ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS

2012-2013

Table of Contents
Table of Contents........................................................................................ 1

Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology

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ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS

2012-2013

ABSTRACT
A rotating biological contactor or RBC is a biological treatment process used in the treatment of wastewater following primary treatment. The primary treatment process removes the grit and other solids through a screening process followed by a period of settlement. The RBC process involves allowing the wastewater to come in contact with a biological medium in order to remove pollutants in the wastewater before discharge of the treated wastewater to the environment, usually a body of water (river, lake or ocean). A rotating biological contactor is a type of secondary treatment process. It consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel discs mounted on a rotating shaft which is supported just above the surface of the waste water. Microorganisms grow on the surface of the discs where biological degradation of the wastewater pollutants takes place.

Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology

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ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS

2012-2013

INTRODUCTION
A rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) is a biological treatment process used in the treatment of wastewater following primary treatment. The primary treatment process removes the grit and other solids through a screening process followed by a period of settlement. The RBC process involves allowing the wastewater to come in contact with a biological medium in order to remove pollutants in the wastewater before discharge of the treated wastewater to the environment, usually a body of water (river, lake or ocean). A rotating biological contactor is a type of secondary treatment process. It consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel discs mounted on a rotating shaft which is supported just above the surface of the waste water. Microorganisms grow on the surface of the discs where biological degradation of the wastewater pollutants takes place.A rotating biological contractor (RBC) is an attached-growth biological process that consists of one or more basins in which large closely-spaced circular disks mounted on horizontal shafts rotate slowly through waste-water. The disks, which are made of high-density polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are partially submerged in the wastewater, so that a bacterial slime layer forms on their wetted surfaces.As the disks rotate, the bacteria are exposed alternately to wastewater, from which they adsorb organic matter, and to air, from which they absorb oxygen. The rotary movement also allows excess bacteria to be removed from the surfaces of the disks and maintains a suspension of sloughed biological solids. A final clarifier is needed to remove sloughed solids. Organic matter is degraded by means of mechanisms similar to those operating in the trickling filters process. Partially submerged RBCs are used for carbonaceous BOD removal, combined carbon oxidation and nitrification, and nitrification of secondary effluents. .

Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology

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History
The first RBC was installed in West Germany in 1960, later it was introduced in the United States and Canada. In the United States, rotating biological contactors are used for industries producing wastewaters high in Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) (e.g., petroleum industry and dairy industry).

Secondary treatment
Secondary treatment is designed to substantially degrade the biological content of the sewage which are derived from human waste, food waste, soaps and detergent. The majority of municipal plants treat the settled sewage liquor using aerobic biological processes. To be effective, the biota require both oxygen and food to live. The bacteria and protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic contaminants (e.g. sugars, fats, organic short-chain carbon molecules, etc.) and bind much of the less soluble fractions into floc. Secondary treatment systems are classified as fixedfilm or suspended-growth systems. Fixed-film or attached growth systems include trickling filters, biotowers, and rotating biological contactors, where the biomass grows on media and the sewage passes over its surface.[6]:11-13 The fixed-film principal has further developed into Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR), and Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) processes. An MBBR system typically requires smaller footprint than suspended-growth systems. Suspended-growth systems include activated sludge, where the biomass is mixed with the sewage and can be operated in a smaller space than trickling filters that treat the same amount of water. However, fixed-film systems are more able to cope with drastic changes in the amount of biological material and can provide higher removal rates for organic material and suspended solids than suspended growth system.

Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology

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Construction

One of the rotating biological contactor systems available commercially is the BIOSURF process. The fundamental module of the BIO-SURF process is a 25-ft-long steel shaft supporting an assembly of 12-ft-diameter polyethylene disks. The BIOSURF media consists of alternating flat and corrugated sheets of polyethylene. Such an arrangement provides a much larger surface area than does a simple flat disk. Selective gaps between groups of disks along a single shaft provide a series of treatment stages for small flows. However, in large installations, a 25-ft module is used as a single stage itself. Generally, a 25-ft by 12-ft-diameter module contains about 104,000 ft2 of total surface area. Each of these modules is driven by a 5-hp motor. The BIO-SURF process can be designed to produce an effluent BOD5 of 10 mg/l. The composition of effluents between 10 and 20 mg/l BOD5 generally consists of approximately 1/3 soluble and 2/3 insoluble BOD5

Operation

The rotating packs of disks (known as the media) are contained in a tank or trough and rotate at between 2 and 5 revolutions per minute. Commonly used plastics for the media are polythene, PVC and expanded polystyrene. The shaft is aligned with the flow of wastewater so that the discs rotate at right angles to the flow with several Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology Page 5

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packs usually combined to make up a treatment train. About 40% of the disc area is immersed in the wastewater. Biological growth is attached to the surface of the disc and forms a slime layer. The discs contact the wastewater with the atmospheric air for oxidation as it rotates. The rotation helps to slough off excess solids. The disc system can be staged in series to obtain nearly any detention time or degree of removal required. Since the systems are staged, the culture of the later stages can be acclimated to the slowly degraded materials. The discs consist of plastic sheets ranging from 2 to 4 m in diameter and are up to 10 mm thick. Several modules may be arranged in parallel and/or in series to meet the flow and treatment requirements. The discs are submerged in waste water to about 40% of their diameter. Approximately 95% of the surface area is thus alternately submerged in waste water and then exposed to the atmosphere above the liquid. Carbonaceous substrate is removed in the initial stage of RBC. Carbon conversion may be completed in the first stage of a series of modules, with nitrification being completed after the 5th stage. Most design of RBC systems will include a minimum of 4 or 5 modules in series to obtain nitrification of waste water. Biofilms, which are biological growths that become attached to the discs, assimilate the organic materials in the wastewater. Aeration is provided by the rotating action, which exposes the media to the air after contacting them with the wastewater, facilitating the degradation of the pollutants being removed. The degree of wastewater treatment is related to the amount of media surface area and the quality and volume of the inflowing wastewater.

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Biological Activity
Microorganisms , like all living things, require food for growth . Biological sewage treatment consists of a step-by-step, continuous, sequenced attack on the organic compounds found in wastewater and upon which the microbes feed.

Aerobic Digestion Aerobic digestion of waste is the natural biological degradation and purification process in which bacteria that thrive in oxygen-rich environments break down and digest the waste.During oxidation process, pollutants are broken down into carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), water (H 2 O), nitrates, sulphates and biomass (microorganisms). By operating the oxygen supply with aerators, the process can be significantly accelerated. Of all the biological treatment methods, aerobic digestion is the most widespread process that is used throughout the world.

Aerobic bacteria are very efficient in breaking down waste products. The result of this is; aerobic treatment usually yields better effluent quality that that obtained in anaerobic processes. The aerobic pathway also releases a substantial amount of energy. A portion is used by the microorganisms for synthesis and growth of new microorganisms.The process uses organic matter, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen, and produces stable solids, carbon dioxide, and more organisms. The microorganisms which can only survive in aerobic conditions are known as aerobic organisms. Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology Page 7

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Anaerobic Digestion Anaerobic digestion is a complex biochemical reaction carried out in a number of steps by several types of microorganisms that require little or no oxygen to live. During this process, a gas that is mainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide, also referred to as biogas, is produced. The amount of gas produced varies with the amount of organic waste fed to the digester and temperature influences the rate of decomposition and gas production.

Microbial Growth Kinetics

- S t = (Ks + S) V km2 (ro
2

ru

)d

S.

S / t = substrate removed per unit time and volume of reactor (mg/d/unit volume) N = numbers of discs in the stage (or module) V = volume of reactor ro, ru = total radius of the discs and the radius of the unsubmerged portion of the disc, respectively km = max. rate of specific substrate utilization, (per day or T-1) ( or m / Y, where m = max specific growth rate) Ks = substrate concentration at the utilization rate of km/2 (mg/l) X = unit mass of biological film on dry weight basis S = substrate concentration (mg/l) d = effective thickness of microbial film

Design Features Of RBCs

Clear spacing between the discs varies between 1.5cm and 5cm.

Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology

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ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS Discs are operated normally with 40 60% submergence.

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Speed varies between 2 rpm and 6 rpm but may be as high as 12 rpm. A stage or module refers to a set of discs per shaft. One unit process may comprise a number of stages (2 6) in series. Disk speed Temperature oxygen transfer Efficiency

Peripheral velocity = 5 7 m/min Stoppage will dry the film and cause an unbalanced shaft need greater torque to restart A secondary settling tank is required to allow removal of biological solids

Substrate Removal Kinetics. Raw municipal wastewater contains about 1/3 soluble BOD, 1/3 settleable BOD and 1/3 suspended BOD; after primary clarification, the ratio is 1/2 soluble and 1/2 suspended BOD. Industrial wastewaters can contain 50 to 100% soluble BOD. Because there is no sludge recycle and since suspended solids remain in the RBC reactor for such a short period of time (one to two hours), the oxygen demand of suspended solids is very low. As a result, soluble BOD is the controlling design parameter. The principle mechanism of treatment (substrate removal) in the RBC process is the diffusion of soluble matter into the biomass, where it is metabolized. Suspended matter in the wastewater and sheared biomass have no effect on the rate of soluble substrate diffusion, and therefore do not affect removal levels. Hydraulic Loading. Most domestic wastewater and many industrial effluents have soluble BOD levels of 100 mg/l or less; and can be easily treated by the RBC process. For most applications, the main effort associated with process design and equipment selection is to determine the surface area requirement for the biomass. Organic Loading. Systems installed effectively treat high strength wastes such as industrial wastes or septage. These efficient, shock resistant systems often work where suspended growth systems are eliminated.

RBCs VS Activated Sludge

Process Stability: Activated sludge requires efficient solids settling and adequate biosolids recycling for satisfactory operation. Hydraulic surges and organic shock Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology Page 9

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loads also can cause prolonged upsets. The RBC process does not require recycling, and because the biomass is attached to the media, it is not affected by clarifier washouts or shock loadings. RBCs handle diurnal peak flows of 2.5:1 without process adjustment. Manpower: The relatively simple operation of the RBC process leads to significant manpower savings, estimated at one-half when compared to the activated sludge system. Flexibility: Periods of low flow are troublesome to activated sludge plants. Also, because of the processs size requirements, expansions and upgrades are difficult/costly. RBC facilities, on the other hand, when loaded less than design, typically achieve excellent effluents without additional control. Due to its modular construction, low hydraulic head loss and shallow excavations, the process is comparatively easy to upgrade and expand. Maintenance and Power Consumption: These two items are the most attractive features of the RBC process when compared to the activated sludge process. RBC energy consumption is approximately 25% of the activated sludge requirement. Ease of Nitrification: The RBC process can achieve any degree of nitrification with only a single settling tank and without sludge recycle. Activated sludge plants usually require far more elaborate treatment stages to achieve nitrification. Sludge Characteristics: Sludges produced by the RBC process settle well, permitting shallower secondary clarifiers designed for higher overflow rates. Activated sludges are prone to settling problems, and require a compaction zone for sludge recycling, leading to larger clarifiers.

Advantages offered by rotating biological contactors

1. Short contact periods are required because of the large active surface 2. They are capable of handling a wide range of flows 3. Sloughed biomass generally has good settling characteristics and can easily be separated from waste stream 4. Operating costs are low because little skill is required in plant operation 5. Short retention time 6. Low power requirements 7. Elimination of the channeling to which conventional percolators are susceptible 8. Low sludge production and excellent process control

Disadvantages of Rotating Biological Contactors

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1. Requirement for covering RBC units in northern climates to protect against freezing 2. Shaft bearings and mechanical drive units require frequent maintenance

Performance of Biological Contactors

The performance of RBC systems depends on the temperature, the concentration of the pollutants, and the rate at which the treatment is expected to proceed. Studies have shown that, in terms of BOD removal, there is a critical hydraulic retention time of 3 hours and that any further increase in the retention results in little or no improvement in performances. It has also been shown that as the applied organic loading rate increases above about 5, the deviation from 100 percent efficiency becomes more pronounced. The performance characteristics of RBCs are frequently expressed as applied loading/removal rate curves. This figure shows the geometric relationships used for 70, 80 and 100 percent efficiencies. Superimposed upon these are data from other performance studies. These show that the usual performance efficiency is better than 80 percent. The oxidation of ammonia is also an important feature in assessing the performance of any biological reactor. The degree of nitrification that is achieved by RBCs is dependent on several factors. Studies have shown that the removal of ammoniacal nitrogen is related to the hydraulic loading rate, and it has been reported that full nitrification can only be achieved when the organic loading rate is less than 5 g BOD/m2/d. Some work has highlighted two aspects of nitrification by RBCs, showing that the process was oxygen limited in summer months and that a good BOD removal was necessary prior to nitrification. Failure to achieve this meant that the amount of disc surface available for colonization by the nitrifying species was significantly restricted Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology Page 11

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Applications
In new construction, the RBC process can accommodate flows ranging from 15,000 gpd to over 30 MGD. It is applied for organic carbon removal (BOD), nitrification, denitrification, or various combinations. It is compatible as well with applications requiring phosphorous removal. Typical applications are: Municipal wastewater treatment Food and beverage wastewater treatment including meat packing, bakery, dairy, brewery Landfill leachate Refinery and petrochemical wastewater treatment Pulp and paper wastewater treatment Septage treatment Many general industrial wastewaters

In nitrification upgrades for existing secondary treatment facilities, the RBC process can provide the required capacity in limited space. For any treatment plant expansion, the systems small footprint makes it advantageous, especially where space is at a premium. In many retrofit applications, RBC units can be easily customized to fit existing rectangular basins and to accommodate increased flow capacities by adding or modifying the media configuration. Due to equipment design, the RBC system can be assembled on site or in a building. In upgrading trickling filter plants, the RBC process can be installed in either parallel or series with the existing system, for additional capacity or improved treatment levels. Usually, additional clarifiers are not required, and because of the RBC processs low head loss, further pumping can usually be avoided. The process equipment is available with a mechanical drive; with a mechanical drive and supplemental air; or with an air drive only. Media is available as standard, medium or high density. Dept of Civil Engineering Acharya institute of Technology Page 12