Simultaneous organic and nutrient removal in wastewater using a revolving algae biofilm reactor

Abstract

This study focused on a revolving algae biofilm (RAB) reactor for the efficient removal of nutrients from synthetic wastewater. Chlorella vulgaris algae species were used in this study. The study examined the reactor performance across various hydraulic retention times (HRTs) ranging from 60 to 30 hours, revealing crucial insights into its operational efficiency. The results demonstrate that HRT significantly influences key performance indicators, including removal rates, removal efficiencies, biomass growth rate, and complete nitrification. Among the tested configurations, HRT-30h emerged as the optimal parameter, exhibiting impressive removal rates of 108 mg/L/day for COD, 35 mg/L/day for ammonia nitrogen, and 1.8 mg/L/day for phosphorus. Furthermore, it achieved the highest levels of suspended and harvested biofilm mass, measuring 1.07 g/L and 7 g, respectively. Notably, HRT-30h displayed exceptional biomass growth rate, reaching up to 3.77 g/m²/day. Therefore, it underscores the promising potential of the RAB reactor as an efficient and adaptable technology for nutrient removal in wastewater treatment. Further exploration and refinement of operational parameters hold the key to harnessing the full capabilities of this innovative wastewater treatment technology.