Rotating Biological Contactors:  A Review

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research 2003-05, Vol.42 (10), p.2035-2051
• Main Author: Patwardhan, A. W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Pollution; Various methods and equipments; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/ie0200104

Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) offer an alternative treatment technology to the conventional activated sludge process. The principal advantages of the RBC stem from the fact that the interfacial area generated is very high and practically independent of the speed of rotation, unlike in the activated sludge process. In the present work, the process design aspects of RBCs are reviewed. The published literature on various aspects such as media employed in RBCs, hydrodynamic characteristics, power consumption, and mass-transfer characteristics is reviewed. The various models proposed for the design of RBC systems are reviewed. A stepwise procedure is given for the process design of an RBC system. The RBC system is compared with the other wastewater treatment facilities such as the activated sludge process and trickling filters in terms of its oxygen-transfer efficiency.