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An attempt to compare the performance of bioscrubbers and biotrickling filters for degradation of ethyl acetate in gas streams
Author(s) -
Koutinas Michalis,
Peeva Ludmila G,
Livingston Andrew G
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.1319
Subject(s) - oxygen , chemistry , degradation (telecommunications) , biodegradation , nozzle , biomass (ecology) , pulp and paper industry , filter (signal processing) , environmental chemistry , waste management , environmental science , organic chemistry , ecology , thermodynamics , telecommunications , biology , computer science , computer vision , physics , engineering
This study presents a comparison of the efficiency of a bioscrubber and a biotrickling filter (BTF) for the removal of ethyl acetate (EA) vapour from a waste gas stream, under the same operating conditions. The maximum EA elimination capacity achieved in the bioscrubber was 550 g m −3 h −1 with removal efficiency higher than 96%. For higher EA loadings the bioscrubber was oxygen limited, which caused incomplete EA biodegradation. When pure oxygen was fed to the bioscrubber at a rate of 0.02 L min −1 , the bioscrubber recovered and could treat higher EA loadings without any oxygen limitation. The BTF achieved EA elimination capacity of 600 g m −3 h −1 with removal efficiency higher than 97% and the dissolved oxygen concentration remained substantially higher than in the bioscrubber. However, severe channelling and blockage of the spray nozzle occurred due to the excessive biomass growth. Overall, the bioscrubber system was easier to operate and control than the BTF, while an enhancement of the oxygen mass transfer in the bioscrubber could potentially increase its performance by up to three times. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry