title: The effect of disk rotational speed on oxygen transfer in rotating biological contactors.
abstract: Lab-scale experiments using a synthetic wastewater were carried out to assess the influence of disk rotational speed on oxygen transfer rate in a RBC unit in the presence of biomass. The overall oxygen transfer coefficient (K(L)a) was computed. Five different disk rotational speeds were tested, in the typical RBC operating range (3-10 RPM). The soluble organic substrate was monitored through TOC analysis. Influent hydraulic organic loadings were in the range of 5.4-35.2 g TOC/m(2)d. The set of kinetic coefficients calculated fitting the experimental data by the selected model resulted in good agreement with the value reported in literature. A correlation for K(L)a as a function of disk rotational speed and disk diameter was obtained. Accordingly, a new expression of the enhancement factor of oxygen transfer was found, and compared to literature data.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica Materiali Ambiente, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italy. luca.dipalma@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Palma
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verdone
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen