EFFECT OF TURBULENCE ON NITRIFYING BIOFILMS AT NONLIMITING SUBSTRATE CONDITIONS

The effect of turbulence on nitrifying biofilms was studied in five cylindrical PVC (polyvinyl chloride) reactors, each having ten biofilm sampling taps, over a period of 196 days. Bulk water in the reactors was stirred by paddles at 32, 92, 140, 278 and 500 rpm and the turbulent intensities measured at 10 mm from the wall were 0.6, 1.5, 2.6, 4.4 and 8.9 cm/s. Biofilms appeared as isolated colonies and continued to grow as filament-type biofilms. Higher turbulence resulted in higher NH4-N flux and higher areal biomass density. Turbulent diffusion of substrates and by-products in the vicinity of filament-type biofilms must have resulted in the above phenomena. Photographic observation of the biofilm surfaces on sampling taps showed uniform biofilm filaments at higher turbulent intensities and large variation in the height of filaments at low turbulent intensities. Substrate flux and biofilm structure (areal density, filament height and cross-sectional area of filament) are inter-related parameters and are strongly affected by turbulence near the biofilm. Substrate flux is expressed as a power function of turbulent intensity, volumetric density and substrate concentration for filament-type biofilm when substrates are non-limiting.