RESPONSE OF BIOLOGICAL REACTORS TO THE ADDITION OF POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON

A biological reactor operating on a synthetic feed was subjected to impulse and step disturbances of glucose and phenol. Powdered activated carbon was applied either as an impulse or as a step change to control reactor conditions. With glucose as the substrate, the addition of powdered carbon reduced the steady state TOC concentrations significantly but only slightly moderated the concentration transients after an upset. For impulse inputs of phenol, the simultaneous addition of carbon greatly reduced the magnitude of the transient changes in concentration. With step inputs of phenol, carbon addition rapidly lowered the phenol concentration in the reactor and permitted continuous operation with inlet phenol concentrations above 1000 mg 1-1. Thus, powdered carbon can provide an effective control method for maintaining effluent quality in the presence of toxic upsets. © 1979.