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N‐Removal in a granular sludge sequencing batch airlift reactor
Author(s) -
Beun J. J.,
Heijnen J. J.,
van Loosdrecht M. C. M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.1167
Subject(s) - sequencing batch reactor , autotroph , denitrification , airlift , chemistry , nitrification , biomass (ecology) , pulp and paper industry , bioreactor , saturation (graph theory) , environmental science , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , bacteria , nitrogen , sewage treatment , ecology , biology , organic chemistry , engineering , genetics , mathematics , combinatorics
The removal of N‐compounds in the sequencing batch airlift reactor (SBAR) containing granular sludge was studied under conditions of decreased dissolved oxygen (DO). A simulation model was developed to describe and evaluate the effects of several process conditions in the SBAR on N‐removal performance. The model described the experimental data reasonable well. It has been shown that nitrification, denitrification, and removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) can occur simultaneously in a granular sludge SBR. It has also been shown that the exact location of the autotrophic biomass influences the net N‐removal. The distribution of the autotrophic biomass is influenced by the DO in the reactor. The optimal DO value is expected to be around 40% air saturation. It was shown that storage and subsequent degradation of poly‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (PHB) benefit the denitrification. In particular, PHB is stored in bacteria situated in deeper layers of the granules below where the autotrophic activity occurs, serves as a C‐source for denitrification. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 75: 82–92, 2001.