ROLE OF AGITATION CONDITIONS IN NITRIFICATION

The objective of this study was to determine the role of agitation conditions in the oxidation of nitrite ions by Nitrobacter. Batch reaction kinetic experiments were conducted in baffled stirred tanks. The range of agitation conditions studied was 6200 ↔ 95700 ergs/cm3 sec. This power input corresponds to 3.2 ↔ 45.6 hp/ 1000 gal, or a “hem Scale” of 3 ↔ 9. After a lag phase, the reaction kinetics were found to be zero order with respect to nitrite over a concentration range of 590 to 10 mg/liter nitrite nitrogen (NO2−‐N). The zero‐order rate constants were found to significantly decrease with increasing impeller power input per volume of liquid (P / V). Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.