[Performance evaluation of three novel biotrickling packings]

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Biotechnology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Packing material characteristics significantly influence microbial adhesion and water retention in biotrickling filters (BTFs).
• Effective packing is crucial for efficient pollutant removal in BTFs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel biotrickling packing materials.
• To compare the performance of new packings with traditional ones regarding pollutant removal and operational stability.

Main Methods:

• Development of three novel packing types: polyhedral sphere, burr sphere, and polyhedral hollow column.
• Evaluation of specific surface area, resistance coefficient (zeta), start-up time, and biomass adhesion.
• Performance testing in a BTF with toluene and ethanol, measuring removal efficiencies and pressure drop.

Main Results:

• Polyhedral sphere and polyhedral hollow column exhibited superior structural characteristics (specific surface area of 200 m² m⁻³).
• Polyhedral sphere showed minimal change in resistance coefficient after biofilm formation, unlike burr sphere.
• BTF packed with polyhedral sphere achieved high removal efficiencies (76.78% for toluene, 99.23% for ethanol) with stable low pressure drop (51.6 Pa m⁻¹).
• Burr sphere packing led to significant pressure drop increase and clogging (193.3 Pa m⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• Polyhedral sphere is a highly effective biotrickling filter packing, offering excellent pollutant removal, easy biofilm management, and operational stability.
• Novel packing designs, particularly the polyhedral sphere, significantly enhance BTF efficiency compared to traditional materials.
• The structural design of packing materials is critical for preventing clogging and ensuring long-term BTF performance.