Advanced Research on Polymer Floating Carrier Application in Activated Sludge Reactors

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Domestic wastewater treatment is crucial for environmental protection.
• Optimizing activated sludge processes with carriers can enhance pollutant removal efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of a two-stage wastewater treatment system with floating carriers.
• To compare the performance of different floating carrier materials (Polyvom, Polystyrene, Bioballs).
• To determine optimal operational parameters for pollutant removal.

Main Methods:

• A two-stage treatment sequence involving an activated sludge reactor and a trickling filter.
• Testing of Polyvom, Polystyrene, and Bioballs as floating carriers at various fill ratios.
• Lab-scale experiments under different operational modes.
• Analysis of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), ammonium (NH4), nitrite (NO2), and nitrate (NO3) concentrations.

Main Results:

• Polyvom demonstrated superior performance among the tested floating carriers.
• Achieved effluent concentrations: BOD5 (2.1 mg/L), NH4 (0.4 mg/L), NO2 (1.0 mg/L), NO3 (25 mg/L).
• While BOD, NH4, and NO3 met standards, NO2 exceeded the limit (1.0 mg/L vs. 0.08 mg/L).

Conclusions:

• The two-stage system with Polyvom floating carriers is effective for domestic wastewater treatment.
• Further optimization is needed to meet stringent nitrite discharge limits.
• Operational parameters like hydraulic retention time and MLSS influence treatment efficacy.