Joseph E. Weaver, Joel J. Ducoste, Francis L. de los Reyes III
Abstract
The mechanism which induces aerobic sludge granulation sludge is not fully understood. While many factors have been proposed and the ranges of values for some of those factors leading to granulation have been empirically determined, much of the work has been performed using either bubble column or airlift loop reactors. Hydraulic shear rates, which are influential in granulation, are controlled within both of those reactor styles by varying the aeration rate. Control the shear rate without varying aeration or by introducing large instantaneous shear through impeller-based mixing is desirable. Here, we explore the use of Couette-Taylor bioreactors (CTB) to control not only the mean hydraulic shear rate, but also the Sshear rate distribution within an experimental system. It appears that a CTB, when operated eccentrically and thus with spatially varying shear rates, may be a useful platform for further exploring granulation.
Biblographic Info
(2016) Weaver, JE and Ducoste JJ and de los Reyes III, FL “Fluid shear variation potentially plays a role in aerobic granular sludge formation” Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation WEFTEC 2016, v2016 i11 pp 5737-5744. doi:10.2175/193864716819706734) [bib]