Applicability of batch test data for industrial wastewater continuous flowprocess design

Kinetic data from batch tests were successfully used to predict the perform ance of continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) systems for treating multi component industrial wastewater. Data from both batch and continuous tests validated the multiple zero order (MZO) approach for evaluating CSTR system s and should prove valuable in designing full-scale continuous flow treatme nt processes. Treatability studies were conducted on three industrial wastewaters and one synthetic wastewater. The MZO approach consistently predicted values for e ffluent concentrations in appreciably closer agreement with experimental re sults than those predicted by means of nth-order true chemical reaction. Evaluating the continuous process should include a correction for biomass a ctivity if the solids retention time (SRT) of the biomass in the CSTR is fo und to be appreciably different from that of the batch reactor. This correc tion is necessary to account for the effect of the change in biomass activi ty resulting from different SRT on the magnitude of the biodegradation rate coefficient.