• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2010

This study was performed to increase the removal efficiency of the biofilter packed with granular sulfur in municipal wastewater reclamation facility. Constituent units were influent water tank, denitrification tank, BOD reduction tank and outlet. And, the major operation factor is a biofilter packed with submerged granular sulfur. Actual wastewater and synthetic wastewater were used as influent wastewater. Experimental condition was divided into two phases according to the amount of a phosphorus coagulant. Total phosphorus removal efficiency was insignificant at mode I that phosphorus coagulant was not injected. The average influent and effluent total phosphorus concentrations at mode II were 0.5 ~ 1.0 mg/L and 0.27 mg/L, respectively. As for COD and BOD effluent concentrations, COD was 3.0 mg/L and BOD was 1.0 mg/L. Additionally, nitrogen removal rates were high at low influent DO concentration. In conclusion, a new process, biofilter packed with granular sulfur is expected to treat high-rate nitrogen wastewater and expected to be utilized as an alternative of technological innovation for the nitrogen treatment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.720-727
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• 2005

This study was performed to advance nitrogen removal efficiency by employing an single biofilter packed with granular sulfur, which consists of nitrification occurring at upper part and denitrification at lower part of the reactor. Continuos nitrification/denitrification was carried out with different alkalinity sources, which were $NaHCO_3$ and $CaCO_3$(limestone). In the downflow nitrification/denitrification biofilter packed with granular sulfur, first, terms for nitrogen removal was decided. As results, nitrification and denitrification rate with NaHCO3 at 0.85 kg $NH_4^+-N/m^3{\cdot}d$ were accomplished $0.80kg\;N/m_3{\cdot}d$, $0.43kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, respectively. In the sulfur/limestone packed downflow nitrification/denitrification biofilter, sulfur and limestone were mixed packed, preliminary test showed sulfur/limestone mixing ratio was 3:1 and that was ideal. In the result, nitrification and denitrification rate at $0.7kg\;NH_4^+-N/m^3{\cdot}d$ were accomplished$0.65kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, $0.34kg\;N/m^3{\cdot}d$, respectively. In general, employing granular sulfur can be implemented for only denitrification, but this system can accomplish nitrification as well as denitrification in a single reactor even though low carbon concentration was present in influent limiting to nutrient removal process. This biofilter system of limestone and granular sulfur packed together can successfully apply for nutrient removal effectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.383-390
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• 2011

In this study, a process combined biofiltration with sulfur-utilizing autotrophic denitrification and membrane separation was proposed to examine the efficiency of nitrogen removal. As an experimental device, hollow-fiber module was installed in the center of reactor to generate the flux forward sulfur layer in the cylinder packed with granular sulfur. In addition, a simple module was installed in activated sludge aeration tank which inside and outside of sulfur-using denitrification module was covered with microfilter and the module was considered as an alternative of clarifier. The experiment for developing new MBR process was carried out for three years totally. As the results of first two-year experiment, successful nitrogen removal performance was revealed with lab-scale test and pliot scale plant using artificial wastewater and actual plating wastewater. In this year, pilot scale test using actual domestic wastewater was performed to prove field applicability. As the results, high-rate nitrogen removal performance was confirmed with about 0.19 kg ${NO_3}^--N/m^3$ day of rate. Also significant fouling and pressure increase were not found during the experiment. And, the production ratio of sulfate and the consumption ratio of alkalinity showed a slightly higher value about 311 mg ${SO_4}^{2-}/L$ and 369 mg $CaCO_3$/L, respectively. In conclusion, the developed MBR process can be utilized as an alternative for retrofiting existing wastewater plants as well as new construction of advanced sewage wastewater treatment plants, with cost-effective merit.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.519-526
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• 2006

In this study, the major operating factors in SND(simultaneous nitrification and denitrification) using bioreactor packed with submerged cilia media and granular sulfur such as variation of nitrification rate, organic matter removal efficiency and denitrification efficiency in different DO concentration were mainly evaluated. Synthetic wastewater and actual sewage were used as influent wastewater. Experiment with synthetic wastewater as influent wastewater was divided into three phases with the adjustment of DO concentration. As the results, nitrification efficiency and T-N removal efficiency in the Phase 3(DO 1.0~2.0 mg/L) were 99% and 52.3%, which is significantly greater than those in other two phases. Also, loading rate and denitrification efficiency of SCPGS(Submerged Cilia media Packed with Granular Sulfur) were calculated as $0.44kg\;NO_3^--N/m^3-day$ and 50%, respectively. On the other hand, nitrification rate was decreased from 99% to 64% according to the DO concentration with the variation from 3.0~3.5 mg/L(phase1) to 0.4~0.6mg/L(phase2). Although the nitrification rate was decreased in 64% according to the variation of the DO concentration, T-N removal rate was rapidly increased to 49% by increasing of the denitrification efficiency. Experiment with actual sewage as influent wastewater was carried out to evaluate efficiency of SCPGS in real operation condition of full-scale sewage water treatment plant. At the time, T-N removal rate in this experiment and full-scale wastewater treatment plants were given by 43% and 20%, respectively. The above results indicate that SCPGS can be used as an advanced treatment process for economical efficiency considered.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.200-208
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• 2005

In this study, a new submerged membrane bioreactor process packed with granular sulfur (MBR-GS) was operated to identify the biological nitrogen removal behaviors with plating wastewater containing high-strength $NO_3{^-}$ concentration. The continuous denitrification was carried out at $20^{\circ}C$ with various nitrogen loading rates using synthetic wastewater, which composed of $NO_3{^-}$ and $HCO_3{^-}$, but also actual plating wastewater, which was collected from the effluent of the H metal plating company. As a result, high-rate denitrification in the range of $0.8kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3\;day$ was accomplished at nitrogen loading rate of $0.9kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3\;day$ using synthetic wastewater. Also, higher-rate denitrification with actual plating wastewater was achieved up to $0.91kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3\;day$ at the loading rate of $1.11kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3\;day$. Additionally, continuous filtration was possible during up to 30 days without chemical cleaning in the range of 20 cmHg of transmembrane pressure. On the basis of the proposed stoichiometry, ${SO_4}^{2-}$ production could be estimated efficiently, while observed alkalinity consumption was somewhat lower than theoretical value. Consequently, a new process, MBR-GS is capable of high-rate autotrophic denitrification by compulsive flux and expected to be utilized as an alternative of renovation techniques for nitrogen removal from not only plating wastewater but also municipal wastewater with low C/N ratio.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.619-627
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• 2012

In order to determine reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) when the submerged membrane bioreactor with granular sulfur (MBR-GS) is used in wastewater treatment plant (WTP), the amount of GHGs was compared and analyzed in the advanced treatment process of P wastewater treatment plant (WTP). The amount of GHGs was estimated by classifying as construction and operation phase in WTP. The amount of GHGs in construction phase was evaluated from multiplying raw materials by using carbon emission factors. Also the amount of GHGs in operating phase was calculated by using total electricity consumption and carbon emission factor. The construction of anoxic tank and secondary settling tank is unnecessary, because the MBR-GS conducts simultaneously the nitrification and denitrification in aeration tank and filtration by hollow fiber membrane. The amount of $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and $N_2O$ emitted by constructing the MBR-GS was 6.44E+06 kg, 8.16E+03 kg and 1.38E+01 kg, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs was reduced about 47 % as compared with the construction in the MLE process. In operating the MBR-GS, the electricity is not required in the biological reactor and secondary setting tank. Thus, the amount of $CO_2$, $CH_4$, and $N_2O$ emitted by operating in the MBR-GS was 7.39E+05 kg/yr, 5.80E+02 kg/yr and 2.44E+00 kg/yr, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs were reduced about 37 % as compared with the operation in the MLE process. Also, $LCCO_2$(Life Cycle $CO_2$) was compared and analyzed between MLE process and MBR-GS. The amount of $LCCO_2 $emitted from the MLE process and MBR-GS was 3.56E+04 ton $CO_2$ and 2.12E+04 ton $CO_2$, respectively. The result shows that the GHGs in MBR-GS were reduced to about 40 % as compared in the MLE process during life cycle. As a result, sulfur-utilizing autotrophic denitrification process (SADP) is expected to be utilized as the cost-effective advanced treatment process, owing to not only high nitrogen removal efficiency but also the GHGs reduction in construction and operation stage.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1473-1480
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• 2011

Perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) is a contaminant found in surface water and soil/ground water. Microbial removal of perchlorate is the method of choice since microorganisms can reduce perchlorate into harmless end-products. Such microorganisms require an electron donor to reduce perchlorate. Conventional perchlorate-removal techniques employ heterotrophic perchlorate-reducing bacteria that use organic compounds as electron donors to reduce perchlorate. Since continuous removal of perchlorate requires a continuous supply of organic compounds, heterotrophic perchlorate removal is an expensive process. Feasibility of autotrophic perchlorate-removal using elemental sulfur granules and activated sludge was examined in this study. Granular sulfur is relatively inexpensive and activated sludge is easily available from wastewater treatment plants. Batch tests showed that activated sludge microorganisms could successfully degrade perchlorate in the presence of granular sulfur as an electron donor. Perchlorate biodegradation was confirmed by molar yield of $Cl^-$ as the perchlorate was degraded. Scanning electron microscope revealed that rod-shaped microorganisms on the surface of sulfur particles were used for the autotrophic perchlorate-removal, suggesting that sulfur particles could serve as supporting media for the formation of biofilm as well. DGGE analyses revealed that microbial profile of the inoculum (activated sludge) was different from that of the biofilm sample obtained from enrichment culture that used sulfur particles for $ClO_4^-$-degradation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2006

In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of using sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet in the sulfur oxidizing autotrophic denitrification process for synthetic wastewater with high $CaCO_3$ concentration. The sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet was packed in reactor(R4). Influent ${NO_3}^--N$ loading rate was from 200 to $1,000g/m^3{\cdot}day$. During the operation, average denitrification efficiency of R4 was above 95%. Particularly, the denitrififation rate at $1,000g/m^3{\cdot}day$ loading was 98.96% for R4. High ${NO_3}^--N$ removal efficiency was determined in R4 compared with other reactors. Through $Ca^{2+}$ and alkalinity analyses, we calculated the supplied alkalinity from the packed $CaCO_3$ in the reactor. Sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet more effectively supplied alkalinity through the dissociation of $CaCO_3$ as compared with other media. Based on these results, sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet increased the pH buffering capacity while also providing the carbon source to the denitrifying bacteria. Denitrification efficiency of R4 was also higher than other reactors. ESEM pictures of sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet show higher porosity than that of the granular sulfur. Hence, more denitrifying bacteria attached on the sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet than on granular sulfur. It can be concluded that the sulfur-$CaCO_3$ complex pellet is a more suitable media for a sulfur oxidizing autotrophic denitrification process as it provides high denitrification efficiency.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1999

In spite of low energy requirement, and operation and construction cost, biofilters with soil beds have not been operated efficiently. Because of excess moisture in winter and rainy periods, saturated pores in the bed prevent passage and sorption of odorous compounds. Sometimes this results in septic conditions that release previously sorbed and oxidized sulfur. Therefore, an economical and effective alternative needs to be developed. The objectives of this study were to confirm applicability of the granular scrap tires with compost for treating odorous gas as well as to obtain optimum design parameters for proposed system. In lab-scaled test, multiple stage reactors had lower headloss than a single stage reactor and less headloss was occurred for the gas with higher moisture content. For practical purpose, pilot-scaled reactor was operated to remove odor from septic tank, manure and animal wastewater treatment plant and composting machine. According to the results of pilot scaled test, $H_2S$ can be always removed completely and ammonia/amine can be removed excellently when proper moisture content is provided. The results from lab and pilot test showed that granular scrap tire could be replaced with soil as supporting material for biofilter showed excellent drainage because of its ability to reject moisture.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.439-446
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• 2009

This study was performed to evaluate SND(simultaneous nitrification and denitrification)efficiency, nitrogen removal efficiency and filtration function of non-woven fabric by using submerging MBR packed with granular sulfur covered with non-woven fabric filter. Synthetic wastewater was used as influent wastewater. Concentration of $NH_4{^+}-N$ in influent was maintained about 40 mg/L and the experiment was performed in four phases according to the flow rate. Nitrogen loading rate divided four phases ranging from $0.04 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$ to $0.16 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$. As a result, the maximum $NH_4{^+}-N$ removal rate was accomplished at $0.142 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$ in nitrogen loading of $0.147 kg\;NH_4{^+}-N/m^3-day$. Nitrification efficiency was higher than 95% in all phases. $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading rate was adjusted ranging from $0.22 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$ to $0.89 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. The maximum $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal rate was accomplished up to $0.71 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$ in $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading of $0.89 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. The maximum $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal efficiency was 95% in $NO_3{^-}-N$ loading of $0.22 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. T-N removal rate was 90% and concentration of T-N in effluent was 3.7 mg/L in T-N loading rate of $0.039 kg\;NO_3{^-}-N/m^3-day$. In this study, TMP in reactor with and without non-woven fabric filter were observed to define fouling of hollow-fiber membrane module. Reaching time to standard washing pressure(22 cm Hg) of two reactors were 29 days with non-woven fabric But the reactor without non-woven fabric reached standard washing pressure only after 4 days. Accordingly, non-woven fabric was demonstrated the superiority as a filtration ability. With high nitrogen removal rate and decreasing of fouling of membrane, MBR packed with granular sulfur covered with non-woven fabric filter submerging in activated sludge aeration tank can be used as an advanced treatment process.