Comparison of COD, nitrogen and phosphorus removal between anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic and anoxic/aerobic fixed biofilm reactor using SAC (synthetic activated ceramic) media

In order to remove nitrogen and phosphorus simultaneously and to develop a compact process for retrofitting a conventional activated sludge system, a new fixed-biofilm reactor was designed and tested employing an operation strategy with three and two reaction phases: anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic (Run-l) and anoxic/aerobic (Run-2). Four kinds of HRT (4, 6, 8 and 10 h) were varied to investigate the effect of nitrification and denitrification in each reactor. The results of the experiments are summarized as follows. All removal rates of GOD, TN and T-P in the water treated in Run-1 were higher than those of Run-2. The average values of GOD, T-N and TP in the treated water were reduced to 5.0 mg/L, 5.6 mg/L and 3.1 mg/L in case of Run-1. The COD and T-N removal efficiencies of Run-1 were higher than that of Run-2, but the difference between Run 1 and Run 2 was almost negligible. More than 60 % T-P removal efficiency could be achieved when the HRT was above 8 hour, but the efficiency was sharply decreased to 36 % as the HRT was decreased to 4 hour in case of Run-1. Although the removal efficiency of T-P in Run-a decreased by 56 % compared with that of Run-1, the fixed biofilm reactor using SAC media reduced the volume of reactor, and high-level COD and T-N removal from domestic wastewater was performed; stable effluent quality was thereby achieved. The performance of Run 2 with no anaerobic reactor was mostly similar to that of Run 1 with an anaerobic reactor, except for T-P removal. Hence, according to these results, anoxic and aerobic processes using SAC media could be possible for removing organics and nutrients from municipal wastewater, in case phosphorus removal is not considered for municipal wastewater with low concentration of phosphorus.