena

Numerous pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products are continuously released into municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Present at concentration of nano- to milligram per liter, they are defined as micropollutants. Micropollutants are only partially removed, possibly due...... compared to conventional activated sludge. In MBBRs, biofilm grow on plastic carriers kept in suspension in the reactor basin via mechanical mixing or aeration, offering a suit of benefits, amongst all comparably small footprint. Despite few existing evidences in aerobic MBBR, an in-depth understanding...

Using crosslinkable diacetylene phospholipids to construct two-dimensional packed beds in supported lipid bilayer separation platforms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shu-Kai Hu, Sheng-Wen Hsiao, Hsun-Yen Mao, Ya-Ming Chen, Yung Chang and Ling Chao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Separating and purifying cell membrane-associated biomolecules has been a challenge owing to their amphiphilic property. Taking these species out of their native lipid membrane environment usually results in biomolecule degradation. One of the new directions is to use supported lipid bilayer (SLB platforms to separate the membrane species while they are protected in their native environment. Here we used a type of crosslinkable diacetylene phospholipids, diynePC (1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, as a packed material to create a 'two-dimensional (2D packed bed' in a SLB platform. After the diynePC SLB is exposed to UV light, some of the diynePC lipids in the SLB can crosslink and the non-crosslinked monomer lipids can be washed away, leaving a 2D porous solid matrix. We incorporated the lipid vesicle deposition method with a microfluidic device to pattern the location of the packed-bed region and the feed region with species to be separated in a SLB platform. Our atomic force microscopy result shows that the nano-scaled structure density of the '2D packed bed' can be tuned by the UV dose applied to the diynePC membrane. When the model membrane biomolecules were forced to transport through the packed-bed region, their concentration front velocities were found to decrease linearly with the UV dose, indicating the successful creation of packed obstacles in these 2D lipid membrane separation platforms.

Improvement for the design of packed moving bed adsorption column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Wei

2014-01-01

The problems needed to pay attention to in the physical design of packed moving bed adsorption column were presented. The design of key parts such as the inlet and outlet of liquid phase and gas phase were improved. The expected effect was achieved by the improvement. (author)

A mathematical model for supplying air-cooling for a building using a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marewo, G.T. [Zimbabwe Univ., Mathematics Dept., Harare (Zimbabwe); Henwood, D.J. [School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Brighton (United Kingdom)

2006-01-15

The cooling system at the Harare International School uses a packed bed system for storing the coldness of the night-time to be used later for day-time air-conditioning. A two-phase mathematical model is described for the packed bed which includes heat dispersion in the fluid, and heat loss to the environment. This is in contrast to other studies, where at least one of these terms is neglected to simplify the mathematical model. A numerical method for obtaining a solution is proposed and implemented. Using measured inlet temperatures, the measured and predicted outlet temperatures of the bed show good trend agreement. The differences in detail are examined through sensitivity analyses for both the heat convection transfer and air velocity. It is apparent that adjusting these parameters can increase the agreement between the predicted and measured data. A parametric study for heat storage with various materials and bed sizes is given, which indicates how the code may be used as a tool for improving design and operational parameters. Practical application: A mathematical model of a packed bed is described; the bed is made up of fluid flowing over solid material with heat interchange between the two. The solid material is idealized as spheres and the fluid temperature is assumed uniform in a cross-section of the bed. The model includes heat interchange between the bed and its surrounding environment and allows for time varying fluid velocity. The input data is the inlet temperature to the bed, which may be measured. The comparison with measured data may be helpful to anyone attempting to develop and test a similar model. The sensitivity tests give an understanding of the significance of some of the parameters involved. The Appendix gives a mathematical statement of the problem and an outline of an approach to developing computer code for a numerical solution. (Author)

Deuterium exchange reaction between hydrogen and water in a trickle-bed column packed with novel catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, D. H.; Baek, S. W.; Lee, H. S.; Kim, K. R.; Kang, H. S.; Lee, S. H.; Jeong, H. S.

1998-01-01

The activity of a novel catalyst (Pt/SDBC) for deuterium exchange reaction between water and hydrogen streams in a trickle bed was measured. The performance of the catalyst was compared with a commercial catalyst with same metal content. The catalytic activity for the bed of wet-proofed catalyst diluted with hydrophillic packing material also measured. The Pt/SDBC catalyst shows higher activity in the liquid phase reaction than the commercial catalyst as measured in the vapor phase reaction. The performance for 50% dilution of the Pt/SDBC catalyst bed with hydrophillic packing material is better than that of the 100% bed due to more liquid holdup and better water distribution

Volatile Removal Assembly Flight Experiment and KC-135 Packed Bed Experiment: Results and Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Holder, Donald W.; Parker, David

2000-01-01

The Volatile Removal Assembly (VRA) is a high temperature catalytic oxidation process that will be used as the final treatment for recycled water aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The multiphase nature of the process had raised concerns as to the performance of the VRA in a microgravity environment. To address these concerns, two experiments were designed. The VRA Flight Experiment (VRAFE) was designed to test a full size VRA under controlled conditions in microgravity aboard the SPACEHAB module and in a 1 -g environment and compare the performance results. The second experiment relied on visualization of two-phase flow through small column packed beds and was designed to fly aboard NASA's microgravity test bed plane (KC-135). The objective of the KC-135 experiment was to understand the two-phase fluid flow distribution in a packed bed in microgravity. On Space Transportation System (STS) flight 96 (May 1999), the VRA FE was successfully operated and in June 1999 the KC-135 packed bed testing was completed. This paper provides an overview of the experiments and a summary of the results and findings.

Effect of Mass-Transport Limitations on the Performance of a Packed Bed Membrane Reactor for Partial Oxidations. Transport from the Membrane to the Packed Bed

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Sint Annaland, M.; Kurten, U.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2007-01-01

With a packed bed membrane reactor, the product yield can be significantly enhanced for partial oxidation systems, via distributive addition of oxygen to the reaction mixture along the axial coordinate of the reactor, provided that the reaction order in oxygen of the formation rate of the target

Effect of mass-transport limitations on the performance of a packed bed membrane reactor for partial oxidations. Transport from the membrane to the packed bed

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sint Annaland, van M.; Kurten, U.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2007-01-01

With a packed bed membrane reactor, the product yield can be significantly enhanced for partial oxidation systems, via distributive addition of oxygen to the reaction mixture along the axial coordinate of the reactor, provided that the reaction order in oxygen of the formation rate of the target

Modelling heat transfer during flow through a random packed bed of spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Burström, Per E. C.; Frishfelds, Vilnis; Ljung, Anna-Lena; Lundström, T. Staffan; Marjavaara, B. Daniel

2018-04-01

Heat transfer in a random packed bed of monosized iron ore pellets is modelled with both a discrete three-dimensional system of spheres and a continuous Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. Results show a good agreement between the two models for average values over a cross section of the bed for an even temperature profiles at the inlet. The advantage with the discrete model is that it captures local effects such as decreased heat transfer in sections with low speed. The disadvantage is that it is computationally heavy for larger systems of pellets. If averaged values are sufficient, the CFD model is an attractive alternative that is easy to couple to the physics up- and downstream the packed bed. The good agreement between the discrete and continuous model furthermore indicates that the discrete model may be used also on non-Stokian flow in the transitional region between laminar and turbulent flow, as turbulent effects show little influence of the overall heat transfer rates in the continuous model.

A parametric study of powder holdups in a packed bed under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nafiisah

Packed bed, turbulent flow, mathematical modelling, decreasing ..... The vertical gauge pressure distribution, at a distance of 0.06 m away from the tuyere ... fines from these locations as the interactive forces are more than the drag forces. It.

Adsorption of zinc ions on bone char using helical coil-packed bed columns and its mass transfer modeling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moreno-Pérez, J.; Bonilla-Petriciolet, A.; Rojas-Mayorga, C. K.

2016-01-01

This study reports the assessment of helical coil-packed bed columns for Zn2+ adsorption on bone char. Zn2+ adsorption breakthrough curves have been obtained using helical coil columns with different characteristics and a comparison has been conducted with respect to the results of straight fixed-bed...... columns. Results showed that the helical coil adsorption columns may offer an equivalent removal performance than that obtained for the traditional packed bed columns but using a compact structure. However, the coil diameter, number of turns, and feed flow appear to be crucial parameters for obtaining...... the best performance in this packed-bed geometry. A mass transfer model for a mobile fluid flowing through a porous media was used for fitting and predicting the Zn2+ breakthrough curves in helical coil bed columns. Results of adsorbent physicochemical characterization showed that Zn2+ adsorption on bone...

New proposition on performance evaluation of hydrophobic Pt catalyst packed in trickle bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Masami; Kitamoto, Asashi; Takashima, Yoichi.

1983-01-01

On the evaluation of the performance of the hydrophobic Pt catalyst packed in the trickle-bed test column, the conventionally defined (Ksub(y)a) and the newly defined (Ksub(f))sub (G) are compared with each other as a measure of the overall D-transfer coefficient. The value of (Ksub(y)a) varies in a wide range in accordance with the length of the test column. On the other hand (Ksub(f))sub (G sub (l = L)) has a finite value in the test column longer than about 0.5 m. By considering the values of ksub(g) and ksub(l) which are the constituents of (Ksub(f))sub (G), it is possible to improve the hydrophobic Pt catalyst trickle bed and to design the H 2 /H 2 O-isotopic exchange trickle-bed column packed with this catalyst. (author)

Sludge granulation in an UASB-moving bed biofilm hybrid reactor for efficient organic matter removal and nitrogen removal in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Pritha; Ghangrekar, M M; Rao, Surampalli

2018-02-01

A hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)-moving bed biofilm (MBB) and rope bed biofilm (RBB) reactor was designed for treatment of sewage. Possibility of enhancing granulation in an UASB reactor using moving media to improve sludge retention was explored while treating low-strength wastewater. The presence of moving media in the top portion of the UASB reactor allowed a high solid retention time even at very short hydraulic retention times and helped in maintaining selection pressure in the sludge bed to promote formation of different sized sludge granules with an average settling velocity of 67 m/h. These granules were also found to contain plenty of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) such as 58 mg of polysaccharides (PS) per gram of volatile suspended solids (VSS) and protein (PN) content of 37 mg/g VSS. Enriched sludge of nitrogen-removing bacteria forming a porous biofilm on the media in RBB was also observed in a concentration of around 894 g/m 2 . The nitrogen removing sludge also had a high EPS content of around 22 mg PS/g VSS and 28 mg PN/g VSS. This hybrid UASB-MBB-RBB reactor with enhanced anaerobic granular sludge treating both carbonaceous and nitrogenous matter may be a sustainable solution for decentralized sewage treatment.

Experimental, kinetic and numerical modeling of hydrogen production by catalytic reforming of crude ethanol over a commercial catalyst in packed bed tubular reactor and packed bed membrane reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aboudheir, Ahmed; Akande, Abayomi; Idem, Raphael

2006-01-01

The demand for hydrogen energy has increased tremendously in recent years essentially because of the increase in the word energy consumption as well as recent developments in fuel cell technologies. The energy information administration has projected that world energy consumption will increase by 59% over the next two decades, from 1999 to 2020, in which the largest share is still dominated by fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal). Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions resulting from the combustion of these fossil fuels currently are estimated to account for three-fourth of human-caused CO 2 emissions worldwide. Greenhouse gas emission, including CO 2 , should be limited, as recommended at the Kyoto Conference, Japan, in December 1997. In this regard, hydrogen (H 2 ) has a significant future potential as an alternative fuel that can solve the problems of CO 2 emissions as well as the emissions of other air contaminants. One of the techniques to produce hydrogen is by reforming of hydrocarbons or biomass. Crude ethanol (a form of biomass, which essentially is fermentation broth) is easy to produce, is free of sulphur, has low toxicity, and is also safe to handle, transport and store. In addition, crude ethanol consists of oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as ethanol, lactic acid, glycerol, and maltose. These oxygenated hydrocarbons can be reformed completely to H 2 and CO 2 , the latter of which could be separated from H 2 by membrane technology. This provides for CO 2 capture for eventual storage or destruction. In the case of using crude ethanol, this will result in negative CO 2 , emissions. In this paper, we conducted experimental work on production of hydrogen by the catalytic reforming of crude ethanol over a commercial promoted Ni-based catalyst in a packed bed tubular reactor as well as a packed bed membrane reactor. As well, a rigorous numerical model was developed to simulate this process in both the catalytic packed bed tubular reactor and packed bed membrane

Process for the exchange of hydrogen isotopes using a catalyst packed bed assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, J.P.; den Hartog, J.; Molson, F.W.R.

1978-01-01

A process for the exchange of hydrogen isotopes between streams of gaseous hydrogen and liquid water is described, wherein the streams of liquid water and gaseous hydrogen are simultaneously brought into contact with one another and a catalyst packed bed assembly while at a temperature in the range 273 0 to 573 0 K. The catalyst packed bed assembly may be composed of discrete carrier bodies of e.g. ceramics, metals, fibrous materials or synthetic plastics with catalytically active metal crystallites selected from Group VIII of the Periodic Table, partially enclosed in and bonded to the carrier bodies by a water repellent, water vapor and hydrogen gas permeable, porous, polymeric material, and discrete packing bodies having an exterior surface which is substantially hydrophilic and relatively noncatalytically active with regard to hydrogen isotope exchange between hydrogen gas and water vapor to that of the catalyst bodies

Pressure drop in packed beds of spherical particles at ambient and elevated air temperatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pešić Radojica

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was the experimental investigation of the particle friction factor for air flow through packed bed of particles at ambient and elevated temperatures. The experiments were performed by measuring the pressure drop across the packed bed, heated to the desired temperature by hot air. Glass spherical particles of seven different diameters were used. The temperature range of the air flowing through the packed bed was from 20ºC to 350ºC and the bed voidages were from 0.3574 to 0.4303. The obtained results were correlated using a number of available literature correlations. The overall best fit of all of the experimental data was obtained using Ergun [1] equation, with mean absolute deviation of 10.90%. Ergun`s equation gave somewhat better results in correlating the data at ambient temperature with mean absolute deviation of 9.77%, while correlation of the data at elevated temperatures gave mean absolute deviation of 12.38%. The vast majority of the correlations used gave better results when applied to ambient temperature data than to the data at elevated temperatures. Based on the results obtained, Ergun [1] equation is proposed for friction factor calculation both at ambient and at elevated temperatures. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. ON172022

Effects of aerobic-anaerobic transient conditions on sulfur and metal cycles in sewer biofilms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nielsen, A.; Lens, P.N.L.; Vollertsen, J.; Hvitved-Jacobsen, Th.

2005-01-01

Interactions between sulfur and metals were studied in aerobic and anaerobic biofilms grown on domestic waste water at 15°C. The dominant metals in the waste water were iron, zinc and copper, which were present in average concentrations of 0.5mg/l, 0.6mg/l and 0.1m/l, respectively. Copper and zinc

Inulinase production in a packed bed reactor by solid state fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilipkumar, M; Rajamohan, N; Rajasimman, M

2013-07-01

In this work, production of inulinase was carried out in a packed bed reactor (PBR) under solid state fermentation. Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus was used to produce the inulinase using pressmud as substrate. The parameters like air flow rate, packing density and particle size were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to maximize the inulinase production. The optimum conditions for the maximum inulinase production were: air flow rate - 0.82 L/min, packing density - 40 g/L and particle size - 0.0044 mm (mesh - 14/20). At these optimized conditions, the production of inulinase was found to be 300.5 unit/gram of dry substrate (U/gds). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical modeling of pyrolysis of sawdust in a packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Qingmin; Chen, Xiaoping [Southeast Univ., Nanjing (China). School of Energy and Environment

2013-07-01

An unsteady, one-dimensional mathematical model has been developed to describe the pyrolysis of sawdust in a packed bed. The sawdust bed was pyrolyzed using the hot gas and an electric heater outside the bed as the source of energy. The developed model includes mass, momentum and energy conservations of gas and solid within the bed. The gas flow in the bed is modeled using Darcy's law for fluid through a porous medium. The heat transfer model includes heat conduction inside the bed and convection between the bed and the hot gas. The kinetic model consists of primary pyrolysis reaction. A finite volume fully implicit scheme is employed for solving the heat and mass transfer model equations. A Runge-Kutta fourth order method is used for the chemical kinetics model equations. The model predictions of mass loss history and temperature were validated with published experimental results, showing a good agreement. The effects of inlet temperature on the pyrolysis process have been analyzed with model simulation. A sensitivity analysis using the model suggests that the predictions could be improved by considering the second reaction which could generate volatile flowing in the void.

Effective biofilm removal and changes in bacterial biofilm building capacity after wound debridement with low-frequency ultrasound as part of wound bed preparation before skin grafting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yarets Y

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Yuliya Yarets Clinical Laboratory Medicine Department, The Republican Scientific Centre for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, Gomel, Belarus Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasonic-assisted wound debridement (UAW used for wound bed preparation of chronic wounds prior to skin grafting. Initially, 140 patients were enrolled into study. Group 1 patients (n=53 with critically colonized wounds underwent a single UAW procedure before skin grafting. Group 2 patients (n=87 with colonized wounds received two UAW sessions, skin grafting followed by the second UAW treatment. Initial wound classification in colonized and critically colonized wounds did not correlate with results from microbiological analysis of wound swab samples. Hence, comparison of efficacy of one or two debridement sessions was conducted solely for a similar group of patients, that is, patients with colonized wounds of group 1 (n=40 and group 2 (n=47. In wounds of group 1 patients, a single debridement session resulted in reduction of bacteria from >104 to <104 CFU/mL. However, bacteria remaining at wound site showed minor differences in biofilm slime production, with skin graft failure being observed in 25% cases. In wounds of group 2 patients, two debridement sessions significantly reduced bacterial presence up to <102 CFU/mL. Bacteria remaining at wound site showed low capacity for biofilm slime production and high accumulation of biomass; a complete graft healing was observed in all patients. We suggest two to three debridement sessions with UAW to be most effective in wound bed preparation before skin grafting of chronic wounds. UAW showed to be effective in cleaning the wound bed, destroying the extracellular substances in biofilms, and influencing biofilm slime building capacity of bacteria left at wound site. Keywords: wound debridement, wound bed preparation, biofilm, low-frequency ultrasound, skin grafting, biofilm assay

Water infiltration and heat transfer in one dimensional unsaturated packed beds; Fuhowa ryushi sonai no ichijigen suibun nagare to dennetsu tokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aoki, K; Akahori, M; Hattori, M [Nagaoka University of Technology, Niigata (Japan); Shiraishi, N [Toshiba Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-05-25

Water and heat transport in unsaturated packed beds due to supplying hot water have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Using various sizes of glass beads, capillary pressure and permeability in packed beds were measured in unsaturated beds. The distributions in water saturation and temperature were predicted for one dimensional packed bed, based on a model assuming local thermal equilibrium among water, gas and particles at any specific space. The predicted temperature distributions were compared with the experimental results obtained using various glass sizes. In layered packed beds, water saturation becomes discontinuous at the interface of two layers because of the difference of the water characteristics between two beds. Water penetrates faster in coarse-over fine-textured profile compared with in fine-over coarse-textured profile. Similarly, the temperature rises faster in former profile under the same supplied heat quantity. 11 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.

Rice Husk Packed Bed Column Reactor To Remove Cadmium From Landfill Leachate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monik Kasman

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The landfill leachate can be a major problem due to large variability of high organic, inorganic, heavy metal content and toxicity characteristics from landfill leachate such as  cadmium. Thus, this study was aimed to observe the application of rice husk packed bed column to reduce cadmium from landfill leachate. Experiment was conducted in gravity down flow system by pumping landfill leachate into packed bed column. The effect of influent flow rate to adsorption capacity was studied by varying flow rate (5 mL/min and 10 mL/min. The effluent-influent concentration ratio Ce/C0 (% as a function of throughput volume (L was used to represent the breakthrough curve in column systems. Result shows that the flow rate of 5 mL/min was favorable to achieve higher removal rates with the percentage of cadmium was 57 %. At breakthrough time, the cadmium effluent concentration reached on 0.01 mg/l for both of flow rate.ABSTRAKLindi yang dihasilkan dari TPA (Tempat Pembuangan Akhir menimbulkan permasalahan lingkungan karena kandungan pencemarnya meliputi material organik, material anorganik, logam dan material beracun. Salah satu logam berat yang terdapat dalam lindi tersebut adalah kadmium. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mereduksi kadmium dalam lindi dengan menggunakan sekam padi yang diinstal dalam packed bed column. Lindi dipompakan dari tangki penampung lindi ke dalam packed bed column dan dialirkan dari atas ke bawah kolom secara gravitasi. Fokus pada penelitian ini adalah pengaruh laju alir influen terhadap kapasitas adsorpsi. Dimana lindi dialirkan dengan laju alir 5 mL/menit dan 10 mL/menit. Kurva breakthrough (titik jenuh kolom dipresentasikan oleh hubungan antara rasio konsentrasi efluen-influen Ce/C0 (% dan jumlah aliran lindi yang diolah dalam kolom. Hasil eksperimen menunjukkan bahwa persentase reduksi tertinggi dicapai pada laju alir 5 mL/menit yaitu 57%. Waktu jenuh kedua laju alir (5 mL/menit dan 10 mL/menit tercapai saat konsentrasi efluen

Characterization of biofilm in 200W fluidized bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Michelle H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Saurey, Sabrina D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lee, Brady D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Parker, Kent E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Eisenhauer, Emalee E. R. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cordova, Elsa A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Golovich, Elizabeth C. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-09-29

Contaminated groundwater beneath the 200 West Area at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington is currently being treated using a pump and treat system to remove organics, inorganics, radionuclides, and metals. A granular activated carbon-based fluidized bed reactor (FBR) has been added to remove nitrate, hexavalent chromium and carbon tetrachloride. Initial analytical results indicated the microorganisms effectively reduced many of the contaminants to less than cleanup levels. However shortly thereafter operational upsets of the FBR include carbon carry over, over production of microbial extracellular polymeric substance (biofilm) materials, and over production of hydrogen sulfide. As a result detailed investigations were undertaken to understand the functional diversity and activity of the microbial community present in the FBR over time. Molecular analyses including terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses were performed on the microbial community extracted from the biofilm within the bed and from the inoculum, to determine functional dynamics of the FBR bed over time and following operational changes. Findings from these analyses indicated: 1) the microbial community within the bed was completely different than community used for inoculation, and was likely from the groundwater; 2) analyses early in the testing showed an FBR community dominated by a few Curvibacter and Flavobacterium species; 3) the final sample taken indicated that the microbial community in the FBR bed had become more diverse; and 4) qPCR analyses indicated that bacteria involved in nitrogen cycling, including denitrifiers and anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria, were dominant in the bed. These results indicate that molecular tools can be powerful for determining functional diversity within FBR type reactors. Coupled with micronutrient, influent and effluent chemistry

Gas flow calculation with a turbulence model in a packed bed; Ranryu model wo mochiita juten sonai no gas nagare no keisan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeda, K [Kawasaki Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Lockwood, F

1996-06-01

For the rationalization of blast furnace operation, the gas flow in a packed bed is calculated using a turbulence model. For accurately determining the mixing of gasses, dispersion of particulates in a turbulence, turbulence diffusion, response rate, etc., in a packed bed, turbulence characteristics need be elucidated. For the calculation of combustion behavior of powdered coal blown into the blast furnace tuyere, in particular, the evaluation of gas turbulence behavior in the blow pipe and packed bed is indispensable. The dissipation rate of {kappa} has been defined from the mixing length Lm with the hydraulic diameter of the packed bed as its function and the turbulence energy ({kappa}), and now a {kappa}-Lm model is proposed, capable of evaluating the turbulence behavior in the packed bed. The parameters in the model may be determined using the actually measured values about diffusion behavior. The diffusion behavior of a tracer blown into the packed bed is simulated, and then agreement is found between the calculated values and measured values. Oxygen distribution under simplified raceway conditions is calculated. Once in the raceway, the radial concentration gradient of oxygen is much gentler suddenly, indicating the excellent mixture characteristics of the packed layer. 21 refs., 9 figs.

A new microtitre plate screening method for evaluating the viability of aerobic respiring bacteria in high surface biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, L M; Alvarez, B L; Codony, F; Fittipaldi, M; Adrados, B; Peñuela, G; Morató, J

2010-09-01

It is difficult to determine the effects of bactericidal compounds against bacteria in a biofilm because classical procedures for determining cell viability require several working days, multiple complicated steps and are frequently only applicable to cells in suspension. We attempt to develop a compact, inexpensive and versatile system to measure directly the extent of biofilm formation from water systems and to determine the viability of respiring bacteria in high surface biofilms. It has been reported that the reduction of tetrazolium sodium salts, such as XTT (sodium 3,3'-[1-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-3,4-tetrazolium]Bis(4-methoxy)-6-nitro)benzene sulfonic acid hydrate), during active bacterial metabolism can be incorporated into a colorimetric method for quantifying cell viability. XTT is reduced to a soluble formazan compound during bacterial aerobic metabolism such that the amount of formazan generated is proportional to the bacterial biomass. We show here, for the first time, that this colorimetric approach can be used to determine the metabolic activity of adherent aerobic bacteria in a biofilm as a measure of cell viability. This technique has been used to estimate viability and proliferation of bacteria in suspension, but this is the first application to microbial communities in a real undisturbed biofilm. This simple new system can be used to evaluate the complex biofilm community without separating the bacteria from their support. Thus, the results obtained by this practice may be more representative of the circumstances in a natural system, opening the possibility to multiple potential applications.

Antimicrobial resistance among aerobic biofilm producing bacteria isolated from chronic wounds in the tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahim, K; Qasim, M; Rahman, H; Khan, T A; Ahmad, I; Khan, N; Ullah, A; Basit, A; Saleha, S

2016-08-01

Chronic wound infections impose major medical and economic costs on health-care systems, cause significant morbidity, mortality and prolonged hospitalisation. The presence of biofilm producing bacteria in these wounds is considered as an important virulence factor that leads to chronic implications including ulceration. The undertaken study aimed to isolate and identify the biofilm aerobic bacterial pathogens from patients with chronic wound infections, and determine their antibiotics resistance profiles Method: During this study, swab specimens were collected from patients with chronic wounds at teaching hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan between May 2013 and June 2014. The isolated aerobic bacterial pathogens were identified on the basis of standard cultural characteristics and biochemical tests. Antibiotics resistance profiles of biofilm producing bacteria against selected antibiotics were then determined. Among the chronic wound infections, diabetic foot ulcers were most common 37 (37%), followed by surgical ulcers 27 (27%). Chronic wounds were common in male patients older than 40 years. Among the total 163 isolated bacterial pathogens the most prevalent bacterial species were Pseudomonas aeruginosa 44 (27%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 26 (16%), Staphylococcus species 22 (14%) and Streptococcus spp. 21 (13%). The isolation rate of bacterial pathogens was high among patients with diabetic foot ulcers 83 (50.9%). Among bacterial isolates, 108 (66.2%) were observed as biofilm producers while 55 (33.8%) did not form biofilm in our model. The investigated biofilm producing bacterial isolates showed comparatively high resistance against tested antibiotics compared to non-biofilm producing bacterial isolates. The most effective antibiotics were amikacine and cefepime against all isolates. Increased multidrug resistance in biofilm producing bacteria associated with chronic wounds was observed in this study. Judicious use of antibiotics is needed to control the wound

CLC in packed beds using syngas and CuO/Al2O3: model description and experimental validation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamers, H.P.; Gallucci, F.; Cobden, P.D.; Kimball, E.; Sint Annaland, M. van

2014-01-01

The objective of this work is to study the performance of the oxygen carrier in a packed bed with periodic switching between oxidizing and reducing conditions. In this paper the performance of CuO/Al2O3 as the oxygen carrier in a packed bed reactor with syngas as the fuel are investigated, while

Experimental Study on Pressure Drop and Flow Dispersion in Packed Bed of Natural Zeolite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruya Petric Marc

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The use of conventional correlation for pressure drop and dispersion coefficient calculation may result in inaccurate values for zeolite packed bed as the correlations are generally developed for regularly shaped and uniformly sized particles. To support the research on the application of modified natural zeolite as tar cracking catalyst, the research on the hydrodynamic behaviour of zeolite packed bed has been conducted. Experiments were carried out using a glass column with diameter of 37.8 mm. Natural zeolite with particle size of about 2.91 to 6.4 mm was applied as packing material in the column, and the bed height was varied at 9, 19 and 29 cm. Air was used as the fluid that flows through the bed and nitrogen was used as a tracer for residence time distribution determination. Air flow rates were in the range of 20 to 100 mL/s which correspond to the laminar-transitional flow regime. The pressure drops through the bed were in the range of 1.7 to 95.6 Pa, depending on the air flow rate and bed height. From these values, the parameters in the Ergun equation were estimated, taking into account the contribution by wall effect when the ratio of column to particle diameter is low. The viscous and inertial term constants in the Ergun equation calculated ranges from 179 to 199 and 1.41 to 1.47 respectively while the particle sphericity ranges from 0.56 to 0.59. The reactor Peclet number were determined to range from 5.2 to 5.5, which indicated significant deviation from a plug flow condition.

Co-current descending two-phase flows in inclined packed beds : experiments versus simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atta, A.; Nigam, K.D.P.; Roy, S. [Inst. of Technology, New Delhi (India). Dept. of Chemical Engineering; Schubert, M.; Larachi, F. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2010-10-15

This paper presented a numerical simulation for an inclined packed bed configuration for two-phase co-current downward flow. A two-phase Eulerian computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used to predict the hydrodynamic behaviour. Two different modelling strategies were compared, notably a straight tube with an artificially inclined gravity, and an inclined geometry with straight gravity. The effect of inclination angle of a packed bed on its gas-liquid flow segregation and liquid saturation spatial distribution was measured for varying inclinations and fluid velocities. The CFD model was adapted from a trickle-bed vertical configuration and based on the porous media concept. The predicted pressure drops for the inclined gravity were found to be insensitive to inclination. Therefore, simulations to study the parameters that influence the reduced liquid saturation were performed only with the inclined geometry case. Experimental data obtained using electrical capacitance tomography was used to validate the model predictions. The study showed that a trickle bed CFD model for vertically straight reactors can be effectively implemented in inclined reactor geometries. However, additional research is needed to formulate appropriate drag force closures which should be incorporated in the CFD model for improved quantitative estimation of inclined bed hydrodynamics. 22 refs., 10 figs.

The behavior of xenon dynamic adsorption on granular activated carbon packed bed adsorber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chongyang Zhou; Shujuan Feng; Guoqing Zhou; Yuren Jin; Junfu Liang; Jingming Xu

2011-01-01

In order to retard radioxenon release into the atmosphere from nuclear power station or to sensitively monitor its concentration to ensure environmental and human safety, it is necessary to know the behavior of xenon dynamic adsorption on granular activated carbon pack bed adsorber. The quantities, including the dynamic adsorption coefficient (k d ), the amount of xenon adsorbed (q), the length of mass transfer zone (L MTZ ) and the length of the unused bed (LUB), used to describe the adsorption behavior, were sorted out and calculated. The factors, including xenon concentrations, pressures and temperatures, to affect these quantities were investigated. The results show that: (1) The values of k d and q decrease with increasing temperatures, but increase with increasing pressures, (2) The values of L MTZ and LUB increase with increasing temperatures or pressures, but are independent of concentrations. Knowledge of these quantities is very helpful for packed bed adsorber operation. (author)

Determination of the external mass transfer coefficient and influence of mixing intensity in moving bed biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Bruno L; Pérez, Julio; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Secchi, Argimiro R; Dezotti, Márcia; Biscaia, Evaristo C

2015-09-01

In moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), the removal of pollutants from wastewater is due to the substrate consumption by bacteria attached on suspended carriers. As a biofilm process, the substrates are transported from the bulk phase to the biofilm passing through a mass transfer resistance layer. This study proposes a methodology to determine the external mass transfer coefficient and identify the influence of the mixing intensity on the conversion process in-situ in MBBR systems. The method allows the determination of the external mass transfer coefficient in the reactor, which is a major advantage when compared to the previous methods that require mimicking hydrodynamics of the reactor in a flow chamber or in a separate vessel. The proposed methodology was evaluated in an aerobic lab-scale system operating with COD removal and nitrification. The impact of the mixing intensity on the conversion rates for ammonium and COD was tested individually. When comparing the effect of mixing intensity on the removal rates of COD and ammonium, a higher apparent external mass transfer resistance was found for ammonium. For the used aeration intensities, the external mass transfer coefficient for ammonium oxidation was ranging from 0.68 to 13.50 m d(-1) and for COD removal 2.9 to 22.4 m d(-1). The lower coefficient range for ammonium oxidation is likely related to the location of nitrifiers deeper in the biofilm. The measurement of external mass transfer rates in MBBR will help in better design and evaluation of MBBR system-based technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbiological and chemical approaches to degradation of mecoprop in a Moving-Bed Biofilm-Reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escola, Monica; Tue Kjærgaard Nielsen, Tue; Hansen, Lars Hestbjerg

Micro-pollutants are ubiquitous in wastewater effluents. Therefore, in-situ treatments of highly polluted water or polishing treatments after classical wastewater treatment have been proposed as a solution. Moving Bed Biofilm-Reactors (MBBRs) are a recent-developed biofilm technology for wastewater...... treatment. MBBRs consist incontain biofilms which are grown on small (1-4 cm diameter) plastic chips that are suspended and mixed in a water tank. These systems have been recognized as robust and versatile. Besides, biofilm systems fdescribe acilitatedemonstrate a clear, but slow, biodegradation of some...... recalcitrant compounds. For all these reasonsThus, MBBRs are pointed as a valuable tool for the elimination of micro-pollutants. Several studies have focused in on describing degradation processes in biofilm by quantifying the loss of micro-pollutants over time. This can be helpful foraid optimizing...

Biofilm reactors for industrial bioconversion processes: employing potential of enhanced reaction rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karcher Patrick

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract This article describes the use of biofilm reactors for the production of various chemicals by fermentation and wastewater treatment. Biofilm formation is a natural process where microbial cells attach to the support (adsorbent or form flocs/aggregates (also called granules without use of chemicals and form thick layers of cells known as "biofilms." As a result of biofilm formation, cell densities in the reactor increase and cell concentrations as high as 74 gL-1 can be achieved. The reactor configurations can be as simple as a batch reactor, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR, packed bed reactor (PBR, fluidized bed reactor (FBR, airlift reactor (ALR, upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB reactor, or any other suitable configuration. In UASB granular biofilm particles are used. This article demonstrates that reactor productivities in these reactors have been superior to any other reactor types. This article describes production of ethanol, butanol, lactic acid, acetic acid/vinegar, succinic acid, and fumaric acid in addition to wastewater treatment in the biofilm reactors. As the title suggests, biofilm reactors have high potential to be employed in biotechnology/bioconversion industry for viable economic reasons. In this article, various reactor types have been compared for the above bioconversion processes.

Biofilm reactors for industrial bioconversion processes: employing potential of enhanced reaction rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Nasib; Annous, Bassam A; Ezeji, Thaddeus C; Karcher, Patrick; Maddox, Ian S

2005-08-25

This article describes the use of biofilm reactors for the production of various chemicals by fermentation and wastewater treatment. Biofilm formation is a natural process where microbial cells attach to the support (adsorbent) or form flocs/aggregates (also called granules) without use of chemicals and form thick layers of cells known as "biofilms." As a result of biofilm formation, cell densities in the reactor increase and cell concentrations as high as 74 gL(-1) can be achieved. The reactor configurations can be as simple as a batch reactor, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), packed bed reactor (PBR), fluidized bed reactor (FBR), airlift reactor (ALR), upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, or any other suitable configuration. In UASB granular biofilm particles are used. This article demonstrates that reactor productivities in these reactors have been superior to any other reactor types. This article describes production of ethanol, butanol, lactic acid, acetic acid/vinegar, succinic acid, and fumaric acid in addition to wastewater treatment in the biofilm reactors. As the title suggests, biofilm reactors have high potential to be employed in biotechnology/bioconversion industry for viable economic reasons. In this article, various reactor types have been compared for the above bioconversion processes.

Biofilm reactors for industrial bioconversion processes: employing potential of enhanced reaction rates

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Nasib; Annous, Bassam A; Ezeji, Thaddeus C; Karcher, Patrick; Maddox, Ian S

2005-01-01

This article describes the use of biofilm reactors for the production of various chemicals by fermentation and wastewater treatment. Biofilm formation is a natural process where microbial cells attach to the support (adsorbent) or form flocs/aggregates (also called granules) without use of chemicals and form thick layers of cells known as "biofilms." As a result of biofilm formation, cell densities in the reactor increase and cell concentrations as high as 74 gL-1 can be achieved. The reactor configurations can be as simple as a batch reactor, continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR), packed bed reactor (PBR), fluidized bed reactor (FBR), airlift reactor (ALR), upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, or any other suitable configuration. In UASB granular biofilm particles are used. This article demonstrates that reactor productivities in these reactors have been superior to any other reactor types. This article describes production of ethanol, butanol, lactic acid, acetic acid/vinegar, succinic acid, and fumaric acid in addition to wastewater treatment in the biofilm reactors. As the title suggests, biofilm reactors have high potential to be employed in biotechnology/bioconversion industry for viable economic reasons. In this article, various reactor types have been compared for the above bioconversion processes. PMID:16122390

Prediction of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) performance for the treatment of aniline using artificial neural networks (ANN)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delnavaz, M. [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ayati, B., E-mail: ayati_bi@modares.ac.ir [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ganjidoust, H. [Tarbiat Modares University, Civil Engineering Department, Environmental Engineering Division, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-07-15

In this study, the results of 1-year efficiency forecasting using artificial neural networks (ANN) models of a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for a toxic and hard biodegradable aniline removal were investigated. The reactor was operated in an aerobic batch and continuous condition with 50% by volume which was filled with light expanded clay aggregate (LECA) as carrier. Efficiency evaluation of the reactors was obtained at different retention time (RT) of 8, 24, 48 and 72 h with an influent COD from 100 to 4000 mg/L. Exploratory data analysis was used to detect relationships between the data and dependent evaluated one. The appropriate architecture of the neural network models was determined using several steps of training and testing of the models. The ANN-based models were found to provide an efficient and a robust tool in predicting MBBR performance for treating aromatic amine compounds.

A survey of culturable aerobic and anaerobic marine bacteria in de novo biofilm formation on natural substrates in St. Andrews Bay, Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Finnegan, Lucy; Garcia-Melgares, Manuel; Gmerek, Tomasz; Huddleston, W Ryan; Palmer, Alexander; Robertson, Andrew; Shapiro, Sarah; Unkles, Shiela E

2011-10-01

This study reports a novel study of marine biofilm formation comprising aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Samples of quartz and feldspar, minerals commonly found on the earth, were suspended 5 m deep in the North Sea off the east coast of St. Andrews, Scotland for 5 weeks. The assemblage of organisms attached to these stones was cultivated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the laboratory. Bacteria isolated on Marine Agar 2216 were all Gram-negative and identified to genus level by sequencing the gene encoding 16S rRNA. Colwellia, Maribacter, Pseudoaltermonas and Shewanella were observed in aerobically-grown cultures while Vibrio was found to be present in both aerobic and anaerobic cultures. The obligate anaerobic bacterium Psychrilyobacter atlanticus, a recently defined genus, was identified as a close relative of isolates grown anaerobically. The results provide valuable information as to the main players that attach and form de novo biofilms on common minerals in sea water.

Transformation products of clindamycin in moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ooi, Gordon Tze Hoong; Escola Casas, Monica; Andersen, Henrik Rasmus

2017-01-01

Clindamycin is widely prescribed for its ability to treat a number of common bacterial infections. Thus, clindamycin enters wastewater via human excretion or disposal of unused medication and widespread detection of pharmaceuticals in rivers proves the insufficiency of conventional wastewater...... treatment plants in removing clindamycin. Recently, it has been discovered that attached biofilm reactors, e.g., moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) obtain a higher removal of pharmaceuticals than conventional sludge wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, this study investigated the capability of MBBRs...... process converts clindamycin into the, possibly persistent, products clindamycin sulfoxide and N-desmethyl clindamycin as well as 3 other mono-oxygenated products. Subsequently, the removal kinetics of clindamycin and the formation of the two identified products were investigated in batch experiments...

Kinetic model for an up-flow anaerobic packed bed bioreactor: Dairy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kinetic studies of anaerobic digestion process of cheese whey were conducted in a pilot-scale up-flow anaerobic packed bed bioreactor (UAPB). An influent COD concentration of 59419 mg/l was utilized at steady state condition. Logistic and Monod kinetic models were employed to describe microbial activities of cheese ...

A parametric study pf powder holdups in a packed bed under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

More specifically, a parametric study is performed to determine the effects of the gas blast velocity, particle size adn powder loading on the powder holdups. Results are presented in terms of fines accumulation area. This work shows the dependency of the powder holdups on the packed bed flow parameters. Keywords: ...

Stabilizing Effects of Bacterial Biofilms: EPS Penetration and Redistribution of Bed Stability Down the Sediment Profile

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, X. D.; Zhang, C. K.; Zhou, Z.; Gong, Z.; Zhou, J. J.; Tao, J. F.; Paterson, D. M.; Feng, Q.

2017-12-01

Biofilms, consisting of microorganisms and their secreted extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), serve as "ecosystem engineers" stabilizing sedimentary environments. Natural sediment bed provides an excellent substratum for biofilm growth. The porous structure and rich nutrients allow the EPS matrix to spread deeper into the bed. A series of laboratory-controlled experiments were conducted to investigate sediment colonization of Bacillus subtilis and the penetration of EPS into the sediment bed with incubation time. In addition to EPS accumulation on the bed surface, EPS also penetrated downward. However, EPS distribution developed strong vertical heterogeneity with a much higher content in the surface layer than in the bottom layer. Scanning electron microscope images of vertical layers also displayed different micromorphological properties of sediment-EPS matrix. In addition, colloidal and bound EPSs exhibited distinctive distribution patterns. After the full incubation, the biosedimentary beds were eroded to test the variation of bed stability induced by biological effects. This research provides an important reference for the prediction of sediment transport and hence deepens the understanding of the biologically mediated sediment system and broadens the scope of the burgeoning research field of "biomorphodynamics."

Biodegradation of a commercial mixture of the herbicides atrazine and S-metolachlor in a multi-channel packed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera-Orozco, Alberto; Galíndez-Nájera, Silvia Patricia; Ruiz-Ordaz, Nora; Galíndez-Mayer, Juvencio; Martínez-Jerónimo, Fernando

2017-11-01

Atrazine and S-metolachlor are two of the most widely used herbicides for agricultural purposes; consequently, residues of both compounds and their metabolites had been detected in ground and superficial waters. Unlike atrazine, the complete degradation of metolachlor has not been achieved. Hence, the purpose of this research is to study the biodegradation of a commercial mixture of atrazine and S-metolachlor in a prototype of a multi-channel packed-bed-biofilm reactor (MC-PBR) designed with the aim of solving the problems of pressure drop and oxygen transfer, typically found on this type of bioreactors.Because the removal efficiency of the herbicides was increased when Candida tropicalis was added to the original microbial community isolated, the reactor was inoculated with this enriched community. The operational conditions tested in batch and continuous mode did not affect the removal efficiency of atrazine; however, this was not the case for S-metolachlor. The removal rates and efficiencies showed a notable variation along the MC-PBR operation.

Mass balance and isotope effects during nitrogen transport through septic tank systems with packed-bed (sand) filters

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkle, S.R.; Böhlke, J.K.; Fisher, L.H.

2008-01-01

Septic tank systems are an important source of NO3- to many aquifers, yet characterization of N mass balance and isotope systematics following septic tank effluent discharge into unsaturated sediments has received limited attention. In this study, samples of septic tank effluent before and after transport through single-pass packed-bed filters (sand filters) were evaluated to elucidate mass balance and isotope effects associated with septic tank effluent discharge to unsaturated sediments. Chemical and isotopic data from five newly installed pairs and ten established pairs of septic tanks and packed-bed filters serving single homes in Oregon indicate that aqueous solute concentrations are affected by variations in recharge (precipitation, evapotranspiration), NH4+ sorption (primarily in immature systems), nitrification, and gaseous N loss via NH3 volatilization and(or) N2 or N2O release during nitrification/denitrification. Substantial NH4+ sorption capacity was also observed in laboratory columns with synthetic effluent. Septic tank effluent ??15N-NH4+ values were almost constant and averaged + 4.9??? ?? 0.4??? (1 ??). In contrast, ??15N values of NO3- leaving mature packed-bed filters were variable (+ 0.8 to + 14.4???) and averaged + 7.2??? ?? 2.6???. Net N loss in the two networks of packed-bed filters was indicated by average 10-30% decreases in Cl--normalized N concentrations and 2-3??? increases in ??15N, consistent with fractionation accompanying gaseous N losses and corroborating established links between septic tank effluent and NO3- in a local, shallow aquifer. Values of ??18O-NO3- leaving mature packed-bed filters ranged from - 10.2 to - 2.3??? (mean - 6.4??? ?? 1.8???), and were intermediate between a 2/3 H2O-O + 1/3 O2-O conceptualization and a 100% H2O-O conceptualization of ??18O-NO3- generation during nitrification.

Research and application of packing density for pebble bed in HTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Fujiang; Xie Fei; Sun Ximing

2015-01-01

The pebble bed high temperature gas-cooled reactor is one of the major types of reactors developed by Chinese nuclear technology. The statistical analysis for packing density in the pebble bed is an important issue of physical-thermal calculation and safety analysis. Aimed to this problem, a new kind of method was set up to solve this problem. Compared with the traditional lattice-fill method and the experiment, its efficiency and accuracy were verified, while helping to find out the best length of unit in the traditional lattice-fill method. This method was used to analyze the boundary effects observed by experiments. (authors)

Solid-State Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure from a Sawdust-Bedded Pack Barn: Moisture Responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eunjong Kim

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Bedded pack manure has long been considered an unsuitable feedstock for conventional anaerobic digestion systems due to its high solids content. However, solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD provides an opportunity to generate methane from such high-solids feedstocks. This study was conducted to determine the influence of moisture content on the digestion of bedded pack dairy manure using SS-AD. Mixtures of sawdust bedding and dairy manure were prepared with moisture contents (MCs of 70, 76, and 83% and digested at 37 °C for 85 days. The performance of digesters containing manure at 83% MC was 1.3 to 1.4-fold higher than that of digesters containing 70% MC manure in terms of volatile solids (VS reduction and biogas production. VS reduction rates were 55 to 75% and cumulative methane yield ranged from 64 to 90 NmL (gVS−1. These values are lower than those from SS-AD of fresh manure and this is likely due to the partial decomposition of biodegradable materials during the two to three-month period before the manure was removed from the barn. However, in terms of efficient management of farm odors and providing a renewable energy source for heating, SS-AD of bedded pack manure offers a potential alternative to the conventional composting systems currently in use.

Oxidation of tritium in packed bed of noble metal catalyst for detritiation from system gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishikawa, Masabumi; Takeishi, Toshiharu; Munakata, Kenzo; Kotoh, Kenji; Enoeda, Mikio

1985-01-01

Catalytic oxidation rates of tritium in the bed of the noble metal catalysts are obtained and compared with the oxidation rates observed for the packed bed of spongy copper oxide or hopcalites. Use of Pt- or Pd-aluminia catalysts is recommended in this study because they give effective oxidation rates of tritium in the ambient temperature range. The adsorption performance of tritiated water in the catalyst bed is also discussed. (orig.)

Numerical Simulation of Flow and Heat Transfer in Structured Packed Beds with Smooth or Dimpled Spheres at Low Channel to Particle Diameter Ratio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiyang Li

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Packed beds are widely used in catalytic reactors or nuclear reactors. Reducing the pressure drop and improving the heat transfer performance of a packed bed is a common research aim. The dimpled structure has a complex influence on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. In the present study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics in structured packed beds with smooth or dimpled spheres are numerically investigated, where two different low channel to particle diameter ratios (N = 1.00 and N = 1.15 are considered. The pressure drop and the Nusselt number are obtained. The results show that, for N = 1.00, compared with the structured packed bed with smooth spheres, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres has a lower pressure drop and little higher Nusselt number at 1500 < ReH < 14,000, exhibiting an improved overall heat transfer performance. However, for N = 1.15, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres shows a much higher pressure drop, which dominantly affects the overall heat transfer performance, causing it to be weaker. Comparing the different channel to particle diameter ratios, we find that different configurations can result in: (i completely different drag reduction effect; and (ii relatively less influence on heat transfer enhancement.

PENGARUH POROSITAS PACKING STEEL WOOL TERHADAP PRESSURE DROP DIDALAM PACKED BED COLUMN PADA DISTILASI CAMPURAN ETANOL-AMIL-ALKOHOL-AIR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trisna Kumala Dhaniswara

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Inventories of petroleum fuels are increasingly depleted and will someday run out. These shortcomings can be overcome by using alternative fuels, such as ethanol. Based on this, it is necessary to research and development of ethanol as a fuel. One way is with a separation in a packed distillation column. This study aims to assess the mass transfer phenomena that occur in the process of distilling a mixture of ethanol-water-amyl alcohol packed in column. In addition, this study aims to optimize temperature and reflux to obtain the highest levels of ethanol. This research method uses packed bed distillation system with the batch process. Feed used is synthetic ethanol, water, and solvent. Solvent used were amyl alcohol. Doing distillation with heating temperature is maintained. Distillation is done in the packing of stainless steel wool. Research carried out in a batch process with a variable temperature of  79°C; 84°C; 91°C; and porosity packing 20%; 30%; 40%; 50%; 60%; 70%; 80%.

Comparison of biomass from integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS), moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating recalcitrant organics: Importance of attached biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chunkai; Shi, Yijing; Xue, Jinkai; Zhang, Yanyan; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed; Liu, Yang

2017-03-15

This study compared microbial characteristics and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) treatment performance of five types of microbial biomass (MBBR-biofilm, IFAS-biofilm, IFAS-floc, MBR-aerobic-floc, and MBR-anoxic-floc) cultivated from three types of bioreactors (MBBR, IFAS, and MBR) in batch experiments. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium, acid extractable fraction (AEF), and naphthenic acids (NAs) removals efficiencies were distinctly different between suspended and attached bacterial aggregates and between aerobic and anoxic suspended flocs. MBR-aerobic-floc and MBR-anoxic-floc demonstrated COD removal efficiencies higher than microbial aggregates obtained from MBBR and IFAS, MBBR and IFAS biofilm had higher AEF removal efficiencies than those obtained using flocs. MBBR-biofilm demonstrated the most efficient NAs removal from OSPW. NAs degradation efficiency was highly dependent on the carbon number and NA cyclization number according to UPLC/HRMS analysis. Mono- and di-oxidized NAs were the dominant oxy-NA species in OSPW samples. Microbial analysis with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) indicated that the bacterial 16S rRNA gene abundance was significantly higher in the batch bioreactors with suspended flocs than in those with biofilm, the NSR gene abundance in the MBR-anoxic bioreactor was significantly lower than that in aerobic batch bioreactors, and denitrifiers were more abundant in the suspended phase of the activated sludge flocs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cost analysis of enzymatic biodiesel production in small-scaled packed-bed reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Budzaki, S.; Miljic, G.; Sundaram, S.; Tisma, M.; Hessel, V.

2017-01-01

A cost analysis of enzymatic biodiesel production in small-scaled packed-bed reactors using refined sunflower oil is performed in this work. A few enzymatic micro-flow reactors have so far reached a performance close to gram-scale, which might be sufficient for the pharmaceutical industry. This

A biphasic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones using a simplified packed-bed microreactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Bogdan

2009-04-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the preparation and characterization of a simplified packed-bed microreactor using an immobilized TEMPO catalyst shown to oxidize primary and secondary alcohols via the biphasic Anelli-Montanari protocol. Oxidations occurred in high yields with great stability over time. We observed that plugs of aqueous oxidant and organic alcohol entered the reactor as plugs but merged into an emulsion on the packed-bed. The emulsion coalesced into larger plugs upon exiting the reactor, leaving the organic product separate from the aqueous by-products. Furthermore, the microreactor oxidized a wide range of alcohols and remained active in excess of 100 trials without showing any loss of catalytic activity.

Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography for the Packed Bed Reactor ISS Flight Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Marashdeh, Qussai; Motil, Brian; Wang, Aining; Liang-Shih, Fan

2013-01-01

Fixed packed bed reactors are compact, require minimum power and maintenance to operate, and are highly reliable. These features make this technology a highly desirable unit operation for long duration life support systems in space. NASA is developing an ISS experiment to address this technology with particular focus on water reclamation and air revitalization. Earlier research and development efforts funded by NASA have resulted in two hydrodynamic models which require validation with appropriate instrumentation in an extended microgravity environment. To validate these models, the instantaneous distribution of the gas and liquid phases must be measured.Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) is a non-invasive imaging technology recently developed for multi-phase flow applications. It is based on distributing flexible capacitance plates on the peripheral of a flow column and collecting real-time measurements of inter-electrode capacitances. Capacitance measurements here are directly related to dielectric constant distribution, a physical property that is also related to material distribution in the imaging domain. Reconstruction algorithms are employed to map volume images of dielectric distribution in the imaging domain, which is in turn related to phase distribution. ECVT is suitable for imaging interacting materials of different dielectric constants, typical in multi-phase flow systems. ECVT is being used extensively for measuring flow variables in various gas-liquid and gas-solid flow systems. Recent application of ECVT include flows in risers and exit regions of circulating fluidized beds, gas-liquid and gas-solid bubble columns, trickle beds, and slurry bubble columns. ECVT is also used to validate flow models and CFD simulations. The technology is uniquely qualified for imaging phase concentrations in packed bed reactors for the ISS flight experiments as it exhibits favorable features of compact size, low profile sensors, high imaging speed, and

Simple models for the continuous aerobic biodegradation of phenol in a packed bed reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Mark Gerrard

2006-07-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes the use of a preliminary, phenol removal step to reduce peak loads arriving at a conventional effluent plant. A packed bed reactor (PBR using polyurethane foam, porous glass and also cocoa fibres as the inert support material was used. Experiments have been carried out where the flow-rates, plus inlet and outlet phenol concentrations were measured. A simple, plug-flow model is proposed to represent the results. Zero, first order, Monod and inhibited kinetics rate equations were evaluated. It was found that the Monod model gave the best fit to the experimental data and allowed linear graphs to be plotted. The Monod saturation constant, K, is approximately 50 g m-3, and ka is around 900 s-1.Este artigo propõe o uso de uma etapa preliminar de remoção de fenol para redução de picos de carga na entrada de sistemas convencionais de tratamento de efluentes. Um reator de leito fixo (RLF foi usado, tendo como suportes inertes espuma de poliuretano, vidro poroso e também fibras de coco. Nos experimentos foram controladas a vazão e as concentrações de fenol de entrada e saída. Um simples modelo plug-flow é proposto para representar os resultados. Cinéticas de zero e primeira ordens, Monod e de inibição foram avaliadas. Foi verificado que o modelo de Monod foi o que melhor se ajustou aos dados experimentais, permitindo que gráficos lineares fossem traçados. A constante saturação de Monod, K, é de aproximadamente 50 g m-3 e ka em torno de 900 s-1.

Transfer of reaction-technical findings from pilot-scale nitrogen elimination to technical-scale organic packed beds; Uebertragung von reaktionstechnischen Erkenntnissen an Pilotanlagen zur Stickstoffentfernung auf grosstechnische Biofestbettanlagen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ante, A.; Brambach, R. [Lurgi Bamag GmbH, Butzbach (Germany)

1999-07-01

Organic packed beds offer some process engineering advantages: first of all an enormously high turnover rate per unit of space, low temperature dependence and, because of the flow pipe characteristics, the possibility to achieve very low effluent concentrations. In addition, the filtration effect binds solids, hence the concentration of solids in the effluent is very low. The formation of biofilm enhances this filter effect. Decisive kinetic parameters for nitrification systems are the rated temperature, the ratio of COD to N, and peak loads. For denitrification the design parameters are, beside temperature, loading with solids, the specific surface of the carrier material and filtration speed. In extensive investigations process variants were studied. They enhance the rate of turnover of nitrification with the aid of auxiliaries or through oxygen enrichment of process air to such an extent as to permit aimed buffering of peak ammonium freights. This constitutes a process-technical solution to one of the gravest drawbacks of packed-bed technology. (orig.) [German] Biofestbettanlagen bieten einige verfahrenstechnische Vorteile, in erster Linie eine enorm hohe Raumumsatzleistung, eine geringere Temperaturabhaengigkeit und aufgrund der Stroemungsrohrcharakteristik die Moeglichkeit sehr geringe Ablaufkonzentrationen zu erreichen. Zudem ist mit der Filtration aufgrund der Filterwirkung eine sehr geringe Feststoffkonzentration im Ablauf verbunden. Diese Filterwirkung wird durch die Ausbildung des Biofilmes noch untestuetzt. Die entscheidenden kinetischen Auslegungsgroessen fuer die Nitrifikation sind die Auslegungstemperatur, das CSB:N-Verhaeltnis sowie die Spitzenbelastungen. Fuer die Denitrifikation stellen neben der Temperatur, die Feststoffbeladung, die spezifische Oberflaeche des Traegermaterials sowie die Filtergeschwindigkeit die Auslegungsparameter dar. Durch umfangreiche Untersuchungen wurden Verfahrensvarianten erforscht, welche durch den Einsatz von

Friction factor for water flow through packed beds of spherical and non-spherical particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaluđerović-Radoičić Tatjana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was the experimental evaluation of different friction factor correlations for water flow through packed beds of spherical and non-spherical particles at ambient temperature. The experiments were performed by measuring the pressure drop across the bed. Packed beds made of monosized glass spherical particles of seven different diameters were used, as well as beds made of 16 fractions of quartz filtration sand obtained by sieving (polydisperse non-spherical particles. The range of bed voidages was 0.359–0.486, while the range of bed particle Reynolds numbers was from 0.3 to 286 for spherical particles and from 0.1 to 50 for non-spherical particles. The obtained results were compared using a number of available literature correlations. In order to improve the correlation results for spherical particles, a new simple equation was proposed in the form of Ergun’s equation, with modified coefficients. The new correlation had a mean absolute deviation between experimental and calculated values of pressure drop of 9.04%. For non-spherical quartz filtration sand particles the best fit was obtained using Ergun’s equation, with a mean absolute deviation of 10.36%. Surface-volume diameter (dSV necessary for correlating the data for filtration sand particles was calculated based on correlations for dV = f(dm and Ψ = f(dm. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. ON172022

Condensation in Nanoporous Packed Beds.

Science.gov (United States)

Ally, Javed; Molla, Shahnawaz; Mostowfi, Farshid

2016-05-10

In materials with tiny, nanometer-scale pores, liquid condensation is shifted from the bulk saturation pressure observed at larger scales. This effect is called capillary condensation and can block pores, which has major consequences in hydrocarbon production, as well as in fuel cells, catalysis, and powder adhesion. In this study, high pressure nanofluidic condensation studies are performed using propane and carbon dioxide in a colloidal crystal packed bed. Direct visualization allows the extent of condensation to be observed, as well as inference of the pore geometry from Bragg diffraction. We show experimentally that capillary condensation depends on pore geometry and wettability because these factors determine the shape of the menisci that coalesce when pore filling occurs, contrary to the typical assumption that all pore structures can be modeled as cylindrical and perfectly wetting. We also observe capillary condensation at higher pressures than has been done previously, which is important because many applications involving this phenomenon occur well above atmospheric pressure, and there is little, if any, experimental validation of capillary condensation at such pressures, particularly with direct visualization.

Tritium sorption behavior on the percolation of tritiated water into a soil packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furuichi, Kazuya, E-mail: kfuruichi@aees.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Katayama, Kazunari; Date, Hiroyuki [Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Takeishi, Toshiharu [Factory of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Fukada, Satoshi [Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • We establish the permeation model of tritiated water in the soil layer. • Saturated hydraulic conductivity of water in soil was gained by using the model. • The isotope exchange reaction coefficient was good agreement with experimental data. - Abstract: Development of tritium transport model in natural soil is an important issue from a viewpoint of safety of fusion reactors. The spill of a large amount of tritiated water to the environment is a concern accident because huge tritiated water is handled in a fusion plant. In this work, a simple tritium transport model was proposed based on the tritium transport model in porous materials. The overall mass transfer coefficient representing isotope exchange reaction between tritiated water and structural water in soil particles was obtained by numerically analyzing the result of the percolation experiment of tritiated water into the soil packed bed. Saturated hydraulic conductivity in the natural soil packed bed was obtained to be 0.033 mm/s. By using this value, the overall mass transfer capacity coefficients representing the isotope exchange reaction between tritiated water percolating through the packed bed and overall structural water on soil particles was determined to be 6.0 × 10{sup −4} 1/s. This value is much smaller than the mass transfer capacity coefficient between tritiated water vapor and water on concrete material and metals.

Production of structured lipids in a packed-bed reactor with Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Xuebing; Porsgaard, Trine; Zhang, Hong

2002-01-01

Lipase-catalyzed interesterification between fish oil and medium-chain TAG has been investigated in a packed-bed reactor with a commercially immobilized enzyme. The enzyme, a Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase immobilized on silica by granulation (Lipozyme TL IM; Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark), ha...

Numerical study on hygroscopic material drying in packed bed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Stakić

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses numerical simulation for the case of convective drying of hygroscopic material in a packed bed, analyzing agreement between the simulated and the corresponding experimental results. In the simulation model of unsteady simultaneous one-dimensional heat and mass transfer between gas phase and dried material, it is assumed that the gas-solid interface is at thermodynamic equilibrium, while the drying rate of the specific product is calculated by applying the concept of a "drying coefficient". Model validation was done on the basis of the experimental data obtained with potato cubes. The obtained drying kinetics, both experimental and numerical, show that higher gas (drying agent velocities (flow-rates, as well as lower equivalent grain diameters, induce faster drying. This effect is more pronounced for deeper beds, because of the larger amount of wet material to be dried using the same drying agent capacity.

Experimental and modelling study of drinking water hydrogenotrophic denitrification in packed-bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasiliadou, I.A.; Karanasios, K.A.; Pavlou, S.; Vayenas, D.V.

2009-01-01

The aim of this work was to study hydrogenotrophic denitrification in packed-bed reactors under draw-fill and continuous operation. Three bench-scale packed-bed reactors with gravel in different sizes (mean diameter 1.75, 2.41 and 4.03 mm) as support media were used, in order to study the effect of particle size on reactors performance. The maximum denitrification rate achieved under draw-fill operation was 4.4 g NO 3 - -N/ld for the filter with gravel of 2.41 mm. This gravel size was chosen to perform experiments under continuous operation. Feed NO 3 - -N concentrations and hydraulic loadings (HL) ranged between 20-200 mg/l and 5.7-22.8 m 3 /m 2 d, respectively. A comparison between the two operating modes showed that, for low HL the draw-fill operation achieved higher denitrification rates, while for high HL and intermediate feed concentrations (40-60 mg NO 3 - -N/l) the continuous operation achieved higher denitrification rates (4.67-5.65 g/ld). Finally, experiments with three filters in series (with gravels of 4.03, 2.41 and 1.75 mm mean diameter) were also performed under continuous operation. The maximum denitrification rate achieved was 6.2 g NO 3 - -N/ld for feed concentration of 340 mg/l and HL of 11.5 m 3 /m 2 d. A model, which describes denitrification in packed-bed reactors, was also developed. The model predicts the concentration profiles of NO 3 - -N along filter height, in draw-fill as well as in continuous operation, satisfactorily.

Supported Photocatalyst for Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Wastewater in a Continuous Packed-Bed Photoreactor Configuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mª Emma Borges

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Water pollution from emerging contaminants (ECs or emerging pollutants is an important environmental problem. Heterogeneous photocatalytic treatment, as advanced oxidation treatment of wastewater effluents, has been proposed to solve this problem. In this paper, a heterogeneous photocatalytic process was studied for emergent contaminants removal using paracetamol as a model contaminant molecule. TiO2 photocatalytic activity was evaluated using two photocatalytic reactor configurations: Photocatalyst solid suspension in wastewater in a stirred photoreactor and TiO2 supported on glass spheres (TGS configuring a packed bed photoreactor. The surface morphology and texture of the TGS were monitored by scanning electron microscope (SEM. The influence of photocatalyst amount and wastewater pH were evaluated in the stirred photoreactor and the influence of wastewater flowrate was tested in the packed bed photoreactor, in order to obtain the optimal operation conditions. Moreover, results obtained were compared with those obtained from photolysis and adsorption studies, using the optimal operation conditions. Good photocatalytic activities have been observed and leads to the conclusion that the heterogeneous photocatalytic system in a packed bed is an effective method for removal of emerging pollutants.

METHOD OF CALCULATION OF THE NON-STATIONARY TEMPERATURE FIELD INSIDE OF THERMAL PACKED BED ENERGY STORAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ermuratschii V.V.

2014-04-01

Full Text Available e paper presents a method of the approximate calculation of the non-stationary temperature field inside of thermal packed bed energy storages with feasible and latent heat. Applying thermoelectric models and computational methods in electrical engineering, the task of computing non-stationary heat transfer is resolved with respect to third type boundary conditions without applying differential equations of the heat transfer. For sub-volumes of the energy storage the method is executed iteratively in spatiotemporal domain. Single-body heating is modeled for each sub-volume, and modeling conditions are assumed to be identical for remained bod-ies, located in the same sub-volume. For each iteration step the boundary conditions will be represented by re-sults at the previous step. The fulfillment of the first law of thermodynamics for system “energy storage - body” is obtained by the iterative search of the mean temperature of the energy storage. Under variable boundary con-ditions the proposed method maybe applied to calculating temperature field inside of energy storages with packed beds consisted of solid material, liquid and phase-change material. The method may also be employed to compute transient, power and performance characteristics of packed bed energy storages.

Fluid dynamics of air in a packed bed: velocity profiles and the continuum model assumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NEGRINI A. L.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Air flow through packed beds was analyzed experimentally under conditions ranging from those that reinforce the effect of the wall on the void fraction to those that minimize it. The packing was spherical particles, with a tube-to-particle diameter ratio (D/dp between 3 and 60. Air flow rates were maintained between 1.3 and 4.44 m3/min, and gas velocity was measured with a Pitot tube positioned above the bed exit. Measurements were made at various radial and angular coordinate values, allowing the distribution of air flow across the bed to be described in detail. Comparison of the experimentally observed radial profiles with those derived from published equations revealed that at high D/dp ratios the measured and calculated velocity profiles behaved similarly. At low ratios, oscillations in the velocity profiles agreed with those in the voidage profiles, signifying that treating the porous medium as a continuum medium is questionable in these cases.

Measurements of the purge helium pressure drop across pebble beds packed with lithium orthosilicate and glass pebbles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abou-Sena, Ali, E-mail: ali.abou-sena@kit.edu; Arbeiter, Frederik; Boccaccini, Lorenzo V.; Schlindwein, Georg

2014-10-15

Highlights: • The objective is to measure the purge helium pressure drop across various HCPB-relevant pebble beds packed with lithium orthosilicate and glass pebbles. • The purge helium pressure drop significantly increases with decreasing the pebbles diameter from one run to another. • At the same superficial velocity, the pressure drop is directly proportional to the helium inlet pressure. • The Ergun's equation can successfully model the purge helium pressure drop for the HCPB-relevant pebble beds. • The measured values of the purge helium pressure drop for the lithium orthosilicate pebble bed will support the design of the purge gas system for the HCPB breeder units. - Abstract: The lithium orthosilicate pebble beds of the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) blanket are purged by helium to transport the produced tritium to the tritium extraction system. The pressure drop of the purge helium has a direct impact on the required pumping power and is a limiting factor for the purge mass flow. Therefore, the objective of this study is to measure the helium pressure drop across various HCPB-relevant pebble beds packed with lithium orthosilicate and glass pebbles. The pebble bed was formed by packing the pebbles into a stainless steel cylinder (ID = 30 mm and L = 120 mm); then it was integrated into a gas loop that has four variable-speed side-channel compressors to regulate the helium mass flow. The static pressure was measured at two locations (100 mm apart) along the pebble bed and at inlet and outlet of the pebble bed. The results demonstrated that: (i) the pressure drop significantly increases with decreasing the pebbles diameter, (ii) for the same superficial velocity, the pressure drop is directly proportional to the inlet pressure, and (iii) predictions of Ergun's equation agree well with the experimental results. The measured pressure drop for the lithium orthosilicate pebble bed will support the design of the purge gas system for the HCPB.

Thermal and mechanical behaviour of oxygen carrier materials for chemical looping combustion in a packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, M.; Van Noyen, J.; Larring, Y.; Mccann, M.; Pishahang, M.; Amini, S.; Ortiz, M.; Galluci, F.; Sint-Annaland, M.V.; Tournigant, D.; Louradour, E.; Snijkers, F.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ilmenite-based oxygen carriers were developed for packed-bed chemical looping. • Addition of Mn_2O_3 increased mechanical strength and microstructure of the carriers. • Oxygen carriers were able to withstand creep and thermal cycling up to 1200 °C. • Ilmenite-based granules are a promising shape for packed-bed reactor conditions. - Abstract: Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a promising carbon capture technology where cyclic reduction and oxidation of a metallic oxide, which acts as a solid oxygen carrier, takes place. With this system, direct contact between air and fuel can be avoided, and so, a concentrated CO_2 stream is generated after condensation of the water in the exit gas stream. An interesting reactor system for CLC is a packed bed reactor as it can have a higher efficiency compared to a fluidized bed concept, but it requires other types of oxygen carrier particles. The particles must be larger to avoid a large pressure drop in the reactor and they must be mechanically strong to withstand the severe reactor conditions. Therefore, oxygen carriers in the shape of granules and based on the mineral ilmenite were subjected to thermal cycling and creep tests. The mechanical strength of the granules before and after testing was investigated by crush tests. In addition, the microstructure of these oxygen particles was studied to understand the relationship between the physical properties and the mechanical performance. It was found that the granules are a promising shape for a packed bed reactor as no severe degradation in strength was noticed upon thermal cycling and creep testing. Especially, the addition of Mn_2O_3 to the ilmenite, which leads to the formation of an iron–manganese oxide, seems to results in stronger granules than the other ilmenite-based granules.

Study on heat and mass transfer between a greenhouse considered as a solar air heater and a rock packed bed as ambient control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajona Maeztu, J.I.

1990-01-01

A general study on heat transfer in dry packed beds is made, with special emphasis in comparing different transient models and in identifying the required conditions by which the attained results are equivalent. The differences in thermal behaviour on packed beds, when simultaneous heat mass transfer occurs as wet air is used as heat transfer fluid and exchanges heat and water with the solid in the bed, is analyzed. We modelize wet packed beds considering them as one dimension adsorbents beds, with dispersive and non-dispersive models, where adsorption, condensation-evaporation and liquid water downward flow from condensate phenomena are present. Models were solved numerically and experiments with a rock bed with dry and wet air through it, were made to test assumptions and to further understand the behavior of the system, obtaining a pretty good agreement between expected and measured profiles of the temperature evolution within the packed bed. As a possible application of the wet rock bed for storage purposes, a forced ventilation greenhouse was characterized as a wet air solar heater and analyzed the energetic potential of storing the heat that has to be rejected during daytime to control the crop ambient conditions, in a rock bed for later use at night for heating. (author)

Effects of electrode geometry on the performance of dielectric barrier/packed-bed discharge plasmas in benzene degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Nan; Lu, Na; Shang, Kefeng; Li, Jie; Wu, Yan

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Benzene was successfully degraded by dielectric barrier/packed-bed discharge plasmas. • Different electrode geometry has distinct effect on plasmas oxidation performance. • Benzene degradation and energy performance were enhanced when using the coil electrode. • The reaction products were well determined by online FTIR analysis. -- Abstract: In this study, the effects of electrode geometry on benzene degradation in a dielectric barrier/packed-bed discharge plasma reactor with different electrodes were systematically investigated. Three electrodes were employed in the experiments, these were coil, bolt, and rod geometries. The reactor using the coil electrode showed better performance in reducing the dielectric loss in the barrier compared to that using the bolt or rod electrodes. In the case of the coil electrode, both the benzene degradation efficiency and energy yield were higher than those for the other electrodes, which can be attributed to the increased role of surface mediated reactions. Irrespective of the electrode geometry, the packed-bed discharge plasma was superior to the dielectric barrier discharge plasma in benzene degradation at any specific applied voltage. The main gaseous products of benzene degradation were CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, and formic acid. Discharge products such as O 3 , N 2 O, N 2 O 5 , and HNO 3 were also detected in the outlet gas. Moreover, the presence of benzene inhibited the formation of ozone because of the competing reaction of oxygen atoms with benzene. This study is expected to offer an optimized approach combining dielectric barrier discharge and packed-bed discharge to improve the degradation of gaseous pollutants

Performance of a desiccant assisted packed bed passive solar dryer for copra processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padmanaban Govindarajulu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the performance of a novel desiccant assisted packed bed passive solar dryer was evaluated for copra processing and compared with conventional passive solar dryer. This novel solar dryer consists of a desiccant assisted packed bed solar air heater attached with a dryer cabin. The desiccant and phase change materials packed in the solar air heater has control the humidity and retains the heat for longer duration, respectively. The performance of the dryer was evaluated (in terms of drying time to attain the final equilibrium moisture content, drying rate, specific moisture extraction rate, pick-up efficiency, and dryer efficiency under the meteorological conditions of Coimbatore city in India during March and April 2016. The copra was dried from initial moisture content (wet basis of about 52% to the final moisture content (wet basis of about 8% in 62 hours with specific moisture extraction rate of 0.82 kg/kWh. The drying time was reduced by about 44 hours when compared to the conventional passive solar dryer. The dryer pick-up efficiency was varied between about 10% and 65%. The average dryer thermal efficiency was calculated to be about 32%. The quality of final dried product was found to be good.

Magnetohydraulic flow through a packed bed of electrically conducting spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, T.L.

1985-01-01

The flow of an electrically conducting fluid through a packed bed of electrically conducting spheres in the presence of a strong magnetic field constitutes a very complex flow situation due to the constant turning of the fluid in and out of magnetic field lines. The interaction of the orthogonal components of the velocity and magnetic field will induce electric fields that are orthogonal to both and the electric fields in turn can cause currents that interact with the magnetic field to generate forces against the direction of flow. The strengths of these generated forces depend primarily upon the closure paths taken by the induced currents which, in turn, depend upon the relative ratio of the electrical resistance of the solid spheres to that of the fluid. Both experimental and analytical analyses of the slow flow of a eutectic mixture of sodium and potassium (NaK) through packed cylinders containing stainless steel spheres in the presence of a strong transverse magnetic field were completed. A theory of magnetohydraulic flow is developed by analogy with the development of hydraulic radius theories of flow through porous media. An exact regional analysis is successfully applied to an infinite bed of electrically conducting spheres with a conducting or non-conducting constraining wall on one side. The equations derived are solved for many different combinations of flowrate, magnetic field strength, porosity, and electrical resistance ratio

Percolation behavior of tritiated water into a soil packed bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Honda, T.; Katayama, K.; Uehara, K.; Fukada, S. [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka (Japan); Takeishi, T. [Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka (Japan)

2015-03-15

A large amount of cooling water is used in a D-T fusion reactor. The cooling water will contain tritium with high concentration because tritium can permeate metal walls at high temperature easily. A development of tritium handling technology for confining tritiated water in the fusion facility is an important issue. In addition, it is also important to understand tritium behavior in environment assuming severe accidents. In this study, percolation experiments of tritiated water in soil packed bed were carried out and tritium behavior in soil was discussed. Six soil samples were collected in Hakozaki campus of Kyushu University. These particle densities were of the same degree as that of general soils and moisture contents were related to BET surface area. For two soil samples used in the percolation experiment of tritiated water, saturated hydraulic conductivity agreed well with the estimating value by Creager. Tritium retention ratio in the soil packed bed was larger than water retention. This is considered to be due to an effect of tritium sorption on the surface of soil particles. The isotope exchange capacity estimated by assuming that H/T ratio of supplied tritiated water and H/T ratio of surface water of soil particle was equal was comparable to that on cement paste and mortar which were obtained by exposure of tritiated water vapor. (authors)

Percolation behavior of tritiated water into a soil packed bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honda, T.; Katayama, K.; Uehara, K.; Fukada, S.; Takeishi, T.

2015-01-01

A large amount of cooling water is used in a D-T fusion reactor. The cooling water will contain tritium with high concentration because tritium can permeate metal walls at high temperature easily. A development of tritium handling technology for confining tritiated water in the fusion facility is an important issue. In addition, it is also important to understand tritium behavior in environment assuming severe accidents. In this study, percolation experiments of tritiated water in soil packed bed were carried out and tritium behavior in soil was discussed. Six soil samples were collected in Hakozaki campus of Kyushu University. These particle densities were of the same degree as that of general soils and moisture contents were related to BET surface area. For two soil samples used in the percolation experiment of tritiated water, saturated hydraulic conductivity agreed well with the estimating value by Creager. Tritium retention ratio in the soil packed bed was larger than water retention. This is considered to be due to an effect of tritium sorption on the surface of soil particles. The isotope exchange capacity estimated by assuming that H/T ratio of supplied tritiated water and H/T ratio of surface water of soil particle was equal was comparable to that on cement paste and mortar which were obtained by exposure of tritiated water vapor. (authors)

Continuous thermophilic biohydrogen production in packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Shantonu; Vishnuvardhan, M.; Das, Debabrata

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Continuous H 2 production in whole cell immobilized system was compared with CSTR. • Suitability of environment friendly support matrix for immobilization of whole cells was explored. • Pack bed reactor showed higher stability as compared to CSTR at lower HRTs. • Flow cytometry study showed the influence of recycle ratio on viability of cells. • Novel approach to find out the effect of NADH/NAD + ratio during H 2 production. - Abstract: The present research work deals with the performance of packed bed reactor for continuous H 2 production using cane molasses as a carbon source. Maximum H 2 production rate of 1.7 L L −1 h −1 was observed at a dilution rate and recycle ratio of 0.8 h −1 and 0.6, respectively which was corresponding to the lowest NADH/NAD + ratio. This suggests that the utilization of NADH pool for H 2 and metabolite production might lead to decrement in NADH/NAD + ratio. Thus NADH/NAD + ratio show inverse relation with hydrogen production. The substrate degradation kinetics was investigated as a function of flow rate considering the external film diffusion model. At a flow rate of 245 mL h −1 , the contribution of external film mass transfer coefficient and first order substrate degradation constant were 55.4% and 44.6% respectively. Recycle ratio of 0.6 improved the hydrogen production rates by 9%. The viable cell count was directly proportional to the recycle ratio (within the range 0.1–0.6). Taguchi design showed the significant influence of the feed pH on continuous H 2 production followed by dilution rate and recycle ratio. Thus environmentally friendly and cheaper solid matrix like coconut coir could be efficiently used for thermophilic continuous hydrogen production

Experimental investigation into a packed bed thermal storage solution for solar gas turbine systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Klein, P

2013-09-01

Full Text Available High temperature thermal storage in randomly packed beds of ceramic particles is proposed as an effective storage solution for Solar Gas Turbine (SGT) cycles in the near term. Numerical modelling of these systems allows for optimised thermal storage...

Submicron and Nanoparticulate Matter Removal by HEPA-Rated Media Filters and Packed Beds of Granular Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, J. L.; Agui, J. H.; Vijayakimar, R

2016-01-01

Contaminants generated aboard crewed spacecraft by diverse sources consist of both gaseous chemical contaminants and particulate matter. Both HEPA media filters and packed beds of granular material, such as activated carbon, which are both commonly employed for cabin atmosphere purification purposes have efficacy for removing nanoparticulate contaminants from the cabin atmosphere. The phenomena associated with particulate matter removal by HEPA media filters and packed beds of granular material are reviewed relative to their efficacy for removing fine (less than 2.5 micrometers) and ultrafine (less than 0.01 micrometers) sized particulate matter. Considerations are discussed for using these methods in an appropriate configuration to provide the most effective performance for a broad range of particle sizes including nanoparticulates.

Packed bed reactor for degradation of simulated cyanide-containing wastewater

OpenAIRE

Kumar, Virender; Kumar, Vijay; Bhalla, Tek Chand

2014-01-01

The discharge of cyanide-containing effluents into the environment contaminates water bodies and soil. Effective methods of treatment which can detoxify cyanide are the need of the hour. The aim of the present study is to develop a bioreactor for complete degradation of cyanide using immobilized cells of Serratia marcescens RL2b. Alginate-entrapped cells of S. marcescens RL2b were used for complete degradation of cyanide in a packed bed reactor (PBR). Cells grown in minimal salt medium (pH 6....

Biofilm photobioreactors for the treatment of industrial wastewaters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, Raul; Koellner, Claudia; Guieysse, Benoit

2009-01-01

A flat plate and a tubular packed-bed photobioreactor with an algal-bacterial biofilm attached onto Poraver beads carriers, a flat plate and a tubular photobioreactor with the biofilm attached onto the reactor walls, and an algal-turf reactor were compared in terms of BOD removal efficiencies, elimination capacities, and stability. A control column photobioreactor with suspended algal-bacterial biomass was also tested to compare the performance of biofilm photobioreactors with conventional algal-based processes. When the algal-bacterial biomass was immobilized onto Poraver the process never reached a steady state due to a poor homogenization in the bioreactor. When the biofilm was formed onto the reactor wall (or reactor base) the process was stable. A maximum degradation rate of 295 mg BOD l -1 h -1 was achieved in the algal-turf reactor although control experiments performed in the dark showed atmospheric O 2 diffusion represented 55% of the oxygenation capacity in this system. BOD removal rates of 108, and 92 mg BOD l -1 h -1 were achieved in the tubular and flat plate biofilm reactors, respectively, compared to 77 mg BOD l -1 h -1 in the control suspended bioreactor. In addition, all biofilm photobioreactors produced an easily settleable biomass. Evidence was found that biomass attachment to the reactor's wall improved stability

THE EFFECT OF THE THICKNESS OF A PACKED BED ON THE DYNAMIC AND THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF A SOLAR DRYER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S KHALDI

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Drying food in the sun is a safe, easy and economical way to preserve food, especially fruits. Cabinet dryers are the most popular equipment for fruit drying. Because of intermittent nature of solar energy, storage is required for uninterrupted supply in order to match the needs. The main objective of this study is to assess effectiveness of continuous solar dryer integrated with packed bed as thermal storage with natural airflow for drying figs (Ficuscarica. The cabinet dryer were envisaged theoretically (computational fluid dynamics (CFD. The distribution of the velocity and temperature of air within the solar dryer were presented during one day of August and under the climate conditions of Tlemcen (Algeria.  The effects of presence of a packed bed on the distribution of velocity and temperature of airflow and on the temperature of figs were analyzed. The results show that the solar dryer design, incorporating a packed bed enhances the capabilities and performance of the solar dryer, through increasing time of drying.

The Performance of the Trickle Bed Reactor Packed with the Pt/SDBC Catalyst Mixture for the CECE Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seungwoo Paek; Do-Hee Ahn; Heui-Joo Choi; Kwang-Rag Kim; Hongsuk Chung; Sung-Paal Yim; Minsoo Lee; Kyu-Min Song; Soon Hwan Sohn

2006-01-01

The CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) process with a hydrophobic catalyst is a very effective method to remove small quantities of tritium from light or heavy waste water streams because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. The CECE process is composed of an electrolysis cell and a LPCE (Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange) column. This paper describes the experimental results of the hydrogen isotopic exchange reaction in a trickle bed reactor packed with a hydrophobic catalyst for the development of the LPCE column of the CECE process. The hydrophobic Pt/SDBC (Styrene Divinyl Benzene Copolymer) catalyst has been developed by Korean researchers for the LPCE column of WTRF (Wolsong Tritium Removal Facility). An experimental apparatus was constructed for the various experiments with the different parameters, such as hydrogen flow rate, temperature, and the structure of the mixed catalyst column. The catalyst column was packed with a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and hydrophilic packing (Dixon gauze ring). The performance of the catalyst bed was expressed as an overall rate constant Kya. To improve the performance of the trickle bed, the modification of the catalyst bed design (changing the shape of the catalyst complex and diluting with inert) has been investigated. (author)

Determination of the profile of DO and its mass transferring coefficient in a biofilm reactor packed with semi-suspended bio-carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Bing; Song, Haoliang; Bin, Liying; Huang, Shaosong; Zhang, Wenxiang; Fu, Fenglian; Zhao, Yiliang; Chen, Qianyu

2017-10-01

The work aims at illustrating the profile of DO and its mass transferring process in a biofilm reactor packed with a novel semi-suspended bio-carrier, and further revealing the main factors that influence the mass transferring coefficient of DO within the biofilm. Results showed that the biofilm was very easy to attach and grow on the semi-suspended bio-carrier, which obviously changed the DO profile inside and outside the biofilm. The semi-suspended bio-carrier caused three different mass transfer zones occurring in the bioreactor, including the zones of bulk solution, boundary layer and biofilm, in which, the boundary layer zone had an obvious higher mass transfer resistance. Increasing the aeration rate might improve the hydrodynamic conditions in the bioreactor and accelerate the mass transfer of DO, but it also detached the biofilm from the surface of bio-carrier, which reduced the consumption of DO, and accordingly, decreased the DO gradient in the bioreactor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibitory effects of ZnO nanoparticles on aerobic wastewater biofilms from oxygen concentration profiles determined by microelectrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou, Jun; Miao, Lingzhan; Wang, Chao; Wang, Peifang; Ao, Yanhui; Qian, Jin; Dai, Shanshan

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of ZnO NPs on biofilms were investigated. • 50 mg/L nano-ZnO inhibited the microbial activities only in biofilm outer layer. • Adsorbed ZnO NPs had no adverse effects on the cell membrane integrity of biofilms. • Dissolution of ZnO NPs to toxic zinc ions was the main mechanism of toxicity. - Abstract: The presence of ZnO NPs in waste streams can negatively affect the efficiency of biological nutrient removal from wastewater. However, details of the toxic effects of ZnO NPs on microbial activities of wastewater biofilms have not yet been reported. In this study, the temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of ZnO NPs on the O 2 respiration activities of aerobic wastewater biofilms were investigated using an O 2 microelectrode. The resulting time–course microelectrode measurements demonstrated that ZnO NPs inhibited O 2 respiration within 2 h. The spatial distributions of net specific O 2 respiration were determined in biofilms with and without treatment of 5 or 50 mg/L ZnO NPs. The results showed that 50 mg/L of nano-ZnO inhibited the microbial activities only in the outer layer (∼200 μm) of the biofilms, and bacteria present in the deeper parts of the biofilms became even more active. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the ZnO NPs were adsorbed onto the biofilm, but these NPs had no adverse effects on the cell membrane integrity of the biofilms. It was found that the inhibition of O 2 respiration induced by higher concentrations of ZnO NPs (50 mg/L) was mainly due to the release of zinc ions by dissolution of the ZnO NPs

Inhibitory effects of ZnO nanoparticles on aerobic wastewater biofilms from oxygen concentration profiles determined by microelectrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Jun [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Miao, Lingzhan, E-mail: mlz1988@126.com [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Wang, Chao, E-mail: hhuhjy973@126.com [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Wang, Peifang; Ao, Yanhui; Qian, Jin; Dai, Shanshan [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China)

2014-07-15

Highlights: • Temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of ZnO NPs on biofilms were investigated. • 50 mg/L nano-ZnO inhibited the microbial activities only in biofilm outer layer. • Adsorbed ZnO NPs had no adverse effects on the cell membrane integrity of biofilms. • Dissolution of ZnO NPs to toxic zinc ions was the main mechanism of toxicity. - Abstract: The presence of ZnO NPs in waste streams can negatively affect the efficiency of biological nutrient removal from wastewater. However, details of the toxic effects of ZnO NPs on microbial activities of wastewater biofilms have not yet been reported. In this study, the temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of ZnO NPs on the O{sub 2} respiration activities of aerobic wastewater biofilms were investigated using an O{sub 2} microelectrode. The resulting time–course microelectrode measurements demonstrated that ZnO NPs inhibited O{sub 2} respiration within 2 h. The spatial distributions of net specific O{sub 2} respiration were determined in biofilms with and without treatment of 5 or 50 mg/L ZnO NPs. The results showed that 50 mg/L of nano-ZnO inhibited the microbial activities only in the outer layer (∼200 μm) of the biofilms, and bacteria present in the deeper parts of the biofilms became even more active. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the ZnO NPs were adsorbed onto the biofilm, but these NPs had no adverse effects on the cell membrane integrity of the biofilms. It was found that the inhibition of O{sub 2} respiration induced by higher concentrations of ZnO NPs (50 mg/L) was mainly due to the release of zinc ions by dissolution of the ZnO NPs.

Microsensor Measurements of Sulfate Reduction and Sulfide Oxidation in Compact Microbial Communities of Aerobic Biofilms Rid A-1977-2009

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

KUHL, M.; JØRGENSEN, BB

1992-01-01

The microzonation of O2 respiration, H2S oxidation, and SO4(2-) reduction in aerobic trickling-filter biofilms was studied by measuring concentration profiles at high spatial resolution (25 to 100-mu-m) with microsensors for O2, S2-, and pH. Specific reaction rates were calculated from measured...

Model description and kinetic parameter analysis of MTBE biodegradation in a packed bed reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waul, Christopher Kevin; Arvin, Erik; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2008-01-01

A dynamic modeling approach was used to estimate in-situ model parameters, which describe the degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in a laboratory packed bed reactor. The measured dynamic response of MTBE pulses injected at the reactor's inlet was analyzed by least squares and parameter...

Mechanical and Structural Behavior of Granular Material Packed Beds for Space Life Support System Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Malla, Ramesh B.; Anandakumar, Ganesh

2005-01-01

Long-term human mission to space, such as living in International Space Station (ISS), Lunar, and Martian bases, and travel to Mars, must m ake use of Advanced Life Support Systems (ALSS) to generate and recycle critical life supporting elements like oxygen and water. Oxygen Gen eration Assembly (OGA) and Water Processor Assembly (WPA), critical c omponents of ALSS, make use of series of granular material packed beds for generation and recycling of oxygen and water. Several granular m aterials can be used for generation, recycling, processing and recovery of oxygen and water. For example, they may include soft bed media, e.g. ion exchange resins for oxygen generation assembly and hard bed media such as, activated alumina, magchem (Magnesium oxide) and activa ted carbon to remove organic species like ethanol, methanol, and urea from wastewater in Water recovery/processing assembly. These beds are generally packed using a plate-spring mechanism to provide sufficien t compaction to the bed media throughout the course of operation. This paper presents results from an experimental study of a full-scale, 3 8.1 cm (15 inches) long and 3.7 cm (1.44 inches) diameter. activated alumina bed enclosed in a cylinder determining its force-displacement behavior, friction mobilizing force, and axial normal stress distribu tion under various axially applied loads and at different levels of packing. It is observed that force-displacement behavior is non-linear for low compaction level and becomes linear with increase in compaction of the bed media. Axial normal stress distribution along the length of the bed media decreased non-linearly with increase in depth from the loading end of the granular media. This paper also presents experimental results on the amount of particulates generated corresponding to various compaction levels. Particulates generated from each of the tests were measured using standard US sieves. It was found that the p articulates and the overall displacement of

Study on effective particle diameters and coolability of particulate beds packed with irregular multi-size particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thakre, S.; Ma, W.; Kudinov, P.; Bechta, S. [Royal Institute of Technology, KTH. Div. of Nuclear Power Safety, Stockholm (Sweden)

2013-08-15

One of the key questions in severe accident research is the coolability of the debris bed, i.e., whether decay heat can be completely removed by the coolant flow into the debris bed. Extensive experimental and analytical work has been done to substantiate the coolability research. Most of the available experimental data is related to the beds packed with single size (mostly spherical) particles, and less data is available for multi-size/irregular-shape particles. There are several analytical models available, which rely on the mean particle diameter and porosity of the bed in their predictions. Two different types of particles were used to investigate coolability of particulate beds at VTT, Finland. The first type is irregular-shape Aluminum Oxide gravel particles whose sizes vary from 0.25 mm to 10 mm, which were employed in the STYX experiment programme (2001-2008). The second type is spherical beads of Zirconium silicate whose sizes vary between 0.8 mm to 1 mm, which were used in the COOLOCE tests (Takasuo et al., 2012) to study the effect of multi-dimensional flooding on coolability. In the present work, the two types of particles are used in the POMECO-FL and POMECO-HT test facility to obtain their effective particle diameters and dryout heat flux of the beds, respectively. The main idea is to check how the heaters' orientations (vertical in COOLOCE vs. horizontal in POMECO-HT) and diameters (6 mm in COOLOCE vs. 3 mm in POMECO-HT) affect the coolability (dryout heat flux) of the test beds. The tests carried out on the POMECO-FL facility using a bed packed with aluminum oxide gravel particles show the effective particle diameter of the gravel particles is 0.65 mm, by which the frictional pressure gradient can be predicted by the Ergun equation. After the water superficial velocity is higher than 0.0025 m/s, the pressure gradient is underestimated. The effective particle diameter of the zirconium particles is found as 0.8 mm. The dryout heat flux is measured on

Study on effective particle diameters and coolability of particulate beds packed with irregular multi-size particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thakre, S.; Ma, W.; Kudinov, P.; Bechta, S.

2013-08-01

One of the key questions in severe accident research is the coolability of the debris bed, i.e., whether decay heat can be completely removed by the coolant flow into the debris bed. Extensive experimental and analytical work has been done to substantiate the coolability research. Most of the available experimental data is related to the beds packed with single size (mostly spherical) particles, and less data is available for multi-size/irregular-shape particles. There are several analytical models available, which rely on the mean particle diameter and porosity of the bed in their predictions. Two different types of particles were used to investigate coolability of particulate beds at VTT, Finland. The first type is irregular-shape Aluminum Oxide gravel particles whose sizes vary from 0.25 mm to 10 mm, which were employed in the STYX experiment programme (2001-2008). The second type is spherical beads of Zirconium silicate whose sizes vary between 0.8 mm to 1 mm, which were used in the COOLOCE tests (Takasuo et al., 2012) to study the effect of multi-dimensional flooding on coolability. In the present work, the two types of particles are used in the POMECO-FL and POMECO-HT test facility to obtain their effective particle diameters and dryout heat flux of the beds, respectively. The main idea is to check how the heaters' orientations (vertical in COOLOCE vs. horizontal in POMECO-HT) and diameters (6 mm in COOLOCE vs. 3 mm in POMECO-HT) affect the coolability (dryout heat flux) of the test beds. The tests carried out on the POMECO-FL facility using a bed packed with aluminum oxide gravel particles show the effective particle diameter of the gravel particles is 0.65 mm, by which the frictional pressure gradient can be predicted by the Ergun equation. After the water superficial velocity is higher than 0.0025 m/s, the pressure gradient is underestimated. The effective particle diameter of the zirconium particles is found as 0.8 mm. The dryout heat flux is measured on

Mean ascending velocity of powder entrained by gas in a packed bed; Juten sonai ni okeru kiryu ni dohansareru funtai no heikin josho sokudo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ariyama, T; Sato, M; Asakawa, Y [NKK Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-01-20

For the purpose of clarifying the behavior of fine particles entrained by upward gas in the packed bed like in a blast furnace, the mean ascending velocity of powder in the packed bed was measured by the residence time distribution of the tracer powder. According the results, it was found that the measured velocity was lower than the values predicted by the successive collision model of fine particles. The difference is considered to be caused by the stagnant zone of fine particles on the packed materials, and this behavior was confirmed by the observation in the two dimensional experimental apparatus. Namely, the dynamic hold-up of powder in the packed bed was composed of the particles entrained by the upward gas and the stagnant particles on the packed material, and the latter part was successively renewed by the powder carried by gas. Then, on the basis of the above results, the relation between stagnant time and local ascending velocity were experimentally correlated with solid-gas loading ratio, and it was found that there exists a certain relation among them. The model proposed by these experiments enabled to calculate the mean ascending velocity of powder in the packed bed. 6 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

Responses of biofilm characteristics to variations in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading in a moving-bed biofilm reactor treating micro-polluted raw water.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuangfu; Wang, Yayi; He, Weitao; Wu, Min; Xing, Meiyan; Yang, Jian; Gao, Naiyun; Yin, Daqiang

2013-03-01

A pilot-scale moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for biological treatment of micro-polluted raw water was operated over 400days to investigate the responses of biofilm characteristics and nitrification performance to variations in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading. The mean removal efficiency of NH4(+)-N in the MBBR reached 71.4±26.9%, and batch experiments were performed to study nitrification kinetics for better process understanding. Seven physical-chemical parameters, including volatile solids (VS), polysaccharides (PS) and phospholipids (PL) increased firstly, and then rapidly decreased with increasing temperature and NH4(+)-N loading, and properly characterized the attached biomass during biofilm development and detachment in the MBBR. The biofilm compositions were described by six ratios, e.g., PS/VS and PL/VS ratios showed different variation trends, indicating different responses of PS and PL to the changes in temperature and NH4(+)-N loading. Furthermore, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed that increased NH4(+)-N loadings caused an enrichment of the nitrifying biofilm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Evaluation of Moving Bed Bio Film Reactor in Saline Wastewater Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Ahmadi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose:Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor is an aerobic attached growth with better biofilm thickness control, lack of plugging and lower head loss. Consequently, this system is greatly used by different wastewater treatment plants. High TDS wastewater produced petrochemical, leather tanning, sea food processing, cannery, pickling and dairy industries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of MBBR in saline wastewater treatment. Materials and methods: In this study, 50 percent of a cylindrical reactor with 9.5 liter occupied media with 650 m2.m-3. In the first step, hydraulic regime was evaluated and startup reactor was done by sanitary sludge. Bio film was generated with glucose as the sole carbon source in synthetic wastewater. MBBR performance evaluation was performed in 6:30 and 8:45 with saline wastewater after bio film produced on media. Results: After 83 days of passing MBBR operation with saline wastewater containing 3000-12000 mg.L-1 TDS, organic loading rate of 2.2-3.5 kg/m3.d COD removal efficiency reached 80-92%. Conclusion: Moving bed biofilm reactor is effective in organic load elimination from saline wastewater.

Experimental research of pressure drop in packed beds of monosized spheres a novel correlation for pressure drop calculation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stamenić Mirjana S.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Flow through packed beds of spheres is a complex phenomenon and it has been extensively studied. Although, there is many different correlations there is still no reliable universal equation for prediction of pressure drop. The paper presents the results of experimental research of pressure drop in packed bed of monosized spheres of three different diameters, 8, 11, and 13 mm set within cylindrical vessel of diameter dk = 74 mm, and two different heights of packed bed, hs = 300 and 400 mm. It has been proposed modification of widely used Ergun’s equation in the form of fp = [150+1.3•(Rep/(1-ε]•(1-ε2/(ε3×Rep and new correlation fp = 1/[(27.4-25700•dh/Rep+0.545+6.85•dh] for pressure drop calculation in simple and convenient form for hand and computer calculations. For total number of 362 experimental runs the correlation ratio of the modified Ergun’s relation was CR = 99.3%, and standard deviation SD = 12.2%, while novel relation has CR = 93.7% and SD = 5.4%. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 33049

Combined Reactor and Microelectrode Measurements in Laboratory Grown Biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tove; Harremoës, Poul

1994-01-01

A combined biofilm reactor-/microelectrode experimental set-up has been constructed, allowing for simultaneous reactor mass balances and measurements of concentration profiles within the biofilm. The system consists of an annular biofilm reactor equipped with an oxygen microelectrode. Experiments...... were carried out with aerobic glucose and starch degrading biofilms. The well described aerobic glucose degradation biofilm system was used to test the combined reactor set-up. Results predicted from known biofilm kinetics were obtained. In the starch degrading biofilm, basic assumptions were tested...... with the microelectrode measurements. It was established, that even with a high molecular weight, non-diffusible substrate, degradation took place in the depths of the biofilm. Intrinsic enzymatic hydrolysis was not limiting and the volumetric removal rate of oxygen was zero order....

Influence of liquid and gas flow rates on sulfuric acid mist removal from air by packed bed tower

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jafari Mohammad Javad

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract The possible emission of sulfuric acid mists from a laboratory scale, counter-current packed bed tower operated with a caustic scrubbing solution was studied. Acid mists were applied through a local exhaust hood. The emissions from the packed bed tower were monitored in three different categories of gas flow rate as well as three liquid flow rates, while other influencing parameters were kept almost constant. Air sampling and sulfuric acid measurement were carried out iso-kinetically using USEPA method 8. The acid mists were measured by the barium-thorin titration method. According to the results when the gas flow rate increased from 10 L/s to 30 L/s, the average removal efficiency increased significantly (p 3, respectively. L/G of 2–3 was recommended for designing purposes of a packed tower for sulfuric acid mists and vapors removal from contaminated air stream.

Wastewater treatment with submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor systems--design rules, operating experiences and ongoing developments.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, S; Koeser, H

2007-01-01

Wastewater treatment systems using bio-films that grow attached to a support media are an alternative to the widely used suspended growth activated sludge process. Different fixed growth biofilm reactors are commercially used for the treatment of municipal as well as industrial wastewater. In this paper a fairly new fixed growth biofilm system, the submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor (SFBBR), is discussed. SFBBRs are based on aerated submerged fixed open structured plastic media for the support of the biofilm. They are generally operated without sludge recirculation in order to avoid clogging of the support media and problems with the control of the biofilm. Reactor and process design considerations for these reactors are reviewed. Measures to ensure the development and maintenance of an active biofilm are examined. SFBBRs have been applied successfully to small wastewater treatment plants where complete nitrification but no high degree of denitrification is necessary. For the pre-treatment of industrial wastewater the use of SFBBRs is advantageous, especially in cases of wastewater with high organic loading or high content of compounds with low biodegradability. Performance data from exemplary commercial plants are given. Ongoing research and development efforts aim at achieving a high simultaneous total nitrogen (TN) removal of aerated SFBBRs and at improving the efficiency of TN removal in anoxic SFBBRs.

Deuterium exchange reaction in a trickle bed packed with a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and hydrophilic packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seungwoo Paek; Heui-Joo Choi; DO-Hee Ahn; Kwang-Rag Kim; Minsoo Lee; Sung-Paal Yim; Hongsuk Chung

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: The isotopic exchange reaction between hydrogen and water on the platinum supported catalysts provides a useful step for separating hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. The CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) with a hydrophobic catalyst is a very effective method to remove small quantities of tritium from light or heavy waste water streams because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. The CECE column is composed of an electrolysis cell and a liquid phase catalytic exchange column. This paper deals with the experiments for the hydrogen isotopic exchange reaction in a trickle bed reactor packed with a hydrophobic catalyst in order to develop the catalytic column of the CECE. Hydrophobic Pt/SDBC catalyst which has been developed for the LPCE column of WTRF (Wolsong Tritium Removal Facility) was tested in a trickle bed reactor. The catalyst column was packed with a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and hydrophilic packing (Dixon gauze ring) to improve liquid distribution and vapor/liquid transfer area. An experimental apparatus was built for the test of the catalyst at various temperatures and gas velocities. The catalyst was packed wet into the column and water was injected at the top through a liquid distributor and trickled through a catalyst mixture. Hydrogen gas passed up the column and deuterium was transferred to water stream flowing counter currently. The temperature of the column was controlled to maintain at 60 deg. C using water jackets around the reactor and equilibrator, a feed waster heater, and a circulation water heater. A metal bellows pump was used to circulate the hydrogen gas at the typical flow rate of 60 LPM.The reactor pressure was controlled to maintain at 135 kPa (abs) by a water column. Gas samples were drawn off from the top and bottom of the column. The difference in deuterium concentration between the inlet and outlet gas samples was analyzed using Gas

RESPIROMETRIC ACTIVITY OF ACTIVATED SLUDGE AND BIOFILM IN IFAS-MBBR SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Piechna

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the presented study was: a assessment of activity of microorganisms developed in form of activated sludge and biofilm, b indirect assessment of the role of analyzed biocoenoses in removal of organic compounds in hybrid reactor with moving bed. Oxygen uptake rate tests (OUR have been used, and obtained results were presented as volumetric activity (expressed in mg O2/L · h and mass activity (expressed as mg O2/g VTS · h. Tests were conducted for three different variants, in which, as the biomass: 1 biofilm was used, 2 activated sludge was used, 3 biofilm and activated sludge were used. The biomass was collected from aerobic reactor from a wastewater treatment plant working in IFAS-MBBR system. The highest volumetric activity was observed for variant with biofilm and activated sludge, and the lowest for variant with biofilm only. Nonetheless, the highest value of oxygen uptake rate related to total volatile solids was observed for variant with biofilm and the lowest for activated sludge. Obtained results suggest, that during this research, at the wastewater treatment plant, the main role in removal of organic pollutants played the biomass developed in form of activated sludge.

Power generation by packed-bed air-cathode microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xiaoyuan

2013-08-01

Catalysts and catalyst binders are significant portions of the cost of microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes. Many materials have been tested as aqueous cathodes, but air-cathodes are needed to avoid energy demands for water aeration. Packed-bed air-cathodes were constructed without expensive binders or diffusion layers using four inexpensive carbon-based materials. Cathodes made from activated carbon produced the largest maximum power density of 676±93mW/m2, followed by semi-coke (376±47mW/m2), graphite (122±14mW/m2) and carbon felt (60±43mW/m2). Increasing the mass of activated carbon and semi-coke from 5 to ≥15g significantly reduced power generation because of a reduction in oxygen transfer due to a thicker water layer in the cathode (~3 or ~6cm). These results indicate that a thin packed layer of activated carbon or semi-coke can be used to make inexpensive air-cathodes for MFCs. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Abatement of toluene from gas streams via ferro-electric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Wenjun; Li, Jian; Li, Jie; Jin, Yuquan

2009-10-30

Destruction of gaseous toluene via ferro-electric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge plasma in a coaxial cylindrical reactor was carried out at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The difference among three kinds of reactors was compared in terms of specific energy density (SED), energy yield (EY), toluene decomposition. In order to optimize the geometry of the reactor, the removal efficiency of toluene was compared for various inner electrode diameters. In addition, qualitative analysis on by-products and particular discussion on toluene abatement mechanisms were also presented. It has been found that ferro-electric packed bed DBD reactor could effectively decompose toluene. Toluene removal efficiency enhanced with increasing SED. With respect to toluene conversion, 1.62 mm electrode appeared to be superior to 1.06 mm electrodes. BaTiO3 reactor had the highest toluene removal efficiency among the reactors. For NaNO2 reactor, the highest EY could reach 17.0 mg/kWh to a certain extent.

Abatement of toluene from gas streams via ferro-electric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Wenjun; Li Jian; Li Jie; Jin Yuquan

2009-01-01

Destruction of gaseous toluene via ferro-electric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge plasma in a coaxial cylindrical reactor was carried out at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The difference among three kinds of reactors was compared in terms of specific energy density (SED), energy yield (EY), toluene decomposition. In order to optimize the geometry of the reactor, the removal efficiency of toluene was compared for various inner electrode diameters. In addition, qualitative analysis on by-products and particular discussion on toluene abatement mechanisms were also presented. It has been found that ferro-electric packed bed DBD reactor could effectively decompose toluene. Toluene removal efficiency enhanced with increasing SED. With respect to toluene conversion, 1.62 mm electrode appeared to be superior to 1.06 mm electrodes. BaTiO 3 reactor had the highest toluene removal efficiency among the reactors. For NaNO 2 reactor, the highest EY could reach 17.0 mg/kWh to a certain extent.

Microelectrodes as novel research tools for environmental biofilm studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, T.; Lu, R.; Bishop, L.

2002-01-01

Biofilm processes are widely utilized in environmental engineering for biodegradation of contaminated waters, gases and soils. It is important to understand the structure and functions of biofilms. Microelectrodes are novel experimental tools for environmental biofilm studies. The authors reviewed the techniques of oxygen, sulfide, redox potential and pH microelectrode. These microelectrodes have tip diameters of 3 to 20 μm, resulting a high spatial resolution. They enable us directly measure the chemical conditions as results of microbial activities in biofilms. The authors also reported the laboratory and field studies of wastewater biofilms using microelectrode techniques. The results of these studies provided experimental evidence on the stratification of microbial processes and the associated redox potential change in wastewater biofilms: (1) The oxygen penetration depth was only a fraction of the biofilm thickness. This observation, first made under laboratory conditions, has been confirmed under field conditions. (2) The biofilms with both aerobic oxidation and sulfate reduction had a clearly stratified structure. This was evidenced by a sharp decrease of redox potential near the interface between the aerobic zone and the sulfate reduction zone within the biofilm. In this type of biofilms, aerobic oxidation took place only in a shallow layer near the biofilm surface and sulfate reduction occurred in the deeper anoxic zone. (3) The redox potential changed with the shift of primary microbial process in biofilms, indicating that it is possible to use redox potential to help illustrate the structure and functions of biofilms. (author)

Transformation of carbon tetrachloride in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor without addition of another electron donor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Best, JH; Hunneman, P; Doddema, HJ; Janssen, DB; Harder, W; Doddema, Hans J.

1999-01-01

Carbon tetrachloride (52 mu M) was biodegraded for more than 72% in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor without addition of an external electron donor. The chloride mass balance demonstrated that all carbon tetrachloride transformed was completely dechlorinated. Chloroform and dichloromethane were

Transformation of carbon tetrachloride in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor without addition of another electron donor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Best, J.H. de; Hunneman, P.; Doddema, H.J.; Janssen, D.B.; Harder, W.

1999-01-01

Carbon tetrachloride (52 μM) was biodegraded for more than 72% in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor without addition of an external electron donor. The chloride mass balance demonstrated that all carbon tetrachloride transformed was completely dechlorinated. Chloroform and dichloromethane were

Chemical looping reforming in packed-bed reactors : modelling, experimental validation and large-scale reactor design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spallina, V.; Marinello, B.; Gallucci, F.; Romano, M.C.; van Sint Annaland, M.

This paper addresses the experimental demonstration and model validation of chemical looping reforming in dynamically operated packed-bed reactors for the production of H2 or CH3OH with integrated CO2 capture. This process is a combination of auto-thermal and steam methane reforming and is carried

Optimization of a packed bed reactor for liquid waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, C.A.; Brower, M.J.; Coogan, J.J.; Tennant, R.A.

1993-01-01

The authors describe an optimization study of a packed bed reactor (PBR), developed for the treatment of hazardous liquid wastes. The focus is on the destruction of trichloroethylene (TCE). The PBR technology offers many distinct advantages over other processes: simple design, high destruction rates (99.99%), low costs, ambient pressure operation, easy maintenance and scaleability. The cost effectiveness, optimal operating parameters and scaleability were determined. As a second stage of treatment, a silent discharge plasma (SDP) reactor was installed to further treat offgases from the PBR. A primary advantage of this system is closed loop operation, where exhaust gases are continuously recycled and not released into the atmosphere

Continuous adsorption and biotransformation of micropollutants by granular activated carbon-bound laccase in a packed-bed enzyme reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Luong N; Hai, Faisal I; Dosseto, Anthony; Richardson, Christopher; Price, William E; Nghiem, Long D

2016-06-01

Laccase was immobilized on granular activated carbon (GAC) and the resulting GAC-bound laccase was used to degrade four micropollutants in a packed-bed column. Compared to the free enzyme, the immobilized laccase showed high residual activities over a broad range of pH and temperature. The GAC-bound laccase efficiently removed four micropollutants, namely, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and bisphenol A, commonly detected in raw wastewater and wastewater-impacted water sources. Mass balance analysis showed that these micropollutants were enzymatically degraded following adsorption onto GAC. Higher degradation efficiency of micropollutants by the immobilized compared to free laccase was possibly due to better electron transfer between laccase and substrate molecules once they have adsorbed onto the GAC surface. Results here highlight the complementary effects of adsorption and enzymatic degradation on micropollutant removal by GAC-bound laccase. Indeed laccase-immobilized GAC outperformed regular GAC during continuous operation of packed-bed columns over two months (a throughput of 12,000 bed volumes). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved performance of parallel surface/packed-bed discharge reactor for indoor VOCs decomposition: optimization of the reactor structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Nan; Hui, Chun-Xue; Li, Jie; Lu, Na; Shang, Ke-Feng; Wu, Yan; Mizuno, Akira

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a high-efficiency air-cleaning system for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) existing in the workshop of a chemical factory. A novel parallel surface/packed-bed discharge (PSPBD) reactor, which utilized a combination of surface discharge (SD) plasma with packed-bed discharge (PBD) plasma, was designed and employed for VOCs removal in a closed vessel. In order to optimize the structure of the PSPBD reactor, the discharge characteristic, benzene removal efficiency, and energy yield were compared for different discharge lengths, quartz tube diameters, shapes of external high-voltage electrode, packed-bed discharge gaps, and packing pellet sizes, respectively. In the circulation test, 52.8% of benzene was removed and the energy yield achieved 0.79 mg kJ −1 after a 210 min discharge treatment in the PSPBD reactor, which was 10.3% and 0.18 mg kJ −1 higher, respectively, than in the SD reactor, 21.8% and 0.34 mg kJ −1 higher, respectively, than in the PBD reactor at 53 J l −1 . The improved performance in benzene removal and energy yield can be attributed to the plasma chemistry effect of the sequential processing in the PSPBD reactor. The VOCs mineralization and organic intermediates generated during discharge treatment were followed by CO x selectivity and FT-IR analyses. The experimental results indicate that the PSPBD plasma process is an effective and energy-efficient approach for VOCs removal in an indoor environment. (paper)

Preliminary performance analysis of a transverse flow spectrally selective two-slab packed bed volumetric receiver

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Roos, TH

2016-05-01

Full Text Available for the transparent slab 1 and SiC for the opaque slab 2 – which are ordered in a hexagonally close-packed bed. The flow direction has been changed from parallel to the incident radiation and perpendicular to the window, to parallel to the window and perpendicular...

High-rate wastewater treatment combining a moving bed biofilm reactor and enhanced particle separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Helness, H; Melin, E; Ulgenes, Y; Järvinen, P; Rasmussen, V; Odegaard, H

2005-01-01

Many cities around the world are looking for compact wastewater treatment alternatives since space for treatment plants is becoming scarce. In this paper development of a new compact, high-rate treatment concept with results from experiments in lab-scale and pilot-scale are presented. The idea behind the treatment concept is that coagulation/floc separation may be used to separate suspended and colloidal matter (resulting in > 70% organic matter removal in normal wastewater) while a high-rate biofilm process (based on Moving Bed biofilm reactors) may be used for removing low molecular weight, easily biodegradable, soluble organic matter. By using flotation for floc/biomass separation, the total residence time for a plant according to this concept will normally be treatment) and sufficient P-removal.

PERKEMBANGAN BIOFILM NITRIFIKASI DI FIXED BED REACTOR PADA SALINITAS TINGGI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudarno

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Development of nitrification biomass that is growing attached on carried material was examined by measuring its ammonium or nitrit oxidation rates. Porous ceramic rings (36 pieces were put into the fixed bed reactor (FBR . The fixed bed reactor that was operated continuously for more than 500 day was continued to be operated at a HRT of 1 day, a DO of above 5 mg L-1 and pH of 8. Ammonia concentration in the feeding was 50 mg NH4+-N L-1. At days 1, 5, 12, 20, 33 and 50, six porous ceramic rings were taken out and then ammonia and nitrite removal rate by biofilm in the ceramic rings was separately measured. The measurement of rates was done in small cylindrical glass reactors with initial concentration of ammonia and nitrite was 10 mg N L-1. Until 50 days of incubation AORs were always higher than NORs. Additionally, ammonia oxidizers attach or grow faster in the porous ceramic material than nitrite oxidizers.

Investigations on a new internally-heated tubular packed-bed methanol–steam reformer

KAUST Repository

Nehe, Prashant

2015-05-01

Small-scale reformers for hydrogen production through steam reforming of methanol can provide an alternative solution to the demand of continuous supply of hydrogen gas for the operation of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). A packed-bed type reformer is one of the potential designs for such purpose. An externally heated reformer has issues of adverse lower temperature in the core of the reformer and significant heat loss to the environment thus impacting its performance. Experimental and numerical studies on a new concept of internally heated tubular packed-bed methanol-steam reformer have been reported in this paper with improved performance in terms of higher methanol conversion and reduced heat losses to surroundings. CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 is used as the catalyst for the methanol-steam reforming reaction and a rod-type electric heater at the center of the reactor is used for supplying necessary heat for endothermic steam reforming reaction. The vaporizer and the reformer unit with a constant volume catalyst bed are integrated in the annular section of a tubular reformer unit. The performance of the reformer was investigated at various operating conditions like feed rate of water-methanol mixture, mass of the catalyst and reforming temperature. The experimental and numerical results show that the methanol conversion and CO concentration increase with internal heating for a wide range of operating conditions. The developed reformer unit generates 50-80W (based on lower heating value) of hydrogen gas for applications in PEMFCs. For optimized design and operating conditions, the reformer unit produced 298sccm reformed gas containing 70% H2, 27% CO2 and 3% CO at 200-240°C which can produce a power output of 25-32W assuming 60% fuel cell efficiency and 80% of hydrogen utilization in a PEMFC. © 2015 Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC.

Thermo-mechanical parametric analysis of packed-bed thermocline energy storage tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González, Ignacio; Pérez-Segarra, Carlos David; Lehmkuhl, Oriol; Torras, Santiago; Oliva, Assensi

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A numerical model of packed-bed thermocline thermal storage for CSP is presented. • Up-to-date commercial configurations are tested both thermally and structurally. • Promising thermal performance is obtained with a temperature difference of 100 °C. • Reliable factors of safety against material yielding and ratcheting can be obtained. • Cyclic relaxation-traction elastic wall stresses arise with plant normal operation. - Abstract: A packed-bed thermocline tank represents a proved cheaper thermal energy storage for concentrated solar power plants compared with the commonly-built two-tank system. However, its implementation has been stopped mainly due to the vessel’s thermal ratcheting concern, which would compromise its structural integrity. In order to have a better understanding of the commercial viability of thermocline approach, regarding energetic effectiveness and structural reliability, a new numerical simulation platform has been developed. The model dynamically solves and couples all the significant components of the subsystem, being able to evaluate its thermal and mechanical response over plant normal operation. The filler material is considered as a cohesionless bulk solid with thermal expansion. For the stresses on the tank wall the general thermoelastic theory is used. First, the numerical model is validated with the Solar One thermocline case, and then a parametric analysis is carried out by settling this storage technology in two real plants with a temperature rise of 100 °C and 275 °C. The numerical results show a better storage performance together with the lowest temperature difference, but both options achieve suitable structural factors of safety with a proper design.

Deuterium exchange reaction in a trickle bed packed with a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and hydrophilic packings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seungwoo Paek [KAERI (Korea, Republic of); Heui-Joo Choi; DO-Hee Ahn; Kwang-Rag Kim; Minsoo Lee; Sung-Paal Yim; Hongsuk Chung

2006-07-01

Full text of publication follows: The isotopic exchange reaction between hydrogen and water on the platinum supported catalysts provides a useful step for separating hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. The CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) with a hydrophobic catalyst is a very effective method to remove small quantities of tritium from light or heavy waste water streams because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. The CECE column is composed of an electrolysis cell and a liquid phase catalytic exchange column. This paper deals with the experiments for the hydrogen isotopic exchange reaction in a trickle bed reactor packed with a hydrophobic catalyst in order to develop the catalytic column of the CECE. Hydrophobic Pt/SDBC catalyst which has been developed for the LPCE column of WTRF (Wolsong Tritium Removal Facility) was tested in a trickle bed reactor. The catalyst column was packed with a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and hydrophilic packing (Dixon gauze ring) to improve liquid distribution and vapor/liquid transfer area. An experimental apparatus was built for the test of the catalyst at various temperatures and gas velocities. The catalyst was packed wet into the column and water was injected at the top through a liquid distributor and trickled through a catalyst mixture. Hydrogen gas passed up the column and deuterium was transferred to water stream flowing counter currently. The temperature of the column was controlled to maintain at 60 deg. C using water jackets around the reactor and equilibrator, a feed waster heater, and a circulation water heater. A metal bellows pump was used to circulate the hydrogen gas at the typical flow rate of 60 LPM.The reactor pressure was controlled to maintain at 135 kPa (abs) by a water column. Gas samples were drawn off from the top and bottom of the column. The difference in deuterium concentration between the inlet and outlet gas samples was analyzed using Gas

Immobilised native plant cysteine proteases: packed-bed reactor for white wine protein stabilisation

OpenAIRE

Benucci, Ilaria; Lombardelli, Claudio; Liburdi, Katia; Acciaro, Giuseppe; Zappino, Matteo; Esti, Marco

2015-01-01

This research presents a feasibility study of using a continuous packed-bed reactor (PBR), containing immobilised native plant cysteine proteases, as a specific and mild alternative technique relative to the usual bentonite fining for white wine protein stabilisation. The operational parameters for a PBR containing immobilised bromelain (PBR-br) or immobilised papain (PBR-pa) were optimised using model wine fortified with synthetic substrate (Bz-Phe-Val-Arg-pNA). The effectiveness of PBR-br, ...

Investigation of hydrodynamic behaviour of a pilot-scale trickle bed reactor packed with hydrophobic and hydrophilic packings using radiotracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajesh Kumar; Sadhana Mohan; Pant, H.J.; Sharma, V.K.; Mahajani, S.M.

2012-01-01

A radiotracer study was carried out in a trickle bed reactor (TBR) independently filled with two different types of packing i.e., hydrophobic and hydrophilic. The study was aimed at to estimate liquid holdup and investigate the dispersion characteristics of liquid phase with both types of packing at different operating conditions. Water and H2 gas were used as aqueous and gas phase, respectively. The liquid and gas flow rates used ranged from 0.83 x 10 -7 -16.67 x 10 -7 m 3 /s and 0-3.33 x 10 -4 m 3 (std)/s, respectively. Residence time distribution (RTD) of liquid phase was measured using 82 Br as radiotracer and about 10 MBq activity was used in each run. Mean residence time (MRT) and holdup of liquid phase were estimated from the measured RTD data. An axial dispersion with exchange model was used to simulate the measured RTD curves and model parameters (Peclet number and MRT) were obtained. At higher liquid flow rates, the TBR behaves as a plug flow reactor, whereas at lower liquid flow rates, the flow was found to be highly dispersed. The results of investigation indicated that the dispersion of liquid phase is higher in case of hydrophobic packing, whereas holdup is higher in case of hydrophilic packing. (author)

Continuous production of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel in a packed-bed reactor: optimization and enzyme reuse study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsiao-Ching; Ju, Hen-Yi; Wu, Tsung-Ta; Liu, Yung-Chuan; Lee, Chih-Chen; Chang, Cheng; Chung, Yi-Lin; Shieh, Chwen-Jen

2011-01-01

An optimal continuous production of biodiesel by methanolysis of soybean oil in a packed-bed reactor was developed using immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) as a catalyst in a tert-butanol solvent system. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate molar ratio on the molar conversion of biodiesel. The results showed that flow rate and temperature have significant effects on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 52.1°C, and substrate molar ratio 1 : 4. The predicted and experimental values of molar conversion were 83.31 ± 2.07% and 82.81 ± .98%, respectively. Furthermore, the continuous process over 30 days showed no appreciable decrease in the molar conversion. The paper demonstrates the applicability of using immobilized lipase and a packed-bed reactor for continuous biodiesel synthesis.

Performance of a new solar air heater with packed-bed latent storage energy for nocturnal use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouadila, Salwa; Kooli, Sami; Lazaar, Mariem; Skouri, Safa; Farhat, Abdelhamid

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A new solar air heater collector using a phase change material. • Experimental study of the new solar air heater collector with latent storage. • Energy and exergy analysis of the solar heater with latent storage collector. • Nocturnal use of solar air heater collector. - Abstract: An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the thermal performance of a new solar air heater collector using a packed bed of spherical capsules with a latent heat storage system. Using both first and second law of thermodynamics, the energetic and exegetic daily efficiencies were calculated in Closed/Opened and Opened cycle mode. The solar energy was stored in the packed bed through the diurnal period and extracted at night. The experimentally obtained results are used to analyze the performance of the system, based on temperature distribution in different localization of the collectors. The daily energy efficiency varied between 32% and 45%. While the daily exergy efficiency varied between 13% and 25%

Experimental investigations on friction laws and dryout heat flux of particulate beds packed with multi-size spheres and irregular particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Liangxing; Ma, Weimin

2011-01-01

This paper is concerned with reducing uncertainty in quantification of debris bed coolability in a hypothetical severe accident of light water reactors (LWRs). A test facility named POMECO-FL is constructed to investigate the friction laws of adiabatic single and two-phase flow in a particulate bed packed with multi-size spheres or irregular particles. The same types of particles were then loaded in the test section of the POMECO-HT facility to obtain the dryout heat flux of the volumetrically heated particulate bed. The POMECO-HT facility features a high power capacity (up to 2.1 MW/m 2 ) which enables coolability study on particulate bed with broad variations in porosity and particle diameters under both top-flooding and bottom-injection conditions. The results show that given the effective particle diameter obtained from single-phase flow through the packed bed with multi-size spheres or irregular particles, both the pressure drop and the dryout heat flux of two-phase flow through the bed can be predicted by the Reed model. The bottom injection of coolant increases the dryout heat flux significantly. Meanwhile, the elevation of the dryout position is moving upwards with increasing bottom-injection flowrate. The experimental data provides insights for interpretation of debris bed coolability, as well as high-quality data for validation of the coolability analysis models and codes. (author)

Modeling the methanolysis of triglyceride catalyzed by immobilized lipase in a continuous-flow packed-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran, Dang-Thuan; Lin, Yi-Jan; Chen, Ching-Lung; Chang, Jo-Shu

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A Burkholderia lipase was immobilized on alkyl-grafted celite carriers. • Celite-alkyl-lipase catalyzed the methanolysis of triglyceride in packed-bed reactor. • The kinetics of the enzymatic transesterification follows Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism. • Models were developed to discuss the mass transfer and enzyme kinetics in the PBR. - Abstract: A Burkholderia lipase was immobilized on celite grafted with long alkyl groups. The immobilized lipase-catalyzed methanolysis of sunflower oil in a packed-bed reactor (PBR) follows the Ping Pong Bi Bi mechanism. The external mass transfer and enzymatic reaction that simultaneously occurred in the PBR were investigated via the mathematical models. The overall biodiesel production in the PBR was verified to work in an enzymatic reaction-limited regime. Triglyceride conversion and biodiesel yield were higher under a lower reactant feeding rate, while a larger amount of biocatalyst would be required to achieve the designated conversion rate if a higher reactant feeding rate was employed. The PBR can achieve nearly complete conversion of triglyceride at a biocatalyst bed height of 60 cm (ca. 29 g biocatalyst) and a flow rate of 0.1 ml min −1 , whereas the biodiesel yield was lower than 67%, probably due to the positional specificity of Burkholderia lipase and the accumulation of glycerol

Evaluation of a commercial packed bed flow hydrogenator for reaction screening, optimization, and synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marian C. Bryan

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The performance of the ThalesNano H-Cube®, a commercial packed bed flow hydrogenator, was evaluated in the context of small scale reaction screening and optimization. A model reaction, the reduction of styrene to ethylbenzene through a 10% Pd/C catalyst bed, was used to examine performance at various pressure settings, over sequential runs, and with commercial catalyst cartridges. In addition, the consistency of the hydrogen flow was indirectly measured by in-line UV spectroscopy. Finally, system contamination due to catalyst leaching, and the resolution of this issue, is described. The impact of these factors on the run-to-run reproducibility of the H-Cube® reactor for screening and reaction optimization is discussed.

3D Numerical Study of Multiphase Counter-Current Flow within a Packed Bed for Post Combustion Carbon Dioxide Capture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Yang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The hydrodynamics within counter-current flow packed beds is of vital importance to provide insight into the design and operational parameters that may impact reactor and reaction efficiencies in processes used for post combustion CO2 capture. However, the multiphase counter-current flows in random packing used in these processes are complicated to visualize. Hence, this work aimed at developing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD model to study more precisely the complex details of flow inside a packed bed. The simulation results clearly demonstrated the development of, and changes in, liquid distributions, wetted areas, and film thickness under various gas and liquid flow rates. An increase in values of the We number led to a more uniform liquid distribution, and the flow patterns changed from droplet flow to film flow and trickle flow as the We number was increased. In contrast, an increase in gas flow rate had no significant effect on the wetted areas and liquid holdup. It was also determined that the number of liquid inlets affected flow behavior, and the liquid surface tension had an insignificant influence on pressure drop or liquid holdup; however, lower surface tension provided a larger wetted area and a thinner film. An experimental study, performed to enable comparisons between experimentally measured pressure drops and simulation-determined pressure drops, showed close correspondence and similar trends between the experimental data and the simulation data; hence, it was concluded that the simulation model was validated and could reasonably predict flow dynamics within a counter-current flow packed bed.

Local description of the energy transfer process in a packed bed heat exchanger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, M.L.M.; Sampaio, R.; Gama, R.M.S. da.

1990-01-01

The energy transfer process in a packed-bed heat exchanger, in counter0flow arrangement is considered. The phenomenon is described through a Continuum Theory of Mixtures approach, in which fluid and solid (porous matrix) are regarded as continuous constituents possessing, each one, its own temperature and velocity fields. The heat 'exchangers consists of two channels, separated by an impermeable wall without thermal resistence, in which there exists a saturated flow. Some particular cases are simulated. (author)

Lead Biosorption by Self-Immobilized Rhizopus nigricans Pellets in a Laboratory Scale Packed Bed Column: Mathematical Model and Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adela Kogej

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The biosorption of lead ions from aqueous solution on a self-immobilized Rhizopus nigricans biomass has been studied. Experiments were performed in a laboratory scale packed bed column at different liquid flow rates and biosorbent bed heights. Recorded experimental breakthrough curves were compared to those predicted by a mathematical model, which was developed to simulate a packed bed biosorption process by a soft, self-immobilized fungal biosorbent. In the range of examined experimental conditions, the biomass characteristics such as pellet porosity and biosorption capacity substantially affected the predicted response curve. General correlations for the estimation of the intra-pellet effective diffusivity, the external mass transfer coefficient, as well as axial dispersion were successfully applied in this biological system with specific mechanical properties. Under the experimental conditions, mass transfer is controlled by the external film resistance, while the intra-pellet mass transfer resistance, as well as the effect of axial dispersion, can be neglected. A new parameter α, the fraction of active biomass, with an average value of α=0.7, was introduced to take into account the specific biomass characteristics, and consequently the observed non-ideal liquid flow through the bed of fungal pellets.

Suitable flow pattern increases the removal efficiency of nitrogen in gravity sewers: a suitable anoxic and aerobic environment in biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Qiang; Yin, Feixian; Li, Hong; Wang, Yinliang; Xu, Jingwei; Ai, Hainan

2018-03-25

The sewers have the function of carbon removal, which has been proven. But if the effect of nitrogen removal can be enhanced at the same time of carbon removal, it can lay a foundation for the realization of "sewer's working as a reactor." This paper investigated the effects of shear stress and C/N ratio on nitrogen removal through biofilms on the sewer inner wall and nitrogen transfer. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) nitrogen could be partially removed in sewers after a series of reactions; (2) the anaerobic, anoxic, aerobic environment and some bacteria related to nitrogen metabolism, which exist in the biofilm, promote the nitrification and denitrification; (3) a total of 722 functional genes involved in nitrogen metabolism were detected in the biofilm (C/N ratio of 10, shear stress of 1.4 Pa), accounting for 0.67% of all genes, and the functional genes related to denitrification were dominant. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Integration of coal gasification and packed bed CLC for high efficiency and near-zero emission power generation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spallina, V.; Romano, M.C.; Chiesa, P.; Gallucci, F.; Sint Annaland, van M.; Lozza, G.

2014-01-01

A detailed thermodynamic analysis has been carried out of large-scale coal gasification-based power plant cycles with near zero CO2 emissions, integrated with chemical looping combustion (CLC). Syngas from coal gasification is oxidized in dynamically operated packed bed reactors (PBRs), generating a

Reactor design and operation strategies for a large-scale packed-bed CLC power plant with coal syngas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spallina, V.; Chiesa, P.; Martelli, E; Gallucci, F.; Romano, M.C.; Lozza, G.; Sint Annaland, van M.

2015-01-01

This paper deals with the design and operation strategies of dynamically operated packed-bed reactors (PBRs) of a chemical looping combustion (CLC) system included in an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) for electric power generation with low CO2 emission from coal. The CLC reactors,

Stochastic model of flow and dispersion of fine particles in a packed bed; Kakuritsu katei wo mochiita juten sonai deno funtai no ryudo to bunsan model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeda, K [Kawasaki Steel Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Lockwood, F

1996-06-01

For the calculation of pulverized coal combustion in a blast furnace blow pipe and tuyere, a model was built for the evaluation of the movement and dispersion of particles in a packed bed by use of a stochastic approach. In the stochastic particle trajectory calculation taking into consideration the impact of fluctuations in gas turbulence, interaction distance between particles and eddies and interaction time have to be determined, in addition to fluctuations in gas flow velocity (to be determined by measuring the instantaneous flow velocity in a normal distribution generated according to random numbers). The eddy life was determined using Shuen`s formula on the premise that the particle-eddy interaction occurs within the calculated life or the transit time, whichever is shorter. As for the turbulence energy {kappa}, it was determined by the {kappa}-{epsilon} model for the free space and by the {kappa}-Lm(mixing length) model for the packed bed. From the average of a multiplicity of particles in the experiment, such time average specific values as the average density and flow velocity vectors of particles in the space, and particle trajectories, were calculated, which proved to agree with values from experiments. Once in the packed bed, the pulverized coal underwent a sudden deceleration due to its interaction with particles in the packed bed, and the pulverized coal flow near the central axis was rapidly diffused in the packed bed. This model is expected to find its use in the study of pulverized coal combustion in the blast furnace. 18 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs.

Application of a model to investigate the effective thermal conductivity of randomly packed fusion pebble beds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaoliang; Zheng, Jie; Chen, Hongli, E-mail: hlchen1@ustc.edu.cn

2016-05-15

In our precious study, a prediction model, which calculates the effective thermal conductivity k{sub eff} of mono-sized pebble beds, has been developed and validated. Based on this model, here the effects of these influencing factors such as pebble size, thermal radiation, contact area, filling gas, gas flow, gas pressure, etc. on the k{sub eff} of randomly packed fusion pebble beds are studied and analyzed. The pebble beds investigated include Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3}, Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}, Li{sub 2}O, Be and BeO pebble beds. In the current study, many important and meaningful conclusions are derived and some of them are similar to the existing research results. Particularly, some critters that under which conditions the effect of some influencing factors can be neglected or should be considered are also presented.

Green synthesis of isopropyl myristate in novel single phase medium Part II: Packed bed reactor (PBR) studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Vadgama, Rajeshkumar N; Odaneth, Annamma A; Lali, Arvind M

2015-12-01

Isopropyl myristate is a useful functional molecule responding to the requirements of numerous fields of application in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry. In the present work, lipase-catalyzed production of isopropyl myristate by esterification of myristic acid with isopropyl alcohol (molar ratio of 1:15) in the homogenous reaction medium was performed on a bench-scale packed bed reactors, in order to obtain suitable reaction performance data for upscaling. An immobilized lipase B from Candida antartica was used as the biocatalyst based on our previous study. The process intensification resulted in a clean and green synthesis process comprising a series of packed bed reactors of immobilized enzyme and water dehydrant. In addition, use of the single phase reaction system facilitates efficient recovery of the product with no effluent generated and recyclability of unreacted substrates. The single phase reaction system coupled with a continuous operating bioreactor ensures a stable operational life for the enzyme.

Green synthesis of isopropyl myristate in novel single phase medium Part II: Packed bed reactor (PBR studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeshkumar N. Vadgama

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Isopropyl myristate is a useful functional molecule responding to the requirements of numerous fields of application in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry. In the present work, lipase-catalyzed production of isopropyl myristate by esterification of myristic acid with isopropyl alcohol (molar ratio of 1:15 in the homogenous reaction medium was performed on a bench-scale packed bed reactors, in order to obtain suitable reaction performance data for upscaling. An immobilized lipase B from Candida antartica was used as the biocatalyst based on our previous study. The process intensification resulted in a clean and green synthesis process comprising a series of packed bed reactors of immobilized enzyme and water dehydrant. In addition, use of the single phase reaction system facilitates efficient recovery of the product with no effluent generated and recyclability of unreacted substrates. The single phase reaction system coupled with a continuous operating bioreactor ensures a stable operational life for the enzyme.

Continuous Production of Lipase-Catalyzed Biodiesel in a Packed-Bed Reactor: Optimization and Enzyme Reuse Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsiao-Ching Chen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available An optimal continuous production of biodiesel by methanolysis of soybean oil in a packed-bed reactor was developed using immobilized lipase (Novozym 435 as a catalyst in a tert-butanol solvent system. Response surface methodology (RSM and Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of reaction temperature, flow rate, and substrate molar ratio on the molar conversion of biodiesel. The results showed that flow rate and temperature have significant effects on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 52.1∘C, and substrate molar ratio 1 : 4. The predicted and experimental values of molar conversion were 83.31±2.07% and 82.81±.98%, respectively. Furthermore, the continuous process over 30 days showed no appreciable decrease in the molar conversion. The paper demonstrates the applicability of using immobilized lipase and a packed-bed reactor for continuous biodiesel synthesis.

Characterization of algae removal in a fluidized bed biofilm reactor system for lake water treatment; Kokisei ryudosho seibutsu rokaho ni yoru kosuichu no sorui jokyo tokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, T.; Tsuzuki, K.; Nishijima, N.; Takagi, T. [Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Terazono, K. [Water Resources Environment Technology Center, Tokyo (Japan)

1998-04-10

This paper describes a pilot plant study on algae removal of a fluidized bed biofilm reactor system for lake water treatment. The system does not need backwashing because the fluidized bed suffers no clogging. Moreover, the system uses dissolved oxygen in influent water for aerobic biological treatment without aeration equipment. Thus, this system is a low energy and easy maintenance way to purify eutrophic lake water. The system was operated continuously at a flow rate of 1500 m{sup 3}/d{sup 1} for 9 months at Tsuchiura Port in Lake Kasumigaura. In this study, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen in both influent and effluent water were monitored continuously. In summer (August to September) when water bloom occurred, the average removal efficiency of chlorophyll-a was 64% at the average influent chlorophyll-a concentration of 137.8 {mu}g/l{sup 1}. During the total experimental period (9 months), the average daily amount of removed chlorophyll-a was 40.3 g/d{sup 1} at the average influent chlorophyll-a concentration of 89.5 {mu}g/l{sup 1}. By analyzing the relationship between the removed chlorophyll-a and the consumption of dissolved oxygen, it was estimated that almost all of algae trapped in the reactor was degraded biologically. 20 refs., 12 figs., 2 tabs.

Successful treatment of high azo dye concentration wastewater using combined anaerobic/aerobic granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR): simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini Koupaie, E; Alavi Moghaddam, M R; Hashemi, S H

2013-01-01

The application of a granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR) for treatment of wastewater containing 1,000 mg/L Acid Red 18 (AR18) was investigated in this research. The treatment system consisted of a sequencing batch reactor equipped with moving GAC as biofilm support. Each treatment cycle consisted of two successive anaerobic (14 h) and aerobic (8 h) reaction phases. Removal of more than 91% chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 97% AR18 was achieved in this study. Investigation of dye decolorization kinetics showed that the dye removal was stimulated by the adsorption capacity of the GAC at the beginning of the anaerobic phase and then progressed following a first-order reaction. Based on COD analysis results, at least 77.8% of the dye total metabolites were mineralized during the applied treatment system. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that more than 97% of 1-naphthyalamine-4-sulfonate as one of the main sulfonated aromatic constituents of AR18 was removed during the aerobic reaction phase. According to the scanning electron microscopic analysis, the microbial biofilms grew in most cavities and pores of the GAC, but not on the external surfaces of the GAC.

Transient thermal response of a packed bed for energy storage unit utilizing phase change material: experimental and numerical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bemansour, A.

2006-01-01

The present work concerns the numerical and experimental study of the transient response of a packed bed latent heat thermal energy storage system. Experiments were carried out to measures the transient temperature distributions inside a cylindrical bed, which is randomly packed with spheres having uniform sizes and encapsulated the paraffin wax as a phase change material (PCM), with air as a working fluid. A two-dimensional separate phases formulation is used to develop a numerical analysis of the transient response of the bed, considering the influence of both axial and radial thermal dispersion. The fluid energy equation was transformed by finite difference approximation and solved by alternating direction implicit scheme, while the PCM energy equation was solved using fully explicit scheme. This analysis can be applied for both charging and recovery modes and a broad range of Reynolds numbers. Measurements of both fluid and PCM temperature were conducted at different axial and radial positions and at different operating parameters. Experimental measurements of temperature distribution compare favorably with the numerical results over a broad range of Reynolds numbers.(Author)

Pt-catalyzed ozonation of aqueous phenol solution using high-gravity rotating packed bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Chia-Chi; Chiu, Chun-Yu; Chang, Ching-Yuan; Chang, Chiung-Fen; Chen, Yi-Hung; Ji, Dar-Ren; Tseng, Jyi-Yeong; Yu, Yue-Hwa

2009-01-01

In this study, a high-gravity rotating packed bed (HGRPB or HG) was used as a catalytic ozonation (Cat-OZ) reactor to decompose phenol. The operation of HGRPB system was carried out in a semi-batch apparatus which combines two major parts, namely the rotating packed bed (RPB) and photo-reactor (PR). The high rotating speed of RPB can give a high volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient with one or two orders of magnitude higher than those in the conventional packed beds. The platinum-containing catalyst (Dash 220N, Pt/γ-Al 2 O 3 ) and activated alumina (γ-Al 2 O 3 ) were packed in the RPB respectively to adsorb molecular ozone and the target pollutant of phenol on the surface to catalyze the oxidation of phenol. An ultra violet (UV) lamp (applicable wavelength λ = 200-280 nm) was installed in the PR to enhance the self-decomposition of molecular ozone in water to form high reactive radical species. Different combinations of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) with the HGRPB for the degradation of phenol were tested. These included high-gravity OZ (HG-OZ), HG catalytic OZ (HG-Cat-OZ), HG photolysis OZ (HG-UV-OZ) and HG-Cat-OZ with UV (HG-Cat-UV-OZ). The decomposition efficiency of total organic compound (η TOC ) of HG-UV-OZ with power of UV (P UV ) of 16 W is 54% at applied dosage of ozone per volume sample m A,in = 1200 mg L -1 (reaction time t = 20 min), while that of HG-OZ without the UV irradiation is 24%. After 80 min oxidation (m A,in = 4800 mg L -1 ), the η TOC of HG-UV-OZ is as high as 94% compared to 82% of HG-OZ process. The values of η TOC for HG-Cat-OZ process with m S = 42 g are 56% and 87% at m A,in = 1200 and 4800 mg L -1 , respectively. By increasing the catalyst mass to 77 g, the η TOC for the HG-Cat-OZ process reaches 71% and 90% at m A,in = 1200 and 4800 mg L -1 , respectively. The introduction of Pt/γ-Al 2 O 3 as well as UV irradiation in the HG-OZ process can enhance the η TOC of phenol significantly, while γ-Al 2 O 3 exhibits

CLC in packed beds using syngas and CuO/Al2O3: Model description and experimental validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamers, H.P.; Gallucci, F.; Cobden, P.D.; Kimball, E.; Sint Annaland, M. van

2014-01-01

Highlights: • CLC with CuO/Al 2 O 3 and syngas and air has been demonstrated experimentally. • Model predicts accurately only if kinetics describe the complete solid reduction. • CuO/Al 2 O 3 is proven to catalyze the reversed water gas shift reaction. • H 2 O is more effective to suppress carbon deposition on CuO/Al 2 O 3 than CO 2 . • The OC reaction rate is not permanently affected by exposure to H 2 S. - Abstract: The objective of this work is to study the performance of the oxygen carrier in a packed bed with periodic switching between oxidizing and reducing conditions. In this paper the performance of CuO/Al 2 O 3 as the oxygen carrier in a packed bed reactor with syngas as the fuel are investigated, while also studying the (possible) carbon deposition and the effect of sulphur impurities on the stability of the carrier. Both experiments and simulations are used in this work. Cyclic experiments (oxidation with air and reduction with syngas) have been carried out in a lab scale packed bed reactor with 13 wt% CuO/Al 2 O 3 . The experimental results were well described by a 1D reactor model, provided that critical attention was given to the reaction rate for the complete reduction reaction, including a dramatic decrease in reaction rate at high solid conversions. Feeding syngas (p H2 = p CO = 0.1 bar) resulted in 1.1% carbon deposition of the feed. Steam was proven to be more effective in reducing carbon deposition than CO 2 . Moreover, it has been found that CuO/Al 2 O 3 catalyzed the water gas shift reaction and the reaction rate was not permanently affected by exposure to H 2 S, two key factors for CLC operation. The results of this work imply that CuO/Al 2 O 3 is an effective oxygen carrier as the first packed bed reactor in a TSCLC process and that the developed model is able to describe the performance at larger scales accurately

Biosorption of lead(II) and cadmium(II) by protonated Sargassum glaucescens biomass in a continuous packed bed column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naddafi, Kazem; Nabizadeh, Ramin; Saeedi, Reza; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Vaezi, Forough; Yaghmaeian, Kamyar; Ghasri, Azar; Nazmara, Shahrokh

2007-01-01

Biosorption of lead(II) and cadmium(II) from aqueous solutions by protonated Sargassum glaucescens biomass was studied in a continuous packed bed column. The selective uptake of Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ was investigated in a binary system with initial concentration of 1 mM for each metal ion. The selective uptake capacities of Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ at complete exhaustion point were obtained 1.18 and 0.22 mmol/g, respectively; therefore, the biosorbent showed much higher relative affinity for Pb 2+ than for Cd 2+ . The optimum range of empty bed contact time (EBCT) was identified as 5-10 min in the packed bed column. The efficiency of biosorbent regeneration by 0.1 M HCl was achieved about 60%, so that the maximum uptake capacity of Pb 2+ by the regenerated biomass was determined to be 0.75 mmol/g while the same value for the original biomass was 1.24 mmol/g. The Thomas model was found in a suitable fitness with the experimental data (R 2 > 0.90 and ε% + with the uptake of heavy metals; hence, ion exchange was confirmed to be one of the main biosorption mechanisms

High throughput photo-oxidations in a packed bed reactor system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Caleb J; Fisher, Daniel; Desai, Bimbisar K; Yang, Yuan; Ahmad, Saeed; Belecki, Katherine; Gupton, B Frank

2017-12-01

The efficiency gains produced by continuous-flow systems in conducting photochemical transformations have been extensively demonstrated. Recently, these systems have been used in developing safe and efficient methods for photo-oxidations using singlet oxygen generated by photosensitizers. Much of the previous work has focused on the use of homogeneous photocatalysts. The development of a unique, packed-bed photoreactor system using immobilized rose bengal expands these capabilities as this robust photocatalyst allows access to and elaboration from these highly useful building blocks without the need for further purification. With this platform we were able to demonstrate a wide scope of singlet oxygen ene, [4+2] cycloadditions and heteroatom oxidations. Furthermore, we applied this method as a strategic element in the synthesis of the high-volume antimalarial artemisinin. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Electrochemical removal of copper ions from dilute solutions using packed bed electrode. Part І

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.A. Khattab

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Removal of some hazardous waste like copper from effluent streams has an industrial importance. In this field, this paper is directed towards electrochemical removal of copper ions from sulfate solution using packed bed electrode. The cathode packing is in static mode, consisted of graphite particles, with mean particle size equal to 0.125 cm. The high surface area of this cell is expected to give high current efficiency and removal percent. The effect of current density and liquid flow rate were tested. Experimental results obtained indicate that the efficiencies are in direct proportional with current density while inversely proportional with liquid flow rate. It was observed that, using this cell was effective in reducing copper concentration to less than 4 mg/l with R.E of 96.2% during 30 min electrolysis time.

Fate of deposited cells in an aerobic binary bacterial biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banks, M.K.

1989-01-01

A biofilm is a matrix of microbial cells and their extracellular products that is associated with a solid surface. Previous studies on biofilm development have employed only dissolved compounds as growth limiting substrates, without the influence of microbial species invading from the bulk liquid. The goal of this research project was to quantify the kinetics of processes governing suspended biomass turnover in biofilm systems, and the accompanying effects of suspended cell deposition on biofilm population dynamics. Experiments were conducted with two species of bacteria, Pseudomonas putida ATCC 11172 grown on glucose, and Hyphomicrobium ZV620 grown on methanol. Cryptic growth and particulate hydrolysis studies were evaluated, using combinations of these two bacteria, by measuring the uptake of radiolabelled cell lysis products, under batch conditions. Biofilms studies were performed to investigate bacterial deposition, continual biofilm removal by shear induced erosion, and biofilm ecology. Biofilms were developed in a flow cell reactor, under laminar flow conditions. Bacterial species were differentiated by radioactively labelling each species with their carbon substrate. A mathematical model was developed to predict the biofilm ecology of mixed cultures. The equations developed predict biofilm accumulation, as well as substrate and oxygen consumption. Results indicate that cryptic growth will occur for bacteria growing on their own species soluble lysis products and in some cases, bacteria growing on the soluble lysis products of other species. Particulate hydrolysis only occurred for Pseudomonas putida growing on Pseudomonas putida lysis products, but the lack of particulate hydrolysis occurring in the other studies may have been due to the short experimental period

Population dynamics of biofilm development during start-up of a butyrate-degrading fluidized-bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zellner, G.; Geveke, M.; Diekmann, H. (Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Mikrobiologie); Conway de Macario, E. (New York State Dept. of Health, Albany, NY (United States). Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research)

1991-12-01

Population dynamics during start-up of a fluidized-bed reactor with butyrate or butyrate plus acetate as sole substrates as well as biofilm development on the sand substratum were studied microbiologically, immunologically and by scanning electron microscopy. An adapted syntrophic consortium consisting of Syntrophospora sp., Methanothrix soehngenii, Methanosarcina mazei and Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus or Methanogenium sp. achieved high-rate butyrate degradation to methane and carbon dioxide. Desulfovibrio sp., Methanocorpusculum sp., and Methanobacterium sp. were also present in lower numbers. Immunological analysis demonstrated methanogens antigenically related to Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1, Methanosarcina mazei S6, M. thermophila TM1, Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus AZ and Methanothrix soehngenii Opfikon in the biofilm. Immunological analysis also showed that the organisms isolated from the butyrate-degrading culture used as a source of inoculum were related to M. soehngenii Opfikon, Methanobacterium formicium MF and Methanospirillum hungatei JF1. (orig.).

Storage capacity assessment of liquid fuels production by solar gasification in a packed bed reactor using a dynamic process model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaniyal, Ashok A.; Eyk, Philip J. van; Nathan, Graham J.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • First analysis to assess storage requirements of a stand-alone packed bed, batch process solar gasifier. • 35 days of storage required for stand-alone solar system, whereas 8 h of storage required for hybrid system. • Sensitivity of storage requirement to reactor operation, solar region and solar multiple evaluated. - Abstract: The first multi-day performance analysis of the feasibility of integrating a packed bed, indirectly irradiated solar gasification reactor with a downstream FT liquids production facility is reported. Two fuel-loading scenarios were assessed. In one, the residual unconverted fuel at the end of a day is reused, while in the second, the residual fuel is discarded. To estimate a full year time-series of operation, a simplified statistical model was developed from short-period simulations of the 1-D heat transfer, devolatilisation and gasification chemistry model of a 150 kW th packed bed reactor (based on the authors’ earlier work). The short time-series cover a variety of solar conditions to represent seasonal, diurnal and cloud-induced solar transience. Also assessed was the influence of increasing the solar flux incident at the emitter plate of the packed bed reactor on syngas production. The combination of the annual time-series and daily model of syngas production was found to represent reasonably the seasonal transience in syngas production. It was then used to estimate the minimum syngas storage volume required to maintain a stable flow-rate and composition of syngas to a FT reactor over a full year of operation. This found that, for an assumed heliostat field collection area of 1000 m 2 , at least 64 days of storage is required, under both the Residual Fuel Re-Use and Discard scenarios. This figure was not sensitive to the two solar sites assessed, Farmington, New Mexico or Tonopah Airport, Nevada. Increasing the heliostat field collection area from 1000 to 1500 m 2 , led to an increase in the calculated daily rate

Start-up and bacterial community compositions of partial nitrification in moving bed biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tao; Mao, Yan-Jun; Shi, Yan-Ping; Quan, Xie

2017-03-01

Partial nitrification (PN) has been considered as one of the promising processes for pretreatment of ammonium-rich wastewater. In this study, a kind of novel carriers with enhanced hydrophilicity and electrophilicity was implemented in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) to start up PN process. Results indicated that biofilm formation rate was higher on modified carriers. In comparison with the reactor filled with traditional carriers (start-up period of 21 days), it took only 14 days to start up PN successfully with ammonia removal efficiency and nitrite accumulation rate of 90 and 91%, respectively, in the reactor filled with modified carriers. Evident changes of spatial distributions and community structures had been detected during the start-up. Free-floating cells existed in planktonic sludge, while these microorganisms trended to form flocs in the biofilm. High-throughput pyrosequencing results indicated that Nitrosomonas was the predominant ammonia-oxidizing bacterium (AOB) in the PN system, while Comamonas might also play a vital role for nitrogen oxidation. Additionally, some other bacteria such as Ferruginibacter, Ottowia, Saprospiraceae, and Rhizobacter were selected to establish stable footholds. This study would be potentially significant for better understanding the microbial features and developing efficient strategies accordingly for MBBR-based PN operation.

Phenols removal using ozonation-adsorption with granular activated carbon (GAC) in rotating packed bed reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Karamah, E. F.; Leonita, S.; Bismo, S.

2018-01-01

Synthetic wastewater containing phenols was treated using combination method of ozonation-adsorption with GAC (Granular Activated Carbon) in a packed bed rotating reactor. Ozone reacts quickly with phenol and activated carbon increases the oxidation process by producing hydroxyl radicals. Performance parameters evaluated are phenol removal percentage, the quantity of hydroxyl radical formed, changes in pH and ozone utilization, dissolved ozone concentration and ozone concentration in off gas. The performance of the combination method was compared with single ozonation and single adsorption. The influence of GAC dose and initial pH of phenols were evaluated in ozonation-adsorption method. The results show that ozonation-adsorption method generates more OH radicals than a single ozonation. Quantity of OH radical formation increases with increasing pH and quantity of the GAC. The combination method prove better performance in removing phenols. At the same operation condition, ozonation-adsorption method is capable of removing of 78.62% phenols as compared with single ozonation (53.15%) and single adsorption (36.67%). The increasing percentage of phenol removal in ozonation-adsorption method is proportional to the addition of GAC dose, solution pH, and packed bed rotator speed. Maximum percentage of phenol removal is obtained under alkaline conditions (pH 10) and 125 g of GAC

External Mass Transfer Model for Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition by Terminox Ultra Catalase in a Packed-Bed Reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grubecki Ireneusz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available It is known that external diffusional resistances are significant in immobilized enzyme packed-bed reactors, especially at large scales. Thus, the external mass transfer effects were analyzed for hydrogen peroxide decomposition by immobilized Terminox Ultra catalase in a packed-bed bioreactor. For this purpose the apparent reaction rate constants, kP, were determined by conducting experimental works at different superficial velocities, U, and temperatures. To develop an external mass transfer model the correlation between the Colburn factor, JD, and the Reynolds number, Re, of the type JD = K Re(n-1 was assessed and related to the mass transfer coefficient, kmL. The values of K and n were calculated from the dependence (am kp-1 - kR-1 vs. Re-1 making use of the intrinsic reaction rate constants, kR, determined before. Based on statistical analysis it was found that the mass transfer correlation JD = 0.972 Re-0.368 predicts experimental data accurately. The proposed model would be useful for the design and optimization of industrial-scale reactors.

The influence of process parameters in production of lipopeptide iturin A using aerated packed bed bioreactors in solid-state fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Piedrahíta-Aguirre, C A; Bastos, R G; Carvalho, A L; Monte Alegre, R

2014-08-01

The strain Bacillus iso 1 co-produces the lipopeptide iturin A and biopolymer poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) in solid-state fermentation of substrate consisting of soybean meal, wheat bran with rice husks as an inert support. The effects of pressure drop, oxygen consumption, medium permeability and temperature profile were studied in an aerated packed bed bioreactor to produce iturin A, diameter of which was 50 mm and bed height 300 mm. The highest concentrations of iturin A and γ-PGA were 5.58 and 3.58 g/kg-dry substrate, respectively, at 0.4 L/min after 96 h of fermentation. The low oxygen uptake rates, being 23.34 and 22.56 mg O2/kg-dry solid substrate for each air flow rate tested generated 5.75 W/kg-dry substrate that increased the fermentation temperature at 3.7 °C. The highest pressure drop was 561 Pa/m at 0.8 L/min in 24 h. This is the highest concentration of iturin A produced to date in an aerated packed bed bioreactor in solid-state fermentation. The results can be useful to design strategies to scale-up process of iturin A in aerated packed bed bioreactors. Low concentration of γ-PGA affected seriously pressure drop, decreasing the viability of the process due to generation of huge pressure gradients with volumetric air flow rates. Also, the low oxygenation favored the iturin A production due to the reduction of free void by γ-PGA production, and finally, the low oxygen consumption generated low metabolic heat. The results show that it must control the pressure gradients to scale-up the process of iturin A production.

Evaluation of NaX and NaY packed beds for chromium uptake from multicomponent solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Angélica Simões Dornellas de Barros

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper the removal of chromium from Cr/Ca/Mg/K and Cr/Ca/Mg/K/Na solutions was investigated in NaX and NaY packed beds. The breakthrough curves presented some overshooting phenomena where chromium ions displaced the previous exchanged cations. Length of unused bed, overall mass transfer coefficient, operational ratio and dimensionless variance were obtained. According to such mass transfer parameters it was concluded that the chromium uptake is influenced by the competition and interaction of the entering ions. Such influences were verified through some differences in the dynamic selectivity obtained for each system. NaY seemed to have a higher affinity towards Cr3+ and its sites were more efficiently used in the ion exchange process.

New Technologies for Studying Biofilms

Science.gov (United States)

FRANKLIN, MICHAEL J.; CHANG, CONNIE; AKIYAMA, TATSUYA; BOTHNER, BRIAN

2016-01-01

Bacteria have traditionally been studied as single-cell organisms. In laboratory settings, aerobic bacteria are usually cultured in aerated flasks, where the cells are considered essentially homogenous. However, in many natural environments, bacteria and other microorganisms grow in mixed communities, often associated with surfaces. Biofilms are comprised of surface-associated microorganisms, their extracellular matrix material, and environmental chemicals that have adsorbed to the bacteria or their matrix material. While this definition of a biofilm is fairly simple, biofilms are complex and dynamic. Our understanding of the activities of individual biofilm cells and whole biofilm systems has developed rapidly, due in part to advances in molecular, analytical, and imaging tools and the miniaturization of tools designed to characterize biofilms at the enzyme level, cellular level, and systems level. PMID:26350329

Efflux Performance of Submicron Particles in Packed Bed under Periodic Pressure Conditions; Shuki atsuho ni yoru juten sonai sabumikuron biryushi no ryushutsu tokusei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ping, Z; Iritani, E; Murase, T [Nagaya Univ. Nagoya (Japan). Department of Chemical Engineering

1997-09-01

Permeation experiments of ultrapure water were conducted under periodic pressure conditions using a packed bed obtained by dispersing submicron particles of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) uniformly into a packed bed of particles of White Alundum. It is clearly demonstrated that washing performance under periodic pressure conditions where the permeation pressure is applied periodically is improved dramatically, compared with that under constant pressure conditions. It is also shown that the effect of periodic pressure operation is especially noticeable in the initial stage of the pressurizing period, and that a pressurizing time smaller than 2 min is very effective under conditions examined in this study. 4 figs.

Packed bed reactor for degradation of simulated cyanide-containing wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Virender; Kumar, Vijay; Bhalla, Tek Chand

2015-10-01

The discharge of cyanide-containing effluents into the environment contaminates water bodies and soil. Effective methods of treatment which can detoxify cyanide are the need of the hour. The aim of the present study is to develop a bioreactor for complete degradation of cyanide using immobilized cells of Serratia marcescens RL2b. Alginate-entrapped cells of S. marcescens RL2b were used for complete degradation of cyanide in a packed bed reactor (PBR). Cells grown in minimal salt medium (pH 6.0) were harvested after 20 h and exhibited 0.4 U mg -1  dcw activity and 99 % cyanide degradation in 10 h. These resting cells were entrapped using 3 % alginate beads and packed in a column reactor (20 × 1.7 cm). Simulated cyanide (12 mmol l -1 )-containing wastewater was loaded and fractions were collected after different time intervals at various flow rates. Complete degradation of 12 m mmol l -1 (780 mg l -1 ) cyanide in 10 h was observed at a flow rate of 1.5 ml h -1 . The degradation of cyanide in PBR showed direct dependence on retention time. The retention time of cyanide in the reactor was 9.27 h. The PBR can degrade 1.2 g of cyanide completely in 1 day.

PEBBLES: A COMPUTER CODE FOR MODELING PACKING, FLOW AND RECIRCULATIONOF PEBBLES IN A PEBBLE BED REACTOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshua J. Cogliati; Abderrafi M. Ougouag

2006-10-01

A comprehensive, high fidelity model for pebble flow has been developed and embodied in the PEBBLES computer code. In this paper, a description of the physical artifacts included in the model is presented and some results from using the computer code for predicting the features of pebble flow and packing in a realistic pebble bed reactor design are shown. The sensitivity of models to various physical parameters is also discussed.

Influence of the type of organisms on the biomass hold-up in a fluidized-bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Timmermans, P.; Haute, A. van

1984-01-01

In the last few years, the use of fluidized-bed reactors for biological wastewater treatment has got increasing attention. In 1981, Shieh et al. proposed a model to predict the biomass concentration in a fluidized-bed reactor. From this model one can see that the biofilm density plays a very important role in determining the total biomass hold-up. In this article the influence of the type of carbon source on the biomass concentration, and as a consequence the type of organisms selected, is studied. The growth of a filamentous, budforming bacteria in a reactor treating nitrate rich surface water supplied with methanol as carbon source, results in a biomass concentration only half of the concentration which can normally be obtained in a fluidized-bed reactor treating synthetic wastewater; in this latter case rod-shaped bacteria are enriched which permit a dense packing.

Modelling of toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

The modelling of aerobic biodegradation of toluene and the associated biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm system is presented. The model includes four biomass fractions, three dissolved components, and seven processes. It is assumed that part of the active biomass is composed of filamentous bacteria...... which grow relatively fast and detach easily, leading to a biomass growth delayed with respect to substrate degradation. The non-filamentous bacteria inside the biofilm also degrade toluene but with a slower rate compared to the filamentous bacteria. Because the nonfilamentous bacteria do not detach......, they are primarily responsible for the biofilm growth. The active biomass decays into biodegradable and ``inert'' dead biomass which is hydrolyzed into soluble products at two different rates. These products are partly degradable by the biomass and constitute the endogenous respiration. The dynamic growth phase...

Modelling of toluene biodegradation and biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre; Arvin, Erik

1992-01-01

The modelling of aerobic biodegradation of toluene and the associated biofilm growth in a fixed biofilm system is presented. The model includes four biomass fractions, three dissolved components, and seven processes. It is assumed that part of the active biomass is composed of filamentous bacteria......, they are primarily responsible for the biofilm growth. The active biomass decays into biodegradable and ``inert'' dead biomass which is hydrolyzed into soluble products at two different rates. These products are partly degradable by the biomass and constitute the endogenous respiration. The dynamic growth phase...... which grow relatively fast and detach easily, leading to a biomass growth delayed with respect to substrate degradation. The non-filamentous bacteria inside the biofilm also degrade toluene but with a slower rate compared to the filamentous bacteria. Because the nonfilamentous bacteria do not detach...

Modeling the competitive effect of ammonium oxidizers and heterotrophs on the degradation of MTBE in a packed bed reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waul, Christopher Kevin; Arvin, Erik; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2008-01-01

A mathematical model was used to study effects on the degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in a packed bed reactor due to the presence of contaminants such as ammonium, and the mix of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). It was shown that competition between the slower...

Electro-active bio-films: formation, characterization and mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parot, Sandrine

2007-01-01

Some bacteria, which are able to exchange electrons with a conductive material without mediator form on conductive surfaces electro-active bio-films. This bacterial property has been recently discovered (2001). Objectives of this work are to develop electro-active bio-films in various natural environments from indigenous flora, then through complementary electrochemical techniques (chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry), to evaluate electro-activity of isolates coming from so-formed bio-films and to characterize mechanisms of electron transfer between bacteria and materials. First, electro-active bio-films have been developed under chrono-amperometry in garden compost and in water coming from Guyana mangrove. These bio-films were respectively able to use an electrode as electron acceptor (oxidation) or as electron donor (reduction). In compost, results obtained in chrono-amperometry and cyclic voltammetry suggest a two-step electron transfer: slow substrate consumption, then rapid electron transfer between bacteria and the electrode. Thereafter, the ability to reduce oxygen was demonstrated with cyclic voltammetry for facultative aerobic isolates from compost bio-films (Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp.) and for aerobic isolates obtained from marine electro-active bio-films (Roseobacter spp. in majority). Finally, bio-films inducing current increase in chrono-amperometry were developed in bioreactor with synthetic medium from a pure culture of isolates. Hence, for the first time, electro-activity of several anaerobic strains of Geobacter bremensis isolated from compost bio-films was highlighted. (author) [fr

Modeling of an axial flow, spherical packed-bed reactor for naphtha reforming process in the presence of the catalyst deactivation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iranshahi, D.; Pourazadi, E.; Paymooni, K.; Bahmanpour, A.M.; Rahimpour, M.R.; Shariati, A. [Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71345 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-12-15

Improving the octane number of the aromatics' compounds has always been an important matter in refineries and lots of investigations have been made concerning this issue. In this study, an axial-flow spherical packed-bed reactor (AF-SPBR) is considered for naphtha reforming process in the presence of catalyst deactivation. Model equations are solved by the orthogonal collocation method. The AF-SPBR results are compared with the plant data of a conventional tubular packed-bed reactor (TR). The effects of some important parameters such as pressure and temperature on aromatic and hydrogen production rates and catalyst activity have been investigated. Higher production rates of aromatics can successfully be achieved in this novel reactor. Moreover, results show the capability of flow augmentation in the proposed configuration in comparison with the TR. This study shows the superiority of AF-SPBR configuration to the conventional types. (author)

Denitrification performance of Pseudomonas denitrificans in a fluidized-bed biofilm reactor and in a stirred tank reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cattaneo, C.; Nicolella, C.; Rovatti, M. [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa (Italy)

2003-04-09

Denitrification of a synthetic wastewater containing nitrates and methanol as carbon source was carried out in two systems - a fluidized-bed biofilm reactor (FBBR) and a stirred tank reactor (STR) - using Pseudomonas denitrificans over a period of five months. Nitrogen loading was varied during operation of both reactors to assess differences in the response to transient conditions. Experimental data were analyzed to obtain a comparison of denitrification kinetics in biofilm and suspended growth reactors. The comparison showed that the volumetric degradation capacity in the FBBR (5.36 kg {sub N} . m{sup -3} . d{sup -1}) was higher than in the STR, due to higher biomass concentration (10 kg {sub BM} . m{sup -3} vs 1.2 kg {sub BM} m{sup -3}). (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Operational parameters and their influence on particle-side mass transfer resistance in a packed bed bioreactor

OpenAIRE

Hussain, Amir; Kangwa, Martin; Yumnam, Nivedita; Fernandez-Lahore, Marcelo

2015-01-01

The influence of internal mass transfer on productivity as well as the performance of packed bed bioreactor was determined by varying a number of parameters; chitosan coating, flow rate, glucose concentration and particle size. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were immobilized in chitosan and non-chitosan coated alginate beads to demonstrate the effect on particle side mass transfer on substrate consumption time, lag phase and ethanol production. The results indicate that chitosan coating, bead...

Packed-fluidized-bed blanket concept for a thorium-fueled commercial tokamak hybrid reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, J.W.H.; Miller, J.W.; Karbowski, J.S.; Chapin, D.L.; Kelly, J.L.

1980-09-01

A preliminary design of a thorium blanket was carried out as a part of the Commercial Tokamak Hybrid Reactor (CTHR) study. A fixed fuel blanket concept was developed as the reference CTHR blanket with uranium carbide fuel and helium coolant. A fixed fuel blanket was initially evaluated for the thorium blanket study. Subsequently, a new type of hybrid blanket, a packed-fluidized bed (PFB), was conceived. The PFB blanket concept has a number of unique features that may solve some of the problems encountered in the design of tokamak hybrid reactor blankets. This report documents the thorium blanket study and describes the feasibility assessment of the PFB blanket concept

The effect of moisture content on solid-state anaerobic digestion of dairy manure from a sawdust-bedded pack barn

Science.gov (United States)

The effect of moisture content on solid-state anaerobic digestion of dairy manure from a Korean sawdust-bedded pack barn was determined using laboratory-scale digesters operated at three moisture levels (70, 76, and 83% on a wet basis) at 37 C for 85 days. Results showed that digesters containing m...

Oxygen distribution in packed-bed membrane reactors for partial oxidations: effect of the radial porosity profiles on the product selectivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kurten, U.; van Sint Annaland, M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2004-01-01

A two-dimensional, pseudohomogeneous reactor model was presented to describe the radial and axial concentration profiles in a packed-bed membrane reactor and the local velocity field while accounting for the influences due to the distributive membrane flow and the radial porosity profile. The effect

Modeling sediment transport with an integrated view of the biofilm effects

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, H. W.; Lai, H. J.; Cheng, W.; Huang, L.; He, G. J.

2017-09-01

Most natural sediment is invariably covered by biofilms in reservoirs and lakes, which have significant influence on bed form dynamics and sediment transport, and also play a crucial role in natural river evolution, pollutant transport, and habitat changes. However, most models for sediment transport are based on experiments using clean sediments without biological materials. In this study, a three-dimensional mathematical model of hydrodynamics and sediment transport is presented with a comprehensive consideration of the biofilm effects. The changes of the bed resistance mainly due to the different bed form dynamics of the biofilm-coated sediment (biosediment), which affect the hydrodynamic characteristics, are considered. Moreover, the variations of parameters related to sediment transport after the biofilm growth are integrated, including the significant changes of the incipient velocity, settling velocity, reference concentration, and equilibrium bed load transport rate. The proposed model is applied to evaluate the effects of biofilms on the hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment transport in laboratory experiments. Results indicate that the mean velocity increases after the biofilm growth, and the turbulence intensity near the river bed decreases under the same flow condition. Meanwhile, biofilm inhibits sediment from moving independently. Thus, the moderate erosion is observed for biosediment resulting in smaller suspended sediment concentrations. The proposed model can reasonably reflect these sediment transport characteristics with biofilms, and the approach to integration of the biological impact could also be used in other modeling of sediment transport, which can be further applied to provide references for the integrated management of natural aqueous systems.

The art and science of forming packed analytical high-performance liquid chromatography columns.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkland, J J; Destefano, J J

2006-09-08

Columns of packed particles still are the most popular devices for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separations because of their great utility, excellent performance and wide variety. However, the forming of packed beds for efficient, stable columns traditionally has been an art where the basics of how to form optimum beds generally was not well understood. The recent development of monolith rods was introduced in part to overcome the difficulty of producing stable beds of packing particles. However, these materials are less versatile than packed particle columns. Technology developments in recent years have produced a better understanding among those skilled in the practice of how to form optimized packed beds, and this has led to widely available, high-quality commercial columns. This presentation discusses the developments that led to the present state of column packing technology. Important steps in the packing of efficient, stable beds are described. The key step of selecting the best solvent for the slurry packing method is emphasized. Factors affecting the mechanical stability of packed columns also are discussed. The early art of packing columns now has evolved into a more scientific approach that allows the packing of good columns with a minimum of effort and time.

Effect of hydraulic retention time on hydrodynamic behavior of anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor treating cattle slaughterhouse effluent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daiane Cristina de Freitas

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study of the hydrodynamic behavior in reactors provides characteristics of the flow regime and its anomalies that can reduce biological processes efficiency due to the decrease of the useful volume and the hydraulic retention time required for the performance of microbial activity. In this study, the hydrodynamic behavior of an anaerobic-aerobic fixed bed reactor, operated with HRT (hydraulic retention time of 24, 18 and 12 hours, was evaluated in the treatment of raw cattle slaughterhouse wastewater. Polyurethane foam and expanded clay were used as support media for biomass immobilization. Experimental data of pulse type stimulus-response assays were performed with eosin Y and bromophenol blue, and adjusted to the single-parameter theoretical models of dispersion and N-continuous stirred tank reactors in series (N-CSTR. N-CSTR model presented the best adjustment for the HRT and tracers evaluated. RDT (residence time distribution curves obtained with N-CSTR model in the assays with bromophenol blue resulted in better adjustment compared to the eosin Y. The predominant flow regime in AAFBR (anaerobic aerobic fixed bed reactor is the N-CSTR in series, as well as the existence of preferential paths and hydraulic short-circuiting.

Biofilms in chronic infections - a matter of opportunity - monospecies biofilms in multispecies infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burmølle, Mette; Thomsen, Trine Rolighed; Fazli, Mustafa

2010-01-01

It has become evident that aggregation or biofilm formation is an important survival mechanism for bacteria in almost any environment. In this review, we summarize recent visualizations of bacterial aggregates in several chronic infections (chronic otitis media, cystic fibrosis, infection due...... to permanent tissue fillers and chronic wounds) both as to distribution (such as where in the wound bed) and organization (monospecies or multispecies microcolonies). We correlate these biofilm observations to observations of commensal biofilms (dental and intestine) and biofilms in natural ecosystems (soil......). The observations of the chronic biofilm infections point toward a trend of low bacterial diversity and sovereign monospecies biofilm aggregates even though the infection in which they reside are multispecies. In contrast to this, commensal and natural biofilm aggregates contain multiple species that are believed...

Carbonaceous materials in petrochemical wastewater before and after treatment in an aerated submerged fixed-bed biofilm reactor

OpenAIRE

Trojanowicz Karol; Wojcik Wlodzimierz

2016-01-01

Results of the studies for determining fractions of organic contaminants in a pretreated petrochemical wastewater flowing into a pilot Aerated Submerged Fixed-Bed Biofilm Reactor (ASFBBR) are presented and discussed. The method of chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractionation consisted of physical tests and biological assays. It was found that the main part of the total COD in the petrochemical, pretreated wastewater was soluble organic substance with average value of 57.6%. The fractions of par...

Process integration for biological sulfate reduction in a carbon monoxide fed packed bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manoj; Sinharoy, Arindam; Pakshirajan, Kannan

2018-05-09

This study examined immobilized anaerobic biomass for sulfate reduction using carbon monoxide (CO) as the sole carbon source under batch and continuous fed conditions. The immobilized bacteria with beads made of 10% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) showed best results in terms of sulfate reduction (84 ± 3.52%) and CO utilization (98 ± 1.67%). The effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT), sulfate loading rate and CO loading rate on sulfate and CO removal was investigated employing a 1L packed bed bioreactor containing the immobilized biomass. At 48, 24 and 12 h HRT, the sulfate removal was 94.42 ± 0.15%, 89.75 ± 0.47% and 61.08 ± 0.34%, respectively, along with a CO utilization of more than 90%. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the results obtained showed that only the initial CO concentration significantly affected the sulfate reduction process. The reactor effluent sulfate concentrations were 27.41 ± 0.44, 59.16 ± 1.08, 315.83 ± 7.33 mg/L for 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L of influent sulfate concentrations respectively, under the optimum operating conditions. The sulfate reduction rates matched well with low inlet sulfate loading rates, indicating stable performance of the bioreactor system. Overall, this study yielded very high sulfate reduction efficiency by the immobilized anaerobic biomass under high CO loading condition using the packed bed reactor system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Butanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Napoli, Fabio; Olivieri, Giuseppe; Russo, Maria Elena; Marzocchella, Antonio; Salatino, Piero

2010-06-01

In this study, we report on a butanol production process by immobilized Clostridium acetobutylicum in a continuous packed bed reactor (PBR) using Tygon rings as a carrier. The medium was a solution of lactose (15-30 g/L) and yeast extract (3 g/L) to emulate the cheese whey, an abundant lactose-rich wastewater. The reactor was operated under controlled conditions with respect to the pH and to the dilution rate. The pH and the dilution rate ranged between 4 and 5, the dilution rate between 0.54 and 2.4 h(-1) (2.5 times the maximum specific growth rate assessed for suspended cells). The optimal performance of the reactor was recorded at a dilution rate of 0.97 h(-1): the butanol productivity was 4.4 g/Lh and the selectivity of solvent in butanol was 88%(w).

Anaerobic granular sludge and biofilm reactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skiadas, Ioannis V.; Gavala, Hariklia N.; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2003-01-01

by the immobilization of the biomass, which forms static biofilms, particle-supported biofilms, or granules depending on the reactor's operational conditions. The advantages of the high-rate anaerobic digestion over the conventional aerobic wastewater treatment methods has created a clear trend for the change......-rate anaerobic treatment systems based on anaerobic granular sludge and biofilm are described in this chapter. Emphasis is given to a) the Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) systems, b) the main characteristics of the anaerobic granular sludge, and c) the factors that control the granulation process...

Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to gamma-Valerolactone in Water Using Millimeter Sized Supported Ru Catalysts in a Packed Bed Reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piskun, A. S.; de Haan, J. E.; Wilbers, E.; de Bovenkamp, H. H. van; Tang, Z.; Heeres, Hero

gamma-Valerolactone (GVL) has been identified as a sustainable platform chemical for the production of carbon-based chemicals. We here report an experimental study on the catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) in water to GVL in a packed bed reactor using supported Ru catalysts (carbon,

Three-phase packed bed reactor with an evaporating solvent—I. Experimental: the hydrogenation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in methanol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gelder, K.B.; Damhof, J.K.; Kroijenga, P.J.; Westerterp, K.R.

1990-01-01

In this paper we present experimental data on the three-phase hydrogenation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) to triaminotoluene. The experiments are performed in a cocurrent upflow packed bed reactor. Methanol is used as an evaporating solvent. The influence of the main operating parameters, the

Enzymatic synthesis of farnesyl laurate in organic solvent: initial water activity, kinetics mechanism, optimization of continuous operation using packed bed reactor and mass transfer studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, N K; Kamaruddin, A H; Uzir, M H

2011-08-01

The influence of water activity and water content was investigated with farnesyl laurate synthesis catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM. Lipozyme RM IM activity depended strongly on initial water activity value. The best results were achieved for a reaction medium with an initial water activity of 0.11 since it gives the best conversion value of 96.80%. The rate constants obtained in the kinetics study using Ping-Pong-Bi-Bi and Ordered-Bi-Bi mechanisms with dead-end complex inhibition of lauric acid were compared. The corresponding parameters were found to obey the Ordered-Bi-Bi mechanism with dead-end complex inhibition of lauric acid. Kinetic parameters were calculated based on this model as follows: V (max) = 5.80 mmol l(-1) min(-1) g enzyme(-1), K (m,A) = 0.70 mmol l(-1) g enzyme(-1), K (m,B) = 115.48 mmol l(-1) g enzyme(-1), K (i) = 11.25 mmol l(-1) g enzyme(-1). The optimum conditions for the esterification of farnesol with lauric acid in a continuous packed bed reactor were found as the following: 18.18 cm packed bed height and 0.9 ml/min substrate flow rate. The optimum molar conversion of lauric acid to farnesyl laurate was 98.07 ± 0.82%. The effect of mass transfer in the packed bed reactor has also been studied using two models for cases of reaction limited and mass transfer limited. A very good agreement between the mass transfer limited model and the experimental data obtained indicating that the esterification in a packed bed reactor was mass transfer limited.

Novel method for quantitative estimation of biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Syal, Kirtimaan

2017-01-01

Biofilm protects bacteria from stress and hostile environment. Crystal violet (CV) assay is the most popular method for biofilm determination adopted by different laboratories so far. However, biofilm layer formed at the liquid-air interphase known as pellicle is extremely sensitive to its washing...... and staining steps. Early phase biofilms are also prone to damage by the latter steps. In bacteria like mycobacteria, biofilm formation occurs largely at the liquid-air interphase which is susceptible to loss. In the proposed protocol, loss of such biofilm layer was prevented. In place of inverting...... and discarding the media which can lead to the loss of the aerobic biofilm layer in CV assay, media was removed from the formed biofilm with the help of a syringe and biofilm layer was allowed to dry. The staining and washing steps were avoided, and an organic solvent-tetrahydrofuran (THF) was deployed...

Experimental and Numerical Research Activity on a Packed Bed TES System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Cascetta

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of experimental and numerical research activities on a packed bed sensible thermal energy storage (TES system. The TES consists of a cylindrical steel tank filled with small alumina beads and crossed by air used as the heat transfer fluid. Experimental tests were carried out while varying some operating parameters such as the mass flow rate, the inlet–outlet temperature thresholds and the aspect ratio (length over diameter. Numerical simulations were carried out using a one-dimensional model, specifically developed in the Matlab-Simulink environment and a 2D axisymmetric model based on the ANSYS-Fluent platform. Both models are based on a two-equation transient approach to calculate fluid and solid phase temperatures. Thermodynamic properties were considered to be temperature-dependent and, in the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD model, variable porosity of the bed in the radial direction, thermal losses and the effective conductivity of the alumina beads were also considered. The simulation results of both models were compared to the experimental ones, showing good agreement. The one-dimensional model has the advantage of predicting the axial temperature distribution with a very low computational cost, but it does not allow calculation of the correct energy stored when the temperature distribution is strongly influenced by the wall. To overcome this problem a 2D CFD model was used in this work.

Removal of nitrate, ammonia and phosphate from aqueous solutions in packed bed filter using biochar augmented sand media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Hanandeh Ali

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nutrients from wastewater are a major source of pollution because they can cause significant impact on the ecosystem. Accordingly, it is important that the nutrient concentrations are kept to admissible levels to the receiving environment. Often regulatory limits are set on the maximum allowable concentrations in the effluent. Therefore, wastewater must be treated to meet safe levels of discharge. In this study, laboratory investigation of the efficiency of packed bed filters to remove nitrate, ammonium and phosphate from aqueous solutions were conducted. Sand and sand augmented with hydrochloric acid treated biochar (SBC were used as packing media. Synthetic wastewater solution was prepared with PO43−, NO3−, NH4+ concentrations 20, 10, 50 mg/L, respectively. Each experiment ran for a period of five days; samples from the effluent were collected on alternate days. All experiments were duplicated. Over the experiment period, the average removal efficiency of PO43−, NO3−, NH4+ were 99.2%, 72.9%, 96.7% in the sand packed columns and 99.2%, 82.3%, 97.4% in the SBC packed columns, respectively. Although, the presence of biochar in the packing media had little effect on phosphate and ammonium removal, it significantly improved nitrate removal.

Effect of mass-transport limitations on the performance of a packed bed membrane reactor for partial oxidations. Intraparticle mass transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sint Annaland, van M.; Kurten, U.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2007-01-01

For partial oxidation systems, where the reaction order in oxygen of the formation rate of the target product is smaller than the reaction order in oxygen of the consecutive reaction rate toward the waste product, a packed bed membrane reactor can be applied to distributively dose oxygen along the

Effect of Mass-Transport Limitations on the Performance of a Packed Bed Membrane Reactor for Partial Oxidations. Intraparticle Mass Transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Sint Annaland, M.; Kurten, U.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2007-01-01

For partial oxidation systems, where the reaction order in oxygen of the formation rate of the target product is smaller than the reaction order in oxygen of the consecutive reaction rate toward the waste product, a packed bed membrane reactor can be applied to distributively dose oxygen along the

Thermo-catalytic pyrolysis of waste polyethylene bottles in a packed bed reactor with different bed materials and catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obeid, Farah; Zeaiter, Joseph; Al-Muhtaseb, Ala’a H.; Bouhadir, Kamal

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Thermo-catalytic pyrolysis of waste polyethylene bottles was investigated. • The highest yield of liquid (82%) was obtained over a cement powder bed. • Acidic catalysts narrowed the carbon chain length of the paraffins to C 10 –C 28 . • Combination of cement bed with HBeta catalyst gave the highest yield of liquid. • Significant yield of aromatics was obtained mainly naphthalene and D-limonene. - Abstract: Plastic waste is an increasing economic and environmental problem as such there is a great need to process this waste and reduce its environmental impact. In this work, the pyrolysis of high density polyethylene (HDPE) waste products was investigated using both thermal and catalytic cracking techniques. The experimental work was carried out using packed bed reactor operating under an inert atmosphere at 450 °C. Different reactor bed materials, including sand, cement and white clay were used to enhance the thermal cracking of HDPE. In addition, the catalytic effect of sodium hydroxide, HUSY and HBeta zeolite catalysts on the degradation of HDPE waste was also investigated. The reactor beds were found to significantly alter the yield as well as the product composition. Products such as paraffins (⩽C 44 ), olefins (⩽C 22 ), aromatics (⩽C 14 ) and alcohols (C 16 and C 17 ) were obtained at varying rates. The highest yield of liquid (82%) was obtained over a cement powder bed with a paraffin yield of 58%. The yield of paraffins and olefins followed separate paths, for paraffins it was found to increase in the order or Cement > White clay > Silica Sand, whereas for the olefins it was in the reverse order Silica Sand > White clay > Cement. The results obtained in this work exhibited a higher P/O ratio than expected, where the amount of generated paraffins was greater than 60% in most cases. Less olefin was generated as a consequence. This indicates that the product generated is more suited to be used as a fuel rather than as a chemical

Choanal and cloacal aerobic bacterial flora in captive green iguanas: a comparative analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Barazorda Romero

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aims of this study were to characterize the choanal and cloacal aerobic bacterial flora in healthy captive green iguanas and to compare it with the bacterial flora of the biofilm present in the water container of each terrarium. Samples were collected from the choana and the cloaca of 20 healthy captive adult green iguanas and from the biofilm of 15 water containers. The final identification of aerobic bacteria was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Salmonella positive samples were serotyped. The most common strains observed at each test location were from 1 choanae: Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacter cloacae and Comamonas testosteroni; 2 cloacae: Citrobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and Corynebacterium spp.; and 3 biofilms: Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella spp. and Acidovorax spp. We showed that apart from Salmonella spp., the choanal and cloacal bacterial flora differed from the microorganisms present in the biofilm of the animal’s water container. These data revealed that healthy captive adult green iguanas harbored several aerobic bacterial strains that in immunosuppressed reptiles may act as opportunistic pathogens. Also, several of the aerobic bacteria identified in samples are potential zoonotic agents. Characterization of the normal background flora in captive reptiles and their environment can contribute to an understanding of the spread of bacterial contamination and the risk of potential zoonotic diseases for people in contact with these animals.

Optimization of lipase-catalyzed biodiesel by isopropanolysis in a continuous packed-bed reactor using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Cheng; Chen, Jiann-Hwa; Chang, Chieh-Ming J; Wu, Tsung-Ta; Shieh, Chwen-Jen

2009-10-31

Isopropanolysis reactions were performed using triglycerides with immobilized lipase in a solvent-free environment. This study modeled the degree of isopropanolysis of soybean oil in a continuous packed-bed reactor when Novozym 435 was used as the biocatalyst. Response surface methodology (RSM) and three-level-three-factor Box-Behnken design were employed to evaluate the effects of synthesis parameters, reaction temperature ( degrees C), flow rate (mL/min) and substrate molar ratio of isopropanol to soybean oil, on the percentage molar conversion of biodiesel by transesterification. The results show that flow rate and temperature have a significant effect on the percentage of molar conversion. On the basis of ridge max analysis, the optimum conditions for synthesis were as follows: flow rate 0.1 mL/min, temperature 51.5 degrees C and substrate molar ratio 1:4.14. The predicted value was 76.62+/-1.52% and actual experimental value was 75.62+/-0.81% molar conversion. Moreover, continuous enzymatic process for seven days did not show any appreciable decrease in the percent of molar conversion (75%). This work demonstrates the applicability of lipase catalysis to prepare isopropyl esters by transesterification in solvent-free system with a continuous packed-bed reactor for industrial production.

Magnetic resonance velocity imaging of liquid and gas two-phase flow in packed beds.

Science.gov (United States)

Sankey, M H; Holland, D J; Sederman, A J; Gladden, L F

2009-02-01

Single-phase liquid flow in porous media such as bead packs and model fixed bed reactors has been well studied by MRI. To some extent this early work represents the necessary preliminary research to address the more challenging problem of two-phase flow of gas and liquid within these systems. In this paper, we present images of both the gas and liquid velocities during stable liquid-gas flow of water and SF(6) within a packing of 5mm spheres contained within columns of diameter 40 and 27 mm; images being acquired using (1)H and (19)F observation for the water and SF(6), respectively. Liquid and gas flow rates calculated from the velocity images are in agreement with macroscopic flow rate measurements to within 7% and 5%, respectively. In addition to the information obtained directly from these images, the ability to measure liquid and gas flow fields within the same sample environment will enable us to explore the validity of assumptions used in numerical modelling of two-phase flows.

The adsorption of copper in a packed-bed of chitosan beads: Modeling, multiple adsorption and regeneration

OpenAIRE

Neomagus, Hein W J P; Osifo, Peter O; Everson, Raymond C; Webster, Athena; Gun, Marius A

2009-01-01

In this study, exoskeletons of Cape rock lobsters were used as raw material in the preparation of chitin that was successively deacetylated to chitosan flakes. The chitosan flakes were modified into chitosan beads and the beads were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde in order to study copper adsorption and regeneration in a packed-bed column. Five consecutive adsorption and desorption cycles were carried out and a chitosan mass loss of 25% was observed, after the last cycle. Despite the loss of...

Response of Muddy Sediments and Benthic Diatom-based Biofilms to Repeated Erosion Events

Science.gov (United States)

Valentine, K.; Mariotti, G.; Fagherazzi, S.

2016-02-01

Benthic biofilms, microbes aggregated within a matrix of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS), are commonly found in shallow coastal areas and intertidal environments. Biofilms have the potential to stabilize sediments, hence reducing erosion and possibly mitigating land loss. The purpose of this study is to determine how repeated flow events that rework the bed affect biofilm growth and its ability to stabilize cohesive sediments. Natural mud devoid of grazers was used to create placed beds in four annular flumes; biofilms were allowed to grow on the sediment surface. Each flume was eroded at different time intervals (1 or 12 days) to allow for varied levels of biofilm growth and adjustment following erosion. In addition, experiments with abiotic mud were performed by adding bleach to the tank. Each erosion test consisted of step-wise increases in flow that were used to measured erodibility. In the experiments where the bed was eroded every day both the abiotic and biotic flumes exhibited a decrease in erodibility with time, likely due to consolidation, but the decrease in erodibility was greater in the flume with a biofilm. Specifically the presence of biofilm reduced bed erosion at low shear stresses ( 0.1 Pa). We attribute this progressive decrease in erodibility to the accumulation of EPS over time: even though the biofilm was eroded during each erosion event, the EPS was retained within the flume, mixed with the eroded sediment and eventually settled. Less frequent erosion allowed the growth of a stronger biofilm that decreased bed erosion at higher shear stresses ( 0.4 Pa). We conclude that the time between destructive flow events influences the ability of biofilms to stabilize sediments. This influence will likely be affected by biofilm growth conditions such as light, temperature, nutrients, salinity, and the microbial community.

Importance of spinel reaction kinetics in packed-bed chemical looping combustion using a CuO/Al2O3 oxygen carrier

NARCIS (Netherlands)

San Pio, M.A.; Sabatino, F.; Gallucci, F.; van Sint Annaland, M.

2018-01-01

Chemical looping combustion is especially competitive for electrical power generation with integrated CO2 capture when it is operated at high temperatures (1000–1200 °C) and high pressures (15 bar or higher). For these demanding conditions, dynamically operated packed bed reactors have been

Galacto-oligosaccharide production with immobilized ß-galactosidase in a packed-bed reactor vs. free ß-galactosidase in a batch reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Warmerdam, A.; Benjamins, E.; Leeuw de, T.F.; Broekhuis, T.A.; Boom, R.M.; Janssen, A.E.M.

2014-01-01

We report here that the usage of immobilized enzyme in a continuous packed bed reactor (PBR) can be a good alternative for GOS production instead of the traditional use of free enzyme in a batch reactor. The carbohydrate composition of the product of the PBR with immobilized enzyme was comparable to

Intermittent contact of fluidized anode particles containing exoelectrogenic biofilms for continuous power generation in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Liu, Jia

2014-09-01

Current generation in a microbial fuel cell can be limited by the amount of anode surface area available for biofilm formation, and slow substrate degradation kinetics. Increasing the anode surface area can increase the amount of biofilm, but performance will improve only if the anode material is located near the cathode to minimize solution internal resistance. Here we demonstrate that biofilms do not have to be in constant contact with the anode to produce current in an MFC. Granular activated carbon particles enriched with exoelectrogenic biofilm are fluidized (by stirring) in the anode chamber of the MFC, resulting in only intermittent contact between the particles and the anode current collector. The maximum power density generated is 951 ± 10 mW m-2, compared to 813 ± 2 mW m-2 for the control without stirring (packed bed), and 525 ± 1 mW m-2 in the absence of GAC particles and without stirring. GAC-biofilm particles demonstrate capacitor-like behavior, but achieve nearly constant discharge conditions due to the large number of particles that contact the current collector. These results provide proof of concept for the development of flowable electrode reactors, where anode biofilms can be electrically charged in a separate storage tank and then rapidly discharged in compact anode chambers. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intermittent contact of fluidized anode particles containing exoelectrogenic biofilms for continuous power generation in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Liu, Jia; Zhang, Fang; He, Weihua; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Feng, Yujie; Logan, Bruce E.

2014-01-01

Current generation in a microbial fuel cell can be limited by the amount of anode surface area available for biofilm formation, and slow substrate degradation kinetics. Increasing the anode surface area can increase the amount of biofilm, but performance will improve only if the anode material is located near the cathode to minimize solution internal resistance. Here we demonstrate that biofilms do not have to be in constant contact with the anode to produce current in an MFC. Granular activated carbon particles enriched with exoelectrogenic biofilm are fluidized (by stirring) in the anode chamber of the MFC, resulting in only intermittent contact between the particles and the anode current collector. The maximum power density generated is 951 ± 10 mW m-2, compared to 813 ± 2 mW m-2 for the control without stirring (packed bed), and 525 ± 1 mW m-2 in the absence of GAC particles and without stirring. GAC-biofilm particles demonstrate capacitor-like behavior, but achieve nearly constant discharge conditions due to the large number of particles that contact the current collector. These results provide proof of concept for the development of flowable electrode reactors, where anode biofilms can be electrically charged in a separate storage tank and then rapidly discharged in compact anode chambers. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green synthesis of isopropyl myristate in novel single phase medium Part II: Packed bed reactor (PBR) studies

OpenAIRE

Vadgama, Rajeshkumar N.; Odaneth, Annamma A.; Lali, Arvind M.

2015-01-01

Isopropyl myristate is a useful functional molecule responding to the requirements of numerous fields of application in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industry. In the present work, lipase-catalyzed production of isopropyl myristate by esterification of myristic acid with isopropyl alcohol (molar ratio of 1:15) in the homogenous reaction medium was performed on a bench-scale packed bed reactors, in order to obtain suitable reaction performance data for upscaling. An immobilized lipase B fr...

Continuous cadmium removal from aqueous solutions by seaweed in a packed-bed column under consecutive sorption-desorption cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jafari, Seyed Ali; Jamali, Abbas

2016-01-01

Packed-bed column process efficiency for cadmium adsorption from aqueous solution was investigated under different bed heights (2.6 to 7.5 cm) and feed flow rates (15 to 30 ml min -1 ). The column was filled with brown seaweed, Sargassum angustifolium. Three simplified models, including Bed Depth Service Time, Thomas, and Yoon- Nelson were employed for describing the experimental breakthrough curves as well as achieving design parameters. Bed lifetime was also evaluated in several consecutive sorption-desorption cycles. Cadmium concentration of 0.005mg l−1, as a standard limit for potable water, was considered as the breakthrough concentration. The maximum column performance was achieved 81% at 7.5 cm bed length and flow rate of 15 ml min -1 . Indeed, increasing the bed height increased the sorption performance and service time, while increasing the feed flow rate had a negative effect. Maximum sorption capacity value remained almost constant by the bed height changes; however, increase in the feed flow rate slightly decreased it. The modeling results revealed that the Yoon-Nelson model was more accurate than Thomas for describing the experimental breakthrough data, especially at low flow rates. Column service time predictions were surprisingly achieved using the Bed Depth Service Time model even at extrapolations. 20% reduction in column adsorption efficiency was observed at the end of four consecutive sorption-desorption cycles; however, desorption efficiencies were achieved more than 99% in each cycle.

Continuous cadmium removal from aqueous solutions by seaweed in a packed-bed column under consecutive sorption-desorption cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jafari, Seyed Ali; Jamali, Abbas [Persian Gulf Research Institute, Persian Gulf University, 75169, Bushehr (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-04-15

Packed-bed column process efficiency for cadmium adsorption from aqueous solution was investigated under different bed heights (2.6 to 7.5 cm) and feed flow rates (15 to 30 ml min{sup -1}). The column was filled with brown seaweed, Sargassum angustifolium. Three simplified models, including Bed Depth Service Time, Thomas, and Yoon- Nelson were employed for describing the experimental breakthrough curves as well as achieving design parameters. Bed lifetime was also evaluated in several consecutive sorption-desorption cycles. Cadmium concentration of 0.005mg l−1, as a standard limit for potable water, was considered as the breakthrough concentration. The maximum column performance was achieved 81% at 7.5 cm bed length and flow rate of 15 ml min{sup -1}. Indeed, increasing the bed height increased the sorption performance and service time, while increasing the feed flow rate had a negative effect. Maximum sorption capacity value remained almost constant by the bed height changes; however, increase in the feed flow rate slightly decreased it. The modeling results revealed that the Yoon-Nelson model was more accurate than Thomas for describing the experimental breakthrough data, especially at low flow rates. Column service time predictions were surprisingly achieved using the Bed Depth Service Time model even at extrapolations. 20% reduction in column adsorption efficiency was observed at the end of four consecutive sorption-desorption cycles; however, desorption efficiencies were achieved more than 99% in each cycle.

Root Cause Assessment of Pressure Drop Rise of a Packed Bed of Lithium Hydroxide in the International Space Station Trace Contaminant Control System

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilera, Tatiana; Perry, Jay L.

2009-01-01

The trace contaminant control system (TCCS) located in the International Space Station s (ISS) U.S. laboratory module employs physical adsorption, thermal catalytic oxidation, and chemical adsorption to remove trace chemical contamination produced by equipment offgassing and anthropogenic sources from the cabin atmosphere. The chemical adsorption stage, consisting of a packed bed of granular lithium hydroxide (LiOH), is located after the thermal catalytic oxidation stage and is designed to remove acid gas byproducts that may be formed in the upstream oxidation stage. While in service on board the ISS, the LiOH bed exhibited a change in flow resistance that leading to flow control difficulties in the TCCS. Post flight evaluation revealed LiOH granule size attrition among other changes. An experimental program was employed to investigate mechanisms hypothesized to contribute to the change in the packed bed s flow resistance. Background on the problem is summarized, including a discussion of likely mechanisms. The experimental program is described, results are presented, and implications for the future are discussed.

Continuous Flow Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation Reactions Using a Heterogeneous Ru(OH)x/Al2O3 Catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Ru(OH)x/Al2O3 is among the more versatile catalysts for aerobic alcohol oxidation and dehydrogenation of nitrogen heterocycles. Here, we describe the translation of batch reactions to a continuous-flow method that enables high steady-state conversion and single-pass yields in the oxidation of benzylic alcohols and dehydrogenation of indoline. A dilute source of O2 (8% in N2) was used to ensure that the reaction mixture, which employs toluene as the solvent, is nonflammable throughout the process. A packed bed reactor was operated isothermally in an up-flow orientation, allowing good liquid–solid contact. Deactivation of the catalyst during the reaction was modeled empirically, and this model was used to achieve high conversion and yield during extended operation in the aerobic oxidation of 2-thiophene methanol (99+% continuous yield over 72 h). PMID:25620869

Modelling and Simulation of a Packed Bed of Pulp Fibers Using Mixed Collocation Method

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Ishfaq Ahmad Ganaie

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A convenient computational approach for solving mathematical model related to diffusion dispersion during flow through packed bed is presented. The algorithm is based on the mixed collocation method. The method is particularly useful for solving stiff system arising in chemical and process engineering. The convergence of the method is found to be of order 2 using the roots of shifted Chebyshev polynomial. Model is verified using the literature data. This method has provided a convenient check on the accuracy of the results for wide range of parameters, namely, Peclet numbers. Breakthrough curves are plotted to check the effect of Peclet number on average and exit solute concentrations.

Biofilm formation on membranes used for membrane aerated biological reactors, under different stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade-Molinar, C.; Ballinas-Casarrubias, M. L.; Solis-Martinez, F. J.; Rivera-Chavira, B. E.; Cuevas-Rodirguez, G.; Nevarez-Moorillon, G. V.

2009-01-01

Bacterial biofilm play an important role in wastewater treatment processes, and have been optimized in the membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABR). In MABR, a hydrophobic membrane is used as support for the formation of biofilm, and supplements enough aeration to assure an aerobic process. (Author)

Packed bed reactor treatment of liquid hazardous and mixed wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tennant, R.A.; Wantuck, P.J.; Vargas, R.

1992-01-01

We are developing thermal-based packed bed reactor (PBR) technology as an alternative to incineration for treatment of hazardous organic liquid wastes. The waste streams targeted by this technology are machining fluids contaminated with chlorocarbons and/or chlorofluorocarbons and low levels of plutonium or tritium The PBR offers several distinct advantages including simplistic design, rugged construction, ambient pressure processing, economical operations, as well as ease of scalability and maintainability. In this paper, we provide a description of the apparatus as well as test results using prepared mixtures of machining oils/emulsions with trichloroethylene (TCE), carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), trichloroethane (TCA), and Freon TF. The current treatment system is configured as a two stage device with the PBR (1st stage) coupled to a silent discharge plasma (SDP) cell. The SDP serves as a second stage for further treatment of the gaseous effluent from the PBR. One of the primary advantages of this two stage system is that its suitability for closed loop operation where radioactive components are well contained and even CO 2 is not released to the environment

Biodegradation of formaldehyde from contaminated air using a laboratory scale static-bed bioreactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaghoub Hajizadeh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance of an aerobic fixed-bed bioreactor (FBR enriched with microorganisms of sewage sludge in biodegradation of formaldehyde in air stream with various retention times and airflow rates in laboratory scale. Materials and Methods: An aerobic biofilter 60 cm in height and 14 cm internal diameter made of steel was constructed and packed with a mixture of pumice and compost as a medium and utilized in this study. The microorganism′s growth, which is derived from the sludge of a municipal wastewater treatment plant, was initiated by adding nutrient. During the first few days of run, the airflow containing different concentrations of formaldehyde (from 24 ± 3 to 224 ± 5 mg/m 3 was introduced to the reactor to ensure biological adaptation. Sampling was performed through a series of two impingers containing adsorbent, and analyzed by chromotropic acid assay using DR-5000. Results: The maximum removal and elimination capacity of formaldehyde was yielded at 0.48 ± 0.06 g/m 3 /h inlet loading rate and 180 s of empty bed retention time (EBRT. These values for stabilized days were almost 88% and 0.42 g/m 3 /h, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that by increasing the inlet concentration of formaldehyde and reducing the EBRT, the formaldehyde removal capacity of the system decreases. Aerobic bioreactor with appropriate bed volume and compatible with inlet pollutant mass flow rate in optimum retention time will admissibly degrade and reduce the formaldehyde concentration from contaminated gas phase, such as gases produced in municipal wastewater treatment facilities.

Glycerol metabolism induces Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Crespo Tapia, Natalia; den Besten, Heidy M W; Abee, Tjakko

2018-05-20

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that can grow as a biofilm on surfaces. Biofilm formation in food-processing environments is a big concern for food safety, as it can cause product contamination through the food-processing line. Although motile aerobic bacteria have been described to form biofilms at the air-liquid interface of cell cultures, to our knowledge, this type of biofilm has not been described in L. monocytogenes before. In this study we report L. monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface of aerobically grown cultures, and that this phenotype is specifically induced when the media is supplemented with glycerol as a carbon and energy source. Planktonic growth, metabolic activity assays and HPLC measurements of glycerol consumption over time showed that glycerol utilization in L. monocytogenes is restricted to growth under aerobic conditions. Gene expression analysis showed that genes encoding the glycerol transporter GlpF, the glycerol kinase GlpK and the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase GlpD were upregulated in the presence of oxygen, and downregulated in absence of oxygen. Additionally, motility assays revealed the induction of aerotaxis in the presence of glycerol. Our results demonstrate that the formation of biofilms at the air-liquid interface is dependent on glycerol-induced aerotaxis towards the surface of the culture, where L. monocytogenes has access to higher concentrations of oxygen, and is therefore able to utilize this compound as a carbon source. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT AND FRICTION FACTOR OF Al2O3 NANOFLUID IN A PACKED BED COLUMN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Srinivasa Rao

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The forced convection heat transfer coefficient and friction factor are determined for the flow of water and nanofluid in a vertical packed bed column. The analysis is undertaken in the laminar and transition Reynolds number range. The column is filled with spherical glass beads as the bed material. The heat transfer coefficients with Al2O3 nanofluid increased by 12% to 15% with the increase of volume concentration from 0.02% to 0.5% compared with water. The experimental values of axial temperature are in good agreement with the NTU-ε method proposed by Schumann’s model.

The role of hydrodynamics in shaping the composition and architecture of epilithic biofilms in fluvial ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Risse-Buhl, Ute; Anlanger, Christine; Kalla, Katalin; Neu, Thomas R; Noss, Christian; Lorke, Andreas; Weitere, Markus

2017-12-15

Previous laboratory and on-site experiments have highlighted the importance of hydrodynamics in shaping biofilm composition and architecture. In how far responses to hydrodynamics can be found in natural flows under the complex interplay of environmental factors is still unknown. In this study we investigated the effect of near streambed turbulence in terms of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) on the composition and architecture of biofilms matured in two mountainous streams differing in dissolved nutrient concentrations. Over both streams, TKE significantly explained 7% and 8% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. However, effects were more pronounced in the nutrient richer stream, where TKE significantly explained 12% and 3% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. While at lower nutrient concentrations seasonally varying factors such as stoichiometry of dissolved nutrients (N/P ratio) and light were more important and explained 41% and 6% of the variability in biofilm composition and architecture, respectively. Specific biofilm features such as elongated ripples and streamers, which were observed in response to the uniform and unidirectional flow in experimental settings, were not observed. Microbial biovolume and surface area covered by the biofilm canopy increased with TKE, while biofilm thickness and porosity where not affected or decreased. These findings indicate that under natural flows where near bed flow velocities and turbulence intensities fluctuate with time and space, biofilms became more compact. They spread uniformly on the mineral surface as a film of densely packed coccoid cells appearing like cobblestone pavement. The compact growth of biofilms seemed to be advantageous for resisting hydrodynamic shear forces in order to avoid displacement. Thus, near streambed turbulence can be considered as important factor shaping the composition and architecture of biofilms grown under natural

Performance and regeneration of a pellet-packed-bed diesel-particulate trap; Ryutai jutenso diesel biryushi trap no seino oyobi saisei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shioji, M; Nakai, S; Ikegami, M [Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan); Hori, Y [Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., Shizuoka (Japan)

1997-10-01

This paper demonstrates with the feasibility of a pellet-packed bed for trapping diesel particulates. After making pellets loose from the packed condition, regeneration is established by a circulation of pellets in the trap and collected particulates are efficiently dropped out through the wire mesh on the bottom of the trap. An experimental trap with the pellet-circulation system using a spiral feeder is tested on a single-cylinder test engine to show the trap and regeneration efficiencies. In addition, the condition of pellet circulation is observed using the transparent cylinder, based on which the design of pellet and trap sizes are discussed. 6 refs., 10 figs.

Modelling and Simulation of Packed Bed Catalytic Converter for Oxidation of Soot in Diesel Powered Vehicles Flue Gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Nasikin

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Diesel vehicle is used in Indonesia in very big number. This vehicle exhausts pollutants especially diesel soot that can be reduces by using a catalytic converter to convert the soot to CO2. To obtain the optimal dimension of catalytic converter it is needed a model that can represent the profile of soot weight, temperature and pressure along the catalytic converter. In this study, a model is developed for packed bed catalytic converter in an adiabatic condition based on a kinetic study that has been  reported previously. Calculation of developed equations in this model uses Polymath 5.X solver with Range Kutta Method. The simulation result shows that temperature profile along catalytic converter increases with the decrease of soot weight,  while pressure profile decreases. The increase of soot weight in entering gas increases the needed converter length. On the other hand, the increase of catalyst diameter does not affect to soot weight along converter and temperature profile, but results a less pressure drop. For 2.500 c diesel engine, packed bed catalytic converter with ellipse's cross sectional of 14,5X7,5 cm diagonal and 0,8 cm catalyst particle diameter, needs 4,1 cm length.

Hexavalent chromium reduction in a sulfur reducing packed-bed bioreactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahinkaya, Erkan, E-mail: erkansahinkaya@yahoo.com [Department of Bioengineering, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goeztepe, Istanbul (Turkey); Kilic, Adem [Department of Environmental Engineering, Harran University, Osmanbey Campus, 63000 Sanliurfa (Turkey); Altun, Muslum [Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey); Komnitsas, Kostas [Department of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania (Greece); Lens, Piet N.L. [Unesco-IHE Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, Delft 2611 AX (Netherlands)

2012-06-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Elemental sulfur can be used as electron acceptor for sulfide production. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biogenically produced sulfide reduces Cr(VI) to the much less toxic and immobile form of Cr(III). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sulfur packed bioreactor is efficient for Cr(VI) containing wastewater treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reduced form of chromium precipitates in the bioreactor. - Abstract: The most commonly used approach for the detoxification of hazardous industrial effluents and wastewaters containing Cr(VI) is its reduction to the much less toxic and immobile form of Cr(III). This study investigates the cleanup of Cr(VI) containing wastewaters using elemental sulfur as electron acceptor, for the production of hydrogen sulfide that induces Cr(VI) reduction. An elemental sulfur reducing packed-bed bioreactor was operated at 28-30 Degree-Sign C for more than 250 days under varying influent Cr(VI) concentrations (5.0-50.0 mg/L) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 0.36-1.0 day). Ethanol or acetate (1000 mg/L COD) was used as carbon source and electron donor. The degree of COD oxidation varied between 30% and 85%, depending on the operating conditions and the type of organic carbon source. The oxidation of organic matter was coupled with the production of hydrogen sulfide, which reached a maximum concentration of 750 mg/L. The biologically produced hydrogen sulfide reduced Cr(VI) chemically to Cr(III) that precipitated in the reactor. Reduction of Cr(VI) and removal efficiency of total chromium always exceeded 97% and 85%, respectively, implying that the reduced chromium was retained in the bioreactor. This study showed that sulfur can be used as an electron acceptor to produce hydrogen sulfide that induces efficient reduction and immobilization of Cr(VI), thus enabling decontamination of Cr(VI) polluted wastewaters.

Process engineering and optimization of glycerol separation in a packed-bed reactor for enzymatic biodiesel production.

Science.gov (United States)

Hama, Shinji; Tamalampudi, Sriappareddy; Yoshida, Ayumi; Tamadani, Naoki; Kuratani, Nobuyuki; Noda, Hideo; Fukuda, Hideki; Kondo, Akihiko

2011-11-01

A process model for efficient glycerol separation during methanolysis in an enzymatic packed-bed reactor (PBR) was developed. A theoretical glycerol removal efficiency from the reaction mixture containing over 30% methyl esters was achieved at a high flow rate of 540 ml/h. To facilitate a stable operation of the PBR system, a batch reaction prior to continuous methanolysis was conducted using oils with different acid values and immobilized lipases pretreated with methyl esters. The reaction system successfully attained the methyl ester content of over 30% along with reduced viscosity and water content. Furthermore, to obtain a high methyl ester content above 96% continuously, long-term lipase stability was confirmed by operating a bench-scale PBR system for 550 h, in which the intermediates containing methyl esters and residual glycerides were fed into the enzyme-packed columns connected in series. Therefore, the developed process model is considered useful for industrial biodiesel production. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Shifts in Packing Fraction on k-effective in Pebble-Bed Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ougouag, Abderrafi Mohammed-El-Ami; Terry, William Knox

2001-01-01

A preliminary examination of the effect of pebble packing changes on the reactivity of a pebble-bed reactor (PBR) is performed. As a first step, using the MCNP code, the modeling of a PBR core as a continuous and homogeneous region is compared to the modeling as a collection of discrete pebbles of equal average fuel density. It is shown that the two modeling approaches give the same trends inasmuch as changes in keff are concerned. It is thus shown that for the purpose of identifying trends in keff changes, the use of a homogeneous model is sufficient. A homogeneous model is then used to assess the effect of pebble packing arrangement changes on the reactivity of a PBR core. It is shown that the changes can be large enough to result in prompt criticality. It is shown that for uranium fueled PBRs, thermal feedback could have the potential to offset the increase in activity, whereas for plutonium fueled systems, thermal feedback may not be sufficient for totally offsetting the packing-increase reactivity insertion and could even exacerbate the initial response. It is thus shown that a full study, including reactor kinetics, thermal feedback, and the dynamics of energy deposition and removal is warranted to fully characterize the potential consequences of packing shifts

The Biofilm Community-Rebels with a Cause.

Science.gov (United States)

Aruni, A Wilson; Dou, Yuetan; Mishra, Arunima; Fletcher, Hansel M

2015-03-01

Oral Biofilms are one of the most complex and diverse ecosystem developed by successive colonization of more than 600 bacterial taxa. Development starts with the attachment of early colonizers such as Actinomyces species and oral streptococci on the acquired pellicle and tooth enamel. These bacteria not only adhere to tooth surface but also interact with each other and lay foundation for attachment of bridging colonizer such as Fusobacterium nucleatum followed by late colonizers including the red complex species: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola -the founders of periodontal disease. As the biofilm progresses from supragingival sites to subgingival sites, the environment changes from aerobic to anaerobic thus favoring the growth of mainly Gram-negative obligate anaerobes while restricting the growth of the early Gram-positive facultative aerobes. Microbes present at supragingival level are mainly related to gingivitis and root-caries whereas subgingival species advance the destruction of teeth supporting tissues and thus causing periodontitis. This review summarizes our present understanding and recent developments on the characteristic features of supra- and subgingival biofilms, interaction between different genera and species of bacteria constituting these biofilms and draws our attention to the role of some of the recently discovered members of the oral community.

Characterization of microbial biofilms in a thermophilic biogas system by high-throughput metagenome sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rademacher, Antje; Zakrzewski, Martha; Schlüter, Andreas; Schönberg, Mandy; Szczepanowski, Rafael; Goesmann, Alexander; Pühler, Alfred; Klocke, Michael

2012-03-01

DNAs of two biofilms of a thermophilic two-phase leach-bed biogas reactor fed with rye silage and winter barley straw were sequenced by 454-pyrosequencing technology to assess the biofilm-based microbial community and their genetic potential for anaerobic digestion. The studied biofilms matured on the surface of the substrates in the hydrolysis reactor (HR) and on the packing in the anaerobic filter reactor (AF). The classification of metagenome reads showed Clostridium as most prevalent bacteria in the HR, indicating a predominant role for plant material digestion. Notably, insights into the genetic potential of plant-degrading bacteria were determined as well as further bacterial groups, which may assist Clostridium in carbohydrate degradation. Methanosarcina and Methanothermobacter were determined as most prevalent methanogenic archaea. In consequence, the biofilm-based methanogenesis in this system might be driven by the hydrogenotrophic pathway but also by the aceticlastic methanogenesis depending on metabolite concentrations such as the acetic acid concentration. Moreover, bacteria, which are capable of acetate oxidation in syntrophic interaction with methanogens, were also predicted. Finally, the metagenome analysis unveiled a large number of reads with unidentified microbial origin, indicating that the anaerobic degradation process may also be conducted by up to now unknown species. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Properties Influencing Plasma Discharges in Packed Bed Reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kruszelnicki, Juliusz; Engeling, Kenneth W.; Foster, John E.; Kushner, Mark J.

2016-09-01

Atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) sustained in packed bed reactors (PBRs) are being investigated for CO2 removal and conversion of waste gases into higher value compounds. We report on results of a computational investigation of PBR-DBD properties using the plasma hydrodynamics simulator nonPDPSIM with a comparison to experiments. Dielectric beads (rods in 2D) were inserted between two coplanar electrodes, 1 cm apart filled by humid air. A step-pulse of -30 kV was applied to the top electrode. Material properties of the beads (dielectric constant, secondary emission coefficient) and gas properties (photoionization and photo-absorption cross-sections, temperature) were varied. We found that photoionization plays a critical role in the propagation of the discharge through the PBR, as it serves to seed charges in regions of high electric field. Increasing rates of photo-ionization enable increases in the discharge propagation velocity, ionization rates and production of radicals. A transition between DBD-like and arc-like discharges occurs as the radiation mean free path decreases. Increasing the dielectric constant of the beads increased electric fields in the gas, which translated to increased discharge propagation velocity and charge density until ɛ/ɛ0 100. Secondary electron emission coefficient and gas temperature have minimal impacts on the discharge propagation though the latter did affect the production of reactive species. Work supported by US DOE Office of Fusion Energy Science and the National Science Foundation.

Column-to-column packing variation of disposable pre-packed columns for protein chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweiger, Susanne; Hinterberger, Stephan; Jungbauer, Alois

2017-12-08

In the biopharmaceutical industry, pre-packed columns are the standard for process development, but they must be qualified before use in experimental studies to confirm the required performance of the packed bed. Column qualification is commonly done by pulse response experiments and depends highly on the experimental testing conditions. Additionally, the peak analysis method, the variation in the 3D packing structure of the bed, and the measurement precision of the workstation influence the outcome of qualification runs. While a full body of literature on these factors is available for HPLC columns, no comparable studies exist for preparative columns for protein chromatography. We quantified the influence of these parameters for commercially available pre-packed and self-packed columns of disposable and non-disposable design. Pulse response experiments were performed on 105 preparative chromatography columns with volumes of 0.2-20ml. The analyte acetone was studied at six different superficial velocities (30, 60, 100, 150, 250 and 500cm/h). The column-to-column packing variation between disposable pre-packed columns of different diameter-length combinations varied by 10-15%, which was acceptable for the intended use. The column-to-column variation cannot be explained by the packing density, but is interpreted as a difference in particle arrangement in the column. Since it was possible to determine differences in the column-to-column performance, we concluded that the columns were well-packed. The measurement precision of the chromatography workstation was independent of the column volume and was in a range of±0.01ml for the first peak moment and±0.007 ml 2 for the second moment. The measurement precision must be considered for small columns in the range of 2ml or less. The efficiency of disposable pre-packed columns was equal or better than that of self-packed columns. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrification of industrial and domestic saline wastewaters in moving bed biofilm reactor and sequencing batch reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bassin, Joao P.; Dezotti, Marcia; Sant'Anna, Geraldo L.

2011-01-01

Nitrification of saline wastewaters was investigated in bench-scale moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBR). Wastewater from a chemical industry and domestic sewage, both treated by the activated sludge process, were fed to moving-bed reactors. The industrial wastewater contained 8000 mg Cl - /L and the salinity of the treated sewage was gradually increased until that level. Residual substances present in the treated industrial wastewater had a strong inhibitory effect on the nitrification process. Assays to determine inhibitory effects were performed with the industrial wastewater, which was submitted to ozonation and carbon adsorption pretreatments. The latter treatment was effective for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and improved nitrification efficiency. Nitrification percentage of the treated domestic sewage was higher than 90% for all tested chloride concentrations up to 8000 mg/L. Results obtained in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) were consistent with those attained in the MBBR systems, allowing tertiary nitrification and providing adequate conditions for adaptation of nitrifying microorganisms even under stressing and inhibitory conditions.

An aerated and fluidized bed membrane bioreactor for effective wastewater treatment with low membrane fouling

KAUST Repository

Ye, Yaoli; Labarge, Nicole; Kashima, Hiroyuki; Kim, Kyoung Yeol; Hong, Pei-Ying; Saikaly, Pascal; Logan, Bruce E.

2016-01-01

Anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs) use granular activated carbon (GAC) particles suspended by recirculation to effectively treat low strength wastewaters (∼100–200 mg L−1, chemical oxygen demand, COD), but the effluent can contain dissolved methane. An aerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AOFMBR) was developed to avoid methane production and the need for wastewater recirculation by using rising air bubbles to suspend GAC particles. The performance of the AOFMBR was compared to an AFMBR and a conventional aerobic membrane bioreactor (AeMBR) for domestic wastewater treatment over 130 d at ambient temperatures (fixed hydraulic retention time of 1.3 h). The effluent of the AOFMBR had a COD of 20 ± 8 mg L−1, and a turbidity of <0.2 NTU, for low-COD influent (153 ± 19 and 214 ± 27 mg L−1), similar to the AeMBR and AFMBR. For the high-COD influent (299 ± 24 mg L−1), higher effluent CODs were obtained for the AeMBR (38 ± 9 mg L−1) and AFMBR (51 ± 11 mg L−1) than the AOFMBR (26 ± 6 mg L−1). Transmembrane pressure of the AOFMBR increased at 0.04 kPa d−1, which was 20% less than the AeMBR and 57% less than the AFMBR, at the low influent COD. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated a more uniform biofilm on the membrane in AOFMBR than that from the AeMBR biofilm, and no evidence of membrane damage. High similarity was found between communities in the suspended sludge in the AOFMBR and AeMBR (square-root transformed Bray–Curtis similarity, SRBCS, 0.69). Communities on the GAC and suspended sludge were dissimilar in the AOFMBR (SRBCS, 0.52), but clustered in the AFMBR (SRBCS, 0.63).

An aerated and fluidized bed membrane bioreactor for effective wastewater treatment with low membrane fouling

KAUST Repository

Ye, Yaoli

2016-09-24

Anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs) use granular activated carbon (GAC) particles suspended by recirculation to effectively treat low strength wastewaters (∼100–200 mg L−1, chemical oxygen demand, COD), but the effluent can contain dissolved methane. An aerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (AOFMBR) was developed to avoid methane production and the need for wastewater recirculation by using rising air bubbles to suspend GAC particles. The performance of the AOFMBR was compared to an AFMBR and a conventional aerobic membrane bioreactor (AeMBR) for domestic wastewater treatment over 130 d at ambient temperatures (fixed hydraulic retention time of 1.3 h). The effluent of the AOFMBR had a COD of 20 ± 8 mg L−1, and a turbidity of <0.2 NTU, for low-COD influent (153 ± 19 and 214 ± 27 mg L−1), similar to the AeMBR and AFMBR. For the high-COD influent (299 ± 24 mg L−1), higher effluent CODs were obtained for the AeMBR (38 ± 9 mg L−1) and AFMBR (51 ± 11 mg L−1) than the AOFMBR (26 ± 6 mg L−1). Transmembrane pressure of the AOFMBR increased at 0.04 kPa d−1, which was 20% less than the AeMBR and 57% less than the AFMBR, at the low influent COD. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated a more uniform biofilm on the membrane in AOFMBR than that from the AeMBR biofilm, and no evidence of membrane damage. High similarity was found between communities in the suspended sludge in the AOFMBR and AeMBR (square-root transformed Bray–Curtis similarity, SRBCS, 0.69). Communities on the GAC and suspended sludge were dissimilar in the AOFMBR (SRBCS, 0.52), but clustered in the AFMBR (SRBCS, 0.63).

On the heat transfer in packed beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sordon, G.

1988-09-01

The design of a fusion reactor blanket concept based on a bed of lithium containing ceramic pebbles or a mixture of ceramic and beryllium pebbles demands the knowledge of the effective thermal conductivity of pebble beds, including beds formed by a binary mixture of high conducting metallic pebbles and poorly conducting pebbles. In this work, binary mixtures of spheres of same diameter and different conductivities as well as beds formed by one type of spheres were investigated. The experimental apparatus consists of a stainless steel cylinder with a heating rod along the symmetry axis. Experiments with stagnant and flowing gas were performed. The pebbles were of Al 2 O 3 (diameter = 1, 2, 4 mm), of Li 4 SO 4 (diameter = 0.5 mm) of Al (diameter = 2 mm) and of steel (diameter = 2, 4 mm). Experimental values of the thermal conductivity and of the wall heat transfer coefficient are compared with the predicted ones. Modifications of already existing models were suggested. (orig.) [de

Transesterification of rapeseed oil for biodiesel production in trickle-bed reactors packed with heterogeneous Ca/Al composite oxide-based alkaline catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Yong-Lu; Tian, Song-Jiang; Li, Shu-Fen; Wang, Bo-Yang; Zhang, Min-Hua

2013-05-01

A conventional trickle bed reactor and its modified type both packed with Ca/Al composite oxide-based alkaline catalysts were studied for biodiesel production by transesterification of rapeseed oil and methanol. The effects of the methanol usage and oil flow rate on the FAME yield were investigated under the normal pressure and methanol boiling state. The oil flow rate had a significant effect on the FAME yield for the both reactors. The modified trickle bed reactor kept over 94.5% FAME yield under 0.6 mL/min oil flow rate and 91 mL catalyst bed volume, showing a much higher conversion and operational stability than the conventional type. With the modified trickle bed reactor, both transesterification and methanol separation could be performed simultaneously, and glycerin and methyl esters were separated additionally by gravity separation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling a Packed Bed Reactor Utilizing the Sabatier Process

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Malay G.; Meier, Anne J.; Hintze, Paul E.

2017-01-01

A numerical model is being developed using Python which characterizes the conversion and temperature profiles of a packed bed reactor (PBR) that utilizes the Sabatier process; the reaction produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. While the specific kinetics of the Sabatier reaction on the RuAl2O3 catalyst pellets are unknown, an empirical reaction rate equation1 is used for the overall reaction. As this reaction is highly exothermic, proper thermal control is of the utmost importance to ensure maximum conversion and to avoid reactor runaway. It is therefore necessary to determine what wall temperature profile will ensure safe and efficient operation of the reactor. This wall temperature will be maintained by active thermal controls on the outer surface of the reactor. Two cylindrical PBRs are currently being tested experimentally and will be used for validation of the Python model. They are similar in design except one of them is larger and incorporates a preheat loop by feeding the reactant gas through a pipe along the center of the catalyst bed. The further complexity of adding a preheat pipe to the model to mimic the larger reactor is yet to be implemented and validated; preliminary validation is done using the smaller PBR with no reactant preheating. When mapping experimental values of the wall temperature from the smaller PBR into the Python model, a good approximation of the total conversion and temperature profile has been achieved. A separate CFD model incorporates more complex three-dimensional effects by including the solid catalyst pellets within the domain. The goal is to improve the Python model to the point where the results of other reactor geometry can be reasonably predicted relatively quickly when compared to the much more computationally expensive CFD approach. Once a reactor size is narrowed down using the Python approach, CFD will be used to generate a more thorough prediction of the reactors performance.

A packed bed membrane reactor for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane on a Ga2O3 / MoO3 based catalyst

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kotanjac, Ž.S.; Sint Annaland, van M.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2010-01-01

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane has been studied over a Ga2O3/MoO3 based catalyst. Using a differentially operated packed bed reactor with premixed oxygen and propane feed, the kinetic parameters for the main reaction and the consecutive and parallel reactions were experimentally determined. It

Treatment of azo dye-containing wastewater by a Fenton-like process in a continuous packed-bed reactor filled with activated carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mesquita, Isabel; Matos, Luis C. [Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); Duarte, Filipa [Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); LEPAE - Laboratory for Process, Environmental and Energy Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto (Portugal); Maldonado-Hodar, F.J. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Av. Fuentenueva, 18071 Granada (Spain); Mendes, Adelio [Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); LEPAE - Laboratory for Process, Environmental and Energy Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto (Portugal); Madeira, Luis M., E-mail: mmadeira@fe.up.pt [Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); LEPAE - Laboratory for Process, Environmental and Energy Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto (Portugal)

2012-10-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Oxidation with the Fenton's reagent was carried out in a packed-bed reactor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The packed-bed was filled with iron-impregnated activated carbon. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The increment of temperature increases the Chicago Sky Blue removal and mineralization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The values of iron leaching were below 0.4 ppm in the outlet effluent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It was possible to reach a dye conversion of 88% in steady-state. - Abstract: In this work, oxidation with a Fenton-like process of a dye solution was carried out in a packed-bed reactor. Activated carbon Norit RX 3 Extra was impregnated with ferrous sulfate and used as catalyst (7 wt.% of iron). The effect of the main operating conditions in the Chicago Sky Blue (CSB) degradation was analyzed. It was found that the increase in temperature leads to a higher removal of the dye and an increased mineralization. However, it also increases the iron leaching, but the values observed were below 0.4 ppm (thus, far below European Union limits). It was possible to reach, at steady-state, a dye conversion of 88%, with a total organic carbon (TOC) removal of ca. 47%, being the reactor operated at 50 Degree-Sign C, pH 3, W{sub cat}/Q = 4.1 g min mL{sup -1} (W{sub cat} is the mass of catalyst and Q the total feed flow rate) and a H{sub 2}O{sub 2} feed concentration of 2.25 mM (for a CSB feed concentration of 0.012 mM). The same performance was reached in three consecutive cycles.

Continuous D-tagatose production by immobilized thermostable L-arabinose isomerase in a packed-bed bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Se-Ah; Kim, Chang Sup; Kim, Hye-Jung; Baek, Dae Heoun; Oh, Deok-Kun

2003-01-01

D-Tagatose was continuously produced using thermostable L-arabinose isomerase immobilized in alginate with D-galactose solution in a packed-bed bioreactor. Bead size, L/D (length/diameter) of reactor, dilution rate, total loaded enzyme amount, and substrate concentration were found to be optimal at 0.8 mm, 520/7 mm, 0.375 h(-1), 5.65 units, and 300 g/L, respectively. Under these conditions, the bioreactor produced about 145 g/L tagatose with an average productivity of 54 g tagatose/L x h and an average conversion yield of 48% (w/w). Operational stability of the immobilized enzyme was demonstrated, with a tagatose production half-life of 24 days.

Endoglucanase production with the newly isolated Myceliophtora sp. i-1d3b in a packed bed solid state fermentor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Zanelato

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This work is aimed to produce endoglucanase through solid state fermentation in a packed bed bioreactor with the use of the fungus Myceliophtora sp. I-1D3busing a mixture of wheat bran (WB and sugar cane bagasse (SCB as culture medium. Preliminary tests were performed in polypropylene plastic bags, controlling the variables temperature (40, 45, and 50ºC, initial moisture content (75, 80, and 85%, w.b., and weight proportion SCB/WB (1:1, 7:3, and 9:1. The highest enzyme activities in plastic bags were obtained using the substrate proportion of 7:3, 50ºC temperature, and 80% initial moisture content (878 U/grams of dry solid. High activities of filter-paper cellulase and xylanase were also obtained in plastic bags and some results are reported. For the packed bed experiments, the temperature (45 and 50ºC and the air flow rate (80, 100 and 120L/h were the controlled variables. Activity of endoglucanase was similar to plastic bag tests. A longitudinal gradient of moisture content, was observed increasing from the bottom to the top of the reactor, even though the longitudinal enzyme activity profile was flat for almost the whole bed. Air flow rate did not affect enzyme activity, while experiments carried out at 50ºC showed higher enzyme activities. The maximum temperature peak observed was at about 6ºC above the process temperature.

A comparison between CFD simulation and experimental investigation of a packed-bed thermal energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cascetta, Mario; Cau, Giorgio; Puddu, Pierpaolo; Serra, Fabio

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Thermocline formation inside a sensible type packed bed during a complete cycle. • Thermal properties of both phases must be temperature-dependent in the simulation. • Bed porosity increases from the center to the container wall. • Thermal dispersion and solid conduction must be considered in the model. • The wall influences the radial temperature profile and the amount of energy stored. - Abstract: This work presents the comparison between CFD and experimental results obtained on a sensible thermal energy storage system based on alumina beads freely poured into a carbon steel tank. Experimental investigations of charging and discharging phases were carried out at a constant mass flow rate using air as heat transfer fluid. The experimental set-up was instrumented with several thermocouples to detect axial and radial temperature distribution as well as reservoir wall temperature. The experimental results were compared with those obtained from CFD simulations carried out with the FLUENT software. The computational domain consists of an axisymmetric tank of cylindrical shape filled with a porous bed coupled with the wall. The governing equations are solved for incompressible turbulent flow and fully developed forced convection, based on the two-phase transient model equation (LTNE-local thermal non-equilibrium) to calculate the temperature of fluid and solid phases. The porosity of the bed is considered variable in the radial direction, while the thermodynamic properties of both phases are temperature-dependent. The influence of the thermal dispersion within the porous bed, as well as the effective conductivity between the beads was considered. The heat transfer coefficient was calculated according to correlation for forced convection within porous media. Numerical results show a good agreement with experimental ones if thermal properties are considered temperature-dependent and the experimental temperature profile at the inlet of the bed is

Analysis of wall-packed-bed thermal interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorbis, Z.R.; Tillack, M.S.; Tehranian, F.; Abdou, M.A.

1995-01-01

One of the major issues remaining for ceramic breeder blankets involves uncertainties in heat transfer and thermomechanical interactions within the breeder and multiplier regions. Particle bed forms are considered in many reactor blanket designs for both the breeder and Be multiplier. The effective thermal conductivity of beds and the wall-bed thermal conductance are still not adequately characterized, particularly under the influence of mechanical stresses. The problem is particularly serious for the wall conductance between Be and its cladding, where the uncertainty can be greater than 50%. In this work, we describe a new model for the wall-bed conductance that treats the near-wall region as a finite-width zone. The model includes an estimate of the region porosity based on the number of contact points, and the contact area for smooth surfaces. It solves the heat conduction in a near-wall unit cell. The model is verified with existing data and used to predict the range of wall conductances expected in future simulation experiments and in reactor applications. (orig.)

Performance of a pilot-scale packed bed reactor for perchlorate reduction using a sulfur oxidizing bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Boles, Amber R; Conneely, Teresa; McKeever, Robert; Nixon, Paul; Nüsslein, Klaus R; Ergas, Sarina J

2012-03-01

A novel sulfur-utilizing perchlorate reducing bacterial consortium successfully treated perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) in prior batch and bench-scale packed bed reactor (PBR) studies. This study examined the scale up of this process for treatment of water from a ClO ₄⁻ and RDX contaminated aquifer in Cape Cod Massachusetts. A pilot-scale upflow PBR (∼250-L) was constructed with elemental sulfur and crushed oyster shell packing media. The reactor was inoculated with sulfur oxidizing ClO₄⁻ reducing cultures enriched from a wastewater seed. Sodium sulfite provided a good method of dissolved oxygen removal in batch cultures, but was found to promote the growth of bacteria that carry out sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction, which inhibited ClO₄⁻ reduction in the pilot system. After terminating sulfite addition, the PBR successfully removed 96% of the influent ClO₄⁻ in the groundwater at an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 12 h (effluent ClO₄⁻ of 4.2 µg L(-1)). Simultaneous ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ reduction was observed in the lower half of the reactor before reactions shifted to sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction. Analyses of water quality profiles were supported by molecular analysis, which showed distinct groupings of ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ degrading organisms at the inlet of the PBR, while sulfur disproportionation was the primary biological process occurring in the top potion of the reactor. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optimization of lipase production by solid-state fermentation of olive pomace: from flask to laboratory-scale packed-bed bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Felisbela; Salgado, José Manuel; Abrunhosa, Luís; Pérez-Rodríguez, Noelia; Domínguez, José M; Venâncio, Armando; Belo, Isabel

2017-07-01

Lipases are versatile catalysts with many applications and can be produced by solid-state fermentation (SSF) using agro-industrial wastes. The aim of this work was to maximize the production of Aspergillus ibericus lipase under SSF of olive pomace (OP) and wheat bran (WB), evaluating the effect on lipase production of C/N ratio, lipids, phenols, content of sugars of substrates and nitrogen source addition. Moreover, the implementation of the SSF process in a packed-bed bioreactor and the improvement of lipase extraction conditions were assessed. Low C/N ratios and high content of lipids led to maximum lipase production. Optimum SSF conditions were achieved with a C/N mass ratio of 25.2 and 10.2% (w/w) lipids in substrate, by the mixture of OP:WB (1:1) and supplemented with 1.33% (w/w) (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 . Studies in a packed-bed bioreactor showed that the lower aeration rates tested prevented substrate dehydration, improving lipase production. In this work, the important role of Triton X-100 on lipase extraction from the fermented solid substrate has been shown. A final lipase activity of 223 ± 5 U g -1 (dry basis) was obtained after 7 days of fermentation.

Simultaneous Coproduction of Hydrogen and Ethanol in Anaerobic Packed-Bed Reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Marques dos Reis

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the use of an anaerobic packed-bed reactor for hydrogen production at different hydraulic retention times (HRT (1–8 h. Two reactors filled with expanded clay and fed with glucose (3136–3875 mg L−1 were operated at different total upflow velocities: 0.30 cm s−1 (R030 and 0.60 cm s−1 (R060. The effluent pH of the reactors was maintained between 4 and 5 by adding NaHCO3 and HCl solutions. It was observed a maximum hydrogen production rate of 0.92 L H2 h−1 L−1 in R030 at HRT of 1 h. Furthermore, the highest hydrogen yield of 2.39 mol H2 mol−1 glucose was obtained in R060. No clear trend was observed by doubling the upflow velocities at this experiment. High ethanol production was also observed, indicating that the ethanol-pathway prevailed throughout the experiment.

Isotope exchange reaction in Li2ZrO3 packed bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Y.; Enoeda, M.; Okuno, K.

1998-01-01

To understand the release behavior of bred tritium in a solid breeder blanket, the tritium transfer rate and tritium inventory for various mass transfer processes should be investigated. The contribution of the surface reactions (adsorption, desorption and two kinds of isotope exchange reactions) to the release process cannot be ignored. It is believed that two kinds of isotope exchange reactions (gaseous hydrogen-tritiated water and water vapor-tritiated water) occur on the surface of the solid breeder materials when hydrogen is added to the sweep gas to enhance the tritium release rate. The isotope exchange reaction study in H-D systems was carried out using a Li 2 ZrO 3 packed bed. The exchange reaction between gaseous hydrogen and water was the rate controlling step among the two kinds of exchange reactions. The reaction rate constants were quantified, and experimental equations were proposed. The equilibrium constant of the isotope exchange reaction in the H-D system was obtained from experimental data and was found to be 1.17. (orig.)

Oxidation of SO{sub 2} in a trickle bed reactor packed with activated carbon at low liquid flow rates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suyadal, Y.; Oguz, H. [Ankara Univ. (Turkey). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2000-07-01

In this study, the oxidation of SO{sub 2} on activated carbon (AcC) by using distilled water and air was carried out in a laboratory scale trickle bed reactor (TBR). Distilled water and air containing 1.7% (v/v) SO{sub 2} were fed co-currently downward through a fixed bed of AcC particles in a range of 1-7 cm{sup 3}/s and 10-27 cm{sup 3}/s, respectively. H{sub 2}SO{sub 3}/H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} solutions were the products obtained in the liqiuid phase. Steady-state experiments were performed in a column of 0.15 m packing height and 0.047 m column diameter at 20 C and atmospheric pressure. (orig.)

Kinetics of pyridine degradation along with toluene and methylene chloride with Bacillus sp. in packed bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uma, B.; Sandhya, S. [National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, CSIR-Complex, Madras (India)

1998-04-01

Bacillus coagulans strain isolated from contaminated soil was immobilised on activated carbon for degradation of pyridine, toluene and methylene chloride containing synthetic wastewaters. Pyridine was supplied as the only source of nitrogen in the wastewaters. Continuous runs in a packed bed laboratory reactor showed that immobilized B. coagulans can degrade pyridine along with other organics rapidly and the effluent ammonia is also controlled in presence of ``organic carbon``. About 644 mg/l of influent TOC was efficiently degraded (82.85%) at 64.05 mg/l/hr loading. (orig.) With 2 figs., 4 tabs., 15 refs.

Chicken Juice Enhances Surface Attachment and Biofilm Formation of Campylobacter jejuni

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Helen L.; Reuter, Mark; Salt, Louise J.; Cross, Kathryn L.; Betts, Roy P.

2014-01-01

The bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is primarily transmitted via the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs, especially poultry meat. In food processing environments, C. jejuni is required to survive a multitude of stresses and requires the use of specific survival mechanisms, such as biofilms. An initial step in biofilm formation is bacterial attachment to a surface. Here, we investigated the effects of a chicken meat exudate (chicken juice) on C. jejuni surface attachment and biofilm formation. Supplementation of brucella broth with ≥5% chicken juice resulted in increased biofilm formation on glass, polystyrene, and stainless steel surfaces with four C. jejuni isolates and one C. coli isolate in both microaerobic and aerobic conditions. When incubated with chicken juice, C. jejuni was both able to grow and form biofilms in static cultures in aerobic conditions. Electron microscopy showed that C. jejuni cells were associated with chicken juice particulates attached to the abiotic surface rather than the surface itself. This suggests that chicken juice contributes to C. jejuni biofilm formation by covering and conditioning the abiotic surface and is a source of nutrients. Chicken juice was able to complement the reduction in biofilm formation of an aflagellated mutant of C. jejuni, indicating that chicken juice may support food chain transmission of isolates with lowered motility. We provide here a useful model for studying the interaction of C. jejuni biofilms in food chain-relevant conditions and also show a possible mechanism for C. jejuni cell attachment and biofilm initiation on abiotic surfaces within the food chain. PMID:25192991

Pengolahan Lindi Menggunakan Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor dengan Proses Anaerobik-Aerobik-Anoksik

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuriflalail Rio Jusepa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Lindi mengandung konsentrasi organik, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, amonium, nitrit dan nitrat yang tinggi sehingga lindi yang tidak diolah dapat mencemari lingkungan. Pengolahan biologis dengan sistem fluidized attached growth seperti Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR dapat digunakan untuk menurunkan senyawa organik dan senyawa nitrogen. Konsentrasi organik dan nitrogen yang tinggi pada lindi dapat diolah dengan mengatur proses aerobik-anaerobik-anoksik di dalam MBBR. Kapasitas pengolahan MBBR yang digunakan sebesar 10 L dan media Kaldness (K1 sebanyak 2 L. MBBR dioperasikan dengan sistem batch, dengan kondisi aerobik yang berasal dari aerator dan pompa submersible, kondisi anaerobik berasal dari pompa submersible saja, dan kondisi anoksik yang berasal dari pompa submersible dan aerator. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa MBBR dapat digunakan untuk menurunkan senyawa nitrogen dan senyawa organik. Efisiensi penyisihan optimum senyawa organik sebesar 87% pada proses anaerobik baik pada sistem fluidized attached growth maupun suspended growth. Efisiensi penyisihan optimum senyawa nitrogen sebesar 72% pada proses anoksik baik pada sistem fluidized attached growth maupun suspended growth.

Hyperbaric oxygen sensitizes anoxic Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm to ciprofloxacin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolpen, Mette; Lerche, Christian J; Kragh, Kasper Nørskov

2017-01-01

fibrosis (CF) lung. Application of HBOT resulted in enhanced bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin at clinically relevant durations and was accompanied by indications of restored aerobic respiration, involvement of endogenous lethal oxidative stress and increased bacterial growth. The findings highlight...... that oxygenation by HBOT improves the bactericidal activity of ciprofloxacin on P. aeruginosa biofilm and suggest that bacterial biofilms is sensitized to antibiotics by supplying hyperbaric O2....

Synthesis of Biodiesel in Batch and Packed-Bed Reactors Using Powdered and Granular Sugar Catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Janaun, J.; Lim, P. M.; Balan, W. S.; Yaser, A. Z.; Chong, K. P.

2017-06-01

Increasing world production of palm oil warrants effective utilization of its waste. In particular, conversion of waste cooking oil into biodiesel has obtained global interest because of renewable energy need and reduction of CO2 emission. In this study, oleic acid used as a model compound for waste cooking oil conversion using esterification reaction catalysed by sugar catalyst (SC) in powdered (P-SC) and granular (G-SC) forms. The catalysts were synthesized via incomplete carbonization of D-glucose followed by functionalization with concentrated sulphuric acid. Catalysts characterizations were done for their physical and chemical properties using modern tools. Batch and packed-bed reactor systems were used to evaluate the reactivity of the catalysts. The results showed that G-SC had slightly higher total acidity and more porous than P-SC. The experimental conditions for batch reaction were temperature of 60°C, molar ratio of 1:20 (Oleic Acid:Methanol) and 2 wt. catalyst with respect to oleic acid. The results showed the maximum oleic acid conversion using G-SC and P-SC were 52 and 48, respectively. Whereas, the continuous reaction with varying feed flow rate as a function of retention time was studied by using 3 g of P-SC in 60 °C and 1:20 molar ratio in a packed-bed reactor. The results showed that a longer retention time which was 6.48 min and feed flow rate 1.38 ml/min, achieved higher average conversion of 9.9 and decreased with further increasing flow rate. G-SC showed a better average conversion of 10.8 at lowest feed flow rate of 1.38 ml/min in continuous reaction experiments. In a broader perspective, large scale continuous biodiesel production is feasible using granular over powdered catalyst mainly due to it lower pressure drop.

Emergence of traveling wave endothermic reaction in a catalytic fixed bed under microwave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerasev, Alexander P.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a new phenomenon in a packed bed catalytic reactor under microwave heating - traveling wave (moving reaction zones) endothermic chemical reaction. A two-phase model is developed to simulate the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the packed bed catalytic reactor with an irreversible first-order chemical reaction. The absorbed microwave power was obtained from Lambert's law. The structure of traveling wave endothermic chemical reaction was explored. The effects of the gas velocity and microwave power on performance of the packed bed catalytic reactor were presented. Finally, the effects of the change in the location of the microwave source at the packed bed reactor was demonstrated. - Highlights: • A new phenomenon - traveling waves of endothermic reaction - is predicted. • The physical and mathematical model of a packed bed catalytic reactor under microwave heating is presented. • The structure of the traveling waves is explored. • The configuration of heating the packed bed reactor via microwave plays a key role.

Absorption in a three-phase fluidized bed I: Hydrodynamic investigations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pejanović Srđan M.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The hydrodynamic properties of a three phase fluidized bed with low density inert spherical packing, fluidized by the interaction of a gas flowing upwards and a liquid flowing downwards through the column, were investigated. It was found that the pressure drop, liquid hold up and dynamic bed height increase with both increasing liquid and gas flow rate. While the dynamic bed height and minimum fluidization velocity remain unchanged, both the pressure drop and liquid hold up increase with increasing density of the packing. Therefore, an increase in packing density causes more intensive mass transfer between the fluid phases than packed columns. It was shown that increase of the liquid flow rate causes an increase of both the effective liquid and gas velocity through the fluidized bed, which may also improve mass transfer.

Removal of absorbable organic halides (aox) from recycled paper mill effluent using granular activated carbon-sequencing batch biofilm reactor (GAC-SBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad, A.B.; Rahman, R.A.; Kadhum, A.A.H.; Abdullah, S.R.S.; Shaari, S.

2006-01-01

Paper mills generate varieties of pollutants depending upon the type of the pulping process. Paper mill wastewaters have high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour, indicating high concentrations of recalcitrant organics. The study was conducted employing a Granular Activated Carbon - Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor (GAC-SBBR), containing 3.0 L working volume, operated in aerobic condition and packed with 200 g/L of 2-3 mm granular activated carbon (coconut shells) as a medium for biofilm growth. For the first couple of month, the HRT was 36 hours and the HRT of this reactor was adjusted to 24 hours in order to evaluate the performance of the system. The treated wastewater sample for these studies came from a recycle paper factory from MNI Sdn Bhd with 4 different samples characteristics. The adsorbable organic halides (AOX) to be determined and treated were Pentachlorophenol (PCP), 2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,5-TeCP), 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 2,4-Dichlorophenol ( 2,4-DCP), 2-Chlorophenol (CP) and phenol. Results showed that, the biofilm attached onto granular activated carbon (GAC) could substantially remove these recalcitrant in the wastewater. More over, results from the studies showed that high removal was achieved by the biofilm SBR with 10-100% removal of AOX and depending on HRT. (Author)

Start-up strategies of membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) for completely autotrophic nitrogen removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Sheng-Peng; Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Terada, Akihiko

2009-01-01

Completely autotrophic nitrogen removal, coupling aerobic and anaerobic ammonium oxidation, can be achieved via redox stratified biofilms growing on gas-permeable membranes. These sequential reactions are mediated by aerobic and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB and AnAOB). The major...

Enhanced nitrogen removal from piggery wastewater with high NH4+ and low COD/TN ratio in a novel upflow microaerobic biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Jia; Li, Jiuling; Li, Jianzheng; Antwi, Philip; Deng, Kaiwen; Nan, Jun; Xu, Pianpian

2018-02-01

To enhance nutrient removal more cost-efficiently in microaerobic process treating piggery wastewater characterized by high ammonium (NH 4 + -N) and low chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total nitrogen (TN) ratio, a novel upflow microaerobic biofilm reactor (UMBR) was constructed and the efficiency in nutrient removal was evaluated with various influent COD/TN ratios and reflux ratios. The results showed that the biofilm on the carriers had increased the biomass in the UMBR and enhanced the enrichment of slow-growth-rate bacteria such as nitrifiers, denitrifiers and anammox bacteria. The packed bed allowed the microaerobic biofilm process perform well at a low reflux ratio of 35 with a NH 4 + -N and TN removal as high as 93.1% and 89.9%, respectively. Compared with the previously developed upflow microaerobic sludge reactor, the UMBR had not changed the dominant anammox approach to nitrogen removal, but was more cost-efficiently in treating organic wastewater with high NH 4 + -N and low COD/TN ratio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of co-pyrolysis petrochemical wastewater sludge with lignite in a thermogravimetric analyzer and a packed-bed reactor: Pyrolysis characteristics, kinetics, and products analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, Lin; Chen, Jianbiao; Yao, Pikai; Zhou, Dapeng; Zhao, Liang; Yin, Hongchao

2016-12-01

Co-pyrolysis characteristics of petrochemical wastewater sludge and Huolinhe lignite were investigated using thermogravimetric analyzer and packed-bed reactor coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and gas chromatography. The pyrolysis characteristics of the blends at various sludge blending ratios were compared with those of the individual materials. Thermogravimetric experiments showed that the interactions between the blends were beneficial to generate more residues. In packed-bed reactor, synergetic effects promoted the release of gas products and left less liquid and solid products than those calculated by additive manner. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis showed that main functional groups in chars gradually disappeared with pyrolysis temperatures increasing, and H 2 O, CH 4 , CO, and CO 2 appeared in volatiles during pyrolysis. Gas compositions analysis indicated that, the yields of H 2 and CO clearly increased as the pyrolysis temperature and sludge blending ratio increasing, while the changes of CH 4 and CO 2 yields were relatively complex. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transformation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor at various concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, acetate and sulfate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

deBest, JH; Jongema, H; Weijling, A; Doddema, HJ; Janssen, DB; Harder, W

Biotransformation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (CH3CCl3) was observed in an anaerobic packed-bed reactor under conditions of both sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. Acetate (1 mM) served as an electron donor. CH3CCl3 was completely converted up to the highest investigated concentration of 10 mu M.

Evaluation and Analysis of Cotton Bedding as a Bulking Agent in an Aerobic Food Waste Composting System

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, A. S. L.

2017-12-01

Food wastage is a prominent issue in Hong Kong that should be addressed. Here at The Independent Schools Foundation Academy, we are continuously looking for ways to improve, including that of food waste. In 2013 the school installed an A900 Rocket Food Composter, in hopes of reducing carbon footprint. Since the installation, the school has tested various elements of the food composter to further improve upon it to make it increasingly more sustainable and effective. These improvements vary from the revamping of the odour control system, increasing the nitrogen content and the installation of an improved grease trap. The school composts the food waste through combining a variety of substances together: coffee, compost, food waste, and a bulking agent - which will be tested in this study. Recently, the school has changed the compost bulking agent from wood shavings and cardboard to cotton bedding - a side product of the production of UK passports. In this study, I will evaluate the effectiveness of cotton bedding as a bulking agent in an aerobic composting system, focusing primarily on three points: a) microbial activity - the identification of cellulose digesting bacteria and the associated kinetics, b) the soil gas composition - the data shall be collected through the use of the Gasmet DX 4015, and c) the chemical analysis of the compost - specifically the amount of aluminum in the compost and whether or not it is significant enough to discredit cotton bedding as an effective bulking agent. The the analysis of cotton bedding using these three specifications will allow ISF Academy to evaluate the overall effectiveness of cotton bedding as a bulking agent.

Packed-bed reactor/silent-discharge plasma design data report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-05-01

In 1992, Congress passed the Federal Facility Compliance Act requiring the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to treat and dispose of its mixed waste in accordance with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) land disposal restrictions (LDRs). The DOE Albuquerque Operations Office (AL) currently does not have adequate systems to treat the mixed wastes generated and stored at the nine DOE-AL sites. In response to the need for mixed-waste treatment capacity, DOE-AL organized a Treatment Selection Team under the Mixed-Waste Treatment Program (MWTP) to match mixed wastes with treatment options and develop a strategy for treatment of its mixed waste. The strategy developed by the Treatment Selection Team, as described in the AL Mixed-Waste Treatment Plan (DOE 1994), is to use available off-site commercial treatment facilities for all wastes that can be successfully and cost-effectively treated by such facilities. Where no appropriate commercial treatment facilities exist, mobile treatment units (MTUs) would be developed to treat wastes at the sites where the wastes are generated. Treatment processes used for mixed waste must not only address the hazardous component (i.e., meet LDRs) but also must contain the radioactive component in a form that allows final disposal while protecting workers, the public, and the environment. The packed-bed reactor/silent discharge plasma was chosen as a potential candidate for the treatment of the mixed wastes. The process is described

Packed-bed reactor/silent-discharge plasma design data report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-05-01

In 1992, Congress passed the Federal Facility Compliance Act requiring the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to treat and dispose of its mixed waste in accordance with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) land disposal restrictions (LDRs). The DOE Albuquerque Operations Office (AL) currently does not have adequate systems to treat the mixed wastes generated and stored at the nine DOE-AL sites. In response to the need for mixed-waste treatment capacity, DOE-AL organized a Treatment Selection Team under the Mixed-Waste Treatment Program (MWTP) to match mixed wastes with treatment options and develop a strategy for treatment of its mixed waste. The strategy developed by the Treatment Selection Team, as described in the AL Mixed-Waste Treatment Plan (DOE 1994), is to use available off-site commercial treatment facilities for all wastes that can be successfully and cost-effectively treated by such facilities. Where no appropriate commercial treatment facilities exist, mobile treatment units (MTUs) would be developed to treat wastes at the sites where the wastes are generated. Treatment processes used for mixed waste must not only address the hazardous component (i.e., meet LDRs) but also must contain the radioactive component in a form that allows final disposal while protecting workers, the public, and the environment. The packed-bed reactor/silent discharge plasma was chosen as a potential candidate for the treatment of the mixed wastes. The process is described.

Modeling and simulation of a packed bed reactor for hydrogen by methanol steam reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aboudheir, A.; Idem, R.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' The performance of a catalytic packed bed tubular reactor for hydrogen production depends on mass transport characteristics and temperature distribution in the reactor. To accurately predict this performance, a rigorous numerical model has been developed based on coupled mass, energy, and momentum balance equations in cylindrical coordinates. This comprehensive model takes into account the variations of the concentration and temperature in both the axial and radial directions as well as the pressure drop along the packed reactor. Also, experimental measurements for hydrogen production were collected using a manganese-promoted co-precipitated Cu-Al catalyst for methanol-steam reforming in a micro-reactor having 10 mm i.d. and 460 mm overall length. The operating temperature ranged from 443 to 523 K and the space-time ranged from 0.1 to 2.5 kg cat h/kmol CH3OH. The simulation results were found to be in close agreement with the experimental data over the various operating conditions. This confirms the validity of both the numerical model of this work and our previous published kinetics models for this reaction system. In addition, the model formulation is applicable to handle reactions, not only for the microreactor presented in this work, but also, for other laboratory size and industrial scale processes for hydrogen production by hydrocarbon reformation. (author)

Effect of aerobic capacity on Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) tolerance in females

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Alan D., Jr.; Fortney, Suzanne M.; Siconolfi, Steven F.

1993-01-01

This investigation determined whether a relationship exists in females between: (1) aerobic capacity and Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP); and (2) aerobic capacity and change in LBNP tolerance induced by bed rest. Nine females, age 27-47 (34.6 plus or minus 6.0 (Mean plus or minus SD)), completed a treadmill-graded exercise test to establish aerobic capacity. A presyncopal-limited LBNP test was performed prior to and after 13 days of bed rest at a 6 deg head-down tilt. LBNP tolerance was quantified as: (1) the absolute level of negative pressure (NP) tolerated for greater than or equal to 60 sec; and (2) Luft's Cumulative Stress Index (CSI). Aerobic capacity was 33.3 plus or minus 5.0 mL/kg/min and ranged from 25.7 to 38.7. Bed rest was associated with a decrease in NP tolerance (-9.04 1.6 kPa(-67.8 plus or minus 12.0 mmHg) versus -7.7 1.1 kPa(-57.8 plus or minus 8.33 mmHg); p = 0.028) and in CSI (99.4 27.4 kPa min(745.7 plus or minus 205.4 mmHg min) versus 77.0 16.9 kPa min (577.3 plus or minus mmHg min); p = 0.008). The correlation between aerobic capacity and absolute NP or CSI pre-bed rest did not differ significantly from zero (r = -0.56, p = 0.11 for NP; and r = -0.52, p = 0.16 for CSI). Also, no significant correlation was observed between aerobic and pre- to post-rest change for absolute NP tolerance (r = -0.35, p = 0.35) or CSI (r = -0.32, p = 0.40). Therefore, a significant relationship does not exist between aerobic capacity and orthostatic function or change in orthostatic function induced by bed rest.

Biofilm population dynamics in a trickle-bed bioreactor used for the biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons from waste gas under transient conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hekmat, D; Feuchtinger, A; Stephan, M; Vortmeyer, D

2004-04-01

The dynamics of a multispecies biofilm population in a laboratory-scale trickle-bed bioreactor for the treatment of waste gas was examined. The model pollutant was a VOC-mixture of polyalkylated benzenes called Solvesso 100. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) was applied in order to characterise the population composition. The bioreactor was operated under transient conditions by applying pollutant concentration shifts and a starvation phase. Only about 10% of the biofilm mass were cells, the rest consisted of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The average fraction of Solvesso 100-degrading cells during pollutant supply periods was less than 10%. About 60% of the cells were saprophytes and about 30% were inactive cells. During pollutant concentration shift experiments, the bioreactor performance adapted within a few hours. The biofilm population exhibited a dependency upon the direction of the shifts. The population reacted within days after a shift-down and within weeks after a shift-up. The pollutant-degraders reacted significantly faster compared to the other cells. During the long-term starvation phase, a shift of the population composition took place. However, this change of composition as well as the degree of metabolic activity was completely reversible. A direct correlation between the biodegradation rate of the bioreactor and the number of pollutant-degrading cells present in the biofilm could not be obtained due to insufficient experimental evidence.

Investigation of the Time Evolution and Species Production in a 2-Dimensional Packed Bed Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Engeling, Kenneth; Kruszelnicki, Juliusz; Kushner, Mark; Foster, John

2016-09-01

Plasma production in microporous media has potential to enable a number of technologies ranging from flameless combustion to environmental hazard mitigation addressing air borne pollutants. Packed bed reactors (PBRs) is one such technology that relies on plasma production in microporous media. The physics of plasma production and transport in such media however remains poorly understood. In order to better understand the plasma propagation and plasma driven chemical reaction within microporous media, absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved imaging diagnostics are being utilized. We report on plasma driven species formation and plasma discharge spatial structure and evolution characteristics found in the 2-dimensional representation of a PBR. Work supported by US DOE Office of Fusion Energy Science and the National Science Foundation.

Influence of glyphosate in planktonic and biofilm growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilana Schneider Lima

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the impact of different concentrations of glyphosate (Rondup® on planktonic and biofilm growth of P. aeruginosa. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures of P. aeruginosa ATCC®15442 inoculated in MHB + glyphosate (0.845 ppm, 1.690 ppm, 8.45 ppm, 16.90 ppm, 84.50 ppm, 169 ppm, 845 ppm, and 1690 ppm and cultured in normoxia and anoxia, following their OD560nm every hour for 24 h. Biofilms of adapted cells were formed in the presence of glyphosate (0.845 to 1690 ppm in normoxia and anoxia for 36 h. Glyphosate at concentrations higher than 84.5 ppm reduces the cell density of planktonic aerobic cultures (p 0.05, and more pronounced over 169 ppm. Anaerobic biofilms have their growth more readily favored (p < 0.05, regardless of concentration. In a concentration-dependent manner, glyphosate interferes with the growth ability of P. aeruginosa ATCC®15442.

Experimental performance evaluation of sintered Gd spheres packed beds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tura, A.; Nielsen, Klaus K.; Van Nong, Ngo

2016-01-01

Research in magnetic refrigeration heavily relies on the use of packed spheres in regenerators, however little investigation to verify that such non-monolithic arrangements guarantee a sufficiently constrained structure has yet been performed. This work presents a preliminary comparison of the pe......Research in magnetic refrigeration heavily relies on the use of packed spheres in regenerators, however little investigation to verify that such non-monolithic arrangements guarantee a sufficiently constrained structure has yet been performed. This work presents a preliminary comparison...... of the performance of AMRs consisting of Gd spheres with diameters ranging from 450-550 microns partially sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to similar spheres, sorted in the same size range and from the same batch, but merely packed. Pressure drop is compared at uniform temperature and at a range of heat...

Phenol degradation in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor packed with low density support materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. Sancinetti

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research was to study phenol degradation in anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR packed with polymeric particulate supports (polystyrene - PS, polyethylene terephthalate - PET, and polyvinyl chloride - PVC. The reactors were operated with a hydraulic retention time (HRT of 24 h. The influent phenol concentration in the AFBR varied from 100 to 400 mg L-1, resulting in phenol removal efficiencies of ~100%. The formation of extracellular polymeric substances yielded better results with the PVC particles; however, deformations in these particles proved detrimental to reactor operation. PS was found to be the best support for biomass attachment in an AFBR for phenol removal. The AFBR loaded with PS was operated to analyze the performance and stability for phenol removal at feed concentrations ranging from 50 to 500 mg L-1. The phenol removal efficiency ranged from 90-100%.

Single and double pass solar air heaters with wire mesh as packing bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aldabbagh, L.B.Y.; Egelioglu, F. [Mechanical Engineering Department, Eastern Mediterranean University, Magosa, Mersin 10 (Turkey); Ilkan, M. [School of Computing and Tecnology, Eastern Mediterranean University, Magosa, Mersin 10 (Turkey)

2010-09-15

The thermal performances of single and double pass solar air heaters with steel wire mesh layers are used instead of a flat absorber plate are investigated experimentally. The effects of mass flow rate of air on the outlet temperature and thermal efficiency were studied. The results indicate that the efficiency increases with increasing the mass flow rate for the range of the flow rate used in this work between 0.012 and 0.038 kg/s. For the same flow rate, the efficiency of the double pass is found to be higher than the single pass by 34-45%. Moreover, the maximum efficiencies obtained for the single and the double pass air collectors are 45.93 and 83.65% respectively for the mass flow rate of 0.038 kg/s. Comparison of the results of a packed bed collector with those of a conventional collector shows a substantial enhancement in the thermal efficiency. (author)

Spatial Arrangement of Colonies in Intact Biofilms from a Model Cooling Water System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Taylor

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There is disagreement among microbiologists about whether Legionella requires a protozoan host in order to replicate. This research sought to determine where in biofilm Legionellae are found and whether all biofilm associated Legionella would be located within protozoan hosts. While it is accepted that Legionella colonizes biofilm, its life cycle and nutritional fastidiousness suggest that Legionella employs multiple survival strategies to persist within microbial systems. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM demonstrated an undulating biofilm surface architecture and a roughly homogenous distribution of heterotrophic bacteria with clusters of protozoa. Legionella displayed 3 distinct spatial arrangements either contained within or directly associated with protozoa, or dispersed in loosely associated clusters or in tightly packed aggregations of cells forming dense colonial clusters. The formation of discreet clusters of tightly packed Legionella suggests that colony formation is influenced by specific environmental conditions allowing for limited extracellular replication. This work represents the first time that an environmentally representative, multispecies biofilm containing Legionella has been fluorescently tagged and Legionella colony morphology noted within a complex microbial system.

A methodology to investigate the contribution of conduction and radiation heat transfer to the effective thermal conductivity of packed graphite pebble beds, including the wall effect

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Beer, M., E-mail: maritz.db@gmail.com [School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa); Du Toit, C.G., E-mail: Jat.DuToit@nwu.ac.za [School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa); Rousseau, P.G., E-mail: pieter.rousseau@uct.ac.za [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701 (South Africa)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • The radiation and conduction components of the effective thermal conductivity are separated. • Near-wall effects have a notable influence on the effective thermal conductivity. • Effective thermal conductivity is a function of the macro temperature gradient. • The effective thermal conductivity profile shows a characteristic trend. • The trend is a result of the interplay between conduction and radiation. - Abstract: The effective thermal conductivity represents the overall heat transfer characteristics of a packed bed of spheres and must be considered in the analysis and design of pebble bed gas-cooled reactors. During depressurized loss of forced cooling conditions the dominant heat transfer mechanisms for the passive removal of decay heat are radiation and conduction. Predicting the value of the effective thermal conductivity is complex since it inter alia depends on the temperature level and temperature gradient through the bed, as well as the pebble packing structure. The effect of the altered packing structure in the wall region must therefore also be considered. Being able to separate the contributions of radiation and conduction allows a better understanding of the underlying phenomena and the characteristics of the resultant effective thermal conductivity. This paper introduces a purpose-designed test facility and accompanying methodology that combines physical measurements with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to separate the contributions of radiation and conduction heat transfer, including the wall effects. Preliminary results obtained with the methodology offer important insights into the trends observed in the experimental results and provide a better understanding of the interplay between the underlying heat transfer phenomena.

Balancing the organic load and light supply in symbiotic microalgal–bacterial biofilm reactors treating synthetic municipal wastewater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boelee, N.C.; Temmink, B.G.; Janssen, M.; Buisman, C.J.N.; Wijffels, R.H.

2014-01-01

Symbiotic microalgal–bacterial biofilms can be very attractive for municipal wastewater treatment. Microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus and simultaneously produce the oxygen that is required for the aerobic, heterotrophic degradation of organic pollutants. For the application of these biofilms

Effects of hydrodynamic interaction on random adhesive loose packings of micron-sized particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Wenwei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Random loose packings of monodisperse spherical micron-sized particles under a uniform flow field are investigated via an adhesive discrete-element method with the two-way coupling between the particles and the fluid. Characterized by a dimensionless adhesion parameter, the packing fraction follows the similar law to that without fluid, but results in larger values due to the hydrodynamic compression. The total pressure drop through the packed bed shows a critical behaviour at the packing fraction of ϕ ≈ 0.22 in the present study. The normalized permeability of the packed bed for different parameters increases with the increase of porosities and is also in consistent with the Kozeny-Carman equation.

Automatic determination of 3D orientations of fossilized oyster shells from a densely packed Miocene shell bed

Science.gov (United States)

Puttonen, Ana; Harzhauser, Mathias; Puttonen, Eetu; Mandic, Oleg; Székely, Balázs; Molnár, Gábor; Pfeifer, Norbert

2018-02-01

Shell beds represent a useful source of information on various physical processes that cause the depositional condition. We present an automated method to calculate the 3D orientations of a large number of elongate and platy objects (fossilized oyster shells) on a sedimentary bedding plane, developed to support the interpretation of possible depositional patterns, imbrications, or impact of local faults. The study focusses on more than 1900 fossil oyster shells exposed in a densely packed Miocene shell bed. 3D data were acquired by terrestrial laser scanning on an area of 459 m2 with a resolution of 1 mm. Bivalve shells were manually defined as 3D-point clouds of a digital surface model and stored in an ArcGIS database. An individual shell coordinate system (ISCS) was virtually embedded into each shell and its orientation was determined relative to the coordinate system of the entire, tectonically tilted shell bed. Orientation is described by the rotation angles roll, pitch, and yaw in a Cartesian coordinate system. This method allows an efficient measurement and analysis of the orientation of thousands of specimens and is a major advantage compared to the traditional 2D approach, which measures only the azimuth (yaw) angles. The resulting data can variously be utilized for taphonomic analyses and the reconstruction of prevailing hydrodynamic regimes and depositional environments. For the first time, the influence of possible post-sedimentary vertical displacements can be quantified with high accuracy. Here, the effect of nearby fault lines—present in the reef—was tested on strongly tilted oyster shells, but it was found out that the fault lines did not have a statistically significant effect on the large tilt angles. Aside from the high reproducibility, a further advantage of the method is its non-destructive nature, which is especially suitable for geoparks and protected sites such as the studied shell bed.

Sequential UASB and dual media packed-bed reactors for domestic wastewater treatment - experiment and simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Gómez, Raúl; Renman, Gunno

2016-01-01

A wastewater treatment system composed of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor followed by a packed-bed reactor (PBR) filled with Sorbulite(®) and Polonite(®) filter material was tested in a laboratory bench-scale experiment. The system was operated for 50 weeks and achieved very efficient total phosphorus (P) removal (99%), 7-day biochemical oxygen demand removal (99%) and pathogenic bacteria reduction (99%). However, total nitrogen was only moderately reduced in the system (40%). A model focusing on simulation of organic material, solids and size of granules was then implemented and validated for the UASB reactor. Good agreement between the simulated and measured results demonstrated the capacity of the model to predict the behaviour of solids and chemical oxygen demand, which is critical for successful P removal and recovery in the PBR.

Studying the Relationship between the Ability of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical and Environmental Isolates in Tehran, 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faegheh Teymori

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Acinetobacters are aerobic gram-negative bacteria which are distributed widespread in soil and water. The bacteria are isolated from cultured skin, mucous membranes, secretions and hospital environment. Acinetobacter baumannii, is a strain that more frequently isolated. Acinetobacter strains are often resistant against antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: The method of this study was based on field, observation and test. On August and October 2015, samples were isolated from the soil and water of the Sadeghieh Square river in Tehran, respectively, and were transferred to the laboratory in the ice pack. 50 baumannii samples were isolated by biochemical methods (TSI, SIM, OF and gram test. November 1394, 100 clinical samples were isolated from Imam Khomeini hospital by biochemical method, and in the culture media Mueller Hinton agar plates were transferred to the laboratory. Antibiogram test for 150 baumannii samples was performed. Biofilms formation of Acinetobacter baumannii environmental and clinical samples was investigated by Congo red agar and culture plate methods. Results: In all samples (clinical and soil, most of antibiotic resistance was 92% for imipenem and the resistance of water samples to imipenem was 99.9%. Biofilm formation by Congo red agar in water, soil, and clinical samles was resprctively 44%, 40% and 1%. All isolates were negative biofilm culture plate. Conclusion: Considering Acinetobacter baumannii resistance to antibiotics and the lack of biofilm formation of in clinical and environmental isolates, it was concluded that there wasn’t any relationship between antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation.

Propagation of negative electrical discharges through 2-dimensional packed bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruszelnicki, Juliusz; Engeling, Kenneth W; Foster, John E; Xiong, Zhongmin; Kushner, Mark J

2017-01-01

Plasma-based pollutant remediation and value-added gas production have recently gained increased attention as possible alternatives to the currently-deployed chemical reactor systems. Electrical discharges in packed bed reactors (PBRs) are of interest, due to their ability to synergistically combine catalytic and plasma chemical processes. In principle, these systems could be tuned to produce specific products, based on their application by combinations of power formats, materials, geometries and working gases. Negative voltage, atmospheric-pressure plasma discharges sustained in humid air in a PBR-like geometry were experimentally characterized using ICCD imaging and simulated in 2-dimensions (2D) to provide insights into possible routes to this tunability. Surface ionization waves (SIWs) and positive restrikes through the lattice of dielectric rods were shown to be the principal means of producing reactive species. The number and intensity of SIWs and restrikes are sensitive functions of the alignment of the lattice of dielectric beads (or rods in 2D) with respect to the applied electric field. Decreased spacing between the dielectric elements leads to an increased electric field enhancement in the gas, and therefore locally higher plasma densities, but does not necessarily impact the types of discharges that occur through the lattice. (paper)

Propagation of negative electrical discharges through 2-dimensional packed bed reactors

Science.gov (United States)

Kruszelnicki, Juliusz; Engeling, Kenneth W.; Foster, John E.; Xiong, Zhongmin; Kushner, Mark J.

2017-01-01

Plasma-based pollutant remediation and value-added gas production have recently gained increased attention as possible alternatives to the currently-deployed chemical reactor systems. Electrical discharges in packed bed reactors (PBRs) are of interest, due to their ability to synergistically combine catalytic and plasma chemical processes. In principle, these systems could be tuned to produce specific products, based on their application by combinations of power formats, materials, geometries and working gases. Negative voltage, atmospheric-pressure plasma discharges sustained in humid air in a PBR-like geometry were experimentally characterized using ICCD imaging and simulated in 2-dimensions (2D) to provide insights into possible routes to this tunability. Surface ionization waves (SIWs) and positive restrikes through the lattice of dielectric rods were shown to be the principal means of producing reactive species. The number and intensity of SIWs and restrikes are sensitive functions of the alignment of the lattice of dielectric beads (or rods in 2D) with respect to the applied electric field. Decreased spacing between the dielectric elements leads to an increased electric field enhancement in the gas, and therefore locally higher plasma densities, but does not necessarily impact the types of discharges that occur through the lattice.

Continuous Packed Bed Reactor with Immobilized β-Galactosidase for Production of Galactooligosaccharides (GOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Rodriguez-Colinas

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The β-galactosidase from Bacillus circulans was covalently attached to aldehyde-activated (glyoxal agarose beads and assayed for the continuous production of galactooligosaccharides (GOS in a packed-bed reactor (PBR. The immobilization was fast (1 h and the activity of the resulting biocatalyst was 97.4 U/g measured with o-nitrophenyl-β-d-galactopyranoside (ONPG. The biocatalyst showed excellent operational stability in 14 successive 20 min reaction cycles at 45 °C in a batch reactor. A continuous process for GOS synthesis was operated for 213 h at 0.2 mL/min and 45 °C using 100 g/L of lactose as a feed solution. The efficiency of the PBR slightly decreased with time; however, the maximum GOS concentration (24.2 g/L was obtained after 48 h of operation, which corresponded to 48.6% lactose conversion and thus to maximum transgalactosylation activity. HPAEC-PAD analysis showed that the two major GOS were the trisaccharide Gal-β(1→4-Gal-β(1→4-Glc and the tetrasaccharide Gal-β(1→4-Gal-β(1→4-Gal-β(1→4-Glc. The PBR was also assessed in the production of GOS from milk as a feed solution. The stability of the bioreactor was satisfactory during the first 8 h of operation; after that, a decrease in the flow rate was observed, probably due to partial clogging of the column. This work represents a step forward in the continuous production of GOS employing fixed-bed reactors with immobilized β-galactosidases.

Microbial fuel cells with highly active aerobic biocathodes

Science.gov (United States)

Milner, Edward M.; Popescu, Dorin; Curtis, Tom; Head, Ian M.; Scott, Keith; Yu, Eileen H.

2016-08-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which convert organic waste to electricity, could be used to make the wastewater infrastructure more energy efficient and sustainable. However, platinum and other non-platinum chemical catalysts used for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode of MFCs are unsustainable due to their high cost and long-term degradation. Aerobic biocathodes, which use microorganisms as the biocatalysts for cathode ORR, are a good alternative to chemical catalysts. In the current work, high-performing aerobic biocathodes with an onset potential for the ORR of +0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl were enriched from activated sludge in electrochemical half-cells poised at -0.1 and + 0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Gammaproteobacteria, distantly related to any known cultivated gammaproteobacterial lineage, were identified as dominant in these working electrode biofilms (23.3-44.3% of reads in 16S rRNA gene Ion Torrent libraries), and were in very low abundance in non-polarised control working electrode biofilms (0.5-0.7%). These Gammaproteobacteria were therefore most likely responsible for the high activity of biologically catalysed ORR. In MFC tests, a high-performing aerobic biocathode increased peak power 9-fold from 7 to 62 μW cm-2 in comparison to an unmodified carbon cathode, which was similar to peak power with a platinum-doped cathode at 70 μW cm-2.

Experiments on forced convection form a horizontal heated plate in a packed bed of glass spheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Renken, K.J. (Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (USA)); Poulikakos, D. (Univ. of Illinois, Chicago (USA))

1989-02-01

This paper presents an experimental investigation of boundary-layer forced convective heat transfer from a flat isothermal plate in a packed bed of spheres. Extensive experimental results are reported for the thermal boundary-layer thickness, the temperature field, and the local wall heat flux (represented by the local Nusselt number). Theoretical findings of previous investigations using the Darcy flow model as well as a general model for themomentum equation accouting for flow inertia and macroscopic shear wtih and without variable porosity are used to evaluate the theoretical models. Several trends are revealed regarding the conditions of validity of these flow models. Overall the general flow model including variable porosity appears to perform better, even through the need for serious improvements in modeling becomes apparent.

IMPACTS OF BIOFILM FORMATION ON CELLULOSE FERMENTATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leschine, Susan

2009-10-31

colonizes and degrades insoluble substrates. Major accomplishments of the project include: • Development of media containing dialysis tubing (described by the manufacturer as “regenerated cellulose”) as sole carbon and energy source and a nutritive surface for the growth of cellulolytic bacteria, and development of various microscopic methods to image biofilms on dialysis tubing. • Demonstration that cultures of C. phytofermentans, an obligate anaerobe, C. uda, a facultative aerobe, and T. fusca, a filamentous aerobe, formed microbial communities on the surface of dialysis tubing, which possessed architectural features and functional characteristics typical of biofilms. • Demonstration that biofilm formation on the nutritive surface, cellulose, involves a complex developmental processes, including colonization of dialysis tubing, formation of cell clusters attached to the nutritive surface, cell morphological changes, formation of complex structures embedded in extracellular polymeric matrices, and dispersal of biofilm communities as the nutritive surface is degraded. • Determination of surface specificity and regulatory aspects of biofilm formation by C. phytofermentans, C. uda, and T. fusca. • Demonstration that biofilm formation by T. fusca forms an integral part of the life cycle of this filamentous cellulolytic bacterium, including studies on the role of mycelial pellet formation in the T. fusca life cycle and a comparison of mycelial pellets to surface-attached T. fusca biofilms. • Characterization of T. fusca biofilm EPS, including demonstration of a functional role for EPS constituents. • Correlation of T. fusca developmental life cycle and cellulase gene expression.

Inhibition and recovery of nitrification in treating real coal gasification wastewater with moving bed biofilm reactor

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Huiqiang Li; Hongjun Han; Maoan Du; Wei Wang

2011-01-01

Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) was used to treat real coal gasification wastewater.Nitrification of the MBBR was inhibited almost completely during start-up period.Sudden increase of influent total NH3 concentration was the main factor inducing nitrification inhibition.Increasing DO concentration in the bulk liquid (from 2 to 3 mg/L) had little effect on nitrification recovery.Nitrification of the MBBR recovered partially by the addition of nitrifying sludge into the reactor and almost ceased within 5 days.Nitrification ratio of the MBBR achieved 65％ within 12 days by increasing dilute ratio of the influent wastewater with tap water.The ratio of nitrification decreased to 25％ when infiuent COD concentration increased from 650 to 1000 mg/L after nitrification recovery and recovered 70％for another 4 days.

Microbial community stratification in Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors for Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Ruscalleda, Maël; Terada, Akihiko

of bacterial granules or biofilms. In this sense, completely autotrophic nitrogen removal from high ammonium strength wastewater was achieved in a Membrane-Aereated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) in a single step. Here, a biofilm containing nitrifiers (Aerobic Ammonium and Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria, AOB and NOB......, respectively) and Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidizing Bacteria (AnAOB) is grown on bubbleless aeration membranes to remove ammonium. Since oxygen permeates through the membrane-biofilm interface while ammonium diffuses into the biofilm from the biofilm-liquid interface, oxygen gradients can be established across...... the biofilm, allowing nitrogen removal in a single reactor by simultaneous activity of the mentioned biocatalysts. This work consists on the analysis of the microbial community existing in two laboratory-scale reactors operated for more than 300 days, which removed up to 5.5 g-N/m2/day. The system contained...

Long-term studies in COD elimination and nitrification in an overcongested packed-bed reactor (biofilter); Langzeituntersuchungen zur CSB-Elimination und Nitrifikation in einem ueberstauten Festbettreaktor (Biofilter)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engelhart, M.; Dichtl, N. [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany). Inst. fuer Siedlungswasserwirtschaft

1999-07-01

On a semi-technical scale, two process combinations were tested for their suitability for COD elimination and nitrification in combination with an overcongested packed-bed reactor (biofilter). (orig.) [German] Im halbtechnischen Massstab wurden zwei Verfahrenskombinationen unter Einbeziehung eines ueberstauten Festbettreaktors (Biofilter) auf ihre Tauglichkeit zur CSB-Elimination und Nitrifikation untersucht. (orig.)

Expanded-bed chromatography in primary protein purification.

Science.gov (United States)

Anspach, F B; Curbelo, D; Hartmann, R; Garke, G; Deckwer, W D

1999-12-31

Chromatography in stable expanded beds enables proteins to be recovered directly from cultivations of microorganisms or cells and preparations of disrupted cells, without the need for prior removal of suspended solids. The general performance of an expanded bed is comparable to a packed bed owing to reduced mixing of the adsorbent particles in the column. However, optimal operating conditions are more restricted than in a packed bed due to the dependence of bed expansion on the size and density of the adsorbent particles as well as the viscosity and density of the feedstock. The feedstock composition may become the most limiting restriction owing to interactions of adsorbent particles with cell surfaces, DNA and other substances, leading to their aggregation and consequently to bed instabilities and channeling. Despite these difficulties, expanded-bed chromatography has found widespread applications in the large scale purification of proteins from mammalian cell and microbial feedstocks in industrial bioprocessing. The basics and implementation of expanded-bed chromatography, its advantages as well as problems encountered in the use of this technique for the direct extraction of proteins from unclarified feedstocks are addressed.

Characterization, morphology and composition of biofilm and precipitates from a sulphate-reducing fixed-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remoundaki, Emmanouela; Kousi, Pavlina; Joulian, Catherine; Battaglia-Brunet, Fabienne; Hatzikioseyian, Artin; Tsezos, Marios

2008-01-01

The characteristics of the biofilm and the solids formed during the operation of a sulphate-reducing fixed-bed reactor, fed with a moderately acidic synthetic effluent containing zinc and iron, are presented. A diverse population of δ-Proteobacteria SRB, affiliated to four distinct genera, colonized the system. The morphology, mineralogy and surface chemistry of the precipitates were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The XRD patterns observed are characteristic of amorphous solid phases. Peaks corresponding to crystalline iron sulphide, marcasite, sphalerite and wurtzite were also identified. SEM-EDX results confirm the predominance of amorphous phases appearing as a cloudy haze. EDX spectra of spots on the surface of these amorphous phases reveal the predominance of iron, zinc and sulphur indicating the formation of iron and zinc sulphides. The predominance of these amorphous phases and the formation of very fine particles, during the operation of the SRB column, are in agreement and can be explained by the formation pathways of metal sulphides at ambient temperature, alkaline pH and reducing conditions. Solids are precipitated either as (i) amorphous phases deposited on the bed material, as well as on surface of crystals, e.g. Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 2 and (ii) as rod-shaped solids characterized by a rough hazy surface, indicating the encapsulation of bacterial cells by amorphous metal sulphides

Biofilm processes in treating mariculture wastewater may be a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Shuai; Zhang, Shenghua; Ye, Chengsong; Lin, Wenfang; Zhang, Menglu; Chen, Lihua; Li, Jinmei; Yu, Xin

2017-01-01

Antibiotics are heavily used in Chinese mariculture, but only a small portion of the added antibiotics are absorbed by living creatures. Biofilm processes are universally used in mariculture wastewater treatment. In this study, removal of antibiotics (norfloxacin, rifampicin, and oxytetracycline) from wastewater by moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) and the influence of antibiotics on reactor biofilm were investigated. The results demonstrated that there was no significant effect of sub-μg/L–sub-mg/L concentrations of antibiotics on TOC removal. Moreover, the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) in MBBR biofilm increased because of selective pressure of antibiotics. In addition, antibiotics decreased the diversity of the biofilm bacterial community and altered bacterial community structure. These findings provide an empirical basis for the development of appropriate practices for mariculture, and suggest that disinfection and advanced oxidation should be applied to eliminate antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB from mariculture wastewater. - Highlights: • The removal of antibiotics by Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) was investigated. • Biofilm process such as MBBR had little effect on the removal of the antibiotics. • The antibiotics decreased the diversity of biofilm bacterial community and altered bacterial community structure. • Biofilm processes in treating mariculture wastewater may be a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes.

Enhancing the Bioconversion of Winery and Olive Mill Waste Mixtures into Lignocellulolytic Enzymes and Animal Feed by Aspergillus uvarum Using a Packed-Bed Bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado, José Manuel; Abrunhosa, Luís; Venâncio, Armando; Domínguez, José Manuel; Belo, Isabel

2015-10-28

Wineries and olive oil industries are dominant agro-industrial activities in southern European regions. Olive pomace, exhausted grape marc, and vine shoot trimmings are lignocellulosic residues generated by these industries, which could be valued biotechnologically. In the present work these residues were used as substrate to produce cellulases and xylanases through solid-state fermentation using Aspergillus uvarum MUM 08.01. For that, two factorial designs (3(2)) were first planned to optimize substrate composition, temperature, and initial moisture level. Subsequently, the kinectics of cellulolytic enzyme production, fungal growth, and fermented solid were characterized. Finally, the process was performed in a packed-bed bioreactor. The results showed that cellulase activity improved with the optimization processes, reaching 33.56 U/g, and with the packed-bed bioreactor aeration of 0.2 L/min, reaching 38.51 U/g. The composition of fermented solids indicated their potential use for animal feed because cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and phenolic compounds were partially degraded 28.08, 10.78, 13.3, and 28.32%, respectively, crude protein was increased from 8.47 to 17.08%, and the mineral contents meet the requirements of main livestock.

Influence of dissolved oxygen on the nitrification kinetics in a circulating bed biofilm reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nogueira, R.; Melo, L.F. [University of Minho, Braga (Portugal). Dept. Bioengineering; Lazarova, V.; Manem, J. [Centre of International Research for Water and Environment (CIRSEE), Lyonnaise des Eaux, Le Pecq (France)

1998-12-01

The influence of dissolved oxygen concentration on the nitrification kinetics was studied in the circulating bed reactor (CBR). The study was partly performed at laboratory scale with synthetic water, and partly at pilot scale with secondary effluent as feed water. The nitrification kinetics of the laboratory CBR as a function of the oxygen concentration can be described according to the half order and zero order rate equations of the diffusion-reaction model applied to porous catalysts. When oxygen was the rate limiting substrate, the nitrification rate was close to a half order function of the oxygen concentration. The average oxygen diffusion coefficient estimated by fitting the diffusion-reaction model to the experimental results was around 66% of the respective value in water. The experimental results showed that either the ammonia or the oxygen concentration could be limiting for the nitrification kinetics. The latter occurred for an oxygen to ammonia concentration ratio below 1.5-2 gO{sub 2}/gN-NH{sub 4}{sup +} for both laboratory and pilot scale reactors. The volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient (k{sub L}a) determined in the laboratory scale reactor was 0.017 s{sup -1} for a superficial air velocity of 0.02 m s{sup -1}, and the one determined in the pilot scale reactor was 0.040 s{sup -1} for a superficial air velocity of 0.031 m s{sup -1}. The k{sub L}a for the pilot scale reactor did not change significantly after biofilm development, compared to the value measured without biofilm. (orig.) With 7 figs., 5 tabs., 24 refs.

Mathematical modeling of Kluyveromyces marxianus growth in solid-state fermentation using a packed-bed bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazutti, Marcio A; Zabot, Giovani; Boni, Gabriela; Skovronski, Aline; de Oliveira, Débora; Di Luccio, Marco; Rodrigues, Maria Isabel; Maugeri, Francisco; Treichel, Helen

2010-04-01

This work investigated the growth of Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-7571 in solid-state fermentation in a medium composed of sugarcane bagasse, molasses, corn steep liquor and soybean meal within a packed-bed bioreactor. Seven experimental runs were carried out to evaluate the effects of flow rate and inlet air temperature on the following microbial rates: cell mass production, total reducing sugar and oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide and ethanol production, metabolic heat and water generation. A mathematical model based on an artificial neural network was developed to predict the above-mentioned microbial rates as a function of the fermentation time, initial total reducing sugar concentration, inlet and outlet air temperatures. The results showed that the microbial rates were temperature dependent for the range 27-50 degrees C. The proposed model efficiently predicted the microbial rates, indicating that the neural network approach could be used to simulate the microbial growth in SSF.

Redox stratified biofilms to support completely autotrophic nitrogen removal: Principles and results

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles; Smets, Barth F.

liquid. If operated properly, MABRs yield compact and homogeneous redox-stratified biofilms capable of hosting side-by-side aerobic and anaerobic microbial communities. We have recently demonstrated that completely autotrophic nitrogen removal is feasible in MABRs at nitrogen removal rates as high as 5......After 10 years of pilot and full-scale studies, completely autotrophic nitrogen via coupled aerobic and anaerobic ammonium oxidation is now firmly established in the wastewater treatment community. The reasons for the popularization of the technology are numerous, but the most attractive....... The continuous and sustained inoculation of metabolically active anaerobic oxidizing bacteria from a biofilm reactor placed in the recirculation line of our MABRs showed to shorten considerably the onset of autotrophic nitrogen removal. However, the main hurdle keeping MABRs from attaining high removal...

Mass transfer models analysis for the structured packings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suastegui R, A.O.

1997-01-01

The models that have been developing, to understand the mechanism of the mass transfer through the structured packings, present limitations for their application, existing then uncertainty in order to use them in the chemical industrial processes. In this study the main parameters used in the mass transfer are: the hydrodynamic of the bed of the column, the geometry of the bed, physical-chemical properties of the mixture and the flow regime of the operation between the flows liquid-gas. The sensibility of each one of these parameters generate an arduous work to develop right proposals and good interpretation of the phenomenon. With the purpose of showing the importance of these parameters mentioned in the mass transfer, this work is analyzed the process of absorption for the system water-air, using the models to the structured packings in packed columns. The models selected were developed by Bravo and collaborators in 1985 and 1992, in order to determine the parameters previous mentioned for the system water-air, using a structured packing built in the National Institute of Nuclear Research. In this work is showed the results of the models application and their discussion. (Author)

Animal welfare in cross-ventilated, compost-bedded pack, and naturally ventilated dairy barns in the upper Midwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Lobeck, K M; Endres, M I; Shane, E M; Godden, S M; Fetrow, J

2011-11-01

The objective of this cohort study was to investigate animal welfare in 2 newer dairy housing options in the upper Midwest, cross-ventilated freestall barns (CV) and compost-bedded-pack barns (CB), compared with conventional, naturally ventilated freestall barns (NV). The study was conducted on 18 commercial dairy farms, 6 of each housing type, in Minnesota and eastern South Dakota. The primary breed in all farms was Holstein; 1 CV and 1 NV herd had approximately 30% Jersey-Holstein crossbreds. All freestall herds used sand for bedding. Farms were visited 4 times (once in each season) between January and November 2008, and approximately 93% of all animals in each pen were visually scored on each visit. Outcome-based measurements of welfare (locomotion, hock lesions, body condition score, hygiene, respiration rates, mortality, and mastitis prevalence) were collected on each farm. Lameness prevalence (proportion of cows with locomotion score ≥3 on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1=normal and 5=severely lame) in CB barns (4.4%) was lower than that in NV (15.9%) and CV (13.1%) barns. Lameness prevalence was similar between CV and NV barns. Hock lesion prevalence (proportion of cows with a lesion score ≥2 on a 1 to 3 scale, where 1=normal, 2=hair loss, and 3=swelling) was lower in CB barns (3.8%) than in CV (31.2%) and NV barns (23.9%). Hygiene scores (1 to 5 scale, where 1=clean and 5=very dirty) were higher for CB (3.18) than CV (2.83) and NV (2.77) barns, with no differences between CV and NV barns. Body condition scores, respiration rates, mastitis prevalence, culling, and mortality rates did not differ among housing systems. The CV and NV barns were evaluated using the cow comfort index (proportion of cows lying down in a stall divided by all animals touching a stall) and the stall usage index (proportion of cows lying divided by all animals in the pen not eating). The CV barns tended to have greater cow comfort index (85.9%) than the NV barns (81.4%) and had greater

A new route of bioaugmentation by allochthonous and autochthonous through biofilm bacteria for soluble chemical oxygen demand removal of old leachate.

Science.gov (United States)

Alijani Ardeshir, Rashid; Rastgar, Sara; Peyravi, Majid; Jahanshahi, Mohsen; Shokuhi Rad, Ali

2017-10-01

Landfill leachate contains environmental pollutants that are generally resistant to biodegradation. In this study, indigenous and exogenous bacteria in leachate were acclimated in both biofilm and suspension forms to increase the removal of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD). The bacteria from the leachate and sewage were acclimated to gradually increasing leachate concentration prepared using a reverse osmosis membrane over 28 days. The SCOD removal was measured aerobically or nominally anaerobically. Biofilms were prepared using different carrier media (glass, rubber, and plastic). The maximum SCOD removal in suspensions was 32% (anaerobic) and in biofilms was 39% (aerobic). In the suspension form, SCOD removal using acclimated bacteria from leachate and sewage anaerobically increased in comparison with the control (P technology using biofilms and acclimations can be an effective, inexpensive, and simple way to decrease SCOD in old landfill leachate.

Accounting for porous structure in effective thermal conductivity calculations in a pebble bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antwerpen, W. van; Rousseau, P.G.; Toit, C.G. du

2009-01-01

A proper understanding of the mechanisms of heat transfer, flow and pressure drop through a packed bed of spheres is of utmost importance in the design of a high temperature pebble bed reactor. A thorough knowledge of the porous structure within the packed bed is important to any rigorous analysis of the transport phenomena, as all the heat and flow mechanisms are influenced by the porous structure. In this paper a new approach is proposed to simulate the effective thermal conductivity employing a combination of new and existing correlations for randomly packed beds. More attention is given to packing structure based on coordination number and contact angles, resulting in a more rigorous differentiation between the bulk and near-wall regions. The model accounts for solid conduction, gas conduction, contact area, surface roughness as well as radiation. (author)

Anaerobic bacteria grow within Candida albicans biofilms and induce biofilm formation in suspension cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Emily P; Cowley, Elise S; Nobile, Clarissa J; Hartooni, Nairi; Newman, Dianne K; Johnson, Alexander D

2014-10-20

The human microbiome contains diverse microorganisms, which share and compete for the same environmental niches. A major microbial growth form in the human body is the biofilm state, where tightly packed bacterial, archaeal, and fungal cells must cooperate and/or compete for resources in order to survive. We examined mixed biofilms composed of the major fungal species of the gut microbiome, Candida albicans, and each of five prevalent bacterial gastrointestinal inhabitants: Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis. We observed that biofilms formed by C. albicans provide a hypoxic microenvironment that supports the growth of two anaerobic bacteria, even when cultured in ambient oxic conditions that are normally toxic to the bacteria. We also found that coculture with bacteria in biofilms induces massive gene expression changes in C. albicans, including upregulation of WOR1, which encodes a transcription regulator that controls a phenotypic switch in C. albicans, from the "white" cell type to the "opaque" cell type. Finally, we observed that in suspension cultures, C. perfringens induces aggregation of C. albicans into "mini-biofilms," which allow C. perfringens cells to survive in a normally toxic environment. This work indicates that bacteria and C. albicans interactions modulate the local chemistry of their environment in multiple ways to create niches favorable to their growth and survival. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of chemical-pharmaceutical wastewater in packed bed anaerobic reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nacheva, P.M.; Pena-Loera, B.; Moralez-Guzman, F. [Mexican Institute for Water Technology, Jiutepec (Mexico)

2006-07-01

Biological degradation in packed bed anaerobic mesophilic reactors with five different support materials was studied for the treatment of chemical-pharmaceutical wastewater with high COD (23-31 g/L), which contains toxic organic compounds. Experimental up-flow bio-filters were operated at different organic loads for a two-year period. Removals of 80-98% were obtained in the reactors with sand, anthracite and black tezontle, but at relatively low organic loads, less than 3.6 kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1}. The reactor with granular activated carbon (GAC) had a better performance; efficiencies higher than 95% were obtained at loads up to 17kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1} and higher than 80% with loads up to 26 kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1}. Second in performance was the reactor with red tezontle which allows COD removals higher than 80% with loads up to 6 kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1}. The use of GAC as support material allows greater biodegradation rates than the rest of the materials and it makes the process more resistant to organic load increases, inhibition effects and toxicity. Methanogenic activity was inhibited at loads higher than 21.9 kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1} in the GAC-reactor and at loads higher than 3.6 kg m{sup -3} d{sup -1} in the rest of the reactors. At loads lower than the previously mentioned, high methane production yield was obtained, 0.32-0.35 m{sup 33}CH4/kg CODremoved.

Kinetic Modeling of Synthetic Wastewater Treatment by the Moving-bed Sequential Continuous-inflow Reactor (MSCR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadreza Khani

2016-11-01

Full Text Available It was the objective of the present study to conduct a kinetic modeling of a Moving-bed Sequential Continuous-inflow Reactor (MSCR and to develop its best prediction model. For this purpose, a MSCR consisting of an aerobic-anoxic pilot 50 l in volume and an anaerobic pilot of 20 l were prepared. The MSCR was fed a variety of organic loads and operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRT using synthetic wastewater at input COD concentrations of 300 to 1000 mg/L with HRTs of 2 to 5 h. Based on the results and the best system operation conditions, the highest COD removal (98.6% was obtained at COD=500 mg/L. The three well-known first order, second order, and Stover-Kincannon models were utilized for the kinetic modeling of the reactor. Based on the kinetic analysis of organic removal, the Stover-Kincannon model was chosen for the kinetic modeling of the moving bed biofilm. Given its advantageous properties in the statisfactory prediction of organic removal at different organic loads, this model is recommended for the design and operation of MSCR systems.

Replacement of the cooling tower packing at the Goesgen-Daeniken AG nuclear power plant; Ersatz der Kuehlturmeinbauten im Kernkraftwerk Goesgen-Daeniken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rich, Hans Walter [Kernkraftwerk Goesgen-Daeniken AG, Daeniken (Switzerland)

2012-07-01

In 2005 the asbestos cement cooling tower packing was replaced by plastic material. Two years later, the packing showed strong deformations, deposits of solids and weight gain. At the end of 2007 parts of the packing collapsed into the cooling tower basin. Investigations were made, revealing that the thickness of the packing foil was too low and that packing geometry and biofilms on the surface of the packing favoured deposition of solids. Successful measures were taken to solve the problems. (orig.)

Hydrogenotrophic denitrification in a packed bed reactor: effects of hydrogen-to-water flow rate ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J W; Lee, K H; Park, K Y; Maeng, S K

2010-06-01

Hydrogen dissolution and hydrogenotrophic denitrification performance were investigated in a lab-scale packed bed reactor (PBR) by varying the hydrogen flow rate and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The denitrification performance was enhanced by increasing the hydrogen flow rate and HRT as a result of high dissolved hydrogen concentration (0.39mg/L) and utilization efficiencies (79%). In this study, the hydrogen-to-water flow rate ratio (Q(g)/Q(w)) was found to be a new operating factor representing the two parameters of hydrogen flow rate and HRT. Hydrogen dissolution and denitrification efficiency were nonlinearly and linearly correlated with the Q(g)/Q(w), respectively. Based on its excellent linear correlation with denitrification efficiency, Q(g)/Q(w) should be greater than 2.3 to meet the WHO's guideline of nitrate nitrogen for drinking water. This study demonstrates that Q(g)/Q(w) is a simple and robust factor to optimize hydrogen-sparged bioreactors for hydrogenotrophic denitrification. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Structured Packing CUB for Purification of Exhaust Gases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Novikova

2016-10-01

Full Text Available New structured packing for heat and mass transfer processes named CUB is presented in our article. The packing can be applied in packed towers for exhaust gas cleaning instead random packing, for example, rings type that are the most used in such processes. The advantages of the new packing over random packing are lower pressure drop, capability of purification and as a consequence long-term service of the packing. The researches of intensity of liquid-phase mass-transfer in packed bed depending on liquid spray rate and gas velocity were carried out. Obtained data show that packing CUB is more effective than the most popular type of structured packing under all other conditions being equal. As experimental data shown heat transfer coefficient was up by 17% and mass transfer coefficient was up by 51%. We found out optimal geometry of cross section of the new packing, namely, number of elements and parameters of one element. The new construction of structured packing is applicable for both type of column cross-section round and square.

Muscle Adaptations Following Short-Duration Bed Rest with Integrated Resistance, Interval, and Aerobic Exercise

Science.gov (United States)

Hackney, Kyle J.; Scott, Jessica M.; Buxton, Roxanne; Redd-Goetchius, Elizabeth; Crowell, J. Brent; Everett, Meghan E.; Wickwire, Jason; Ryder, Jeffrey W.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L.

2011-01-01

Unloading of the musculoskeletal system during space flight results in deconditioning that may impair mission-related task performance in astronauts. Exercise countermeasures have been frequently tested during bed rest (BR) and limb suspension; however, high-intensity, short-duration exercise prescriptions have not been fully explored. PURPOSE: To determine if a high intensity resistance, interval, and aerobic exercise program could protect against muscle atrophy and dysfunction when performed during short duration BR. METHODS: Nine subjects (1 female, 8 male) performed a combination of supine exercises during 2 weeks of horizontal BR. Resistance exercise (3 d / wk) consisted of squat, leg press, hamstring curl, and heel raise exercises (3 sets, 12 repetitions). Aerobic (6 d / wk) sessions alternated continuous (75% VO2 peak) and interval exercise (30 s, 2 min, and 4 min) and were completed on a supine cycle ergometer and vertical treadmill, respectively. Muscle volumes of the upper leg were calculated pre, mid, and post-BR using magnetic resonance imaging. Maximal isometric force (MIF), rate of force development (RFD), and peak power of the lower body extensors were measured twice before BR (averaged to represent pre) and once post BR. ANOVA with repeated measures and a priori planned contrasts were used to test for differences. RESULTS: There were no changes to quadriceps, hamstring, and adductor muscle volumes at mid and post BR time points compared to pre BR (Table 1). Peak power increased significantly from 1614 +/- 372 W to 1739 +/- 359 W post BR (+7.7%, p = 0.035). Neither MIF (pre: 1676 +/- 320 N vs. post: 1711 +/- 250 N, +2.1%, p = 0.333) nor RFD (pre: 7534 +/- 1265 N/ms vs. post: 6951 +/- 1241 N/ms, -7.7%, p = 0.136) were significantly impaired post BR.

The influence of TiO2 and aeration on the kinetics of electrochemical oxidation of phenol in packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lizhang; Zhao Yuemin; Fu Jianfeng

2008-01-01

The electrochemical oxidation of phenolic wastewater in a lab-scale reactor, packed into granular activated carbon (GAC) with Ti/SnO 2 anodes and stainless steel cathodes, was interpreted in this study. GAC saturated rapidly if it was only used as sorbent, but application of suitable electric energy for the system simultaneously could recover the adsorption ability of GAC and maintain the continuous running effectively. The titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as catalyst and airflow were also applied to the electrochemical reactor to examine the enhancement for phenol oxidation process. Results revealed that the electrochemical degradation of phenol could be reasonably described by first-order kinetics. In addition, it was illustrated that acid region, increased voltage, more dosage of TiO 2 and higher aeration intensity were all beneficial parameters for phenol oxidation rates. By inspecting the relationship between the rate constants (k) and influencing factors, respectively, an overall kinetic model for phenol oxidation was proposed. The kinetics obtained from the experiments under corresponding electrochemical conditions could provide an accurate estimation of phenol concentration effluent and better design of the packed bed reactor

Thermal-hydraulic modeling of porous bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araj, K.J.; Nourbakhsh, H.P.

1987-01-01

Optimum design of nuclear reactor core requires an iterative approach between the thermal-hydraulic, neutronic and operational analysis. This paper concentrates on the thermal-hydraulic behavior of a hydrogen cooled, small particle bed reactor (PBR). The PBR core, modeled here, consists of a hexagonal array of fuel elements embedded in a moderator matrix. The fuel elements are annular packed beds of fuel particles held between two porous cylindrical frits. These particles, 500 to 600 μm in diameter, have a uranium carbide core, which is coated by two layers of graphite and an outer coating of zirconium carbide. Coolant flow, radially inward, from the cold frit through the packed bed and hot frit and axially out the channel, formed by the hot frit, to a common plenum. 5 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

Integrated anaerobic and aerobic treatment of sewage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, K.

1994-01-01

This thesis describes results of investigations dealing with sequential concept of anaerobic-aerobic treatment of municipal wastewater. The main purposes of the study were 1) to develop a proper anaerobic hydrolytic pretreatment unit, consisting of a Hydrolysis Upflow Sludge Bed (HUSB-)

Structures, Compositions, and Activities of Live Shewanella Biofilms Formed on Graphite Electrodes in Electrochemical Flow Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitayama, Miho; Koga, Ryota; Kasai, Takuya; Kouzuma, Atsushi; Watanabe, Kazuya

2017-09-01

An electrochemical flow cell equipped with a graphite working electrode (WE) at the bottom was inoculated with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 expressing an anaerobic fluorescent protein, and biofilm formation on the WE was observed over time during current generation at WE potentials of +0.4 and 0 V (versus standard hydrogen electrodes), under electrolyte-flow conditions. Electrochemical analyses suggested the presence of unique electron-transfer mechanisms in the +0.4-V biofilm. Microscopic analyses revealed that, in contrast to aerobic biofilms, current-generating biofilm (at +0.4 V) was thin and flat (∼10 μm in thickness), and cells were evenly and densely distributed in the biofilm. In contrast, cells were unevenly distributed in biofilm formed at 0 V. In situ fluorescence staining and biofilm recovery experiments showed that the amounts of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) in the +0.4-V biofilm were much smaller than those in the aerobic and 0-V biofilms, suggesting that Shewanella cells suppress the production of EPSs at +0.4 V under flow conditions. We suggest that Shewanella cells perceive electrode potentials and modulate the structure and composition of biofilms to efficiently transfer electrons to electrodes. IMPORTANCE A promising application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is to save energy in wastewater treatment. Since current is generated in these MFCs by biofilm microbes under horizontal flows of wastewater, it is important to understand the mechanisms for biofilm formation and current generation under water-flow conditions. Although massive work has been done to analyze the molecular mechanisms for current generation by model exoelectrogenic bacteria, such as Shewanella oneidensis , limited information is available regarding the formation of current-generating biofilms over time under water-flow conditions. The present study developed electrochemical flow cells and used them to examine the electrochemical and structural features of current

KMT moving bed biofilm reactor (KMT MBBR) experience of a pilot plant in Spain. Proceso KMT de biomasa fija sobre lecho movil. Experiencias en planta piloto en Espaa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montoya Aranda, A.; Rodrigo Alonso, J.C.

1994-01-01

It describes the experiments carried out by INFILCO ESPAOLA, S.A. in a pilot plant using the KMT Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor process involving a fixed biomass on a moveable bed. This is an innovative process for treating both industrial and urban waste waters with or without the elimination of nutrients. The experimental findings demonstrate the need for a minimum amount of space for the biologial reagent (in comparison with that required for active sludge EDARs). They also show the ease with which existing EDARs can be adapted with very little civil engineering work by increasing either the design capacity or the elimination of nutrients. 10 refs.

Effect of oxygen on the growth and biofilm formation of Xylella fastidiosa in liquid media.

Science.gov (United States)

Shriner, Anthony D; Andersen, Peter C

2014-12-01

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterial pathogen, and is the causative agent of Pierce's disease of grapevines and scorch diseases of many other plant species. The disease symptoms are putatively due to blocking of the transpiration stream by bacterial-induced biofilm formation and/or by the formation of plant-generated tylosis. Xylella fastidiosa has been classified as an obligate aerobe, which appears unusual given that dissolved O2 levels in the xylem during the growing season are often hypoxic (20-60 μmol L(-1)). We examined the growth and biofilm formation of three strains of X. fastidiosa under variable O2 conditions (21, 2.1, 0.21 and 0 % O2), in comparison to that of Pseudomonas syringae (obligate aerobe) and Erwinia carotovora (facultative anaerobe) under similar conditions. The growth of X. fastidiosa more closely resembled that of the facultative anaerobe, and not the obligate aerobe. Xanthomonas campestris, the closest genetic relative of X. fastidiosa, exhibited no growth in an N2 environment, whereas X. fastidiosa was capable of growing in an N2 environment in PW(+), CHARDS, and XDM2-PR media. The magnitude of growth and biofilm formation in the N2 (0 % O2) treatment was dependent on the specific medium. Additional studies involving the metabolism of X. fastidiosa in response to low O2 are warranted. Whether X. fastidiosa is classified as an obligate aerobe or a facultative anaerobe should be confirmed by gene activation and/or the quantification of the metabolic profiles under hypoxic conditions.

Stabilization of fine fraction from landfill mining in anaerobic and aerobic laboratory leach bed reactors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mönkäre, Tiina J; Palmroth, Marja R T; Rintala, Jukka A

2015-11-01

Fine fraction (FF, mined landfill was stabilized in four laboratory-scale leach bed reactors (LBR) over 180 days. The aim was to study feasibility of biotechnological methods to treat FF and if further stabilization of FF is possible. Four different stabilization methods were compared and their effects upon quality of FF were evaluated. Also during the stabilization experiment, leachate quality as well as gas composition and quantity were analyzed. The methods studied included three anaerobic LBRs (one without water addition, one with water addition, and one with leachate recirculation) and one aerobic LBR (with water addition). During the experiment, the most methane was produced in anaerobic LBR without water addition (18.0 L CH4/kg VS), while water addition and leachate recirculation depressed methane production slightly, to 16.1 and 16.4 L CH4/kg VS, respectively. Organic matter was also removed via the leachate and was measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD). Calculated removal of organic matter in gas and leachate was highest in LBR with water addition (59 g COD/kg VS), compared with LBR without water addition or with leachate recirculation (51 g COD/kg VS). Concentrations of COD, ammonium nitrogen and anions in leachate decreased during the experiment, indicating washout mechanism caused by water additions. Aeration increased sulfate and nitrate concentrations in leachate due to oxidized sulfide and ammonium. Molecular weight distributions of leachates showed that all the size categories decreased, especially low molecular weight compounds, which were reduced the most. Aerobic stabilization resulted in the lowest final VS/TS (13.1%), lowest respiration activity (0.9-1.2 mg O2/g TS), and lowest methane production after treatment (0.0-0.8 L CH4/kg VS), with 29% of VS being removed from FF. Anaerobic stabilization methods also reduced organic matter by 9-20% compared with the initial amount. Stabilization reduced the quantity of soluble nitrogen in FF and did

Dry reforming of methane via plasma-catalysis: influence of the catalyst nature supported on alumina in a packed-bed DBD configuration

Science.gov (United States)

Brune, L.; Ozkan, A.; Genty, E.; Visart de Bocarmé, T.; Reniers, F.

2018-06-01

These days, the consideration of CO2 as a feedstock has become the subject of more interest. The reutilization of CO2 is already possible via cold plasma techniques operating at atmospheric pressure. A promising technology is the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). In most cases DBDs exhibit a low energy efficiency for CO2 conversion. However, several routes can be used to increase this efficiency and hence, the product formation. One of these routes is the packed-bed DBD configuration with porous beads inside the gap of the DBD, which also allows the coupling of plasma with catalysis. Catalysts can be introduced in such a configuration to exploit the synergistic effect between plasma and catalytically active surfaces, leading to a more efficient process. In this article, the dry reforming of methane (DRM) is studied, which aims to convert both CO2 and CH4, another greenhouse gas, at the same time. The conversions and energy costs of the DRM process are investigated and compared in both the packed-bed DBD configurations containing catalysts (Co, Cu or Ni) and the classical DBD. The change in filamentary behavior is studied in detail and correlated with the obtained conversions using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and using an oscilloscope. A characterization of the catalysts on the beads is also carried out. Both the CO2 and CH4 conversions are clearly increased with the plasma-catalysis. Moreover, CH4 conversions as high as 90% can be obtained in certain conditions with copper catalysts.

The performance of a trickle-bed reactor packed with a Pt/SDBC catalyst mixture for the CECE process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paek, Seungwoo; Ahn, Do-Hee; Choi, Heui-Joo; Kim, Kwang-Rag; Lee, Minsoo; Yim, Sung-Paal; Chung, Hongsuk; Song, Kyu-Min; Sohn, Soon Hwan

2007-01-01

The combined electrolysis and catalytic exchange (CECE) process with a hydrophobic catalyst is a very effective method to remove small quantities of tritium from light or heavy wastewater streams because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. A hydrophobic platinum/styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer (Pt/SDBC) catalyst which was developed for the liquid-phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) column of the Wolsong tritium removal facility (WTRF) has been tested in a trickle bed reactor for the design of the CECE process. An experimental apparatus has been built for the testing of the catalyst at various temperatures and gas velocities. The catalyst column was packed with a mixture of a hydrophobic catalyst and a hydrophilic packing (Dixon gauze ring) to improve the liquid distribution and vapor/liquid transfer area. Many tests have been carried out at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to measure the activity of the catalyst, K y a (1 s -1 ), under various operating conditions. K y a increases with the hydrogen flow rates in the range of 0.4-1.6 m s -1 at STP. The height of the catalyst column was determined from these K y a values according to the reaction temperatures and hydrogen flow rates

The performance of a trickle-bed reactor packed with a Pt/SDBC catalyst mixture for the CECE process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paek, Seungwoo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 150 Deokjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: swpaek@kaeri.re.kr; Ahn, Do-Hee; Choi, Heui-Joo; Kim, Kwang-Rag; Lee, Minsoo; Yim, Sung-Paal; Chung, Hongsuk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 150 Deokjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Kyu-Min; Sohn, Soon Hwan [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, 103-16 Munji-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-380 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-10-15

The combined electrolysis and catalytic exchange (CECE) process with a hydrophobic catalyst is a very effective method to remove small quantities of tritium from light or heavy wastewater streams because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. A hydrophobic platinum/styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer (Pt/SDBC) catalyst which was developed for the liquid-phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) column of the Wolsong tritium removal facility (WTRF) has been tested in a trickle bed reactor for the design of the CECE process. An experimental apparatus has been built for the testing of the catalyst at various temperatures and gas velocities. The catalyst column was packed with a mixture of a hydrophobic catalyst and a hydrophilic packing (Dixon gauze ring) to improve the liquid distribution and vapor/liquid transfer area. Many tests have been carried out at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to measure the activity of the catalyst, K{sub y}a (1 s{sup -1}), under various operating conditions. K{sub y}a increases with the hydrogen flow rates in the range of 0.4-1.6 m s{sup -1} at STP. The height of the catalyst column was determined from these K{sub y}a values according to the reaction temperatures and hydrogen flow rates.

Investigation of hydrodynamic behavior of a pilot-scale trickle bed reactor packed with hydrophobic catalyst using radiotracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Rajesh; Mohan, Sadhana; Pant, H.J.; Sharma, V.K.; Mahajani, S.M.

2010-01-01

Exchange of isotopes of hydrogen between aqueous phase and hydrogen gas is one of the most efficient methods for separation of hydrogen isotopes and is commonly used for production of heavy water or removal of tritium from tritiated water effluents. The isotope exchange reaction can be effectively executed in a counter-current trickle bed reactor (TBR) packed with a novel metal (Pt, Pd, Ni) based hydrophobic catalyst as the conventional novel metal based hydrophilic catalysts become ineffective after they come in contact with liquid effluents. The overall exchange reaction in the TBR mainly consists of a gas-liquid mass transfer process that transfers reactants from liquid to gaseous phase followed by an isotopic exchange reaction between the reactants in gaseous phase in presence of a solid hydrophobic catalyst. However, due to water repellent nature of the catalyst, poor liquid distribution in the reactor is normally observed that deteriorates the gas-liquid mass transfer. Therefore, it was thought that if a mixture of hydrophobic catalyst and a suitable hydrophilic mass transfer packing is used to fill the TBR column then, it can improve the distribution or mixing of the liquid and gas phase and thus improve the gas-liquid mass transfer and overall performance of the reactor and needs to be confirmed

Low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater treatment by biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBBR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohan, S. Venkata; Rao, N. Chandrasekhara; Sarma, P.N.

2007-01-01

Biofilm configured system with sequencing/periodic discontinuous batch mode operation was evaluated for the treatment of low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater (low BOD/COD ratio ∼0.3, high sulfate content: 1.75 g/l) in aerobic metabolic function. Reactor was operated under anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment conditions with a total cycle period of 24 h [fill: 15 min; reaction: 23 h (aeration along with recirculation); settle: 30 min; decant: 15 min] and the performance of the system was studied at organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.92, 1.50, 3.07 and 4.76 kg COD/cum-day. Substrate utilization showed a steady increase with increase in OLR and system performance sustained at higher loading rates. Maximum non-cumulative substrate utilization was observed after 4 h of the cycle operation. Sulfate removal efficiency of 20% was observed due to the induced anoxic conditions prevailing during the sequence phase operation of the reactor and the existing internal anoxic zones in the biofilm matrix. Biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBR) showed comparatively higher efficiency to the corresponding suspended growth and granular activated carbon (GAC) configured systems studied with same wastewater. Periodic discontinuous batch mode operation of the biofilm reactors results in a more even distribution of the biomass throughout the reactor and was able to treat large shock loads than the continuous flow process. Biofilm configured system coupled with periodic discontinuous batch mode operation imposes regular variations in the substrate concentration on biofilm organisms. As a result, organisms throughout the film achieve maximum growth rates resulting in improved reaction potential leading to stable and robust system which is well suited for treating highly variable wastes

Low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater treatment by biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBBR)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohan, S. Venkata [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India)]. E-mail: vmohan_s@yahoo.com; Rao, N. Chandrasekhara [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India); Biotechnologies and Process Engineering for the Environment, Universite de Savoie Technolac, Chambery, 73376 Le Bourget Du Lac Cedex (France); Sarma, P.N. [Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering Centre, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 007 (India)

2007-06-01

Biofilm configured system with sequencing/periodic discontinuous batch mode operation was evaluated for the treatment of low-biodegradable composite chemical wastewater (low BOD/COD ratio {approx}0.3, high sulfate content: 1.75 g/l) in aerobic metabolic function. Reactor was operated under anoxic-aerobic-anoxic microenvironment conditions with a total cycle period of 24 h [fill: 15 min; reaction: 23 h (aeration along with recirculation); settle: 30 min; decant: 15 min] and the performance of the system was studied at organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.92, 1.50, 3.07 and 4.76 kg COD/cum-day. Substrate utilization showed a steady increase with increase in OLR and system performance sustained at higher loading rates. Maximum non-cumulative substrate utilization was observed after 4 h of the cycle operation. Sulfate removal efficiency of 20% was observed due to the induced anoxic conditions prevailing during the sequence phase operation of the reactor and the existing internal anoxic zones in the biofilm matrix. Biofilm configured sequencing batch reactor (SBR) showed comparatively higher efficiency to the corresponding suspended growth and granular activated carbon (GAC) configured systems studied with same wastewater. Periodic discontinuous batch mode operation of the biofilm reactors results in a more even distribution of the biomass throughout the reactor and was able to treat large shock loads than the continuous flow process. Biofilm configured system coupled with periodic discontinuous batch mode operation imposes regular variations in the substrate concentration on biofilm organisms. As a result, organisms throughout the film achieve maximum growth rates resulting in improved reaction potential leading to stable and robust system which is well suited for treating highly variable wastes.

Fungi solubilisation of low rank coal: performances of stirred tank, fluidised bed and packed bed reactors

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Oboirien, BO

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Coal biosolubilisation was investigated in stirred tank reactor, fluidised bed and fixed bed bioreactors with a view to highlight the advantages and shortcomings of each of these reactor configurations. The stirred aerated bioreactor and fluidised...

Distributions and activities of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and polyphosphate accumulating organisms in a pumped-flow biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Guangxue; Nielsen, Michael; Sorensen, Ketil; Zhan, Xinmin; Rodgers, Michael

2009-10-01

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

Aerobic decolourization of the indigo dye-containing textile wastewater using continuous combined bioreactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khelifi, Eltaief; Gannoun, Hana; Touhami, Youssef; Bouallagui, Hassib; Hamdi, Moktar

2008-01-01

An aerobic bioprocess was applied to Indigo dye-containing textile wastewater treatment aiming at the colour elimination and biodegradation. A combined aerobic system using continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and fixed film bioreactor (FFB) was continuously operated at constant temperature and fed with the textile wastewater (pH: 7.5 and total chemical oxygen demand (COD): 1185 mg l -1 ). The CSTR is a 1 l continuous flow stirred tank reactor with a 700 ml working volume, and operated with a variable wastewater loading rate (WLR) from 0.92 to 3.7 g l -1 d -1 . The FFB is a 1.5 l continuous flow with three compartments packed with a rippled cylindrical polyethylene support, operated with a variable WLR between 0.09 and 0.73 g l -1 d -1 . The combined two bioreactors were inoculated by an acclimated microbial consortium and continuously operated with four total WLR. This system presented high COD elimination and colour removal efficiencies of 97.5% and 97.3%, respectively, obtained with a total hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 days and total WLR of 0.29 g l -1 d -1 . The effects of WLR on absorption phenomena on the yield of conversion of substrate on biomass (R TSS/COD ) and on the yield of conversion of substrate on active biomass (R VVS/COD ) are discussed. The increase of WLR and the decrease of HRT diminished the performances of this system in terms of decolourization and COD removal explained by the sloughing of biofilm, and the washout phenomena

Hydrogen isotopic exchange reaction in a trickle-bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paek, Seung Woo; Ahn, Do Hee; Kim, Kwang Rag; Lee, Min Soo; Yim, Sung Paal; Chung, Hong Suk

2005-01-01

The CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) with a hydrophobic catalyst is ideally suited for extracting tritium from water because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. This process for different hydrogen isotope applications has been developed by AECL. A laboratory scale CECE was built and operated at Mound Laboratory. Belgium and Japan have also developed independently similar processes which are based on a hydrophobic catalyst. The CECE column is composed of an electrolysis cell and a liquid phase catalytic exchange column. The liquid phase catalytic exchange columns having various structures were developed; and it has been recognized that a multistage type and a trickle-bed type are promising. The multistage type gave more successful results than the trickle-bed type. However, the structure of the column is complicated. The trickle-bed type has a significant advantage in that the structure of the column is quite simple: the hydrophobic catalysts or the catalysts and packings are packed within the column. This structure would lead us to a smaller column height than the multistage type. This paper deals with the experiment for the hydrogen isotope exchange in a trickle-bed reactor packed with a hydrophobic catalyst and the design of the catalytic column for the CECE to tritium recovery from light water

Hydrogen isotopic exchange reaction in a trickle-bed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paek, Seung Woo; Ahn, Do Hee; Kim, Kwang Rag; Lee, Min Soo; Yim, Sung Paal; Chung, Hong Suk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

The CECE (Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange) with a hydrophobic catalyst is ideally suited for extracting tritium from water because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. This process for different hydrogen isotope applications has been developed by AECL. A laboratory scale CECE was built and operated at Mound Laboratory. Belgium and Japan have also developed independently similar processes which are based on a hydrophobic catalyst. The CECE column is composed of an electrolysis cell and a liquid phase catalytic exchange column. The liquid phase catalytic exchange columns having various structures were developed; and it has been recognized that a multistage type and a trickle-bed type are promising. The multistage type gave more successful results than the trickle-bed type. However, the structure of the column is complicated. The trickle-bed type has a significant advantage in that the structure of the column is quite simple: the hydrophobic catalysts or the catalysts and packings are packed within the column. This structure would lead us to a smaller column height than the multistage type. This paper deals with the experiment for the hydrogen isotope exchange in a trickle-bed reactor packed with a hydrophobic catalyst and the design of the catalytic column for the CECE to tritium recovery from light water.

Measurement of thermal expansion for a Li2TiO3 pebble bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hisashi Tanigawa; Mikio Enoeda; Masato Akiba

2006-01-01

In the current design of the blanket with ceramic breeders, pebbles of breeding materials are packed into a container and used as a pebble bed. Thermal and mechanical conditions externally loaded on the bed affect thermal and mechanical properties of the bed. It is necessary to analyze thermo-mechanical properties of the bed under controlled thermal and mechanical conditions. In the present paper, thermal expansion of a Li 2 TiO 3 pebble bed was investigated. Our apparatus consists of a tensile test-apparatus and a measurement chamber. Pebbles of Li 2 TiO 3 with 2 mm diameter were used. They were packed into a container made of alumina. At first, thermal expansion of the apparatus was calibrated because the measured deformation included thermal expansions of the load rods and the container. Instead of the pebble bed, a column made of copper was installed and thermal expansion of the system was measured for the calibration. Taking into account the estimated thermal expansion of the column, thermal expansion of the rods and the container could be analyzed. Based on the correction, thermal expansion of the pebble bed was measured under compression of 0.1 MPa. Temperature of the bed was regulated from room temperature to 973 K. From the measured expansion of the bed, average thermal expansion coefficient was estimated. For the beds with different packing factors ranging from 65.5 to 68.5 %, thermal expansion coefficients were 1.4 ± 0. 10-5 K -1 . In the first measurement of the beds without pre-loading, expansion coefficients were larger for the cooling process than heating. When the beds were successively heated and cooled, the difference decreased. This means that relocation of the pebbles arises in the first heat treatment and progress of compaction is larger in the cooling process than heating. After a few heat treatments, packing states of the beds reach stable and expansion coefficients for both heat and cooling processes are close. In the case of the beds that

Propensity for biofilm formation by aerobic mesophilic and thermophilic spore forming bacteria isolated from Chinese milk powders.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadiq, Faizan A; Flint, Steve; Yuan, Lei; Li, Yun; Liu, TongJie; He, GuoQing

2017-12-04

Biofilms on the surface of dairy manufacturing plants are potential reservoirs of microbial contamination. These microbial aggregates may harbour pathogenic and spoilage organisms which contaminate dairy products. The biofilm forming capacity of many spore forming isolates of dairy origin has not been given much attention. The present study explored the biofilm forming potential of 148 isolates, comprising mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria, with particular emphasis on Bacillus licheniformis on polystyrene and stainless steel (SS) surfaces. We concluded that only four species are of significance for biofilm development on the surface of SS in the presence of skimmed milk, namely, B. licheniformis, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Geobacillus thermoleovorans group and Anoxybacillus flavithermus. The maximum number of cells recovered from the biofilms developed on SS coupons in the presence of skimmed milk for these four species was as follows: 4.8, 5.2, 4.5 and 5.3logCFU/cm 2 , respectively. Number of cells recovered from biofilms on 1cm 2 SS coupons increased in the presence of tryptic soy broth (TSB) for all mesophiles including B. licheniformis, while decreased for G. stearothermophilus, G. thermoleovorans group and A. flavithermus. The crystal violet staining assay on polystyrene proved to be inadequate to predict cell counts on SS for the bacteria tested in our trial in the presence of either TSB or skimmed milk. The results support the idea that biofilm formation is an important part of bacterial survival strategy as only the most prevalent isolates from milk powders formed good biofilms on SS in the presence of skimmed milk. Biofilm formation also proved to be a strain-dependent characteristic and interestingly significant variation in biofilm formation was observed within the same RAPD groups of B. licheniformis which supports the previously reported genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity within the same RAPD based groups. The work reported in this manuscript

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals from hospital wastewater in staged Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escola, Monica; Kumar Chhetri, Ravi; Ooi, Gordon

2015-01-01

on biofilms that are grown on plastic-chips which are suspended and aerated in a treatment tank. Such biofilm systems have shown a clear (but slow) biodegradation of some compounds that are recalcitrant in activated sludge. This study investigated the performance of a pilot MBBR-plant for the removal...

Immobilised native plant cysteine proteases: packed-bed reactor for white wine protein stabilisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Benucci, Ilaria; Lombardelli, Claudio; Liburdi, Katia; Acciaro, Giuseppe; Zappino, Matteo; Esti, Marco

2016-02-01

This research presents a feasibility study of using a continuous packed-bed reactor (PBR), containing immobilised native plant cysteine proteases, as a specific and mild alternative technique relative to the usual bentonite fining for white wine protein stabilisation. The operational parameters for a PBR containing immobilised bromelain (PBR-br) or immobilised papain (PBR-pa) were optimised using model wine fortified with synthetic substrate (Bz-Phe-Val-Arg-pNA). The effectiveness of PBR-br, both in terms of hazing potential and total protein decrease, was significantly higher than PBR-pa, in all the seven unfined, white wines used. Among the wines tested, Sauvignon Blanc, given its total protein content as well as its very high intrinsic instability, was selected as a control wine to evaluate the effect of the treatment on wine as to its soluble protein profile, phenolic composition, mineral component, and sensory properties. The treatment in a PBR containing immobilised bromelain appeared effective in decreasing both wine hazing potential and total protein amount, while it did not significantly affect the phenol compounds, the mineral component nor the sensory quality of wine. The enzymatic treatment in PBR was shown to be a specific and mild technique for use as an alternative to bentonite fining for white wine protein stabilisation.

Treatment of amoxicillin by O3/Fenton process in a rotating packed bed.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mo; Zeng, Zequan; Li, Yingwen; Arowo, Moses; Chen, Jianfeng; Meng, Hong; Shao, Lei

2015-03-01

In this study, simulated amoxicillin wastewater was treated by the O3/Fenton process in a rotating packed bed (RPB) and the results were compared with the Fenton process and the O3 followed by Fenton (O3 + Fenton) process. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate and the ratio of 5-day biological oxygen demand to chemical oxygen demand (BOD5/COD) in the O3/Fenton process were approximately 17% and 26%, respectively, higher than those in the O3 + Fenton process with an initial pH of 3. The COD removal rate of the amoxicillin solution reached maximum at the Fe(II) concentration of 0.6 mM, temperature of 25 °C, rotation speed of 800 rpm and initial pH of 3. The BOD5/COD of the amoxicillin solution increased from 0 to 0.38 after the solution was treated by the O3/Fenton process. Analysis of the intermediates indicated that the pathway of amoxicillin degradation in the O3/Fenton process was similar to that in the O3 + Fenton process. Contrast experiment results showed that amoxicillin degradation was significantly intensified in the RPB. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decolourization of remazol black-5 textile dyes using moving bed bio-film reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Pratiwi, R.; Notodarmojo, S.; Helmy, Q.

2018-01-01

The desizing and dyeing processes in the textile industries produces wastewaster containing high concentration of organic matter and colour, so it needs treatment before released to environment. In this research, removal of azo dye (Remazol Black 5/RB 5) and organic as COD was performed using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR). MBBR is biological treatment process with attached growth media system that can increase removal of organic matter in textile wastewater. The effectiveness of ozonation as pre-treatment process to increase the removal efficiency in MBBR was studied. The results showed that in MBBR batch system with detention time of 1 hour, pre-treatment with ozonation prior to MBBR process able to increase the colour removal efficiency of up to 86.74%. While on the reactor without ozone pre-treatment, the colour removal efficiency of up to 68.6% was achieved. From the continuous reactor experiments found that both colour and COD removal efficiency depends on time detention of RB-5 dyes in the system. The higher of detention time, the higher of colour and COD removal efficiency. It was found that optimum removal of colour and COD was achieved in 24 hour detention time with its efficiency of 96.9% and 89.13%, respectively.

Effects of the gas-liquid ratio on the optimum catalyst quantity for the CECE process with a homogeneously packed LPCE column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugiyama, T.; Ushida, A.; Yamamoto, I.

2008-01-01

In order to improve the separative performance of a combined electrolysis catalytic exchange (CECE) process, we have carried out experimental studies on hydrogen isotope separation by a CECE process using a liquid phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) column of trickle-type packed beds. Two types of trickle beds were tested in our previous study. One was the layered bed, where layers of Kogel catalysts and Dixon gauze rings were alternately filled in the column. The other was the homogeneous bed, where Kogel catalysts and Dixon gauze rings were homogeneously mixed and filled in the column. We found that (1) the homogeneously packed bed was more efficient than the layered packed bed, and (2) the catalyst quantity was optimal, which resulted in the highest separative performance. In this study, the effect of the gas-liquid ratio (G/L) on the optimum catalyst quantity was studied experimentally in a homogeneously packed bed. When the value of G/L was 1.7, total separation factors were relatively small and the optimum catalyst quantity could not be determined. On the other hand, when the values of G/L were 0.9 and 0.7, the values of the total separation factors had maximums and the optimal quantities of the catalyst were clearly obtained

Special topics reports for the reference tandem mirror fusion breeder: liquid metal MHD pressure drop effects in the packed bed blanket. Vol. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarville, T.J.; Berwald, D.H.; Wong, C.P.C.

1984-09-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects which result from the use of liquid metal coolants in magnetic fusion reactors include the modification of flow profiles (including the suppression of turbulence) and increases in the primary loop pressure drop and the hydrostatic pressure at the first wall of the blanket. In the reference fission-suppressed tandem mirror fusion breeder design concept, flow profile modification is a relatively minor concern, but the MHD pressure drop in flowing the liquid lithium coolant through an annular packed bed of beryllium/thorium pebbles is directly related to the required first wall structure thickness. As such, it is a major concern which directly impacts fissile breeding efficiency. Consequently, an improved model for the packed bed pressure drop has been developed. By considering spacial averages of electric fields, currents, and fluid flow velocities the general equations have been reduced to simple expressions for the pressure drop. The averaging approach results in expressions for the pressure drop involving a constant which reflects details of the flow around the pebbles. Such details are difficult to assess analytically, and the constant may eventually have to be evaluated by experiment. However, an energy approach has been used in this study to bound the possible values of the constant, and thus the pressure drop. In anticipation that an experimental facility might be established to evaluate the undetermined constant as well as to address other uncertainties, a survey of existing facilities is presented

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms and Their Influence on Bacterial Adhesion and Cohesion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khulood Hamid Dakheel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Twenty-five methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA isolates were characterized by staphylococcal protein A gene typing and the ability to form biofilms. The presence of exopolysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA and RNA in biofilms was assessed by a dispersal assay. In addition, cell adhesion to surfaces and cell cohesion were evaluated using the packed-bead method and mechanical disruption, respectively. The predominant genotype was spa type t127 (22 out of 25 isolates; the majority of isolates were categorized as moderate biofilm producers. Twelve isolates displayed PIA-independent biofilm formation, while the remaining 13 isolates were PIA-dependent. Both groups showed strong dispersal in response to RNase and DNase digestion followed by proteinase K treatment. PIA-dependent biofilms showed variable dispersal after sodium metaperiodate treatment, whereas PIA-independent biofilms showed enhanced biofilm formation. There was no correlation between the extent of biofilm formation or biofilm components and the adhesion or cohesion abilities of the bacteria, but the efficiency of adherence to glass beads increased after biofilm depletion. In conclusion, nucleic acids and proteins formed the main components of the MRSA clone t127 biofilm matrix, and there seems to be an association between adhesion and cohesion in the biofilms tested.

Fluidized Bed Reactor as Solid State Fermenter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krishnaiah, K.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Various reactors such as tray, packed bed, rotating drum can be used for solid-state fermentation. In this paper the possibility of fluidized bed reactor as solid-state fermenter is considered. The design parameters, which affect the performances are identified and discussed. This information, in general can be used in the design and the development of an efficient fluidized bed solid-state fermenter. However, the objective here is to develop fluidized bed solid-state fermenter for palm kernel cake conversion into enriched animal and poultry feed.

The effect of irradiation on the sensorial quality behaviour of packed fresh fish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinacher, E.

1978-01-01

Cod from the Baltic Sea was irradiated with 10 krad X-rays and pached in ice with the objective to preserve it for a longer period while retaining a satisfactory sensorial quality. The vacuum-packed, irradiated cod fillet kept its quality 5 days longer than usual. On the other hand, aerobically packed, irradiated cod did not keep its quality longer than whole, unirradiated fish that was openly stored in ice. (AJ) [de

Statistical Analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Development: Impact of Mutations in Genes Involved in Twitching Motility, Cell-to-Cell Signaling, and Stationary-Phase Sigma Factor Expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heydorn, Arne; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær; Kato, Junichi

2002-01-01

of variance model comprising the four P. aeruginosa strains, five time points (55, 98, 146, 242, and 314 h), and three independent rounds of biofllm experiments. The results showed that the wild type, the DeltapilHIJK mutant, and the rpoS mutant display conspicuously different types of temporal biofilm...... development, whereas the lasI mutant was indistinguishable from the wild type at all time points. The wild type and the lasI mutant formed uniform, densely packed biofilms. The rpoS mutant formed densely packed biofilms that were significantly thicker than those of the wild type, whereas the Deltapil...

Individual Variability in Aerobic Fitness Adaptations to 70-d of Bed Rest and Exercise Training

Science.gov (United States)

Downs, Meghan; Buxton, Roxanne; Goetchius, Elizabeth; DeWitt, John; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori

2016-01-01

Change in maximal aerobic capacity (VO2pk) in response to exercise training and disuse is highly variable among individuals. Factors that could contribute to the observed variability (lean mass, daily activity, diet, sleep, stress) are not routinely controlled in studies. The NASA bed rest (BR) studies use a highly controlled hospital based model as an analog of spaceflight. In this study, diet, hydration, physical activity and light/dark cycles were precisely controlled and provided the opportunity to investigate individual variability. PURPOSE. Evaluate the contribution of exercise intensity and lean mass on change in VO2pk during 70-d of BR or BR + exercise. METHODS. Subjects completed 70-d of BR alone (CON, N=9) or BR + exercise (EX, N=17). The exercise prescription included 6 d/wk of aerobic exercise at 70 - 100% of max and 3 d/wk of lower body resistance exercise. Subjects were monitored 24 hr/d. VO2pk and lean mass (iDXA) were measured pre and post BR. ANOVA was used to evaluate changes in VO2pk pre to post BR. Subjects were retrospectively divided into high and low responders based on change in VO2pk (CON > 20% loss, n=5; EX >10% loss, n=4, or 5% gain, n=4) to further understand individual variability. RESULTS. VO2pk decreased from pre to post BR in CON (Pexercise intensity. CONCLUSION. Change in VO2pk in response to disuse and exercise was highly variable among individuals, even in this tightly controlled study. Loss in lean mass accounts for a significant degree of variability in the CON; however, training induced gains in VO2pk appear unrelated to lean mass or exercise intensity.

Hydrodynamic and biological study of a methanogenic bio-film process: the inverse turbulent bed reactor; Etude hydrodynamique et biologique d'un procede de methanisation a biofilm: le reacteur a lit turbule inverse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michaud, S.

2001-11-01

This work deals with the operation and start-up of a turbulent bed reactor with ExtendospheresO as a support, for the anaerobic treatment of a food process wastewater. An hydrodynamic study was carried out to characterise the liquid flow and mixing with this carrier of small size (147 {mu}m) and density (0.7). Phase behaviour during fluidizing gas injection can be described by an homogeneous liquid-solid pseudo-fluid whose apparent viscosity depends on the solid concentration. A biological study showed that the initial contact between cells and particles caused a physiological adaptation of microorganisms to the presence of solid after a transitory inhibition of methane production. The methane yield has been showed to be an interesting parameter to monitor bio-film formation and detachment. A low hydraulic retention time during the start-up period has been decisive to reduce the lag-period during carrier colonization. A robust continuous operation of the reactor has been obtained using a pH-controlled feeding. Gas velocity has been shown to be an important parameter to control cells concentration, density and durability of the bio-film. (author)

Disintegration of aerobic granules induced by trans-2-decenoic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Pei-Jie; Xiao, Xiang; He, Yan-Rong; Li, Wen-Wei; Yu, Lei; Yu, Han-Qing

2013-01-01

One current major hurdle to practical implementation of aerobic granule technology is the frequent occurrence of granule disintegration during long-term operation. However, the mechanism behind this is largely unclear today. Here, 2-decenoic acid, which has been previously demonstrated to be released by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and disperse biofilms, was found to also induce the disintegration of aerobic granules. A comparison of the solution compositions from samples of only trans-2-decenoic acid, only aerobic granules, and granules added with trans-2-decenoic acid shows that bacteria and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were stripped from granule surface upon trans-2-decenoic acid dosing. Due to the possible toxicity of trans-2-decenoic acid at a saturation concentration, the disintegrated granules and the milky suspension in the disintegration test showed a significantly lower oxygen uptake rate than the un-integrated granules. This work suggests that trans-2-decenoic acid released by microbes might play a critical role in regulating the disintegration of aerobic granules. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between interstitial flow and pore structure in packed bed. 1st Report. Axial velocity measurement using MRI and visualization of axial channel flow; Juten sonai ryudo to kugeki kozo no sokan. 1. MRI ni yoru jikuhoko ryusoku bunpu no keisoku to jikiuhoko channel ryu no kashika

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, K; Yokouchi, Y; Hirai, S [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

2000-02-25

Structure and velocity measurements using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been performed experimentally to obtain a correlation between pore structure and interstitial flow through the packed bed of 5 mm diameter in the tube of 36 mm ID. To measure axial velocity maps of water flow through the packed bed, the phase method of using the phase difference of water spin magnetization between flowing and stagnant fluids by applying magnetic fields with bipolar gradients was employed. The spatial resolution of the obtained map in 0.2 mm x 0.2 mm x 0.5 mm. It was made clear from the obtained axial velocity maps that channel flows with higher axial velocity were induced not only near the wall but also in the internal region of the packed bed. Furthermore, pore structure of the packed bed was characterized from multi-slice images by partitioning of void space and combining of each pore section along the axial direction to analyze the structure-flow correlation. It was found from image analysis that axial channels with long and straight void space existed in the pore structure, and that most of the channel flows with higher axial velocity were induced in the axial channels. The flow rate through an axial channel depends on the square of the averaged cross section of the axial channel. (author)

Particle fuel bed tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horn, F.L.; Powell, J.R.; Savino, J.M.

1985-01-01

Gas-cooled reactors, using packed beds of small diameter coated fuel particles have been proposed for compact, high-power systems. The particulate fuel used in the tests was 800 microns in diameter, consisting of a thoria kernel coated with 200 microns of pyrocarbon. Typically, the bed of fuel particles was contained in a ceramic cylinder with porous metallic frits at each end. A dc voltage was applied to the metallic frits and the resulting electric current heated the bed. Heat was removed by passing coolant (helium or hydrogen) through the bed. Candidate frit materials, rhenium, nickel, zirconium carbide, and zirconium oxide were unaffected, while tungsten and tungsten-rhenium lost weight and strength. Zirconium-carbide particles were tested at 2000 K in H 2 for 12 hours with no visible reaction or weight loss

Inactivation model for disinfection of biofilms in drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlicki, A.; O'Leary, K.C.; Gagnon, G.A.

2002-01-01

The purpose of the project was to investigate experimentally the effects of free chlorine, monochloramine and chlorine dioxide on the removal of biofilm growth in water as it applies to drinking water in distribution systems. In particular, biofilm kill for a particular dosage of disinfectant was measured as a function of time for each disinfectant over a range of disinfectant concentrations. These results were used to formulate concentration-time (Ct) inactivation values for each disinfectant to compare the efficacy of the three disinfectants for biofilm control. The biofilm reactor system consisted of a 125 mL columns, each containing tightly packed 3 mm glass beads on which heterotrophic bacterial biofilm is established. Following an initial biofilm inoculation period, the glass beads were removed from the columns and placed into glass jars for disinfection with free chlorine, monochloramine and chlorine dioxide. Cell counts were determined on a time series basis with the goal of achieving a Ct inactivation model that is similar to models presently used for inactivation of suspended cells. Ultimately this research could be used to develop a rationale method for setting regulatory values for secondary disinfection in drinking water distribution systems, which presently in only a few states and provinces. (author)

Continuous biological waste gas treatment in stirred trickle-bed reactor with discontinuous removal of biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurenzis, A; Heits, H; Wübker, S; Heinze, U; Friedrich, C; Werner, U

1998-02-20

A new reactor for biological waste gas treatment was developed to eliminate continuous solvents from waste gases. A trickle-bed reactor was chosen with discontinuous movement of the packed bed and intermittent percolation. The reactor was operated with toluene as the solvent and an optimum average biomass concentration of between 5 and 30 kg dry cell weight per cubic meter packed bed (m3pb). This biomass concentration resulted in a high volumetric degradation rate. Reduction of surplus biomass by stirring and trickling caused a prolonged service life and prevented clogging of the trickle bed and a pressure drop increase. The pressure drop after biomass reduction was almost identical to the theoretical pressure drop as calculated for the irregular packed bed without biomass. The reduction in biomass and intermittent percolation of mineral medium resulted in high volumetric degradation rates of about 100 g of toluene m-3pb h-1 at a load of 150 g of toluene m-3pb h-1. Such a removal rate with a trickle-bed reactor was not reported before. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Treatment of pesticide wastewater by moving-bed biofilm reactor combined with Fenton-coagulation pretreatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Sheng [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China)]. E-mail: hitchensheng@126.com; Sun Dezhi [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Chung, J.-S. [School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-06-01

In order to treat pesticide wastewater having high chemical oxygen demand (COD) value and poor biodegradability, Fenton-coagulation process was first used to reduce COD and improve biodegradability and then was followed by biological treatment. Optimal experimental conditions for the Fenton process were determined to be Fe{sup 2+} concentration of 40 mmol/L and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} dose of 97 mmol/L at initial pH 3. The interaction mechanism of organophosphorous pesticide and hydroxyl radicals was suggested to be the breakage of the P=S double bond and formation of sulfate ions and various organic intermediates, followed by formation of phosphate and consequent oxidation of intermediates. For the subsequent biological treatment, 3.2 g/L Ca(OH){sub 2} was added to adjust the pH and further coagulate the pollutants. The COD value could be evidently decreased from 33,700 to 9300 mg/L and the ratio of biological oxygen demand (BOD{sub 5}) to COD of the wastewater was enhanced to over 0.47 by Fenton oxidation and coagulation. The pre-treated wastewater was then subjected to biological oxidation by using moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) inside which tube chip type bio-carriers were fluidized upon air bubbling. Higher than 85% of COD removal efficiency could be achieved when the bio-carrier volume fraction was kept more than 20% by feeding the pretreated wastewater containing 3000 mg/L of inlet COD at one day of hydraulic retention time (HRT), but a noticeable decrease in the COD removal efficiency when the carrier volume was decreased down to 10%, only 72% was observed. With the improvement of biodegradability by using Fenton pretreatment, also due to the high concentration of biomass and high biofilm activity using the fluidizing bio-carriers, high removal efficiency and stable operation could be achieved in the biological process even at a high COD loading of 37.5 gCOD/(m{sup 2} carrier day)

Treatment of pesticide wastewater by moving-bed biofilm reactor combined with Fenton-coagulation pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Sheng; Sun Dezhi; Chung, J.-S.

2007-01-01

In order to treat pesticide wastewater having high chemical oxygen demand (COD) value and poor biodegradability, Fenton-coagulation process was first used to reduce COD and improve biodegradability and then was followed by biological treatment. Optimal experimental conditions for the Fenton process were determined to be Fe 2+ concentration of 40 mmol/L and H 2 O 2 dose of 97 mmol/L at initial pH 3. The interaction mechanism of organophosphorous pesticide and hydroxyl radicals was suggested to be the breakage of the P=S double bond and formation of sulfate ions and various organic intermediates, followed by formation of phosphate and consequent oxidation of intermediates. For the subsequent biological treatment, 3.2 g/L Ca(OH) 2 was added to adjust the pH and further coagulate the pollutants. The COD value could be evidently decreased from 33,700 to 9300 mg/L and the ratio of biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) to COD of the wastewater was enhanced to over 0.47 by Fenton oxidation and coagulation. The pre-treated wastewater was then subjected to biological oxidation by using moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) inside which tube chip type bio-carriers were fluidized upon air bubbling. Higher than 85% of COD removal efficiency could be achieved when the bio-carrier volume fraction was kept more than 20% by feeding the pretreated wastewater containing 3000 mg/L of inlet COD at one day of hydraulic retention time (HRT), but a noticeable decrease in the COD removal efficiency when the carrier volume was decreased down to 10%, only 72% was observed. With the improvement of biodegradability by using Fenton pretreatment, also due to the high concentration of biomass and high biofilm activity using the fluidizing bio-carriers, high removal efficiency and stable operation could be achieved in the biological process even at a high COD loading of 37.5 gCOD/(m 2 carrier day)

Modelling the competition of planktonic and sessile aerobic heterotrophs for complementary nutrients in biofilm reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, T; Saikaly, P E; Oerther, D B

2007-01-01

A comprehensive, simplified microbial biofilm model was developed to evaluate the impact of bioreactor operating parameters on changes in microbial population abundance. Biofilm simulations were conducted using three special cases: fully penetrated, internal mass transfer resistance and external mass transfer resistance. The results of model simulations showed that for certain operating conditions, competition for growth limiting nutrients generated oscillations in the abundance of planktonic and sessile microbial populations. These oscillations resulted in the violation of the competitive exclusion principle where the number of microbial populations was greater than the number of growth limiting nutrients. However, the operating conditions which impacted microbial community diversity were different for the three special cases. Comparing the results of model simulations for dispersed-growth, biofilms and bioflocs showed that oscillations and microbial community diversity were a function of competition as well as other key features of the ecosystem. The significance of the current study is that it is the first to examine competition as a mechanism for controlling microbial community diversity in biofilm reactors.

The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances and soluble microbial products in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Liang; Jiang, Wei; Song, Yonghui; Xia, Siqing; Hermanowicz, Slawomir W

2013-11-01

The characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and soluble microbial products (SMP) in conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) and in moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactors (MBBR-MBR) were investigated in long-term (170 days) experiments. The results showed that all reactors had high removal efficiency of ammonium and COD, despite very different fouling conditions. The MBBR-MBR with media fill ratio of 26.7% had much lower total membrane resistance and no obvious fouling were detected during the whole operation. In contrast, MBR and MBBR-MBR with lower and higher media fill experienced more significant fouling. Low fouling at optimum fill ratio may be due to the higher percentage of small molecular size (100 kDa) of EPS and SMP in the reactor. The composition of EPS and SMP affected fouling due to different O-H bonds in hydroxyl functional groups, and less polysaccharides and lipids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The metabolic cost of an integrated exercise program performed during 14 days of bed rest.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Jessica M; Hackney, Kyle; Downs, Meghan; Guined, Jamie; Ploutz-Snyder, Robert; Fiedler, James; Cunningham, David; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori

2014-06-01

Exercise countermeasures designed to mitigate muscle atrophy during long-duration spaceflight may not be as effective if crewmembers are in negative energy balance (energy output > energy input). This study determined the energy cost of supine exercise (resistance, interval, aerobic) during the spaceflight analogue of bed rest. Nine subjects (eight men and one woman; 34.5 +/- 8.2 yr) completed 14 d of bed rest and concomitant exercise countermeasures. Body mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR) were assessed before and during bed rest. Exercise energy expenditure was measured during and immediately after [excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)] each of five different exercise protocols (30-s, 2-min, and 4-min intervals, continuous aerobic, and a variety of resistance exercises) during bed rest. On days when resistance and continuous aerobic exercise were performed daily, energy expenditure was significantly greater (2879 +/- 280 kcal) than 2-min (2390 +/- 237 kcal), 30-s (2501 +/- 264 kcal), or 4-min (2546 +/- 264 kcal) exercise. There were no significant differences in BMR (pre-bed rest: 1649 +/- 216 kcal; week 1: 1632 +/- 174 kcal; week 2:1657 +/- 176 kcal) or body mass (pre-bed rest: 75.2 +/- 10.1 kg; post-bed rest: 75.2 +/- 9.6 kg). These findings highlight the importance of energy balance for long-duration crewmembers completing a high-intensity exercise program with multiple exercise sessions daily.

Continuous Process for Biodiesel Production in Packed Bed Reactor from Waste Frying Oil Using Potassium Hydroxide Supported on Jatropha curcas Fruit Shell as Solid Catalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achanai Buasri

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The transesterification of waste frying oil (WFO with methanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide catalyst supported on Jatropha curcas fruit shell activated carbon (KOH/JS was studied. The catalyst systems were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET method. The effects of reaction variables such as residence time, reaction temperature, methanol/oil molar ratio and catalyst bed height in packed bed reactor (PBR on the yield of biodiesel were investigated. SEM images showed that KOH was well distributed on the catalyst support. The optimum conditions for achieving the conversion yield of 86.7% consisted of a residence time of 2 h, reaction temperature of 60 °C, methanol/oil molar ratio of 16 and catalyst bed height of 250 mm. KOH/JS could be used repeatedly five times without any activation treatment, and no significant activity loss was observed. The results confirmed that KOH/JS catalyst had a great potential to be used for industrial application in the transesterification of WFO. The fuel properties of biodiesel were also determined.

Analysis of an integrated packed bed thermal energy storage system for heat recovery in compressed air energy storage technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortega-Fernández, Iñigo; Zavattoni, Simone A.; Rodríguez-Aseguinolaza, Javier; D'Aguanno, Bruno; Barbato, Maurizio C.

2017-01-01

Highlights: •A packed bed TES system is proposed for heat recovery in CAES technology. •A CFD-based approach has been developed to evaluate the behaviour of the TES unit. •TES system enhancement and improvement alternatives are also demonstrated. •TES performance evaluated according to the first and second law of thermodynamics. -- Abstract: Compressed air energy storage (CAES) represents a very attracting option to grid electric energy storage. Although this technology is mature and well established, its overall electricity-to-electricity cycle efficiency is lower with respect to other alternatives such as pumped hydroelectric energy storage. A meager heat management strategy in the CAES technology is among the main reasons of this gap of efficiency. In current CAES plants, during the compression stage, a large amount of thermal energy is produced and wasted. On the other hand, during the electricity generation stage, an extensive heat supply is required, currently provided by burning natural gas. In this work, the coupling of both CAES stages through a thermal energy storage (TES) unit is introduced as an effective solution to achieve a noticeable increase of the overall CAES cycle efficiency. In this frame, the thermal energy produced in the compression stage is stored in a TES unit for its subsequent deployment during the expansion stage, realizing an Adiabatic-CAES plant. The present study addresses the conceptual design of a TES system based on a packed bed of gravel to be integrated in an Adiabatic-CAES plant. With this objective, a complete thermo-fluid dynamics model has been developed, including the implications derived from the TES operating under variable-pressure conditions. The formulation and treatment of the high pressure conditions were found being particularly relevant issues. Finally, the model provided a detailed performance and efficiency analysis of the TES system under charge/discharge cyclic conditions including a realistic operative

Evaluation of microbial biofilm communities from an Alberta oil sands tailings pond.

Science.gov (United States)

Golby, Susanne; Ceri, Howard; Gieg, Lisa M; Chatterjee, Indranil; Marques, Lyriam L R; Turner, Raymond J

2012-01-01

Bitumen extraction from the oil sands of Alberta has resulted in millions of cubic meters of waste stored on-site in tailings ponds. Unique microbial ecology is expected in these ponds, which may be key to their bioremediation potential. We considered that direct culturing of microbes from a tailings sample as biofilms could lead to the recovery of microbial communities that provide good representation of the ecology of the tailings. Culturing of mixed species biofilms in vitro using the Calgary Biofilm Device (CBD) under aerobic, microaerobic, and anaerobic growth conditions was successful both with and without the addition of various growth nutrients. Denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA gene pyrotag sequencing revealed that unique mixed biofilm communities were recovered under each incubation condition, with the dominant species belonging to Pseudomonas, Thauera, Hydrogenophaga, Rhodoferax, and Acidovorax. This work used an approach that allowed organisms to grow as a biofilm directly from a sample collected of their environment, and the biofilms cultivated in vitro were representative of the endogenous environmental community. For the first time, representative environmental mixed species biofilms have been isolated and grown under laboratory conditions from an oil sands tailings pond environment and a description of their composition is provided.

Influence of gas pressure on the effective thermal conductivity of ceramic breeder pebble beds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Weijing; Pupeschi, Simone; Hanaor, Dorian; Gan, Yixiang

2017-01-01

Highlights: • This study explicitly demonstrates the influence of the gas pressure on the effective thermal conductivity of pebble beds. • The gas pressure influence is shown to correlated to the pebble size. • The effective thermal conductivity is linked to thermal-mechanical properties of pebbles and packing structure. - Abstract: Lithium ceramics have been considered as tritium breeder materials in many proposed designs of fusion breeding blankets. Heat generated in breeder pebble beds due to nuclear breeding reaction must be removed by means of actively cooled plates while generated tritiums is recovered by purge gas slowly flowing through beds. Therefore, the effective thermal conductivity of pebble beds that is one of the governing parameters determining heat transport phenomenon needs to be addressed with respect to mechanical status of beds and purge gas pressure. In this study, a numerical framework combining finite element simulation and a semi-empirical correlation of gas gap conduction is proposed to predict the effective thermal conductivity. The purge gas pressure is found to vary the effective thermal conductivity, in particular with the presence of various sized gaps in pebble beds. Random packing of pebble beds is taken into account by an approximated correlation considering the packing factor and coordination number of pebble beds. The model prediction is compared with experimental observation from different sources showing a quantitative agreement with the measurement.

Influence of gas pressure on the effective thermal conductivity of ceramic breeder pebble beds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Weijing [School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney (Australia); Pupeschi, Simone [Institute for Applied Materials, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (Germany); Hanaor, Dorian [School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney (Australia); Institute for Materials Science and Technologies, Technical University of Berlin (Germany); Gan, Yixiang, E-mail: yixiang.gan@sydney.edu.au [School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney (Australia)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • This study explicitly demonstrates the influence of the gas pressure on the effective thermal conductivity of pebble beds. • The gas pressure influence is shown to correlated to the pebble size. • The effective thermal conductivity is linked to thermal-mechanical properties of pebbles and packing structure. - Abstract: Lithium ceramics have been considered as tritium breeder materials in many proposed designs of fusion breeding blankets. Heat generated in breeder pebble beds due to nuclear breeding reaction must be removed by means of actively cooled plates while generated tritiums is recovered by purge gas slowly flowing through beds. Therefore, the effective thermal conductivity of pebble beds that is one of the governing parameters determining heat transport phenomenon needs to be addressed with respect to mechanical status of beds and purge gas pressure. In this study, a numerical framework combining finite element simulation and a semi-empirical correlation of gas gap conduction is proposed to predict the effective thermal conductivity. The purge gas pressure is found to vary the effective thermal conductivity, in particular with the presence of various sized gaps in pebble beds. Random packing of pebble beds is taken into account by an approximated correlation considering the packing factor and coordination number of pebble beds. The model prediction is compared with experimental observation from different sources showing a quantitative agreement with the measurement.

The influence of TiO{sub 2} and aeration on the kinetics of electrochemical oxidation of phenol in packed bed reactor