A Study on the Rotating Biological Contactors for the Nitrification of Sewage

회전원판공정을 이용한 하수의 질산화에 관한 연구

Nitrogen, in its various forms, can deplete dissolved oxygen levels in receiving waters, stimulate aquatic growth, exhibit toxicity toward aquatic life and affect the suitability of sewage for reuse. Pilot-scale Rotating Biological Contactor(RBC) experiments were conducted to examine biological nitrification, respectively, of municipal sewage with five different internal recirculation ratios of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 using the constant hydraulic loading of $205L/m^2{\cdot}day$. The use of internal recirculation improved nitrification on account of the dilution of biodegradable organic carbon in influent sewage down to 15 mg/L of $SBOD_5$ or less. Ammonium nitrogen of $14.3{\pm}2.4%$ was consumed by cellular assimilation without the occurrence of denitrification. The thickness of biofilm didn't seem effect significantly the nitrification and denitrification. Nitrification with internal recirculation was found to occur using hydraulic loading rate of as high as $205L/m^2{\cdot}day$, which was beyond the generally known values of it.