Membrane process for biological treatment of contaminated gas streams
- Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, CA (United States)
- Univ. of Missouri, Rolla, MO (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
- Black and Veatch, Kansas City, MO (United States)
A hollow fiber membrane bioreactor was investigated for control of air emissions of biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the membrane bioreactor, gases containing VOCs pass through the lumen of microporous hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. Soluble compounds diffuse through the membrane pores and partition into a VOC degrading biofilm. The hollow fiber membranes serve as a support for the microbial population and provide a large surface area for VOC and oxygen mass transfer. Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of toluene loading rate, gas residence time, and liquid phase turbulence on toluene removal in a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor. Three models of the reactor were created: a numeric model, a first-order flat sheet model, and a zero-order flat sheet model. Only the numeric model fit the data well, although removal predicted as a function of gas residence time disagreed slightly with that observed. A modification in the model to account for membrane phase resistance resulted in an underprediction of removal.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 347686
- Journal Information:
- Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 63, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: 20 May 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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