• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.104-112
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• 2006

Population growths of earthworm were investigated when the earthworm populations with different levels of initial densities per unit area were fed with cow dung mixed with paper mill sludge. The tested levels of earthworm densities were as follows; $1kg/m^2$, $2kg/m^2$, $3kg/m^2$, $5kg/m^2$. There were no significant differences in population growth rates 60 and 90 days after feed supply among the tested densities of earthworm. Therefore, it was suggested that initial densities of earthworm populations per unit area higher than $3kg/m^2$ should not be favorable because of the cost for purchasing earthworm. Vermicomposting rates of earthworm on feed were also investigated when different amounts of feed were supplied repeatedly to unit area of nursery bed with $5kg/m^2$ of initial densities earthworm populations. The tested amounts of feed at each supplying time were as follows; $16kg/m^2$, $24kg/m^2$, $32kg/m^2$, $40kg/m^2$. The more the amount of feed at each supplying time, the higher vermicomposting rate and population growth rate. Therefore, it should be more favorable for earthworm breeders to supply more than $40kg/m^2$ of feed at each supplying time, because it would reduce time and labor cost.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2013

Experiments in a pilot-scale hybrid multi-stage unit system (HMUS) combination of ATAD and EGSB followed by SBR process for pig slurry treatment were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of using autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) and expended granular sludge bed (EGSB) followed by sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system. Contaminants in pig slurry with high organic matter, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content were completely removed in the combined process. The highest removal rate for CODcr among contaminants in the feed pig slurry was attained by about 43.3% in ATAD unit process. Also TS removal rate of 96.5% was attained and the highest in the next coagulation unit process. The highest removal rate of CODcr under operating parameter conditions of OLR(organic loading rate), 3-6Kg $COD/m^3{\cdot}day$ and line velocity, 1.5-4m/h was earned at 3days of HRT. The disinfection of pathogens was effective at 50,000mg/L of TS in ATAD unit process. Biogas production per organic removal was $2.3{\sim}8.5m^3/kgTS{\cdot}d$ (average $5.2m^3/kgTS{\cdot}d$) in EGSB unit process. The average removal rates of CODcr 71.7%, TS 64.1%, TN 45.9%, and TP 50.4% were earned in the intermittent aeration SBR unit process.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.209-215
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• 2012

The performance and removal efficiencies of a pilot scale biofilter were estimated by using ammonia and hydrogen sulfide as the odorous gases. Expanded polyurethane foam coated with powdered activated carbon and zeolite was used as a biofilm supporting medium in the biofilter. Odorous gases from the sludge thickener of a municipal wastewater treatment plant were treated in the biofilter for 10 months and the inlet ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations were 0.1-1.5 and 2-20 ppmv, respectively. The removal efficiencies reached about 100% at the empty bed retention time (EBRT) of 3.6-5 seconds except for the adaptation periods. The pressure drop of the biofilter caused by the gas flow was also low that the maximum attained was 31 mm $H_2O$ during the operation. Its stability was confirmed in the long term due to the fact that the biofilter and the polyurethane medium had a minimum plugging and compression. The microbial community on the medium is critical for the performance of the biofilter especially the distribution of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB). The distribution of Nitrosomonas sp. (AOB) and Thiobacillus ferroxidans (SOB) was confirmed by FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis. The longer the operation time, the more microbial population observed. Also, the medium close to the gas inlet had more microbial population than the medium at the gas outlet of the biofilter.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.105-113
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• 2003

Successful operation of a reactor can be accomplished when it is operated at proper D depending on the state of degradation. Operation at high D leads to the washout of biomass in the reactor while operation at low D leads to product inhibition due to the accumulation of excess VFA. These appear to limit the production of hydrogen to reach a higher level. Operation by D control was performed to improve the efficiency of hydrogen fermentation of food waste. Although simple organic matters were rapidly degraded in the early stage (day 1-2), proper VFA concentration and pH values were kept in the reactor at D of $4.5d^{-1}$, which was previously reported to be optimum initial D. High butyrate/acetate (B/A) ratios over 3.2 were obtained. Without D control, the reduction of simple organic matters after day 2 caused the decrease of VFA production and the increase of pH. Hydrogen production also decreased, as microbial proliferation was less than microbial loss by washout. However, the reactor performance was dramatically improved at D control from 4.5 to $2.3d^{-1}$. It showed the highest B/A ratios over 2.0 among the reactors on day 4-7. The second hydrogen peak appeared on day 4, resulting in the highest fermentation efficiency (70.8%) among the reactors. It was caused by the enhanced degradation of slowly degradable matters. The COD removed was converted to hydrogen (19.3%), VFA (36.5%), and ethanol (15.0%). Therefore, the strategy using D control, depending on the state of degradation, was effective in improving the efficiency of hydrogen fermentation.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2023

This study was aimed to determine the effects of grow media on the mineral contents of the leaves and growth characteristics of strawberry grown under aquaponics system in a plant factory. For aquaculture, 12 fish (Cyprinus carpio) (total weight, 2.0 kg) were raised in an aquaponics tank (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.45 m, 472.5 L) filled with 367.5 L of water at a density of 5.44 kg·m^-3 and total 34 of strawberry seedlings were transplanted in the pots filed with 200 g of orchid stone, hydroball or polyurethane sponge in the growing bed (W 0.7 m × L 1.5 m × H 0.22 m) laid out with holly acrylic sheet (140×60 mm, Ø80) on the top of the system. The pH and EC of the aquaponic solution was ranged from 7.6 to 4.9 and 0.24-0.91 dS·m^-1, respectively. The concentration of NO_3-N was about 28% lower than that of the hydroponic standard solution, and K, Fe and B were 10, 27 and 3.8 times lower, respectively; however, the mineral contents of strawberry leaves were in the appropriate ranges with lower contents in the leaves grown with sponge media. The organic content (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) of the sludge were 61.5, 5.72, 8.92, and 0.24%, respectively. The leaf area, leaf number, and dry and fresh weights of shoot at 81 DAT were significantly higher in the hydroball, and the average number of fruits per plant was significantly higher in both the orchid stone and hydroball. There was no significant difference in the fresh and dry weights of fruits. Integrated all the results suggest that the orchid stone and hydroball media are more effective to utilize nutrients in solid particles of aquaponic solution, compared to the polyurethane sponge.