Performance Curves Can Standardize Evaluations Of Biofilter Performance

摘要

A simple evaluation process can characterize the nitrification removal rates of commercial biofilters as a function of flow rate and ammonia-nitrogen concentration. The resulting performance curves can help design engineers and operators match biofilters and their operating parameters to system and culture species requirements. The aquaculture industry relies almost exclusively on some form of fixed film biofilter for nitrification, such as those found in trickling towers and fluidized-bed, floatingbead, and rotating biological contactors. The advantages of these biofilters include their resistance to short-term toxic loads, ability to perform at low influent concentrations, and high volumetric biomass concentrations. In addition, the high cell residence time of fixed film biofilters is needed for the low growth rates of both Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Currently there is no standardized way to determine and report biofilter performance to facilitate user selection among the numerous types of biofilters. This type of information is critical for end users, but also important for both design engineers and manufacturers.