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Limitations Encountered for the Treatment of a Low C:N Waste Using a Modified Membrane‐Aerated Biofilm Reactor
Author(s) -
Landes Nicholas C.,
Jackson W. Andrew,
Morse Audra N.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143010x12780288628138
Subject(s) - nitrification , aeration , denitrification , alkalinity , chemistry , wastewater , hydraulic retention time , nitrogen , environmental engineering , ammonium , stoichiometry , oxygen , nuclear chemistry , environmental chemistry , pulp and paper industry , environmental science , organic chemistry , engineering
A modified membrane‐aerated biofilm reactor (mMABR) that combined oxygen permeable membranes and inert attachment media to support both nitrification and denitrification was used to treat a carbon‐limited (COD:N = 1.8) and ammonium‐rich (NH 4 + = 650 g‐N/m 3 ) space habitation waste stream. An eight‐fold increase in intramembrane air pressure did not affect process performance; however, for an air pressure of 11 kPa (gauge), lower and upper hydraulic loading limits for the mMABR were identified at 30 g‐N/m 3 ·d and 123 g‐N/m 3 ·d, respectively. Oxygen limitation occurred at the highest loading rate and alkalinity limitation occurred at the lowest loading rate. Partial nitrification was noted at both limitations. Additionally, increased recirculation ratios were shown to decrease denitrification efficiency. Mean carbon and nitrogen removal rates were as high as 75.3 g‐C/m 3 ·d (0.26 g‐C/m 2 ·d) and 63.8 g‐N/m 3 ·d (0.22 g‐N/m 2 ·d), respectively. The mMABR achieved maximal nitrification and denitrification performance given the stoichiometric nature of the waste.