An innovative jet loop-airlift bioreactor for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen from soft drink industrial wastewater: Process performance and kinetic evaluation

• Published in: Environmental technology & innovation 2020-08, Vol.19, p.100772, Article 100772
• Main Authors: Gholami, F., Zinatizadeh, A.A., Zinadini, S., McKay, T., Sibali, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological nutrient removal; Jet loop-airlift bioreactor; Soft drink industrial wastewater
• ISSN: 2352-1864; 2352-1864
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2020.100772

Creating different redox conditions in different regions can be effective for nutrient removal in a single bioreactor. Jet loop-airlift bioreactors are presented as an innovative system that can provide regions with different oxidation–reduction potentials (ORP). In the present study, the performance of a novel jet loop-airlift bioreactor for the simultaneous removal of nutrients from soft drink wastewater (SDW) (COD:N:P of 100:16:1) was investigated. The anoxic and aerobic zones with settling tank could successfully be integrated in a compact high rate bioreactor under continuous aeration and feeding. Two independent variables, hydraulic retention time (HRT) (6–14 h) and air flow rate (2.5-4.5 l/min), were chosen at three levels for modeling, optimization, and trend analysis. According to experimental data, optimum conditions were achieved at HRT of 11 h and air flow rate of 4 l/min with TCOD and TN removal of 98% and 83.6%, respectively. Also, kinetic analysis of the soft drink wastewater treatment process in the jet loop-airlift bioreactor was performed and Y, Kd, Ks, K and μmax were found to be 0.2425 gVSS/gCOD, 0.038 d−1, 0.00786 g/l, 0.6321 d−1 and 0.165 d−1, respectively. In conclusion, the jet loop-airlift system can be described as an effective low-cost bioreactor for treating wastewater with high carbon and nitrogen. [Display omitted] •CNP removal process was investigated in an innovative jet loop-airlift bioreactor.•The effect of two independent variables on the process performance was assessed using RSM.•The variation trends of 9 quality and process parameters were monitored throughout the experiments.•Kinetic parameters of the treatment process were successfully determined.