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Continuous biological waste gas treatment in stirred trickle-bed reactor with discontinuous removal of biomass

Journal Article · · Biotechnology and Bioengineering

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 (m{sub pb}{sup 3}). 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{sub pb}{sup {minus}3} h{sup {minus}1} at a load of 150 g of toluene m{sub pb}{sup {minus}3} h{sup {minus}1}. Such a removal rate with a trickle-bed reactor was not reported before.

OSTI ID:
571665
Journal Information:
Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Journal Name: Biotechnology and Bioengineering Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 57; ISSN BIBIAU; ISSN 0006-3592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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