Characterization of the start-up behavior and steady-state performance of biotrickling filter removing low concentration toluene waste gas

Abstract

A biotrickling filter packed with the regular ceramic spheres was designed and fabricated to purify the low toluene-concentration waste gas. Particular attention was made to the study of the start-up behavior of the biotrickling filter. Moreover, the steady performances were investigated to establish the experimental correlation between the operation factors and removal efficiency. It was found that the start-up process of the biotrickling filter exhibited three stages including the biofilm formation, biofilm development, and biofilm stabilization. The OD600 nm of the circulated liquid, gas pressure drop, elimination capacity, and temperature rise maintained at a rather low level in the biofilm formation stage, then increased rapidly in the biofilm development stage, and finally reached a stable value in the biofilm stabilization stage. It was also found that the removal efficiency of the biotrickling filter in the stable period decreased with increase in the waste gas flow rate, circulated liquid flow rate, and diameter of the ceramic sphere. More interestingly, it was revealed the operation modes have a significant influence on the removal efficiency of the biotrickling filter, and the microorganism show a high activity under the operating temperature ranging from 30°C to 40°C. The experimental correlations for describing the effect of operation factors on the removal efficiency of the biotrickling filters under both the co-current and counter-current operation modes were obtained. The correlation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.