Resolving operational and performance problems encountered in the use of apilot/full-scale biotrickling fiber reactor

A pilot/full-scale biotrickling filter reactor experiment was performed at an industrial site to treat styrene laden waste gas. The engineered system consisted of two stainless steel tanks in series, each with filter bed volu mes of 4.0 m(3), filled with 3.5-inch plastic spheres. The system treated 3 40 m(3) h(-1) of air laden with styrene concentrations ranging up to 0.8 g m(-3) Over the five-month study, styrene elimination was demonstrated zip t o 24g m(-3) h(-1) (35 gm(-3) h(-1) across the first tank in series) with 70 to 85% removal. Operational and performance problems were identified that differ from those developed under controlled, laboratory sec-zips. Operatio n problems typically involved equipment malfunctions, with the most prone t o failure pieces of equipment being the air sampling system and water level sensors. Performance problems were identified that possibly limited the st yrene removal. The transient operation of the plant, producing discontinuou s, unsteady-state concentrations, made it difficult to establish a stable b iofilm on the packing material Experiments were performed indicating both b iological and mass transfer limitations may have occurred.