DETERMINATION METHODOLOGY OF BIOMASS AND PAC AT AERATION UNIT IN PACT PROCESS

Abstract

In this research using two pilot scale systems of activated sludge (AS) and powdered activated carbon technology (PACT), the soluble organic load removal efficiency was evaluated, for a synthetic wastewater with mono-ethylene glycol as carbon source. Also, the variations of biomass and PAC in each reactor were studied and the relative accuracy of differential ignition method for determining the amount of biomass and powdered activated carbon (combined in aeration unit of the PACT pilot) was investigated. Results showed that the method might be used for the determination of PAC and biomass volatility at 400°C and 50°C, respectively, with acceptable accuracy. Comparison the results of this study and some other recent studies, show that there are no significant differences between them at 95% confidence. Furthermore, the results of this study indicated that there was little difference in carbon to biomass ratio which supports the concept that solid residence time (SRT) and the amount of wastage sludge can be determined with total suspended solids analysis and there is no necessity for biomass determination