Influence of mixing on the removal rate of toluene vapors by biofiltration

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:351118

Morales, M; Acuna, M E; Perez, F; Revah, S ^[1]; Frere, G ^[2]; Auria, R ^[3]

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1. UAM-Iztapalapa, Mexico City (Mexico). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
2. ENSCP, Paris (France)
3. ORSTOM, Los Morales, Mexico City (Mexico)

Biofilter performance can be influenced by different factors. Among these, packing material heterogeneity generated during the biofiltration process has an important effect both micro and macro scale. In this paper, the influence of the packing material mixing on the performance of a biofilter adapted for toluene removal will be presented. The biofilter was packed with peat previously sterilized by g irradiation and inoculated with a specific microbial consortium. After three months of biofilter operation a steady state elimination capacity (EC) of 18 g/m{sup 3}/h was attained with observable heterogeneity. At this point, the packing material was thoroughly mixed. A new start up was observed with a maximum EC of 127 g/m{sup 3}/h, outlet CO{sub 2} concentration of 4.0 g/m{sup 3} and a temperature difference between the inlet and the packed bed of {minus}5.5 C were measured showing that an increased metabolic activity was triggered by mixing. This operation was repeated on a period of four months and a similar behavior was observed but with decreased intensities. These global measurements were correlated with simultaneous microcosm experiments performed with biofilter samples. Successive mixing yielded average global EC above 50 g/m{sup 3}/h during the experiment, which is higher than the values normally obtained with biofilters. This paper discusses possible causes for this response and perspectives.

• OSTI ID: 351118
• Report Number(s): CONF-970677--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
MIXING
PEAT
PERFORMANCE
TOLUENE