Retrofitting and Testing of Trickling Filter on the Removal of Copper from Domestic Wastewater
Author : Ong, Iana Ruth Lacsam
Major Adviser : Guerrero, Gino Apollo M.
Committee Members : Laurio, Michael Vincent O.; Alfafara, Catalino G.
Year : 2017
Month : June
Type : Thesis
Degree: BS
Related Articles:
Keywords:
This manuscript can be accessed: Only after the consultation with author or adviser
Abstract
A trickling filter set-up was retrofitted to determine the effect of initial metal concentration and volumetric flowrate to percent copper removal. The set-up consisted of equalization tank, trickling filter retrofitted from Belen (2002), and mixing-spiking tank retrofitted from Tagapulot (2015). The trickling filter was fitted with a newly fabricated 60° crossflow packing. The previous motor distributor was replaced with a hydraulically-driven one. The sequencing batch reactor previously used by Tagapulot (2015) was modified as a mixing tank to provide copper-spiked wastewater to the trickling filter. The analysis of copper removal show that the primarily the patterns of the results conform to literature. However, the low percent removal of copper observed and the results of statistical analysis that initial metal concentration and volumetric flowrate are contrary to literature and thus possible causes for deviation has been identified. Differences on the design of the trickling filter, higher flowrates used, absence of inoculum grown from contaminant metal, sloughing off, operation at non-steady state, pH and low contact time have been identified as possible causes. Overall the retrofitting is marginally successful in providing continuous spiking wastewater, however further modifications are recommended to be able to meet the desired target copper concentration on inlet wastewater and copper removal.
Go back to Research Abstracts