Effects of Rotational Speed and Hydraulic Residence Time on the Ammonia Removal of a Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC)

Performance of a biological filter, the rotating biological contactor (RBC), is affected by rotational speed and hydraulic residence time (HRT). A RBC with a disc diameter of 62 cm, total surface area of 48.28 $m^2$, volume of 0.34 ㎥, and submergence ratio of 35.4% was tested for the combinations of five rotational speeds (1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 rpm) and three HRT (0.5, 1.0 & 2.0 hr) to find out the maximum removal efficiencies of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and nitrite nitrogen of a simulated recirculating aquaculture system. Ammonia loading rate in the system was 25 g of TAN/ ㎥. day. Removal efficiencies were checked when TAN concentrations in the system stabilized for 3 days in each treatment. The concentration of TAN in the system decreased with increasing rotational speed of the RBC up to 4 rpm in all HRT (P<0.05). At the rotational speed of 5 rpm, the efficiencies decreased in all HRT (P<0.05). When the rotational speeds were 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 rpm, TAN concentrations in the system were 1.35, 0.94, 0.69, 0.66, and 0.76 mg/L at the 0.5 hr HRT, 2.86, 1.18, 0.96, 0.87, and 1.11 mg/L at the 1.0 hr HRT, and 5.30, 2.44, 1.99, 1.77, and 2.01 mg/L at the 2.0 hr HRT, respectively. The TAN removal efficiencies of the RBC at the rotational speeds of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 rpm were 32.9, 49.5, 65.1, 72.9, and 62.9% in 0.5 hr HRT,33.1, 74.1, 87.1, 95.8, and 78.5% in 1.0 hr HRT, and 35.5, 76.7, 89.6, 97.0, and 85.5% in 2.0 hr HRT, respectively. TAN removal efficiency of RBC per pass increased with increasing HRT. However, TAN concentration in the system also increased. The best operating condition among the treatments was obtained at the treatment of 0.5 hr HRT and 4 rpm (P<0.05). The TAN concentration was 0.66 mg/L. Concentrations of nitrite nitrogen (NO$_2$$^{[-10]}$ -N) in the system decreased with increasing rotational speed in all HRT while that in the system increased with increasing HRT in all rotational speeds. The ranges of NO$_2$$^{[-10]}$ -N concentrations at HRT of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 hr in the system were 0.26~0.32, 0.31~0.56, and 0.43~l.45 mg/L, respectively. The ranges of daily removal rates of TAN in this system were 20.03~23.0 g TAN/㎥ㆍday and those of nitrite nitrogen were 19.65~30.25 g NO$_2$$^{[-10]}$ -N/㎥ㆍday.

회전속도와 수리학적 체류시간이 회전원판식(Rotating Biological Contactor;RBC) 여과조의 암모니아 제거에 미치는 영향