Evaluation of denitrification potential of rotating biological contactors for treatment of municipal wastewater

In this study the effect of retention time and rotation speed in the denitrification process in two full-scale rotating biological contactors (RBC) which were operated parallel and fed with municipal wastewater is evaluated. Each rotating biological contactor was covered to prevent oxygen input. The discs were 40% submerged. On the axle of one of the rotating biological contactors lamellas were placed (RBC1). During the experiments the nitrate removal performance of the rotating biological contactor with lamellas was observed to be less than the other (RBC2) since the lamellas caused oxygen diffusion through their movement. The highest nitrate removal observed was 2.06 g/m(2).d achieved by a contact time of 28.84 minutes and a recycle flow of 1 l/s. The rotation speed during this set had the constant value of 0.8 min(-1). Nitrate removal efficiency on RBC1 was decreasing with increasing rotation speed. On the rotating biological contactor without lamellas no effect on denitrification could be determined within a speed range from 0.67 to 2.1 min(-1). If operated in proper conditions denitrification on RBC is a very suitable alternative for nitrogen removal that can easily fulfil the nutrient limitations in coastal areas due to the rotating biological contactors economical benefits and uncomplicated handling.