Hydrodynamics and mathematical modelling in a low HRT inverse fluidized-bed reactor for biological sulphate reduction

• Published in: Bioprocess and biosystems engineering 2018-12, Vol.41 (12), p.1869-1882
• Main Authors: Reyes-Alvarado, Luis C., Hatzikioseyian, Artin, Rene, Eldon R., Houbron, Eric, Rustrian, Elena, Esposito, Giovanni, Lens, Piet N. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Chemical oxygen demand; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Design of experiments; Dynamic models; Economic models; Effluents; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Experimental design; Feasibility studies; Fluid flow; Fluidization; Fluidized beds; Food Science; Hydraulic retention time; Hydrodynamics; Industrial and Production Engineering; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Kinetic equations; Lactic acid; Mathematical models; Models, Biological; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; pH effects; Reaction kinetics; Reactors; Reduction; Research Paper; Residence time distribution; Retention; Retention time; Substrates; Sulfate reduction; Sulfates; Sulfates - metabolism; Sulfides; Sulfur; Waste Water - microbiology; Wastewater
• ISSN: 1615-7591; 1615-7605
• DOI: 10.1007/s00449-018-2008-y

Biological reduction of sulphate at low hydraulic retention time (HRT) is presented in this paper. A sulphidogenic inverse fluidized-bed bioreactor (IFBB) was operated successfully at a progressively decreasing HRT from 1 to 0.125 days for a total of 155 days. Synthetic wastewater containing sulphate at a concentration of 745 (± 17) mg/L was used. COD was supplied as lactate in variable concentrations at COD/SO 4 2− ratios of 1.2–2.4. The pH of the feed ranged between 5.2 and 6.2. The highest measured removal rates were 2646 and 4866 mg SO 4 2− /L day at an HRT of 0.25 and 0.125 days, respectively, using a COD/SO 4 2− ratio of 2.3. The biological sulphate reduction was limited by the influent COD concentrations at a COD/SO 4 2− ratio