Design and Performance of a Strong Load Biofilter System for Degrading Organic Load in Industrial Effluents on the Lab Scale

Organic substances are typically found increasingly in industrial wastewaters calling for techniques for their degradation. Methods currently used are inadequate. This study was performed to design and determine the efficiency of a biofilter system on the laboratory scale in the Center for Biochemical Research and Ecological Control, Sharif University of Technology. Design and manufacture of the system was accomplished using the exploratory method while the experimental method was used in determining the procedure for the second phase. A biofilter, 3 meters high and 15 cm across, was used for the purposes of this study. The efficiency of the system was determined by preparing solutions with different COD levels to be passed through the filter column. During the six months of experiments, solutions with different COD levels were prepared and passed on the filter column to measure the effluent COD. It was found that the speed of wastewater passing through the filter column and the initial wastewater COD level were effective parameters in COD removal. Finally, wastewater with an organic load of 51.24 kg/m3/h was passed through the 3-m high filter column and a removal efficiency of 75% was obtained. It seems that the strong-load biofilter can satisfactorily be used in the degradation of organic substances in industrial effluents. Comparisons were made between the biofilter used in this study and conventional filters used for industrial effluent