Dirkse, E.H.M. B.Sc.
DMT Environmental Technology
Lengthy detention times and warm weather / climate leads to septic waste water producing copious amounts of not only hydrogen sulphide, but also ammonia, organic sulphides, mercaptans, bringing numerous odour complaints on waste water treatment plants ( WWTP’s ) and pumping stations. An odour abatement unit therefore will have to treat not only hydrogen sulphide, but also other pollutants to reduce the total odour. The common odour abatement units which are usually implemented are systems like activated carbon filtration, chemical scrubbing and / or biofiltration. These systems however not always comply to the emission demands and can have considerable running costs. Biotrickling Filtration is a technology developed in the last years and which popularity have been grown ever since. Especially WWTP’s and pumping stations in Holland and Belgium have already many years of experience. A Biotrickling Filter consists out of a vessel filled with packing material, on which continuously or periodically water is spread. After absorption in the thin water layer, the polluting components will be degraded by the micro-organisms which are settled on the packing material (in the so called “bio-film”). The degraded pollutants will be discharged out of the filter by the same water layer. Nutrients and minerals for the bacteria can be dosed by a separate dosingstation or by just adding effluent coming from a WWTP. An advantage to conventional systems is the excellent process control of the reactor and a medialife of more than 15 years. This all gives better a performance in many situations. DMT a Dutch based manufacture of Odour Control and Biogas Upgrading systems is now offering the Biotrickling Filtration technology in the UK. This paper will describe the operation and performance of the DMT Biotrickling Filtration systems, typical applications, detailing system efficiencies, capital costs and running costs. KEY WORDS Biofiltration, Bio-Sulfurex®, Biotricklingfiltration, DMT, H2S, mercaptans, VOS.
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