Robustness of the microaerobic removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas

Several disturbances presented in full-scale digesters can potentially affect the efficiency of the microaerobic removal process. This study evaluates the variation of the sulfur load and the performance of the system in situations of oxygen lack or excess and after normal rates are recovered. The process was shown to recover from oxygen lack or excess within 28 h when the original conditions were restored in a pilot-plant digester of 200 L treating sewage sludge with HRT of 20 days. The decrease of the sulfur load to the digester did not affect the biogas composition in the short-term and when oxygen rate was reduced to adjust to the lower hydrogen sulfide production, the removal proceeded normally with a lower unemployed oxygen amount. The digester opening to remove accumulated sulfur in the headspace did not alter process performance once the microaerobic removal was restarted.     

Removal of hydrogen sulfide using palygorskite in a fixed bed adsorber

This work describes the use of a novel palygorskite, a type of magnesium aluminium silicate clay possessing a high specific surface area and pore surface activity, as a low cost and highly efficient adsorbent for hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) removal. Adsorption of H(2)S on palygorskite pretreated with acid or base was investigated in a fixed bed adsorber. The samples after base pretreatment had better dynamic adsorption performances than raw material and samples pretreated with acid. The H(2)S adsorption capacity decreased with an increase in inlet H(2)S concentration. This can be interpreted by the fact that H(2)S adsorption on the surface of palygorskite is chemisorption. The adsorption capacity increased from 25 to 50 °C, then decreased from 50 to 100 °C, which indicates that chemisorption took place and its better reaction temperature was around 50 °C.     

Study on hydrogen sulfide generation rate in pressure mains

Experimental facilities comprising 1.8 km of pipeline, 100 mm in diameter and pumping equipment, were installed in a wastewater treatment plant and operated continuously for more than one year to clarify the main factors governing hydrogen sulfide generation in pressure mains. The effects of temperature, organic matter, and sulfate on sulfide generation rate were investigated based on observed values. The sulfide generation rate depended significantly on wastewater temperature. It was confirmed not empirically but experimentally that the effect of temperature (T) was expressed by (1.065)^T-20. In respect of organic matter, it is considered that there is a little effect of organic matter concentration on sulfide generation rate when the fluctuation of soluble organic matter concentration is slight. However, based on observed values, it was found that sulfide generation rate clearly depended on sulfate concentration when the biofilm was rather thick like these experiments. Also, partial penetration of sulfate into biofilm was confirmed using a biofilm model. Furthermore, biofilm model as a sound method for predicting sulfide generation rate was discussed.     

Biofiltration of hydrogen sulfide by Sulfolobus metallicus at high temperatures

Biofiltration of reduced sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide has been mainly applied to emissions at mild temperatures (25 to 35 °C). However, an important number of industrial gaseous emission containing sulfur compounds, from diverse industrial sectors (petroleum refinery, cellulose production, smelting, rendering plants and food industries) are emitted at temperatures over 50 °C. Most of the studies on thermophilic systems report that a higher elimination capacity can be obtained at elevated temperature, allowing the design of smaller equipment for the same loading rate than that required for removing the same load under mesophilic conditions. A biotrickling filter inoculated with Sulfolobus metallicus, which operates at three different residence times, 60, 80 and 120 s, and two different temperatures (45 and 55 °C) for treating H(2)S is reported. The input loads of H(2)S were progressively increased from 0 to 100 gS/m(3). The aim of this study was to determine the capacity and ability of S. metallicus to oxidize H(2)S at high temperatures. The better removal capacity of H(2)S obtained was 37.1 ± 1.7 gS/m(3) h at 55 °C for a residence time of 120 s. The difference of the removal capacity of H(2)S between the two temperatures was 4 g/m(3) h on average of sulfur removal for the different residence times.     

Solutions to a combined problem of excessive hydrogen sulfide in biogas and struvite scaling.

The Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Western Australia has experienced two separate problems causing avoidable maintenance costs: the build-up of massive struvite (MgNH4PO4. 6H2O) scaling downstream of the anaerobic digester and the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels in the digester gas to levels that compromised gas engine operation and caused high operating costs on the gas scrubber. As both problems hang together with a chemical imbalance in the anaerobic digester, we decided to investigate whether both problems could be (feasibly and economically) addressed by a common solution (such as dosing of iron solutions to precipitate both sulfide and phosphate), or by using separate approaches. Laboratory results showed that, the hydrogen sulfide emission in digesters could be effectively and economically controlled by the addition of iron dosing. Slightly higher than the theoretical value of 1.5 mol of FeCl3 was required to precipitate 1 mol of dissolved sulfide inside the digester. Due to the high concentration of PO4(3-) in the digested sludge liquor, significantly higher iron is required for struvite precipitation. Iron dosing did not appear an economic solution for struvite control via iron phosphate formation. By taking advantage of the natural tendency of struvite formation in the digester liquid, it is possible to reduce the risk of struvite precipitation in and around the sludge-dewatering centrifuge by increasing the pH to precipitate struvite out before passing through the centrifuge. However, as the Mg2+/PO4(3-) molar ratio in digested sludge was low, by increasing the pH alone (using NaOH) the precipitation of PO4(3-) was limited by the amount of cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) available in the sludge. Although this would reduce struvite precipitation in the centrifuge, it could not significantly reduce PO4(3-) recycling back to the plant. For long-term operation, maximum PO4(3-) reduction should be the ultimate aim to minimise PO4(3-) accumulation in the plant. Magnesium hydroxide liquid (MHL) was found to be the most cost-effective chemical to achieve this goal. It enhanced struvite precipitation from both, digested sludge and centrate to the point where more than 95% PO4(3-) reduction in the digested sludge was achieved.     

Comparison of field olfactometers in a controlled chamber using hydrogen sulfide as the test odorant.

A standard method for measuring and quantifying odour in the ambient air utilizes a portable odour detecting and measuring device known as a field olfactometer (US Public Health Service Project Grant A-58-541). The field olfactometer dynamically dilutes the ambient air with carbon-filtered air in distinct ratios known as "Dilutions-to-Threshold" dilution factors (D/Ts), i.e. 2, 4, 7, 15, etc. Thirteen US states and several cities in North America currently utilize field olfactometry as a key component of determining compliance to odour regulations and ordinances. A controlled environmental chamber was utilized, with hydrogen sulfide as the known test odorant. A hydrogen sulfide environment was created in this controlled chamber using an Advanced Calibration Designs, Inc. Cal2000 Hydrogen Sulfide Generator. The hydrogen sulfide concentration inside the chamber was monitored using an Arizona Instruments, Inc. Jerome Model 631 H2S Analyzer. When the environmental chamber reached a desired test concentration, test operators entered the chamber. The dilution-to-threshold odour concentration was measured using a Nasal Ranger Field Olfactometer (St Croix Sensory, Inc.) and a Barnebey Sutcliffe Corp. Scentometer. The actual hydrogen sulfide concentration was also measured at the location in the room where the operators were standing while using the two types of field olfactometers. This paper presents a correlation between dilution-to-threshold values (D/T) and hydrogen sulfide ambient concentration. For example, a D/T of 7 corresponds to ambient H2S concentrations of 5.7-15.6 microg/m3 (4-11 ppbv). During this study, no significant difference was found between results obtained using the Scentometer or the Nasal Ranger (r = 0.82). Also, no significant difference was found between results of multiple Nasal Ranger users (p = 0.309). The field olfactometers yielded hydrogen sulfide thresholds of 0.7-3.0 microg/m3 (0.5-2.0 ppbv). Laboratory olfactometry yielded comparable thresholds of 0.64-1.3 microg/m3 (0.45-0.9 ppbv). These thresholds are consistent with published values.     

Methane and hydrogen sulfide emissions in UASB reactors treating domestic wastewater

The release of CH(4) and H(2)S in UASB reactors was evaluated with the aim to quantify the emissions from the liquid surfaces (three-phase separator and settler compartment) and also from the reactor's discharge hydraulic structures. The studies were carried out in two pilot- (360 L) and one demo-scale (14 m(3)) UASB reactors treating domestic wastewater. As expected, the release rates were much higher across the gas/liquid interfaces of the three-phase separators (5.4-9.7 kg CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) and 23.0-35.8 g S m(-2) d(-1)) as compared with the quiescent settler surfaces (11.0-17.8 g CH(4) m(-2) d(-1) and 0.21 to 0.37 g S m(-2) d(-1)). The decrease of dissolved methane and dissolved hydrogen sulfide was very large in the discharging hydraulic structures very close to the reactor (>60 and >80%, respectively), largely due to the loss to the atmosphere, indicating that the concentration of these compounds will probably fall to values close to zero in the near downstream structures. The emission factors due to the release of dissolved methane in the discharge structure amounted to around 0.040 g CH(4) g COD(infl)(-1) and 0.060 g CH(4) g COD(rem)(-1), representing around 60% of the methane collected in the three-phase separator.     

The role of the headspace in hydrogen sulfide removal during microaerobic digestion of sludge

The role of the headspace (HS) in the microaerobic removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas produced during sludge digestion was studied. Research was carried out in a pilot reactor with a total volume of 265 L, under mesophilic conditions. Biogas was successfully desulfurized (99%) by introducing pure oxygen (0.46 NL/L(fed)) into the recirculation stream when the HS volume was both 50.0 and 9.5 L. The removal efficacy dropped sharply to ≈15% when the HS was reduced to 1.5 L. The system responded quickly to the operational changes imposed: micro-oxygenation stops and variations in supply, as well as HS volume reductions and increases. As the final result, the microaerobic process required a minimum surface into the gas space to occur, which along with the elemental sulfur deposition in this area indicated that the oxidation took place there. Additionally, the pattern of sulfur accumulation suggested that the removal occurred preferentially on certain materials, and pointed to a significant biological contribution.     

Survival of hydrogen sulfide oxidizing bacteria on corroded concrete surfaces of sewer systems.

The activity of hydrogen sulfide oxidizing bacteria within corroded concrete from a sewer manhole was investigated. The bacteria were exposed to hydrogen sulfide starvation for up till 18 months, upon which their hydrogen sulfide oxidizing activity was measured. It was tested whether the observed reduction in biological activity was caused by a biological lag phase or by decay of the bacteria. The results showed that the bacterial activity declined with approximately 40% pr. month during the first two months of hydrogen sulfide starvation. After 2-3 months of starvation, the activity stabilized. Even after 6 months of starvation, exposure to hydrogen sulfide for 6 hours a day on three successive days could restore the bacteriological activity to about 80% of the initial activity. After 12 months of starvation, the activity could, however, not be restored, and after 18 months the biological activity approached zero. The long-term survival aspect of concrete corroding bacteria has implications for predicting hydrogen sulfide corrosion in sewer systems subject to irregular hydrogen sulfide loadings, e.g. as they occur in temperate climates where hydrogen sulfide often is a summer-problem only.     

假单孢菌固定化除硫化氢臭气的试验研究

由除硫化氢的生物滤池中分离出1株假单孢菌,对其进行海藻酸钙包埋固定化,在生物流化床反应器中进行了脱除硫化氢的效能和影响因素研究。结果表明:固定化假单孢菌流化床生物反应器去除硫化氢效果良好、抗冲击性强,适宜pH为6-8,温度为20-35℃,临界进气负荷为3.77g／(m3·h)。其生物作用将H2S转化为单质硫的转化比例为74.9％;转化为硫酸根的比例为17.1％;转化为硫代硫酸根和亚硫酸根的比例分别为1％和0.2％。     

苯系物在不同下垫面的挥发机理研究

用粉土、沙土及纯净水模拟下垫面,对苯系物的挥发行为进行试验研究,得到了不同类型下垫面中苯系物单组分及其混合物的挥发动力学曲线、挥发动力学模型和最优拟合公式。结果表明:苯系物单组分及混合物在同一下垫面上的挥发速率不同;不同下垫面上,苯系物在静水面上的挥发最快,粉土上挥发最慢;3种下垫面中苯系物的挥发速率常数与蒸汽压呈线性关系。     

地表点源滴灌土壤水分运动的动力学模型与数值模拟

本文提出了一种地表点源土壤水分入渗的数值模拟模型.采用ADI隐式差分格式将土壤水分入渗方程离散，用Gauess-Seidel迭代算法求解非线性差分方程.利用质量平衡原理对地表饱和区进行了动态处理.结果表明，数值计算结果较吻合于实测数据，所提出的数值模型既适用于均质土壤，也适用于成层土壤.     

Continuous hydrogen production from organic waste.

The antibiotic effects of lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei, on hydrogen production were investigated using glucose as the substrate for the batch experiments. The effects of lactic acid bacteria on hydrogen fermentation depended on pH and the inhibition of hydrogen-producing bacteria was prevented by keeping the pH over 5.0. Then, a continuous hydrogen production experiment was conducted by using bean curd manufacturing waste as an actual organic waste at pH 5.5 at 35 degrees C. The increase of the substrate concentration and the addition of nitrogen gave precedence to acetic and butyric acids production in the metabolic pathway and suppressed propionic acid production. As the result, continuous hydrogen production from municipal organic waste was enabled.     

滴灌施肥灌溉的水氮运移数学模拟及试验验证

基于土壤水分运动的动力学方程和溶质运移的对流-弥散方程,建立了不同土壤中地表滴灌施硝酸铵（NH4NO3）时水分和硝态氮运移的数学模型及边界条件。利用商业化软件HYDRUS-2D对模型进行了求解。为了验证所建立的模型,分别在壤土和砂土两种土壤上进行了不同滴头流量、灌水量和肥液浓度下的湿润距离、土壤含水率和硝态氮分布试验。模拟结果与试验数据的对比表明,利用HYDRUS-2D求解所建立的模型得到的湿润距离随时问的变化过程、土壤含水率和硝态氮分布与实测值吻合良好。因此,HYDRUS-2D软件可以作为预测滴灌施肥灌溉条件下水分和氮素在土壤中运移的有效工具。     

静止浅水环境中水平圆形浮力射流稳定性的数值研究

给出描述考虑浮力效应的热污水水平圆形浮力射流的数学模型，采用Balasubra-manian等（1978）的实验资料进行检验，计算结果和实验资料的吻合证明了模型和方法的有效性。在此基础上给出静止环境中水平圆形浮力射流稳定性的条件和表面最小稀释度的经验公式。     

Effect of two temperature regimes from a deep and a surface water release on early development of salmonids

In order to test the effect of regulated water temperature on the development of eggs and alevins of three salmonid species, deep and surface water from an oligotrophic lake was pumped into a hatchery. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) clearly needed the highest number of degree-days to reach the different developmental stages while brown trout (Salmo trutta) needed just a little more than the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Eggs and alevins developed in the surface water, which was colder in winter, needed a lower number of degree-days to reach the hatch and swim-up stages. In spite of this there was a considerable difference in time for hatching and start of feeding of fish in the two temperature regimes. This might have consequences for the reproduction success and competition between species in regulated rivers.     

Effect of pH control strategies and substrate concentration on the hydrogen yield from fermentative hydrogen production in large laboratory-scale

A series of batch experiments investigating two different pH control strategies, initial pH adjustment and continuous pH control, have been carried out in large laboratory-scale reactors with working volumes of 30 L. In both cases, pH was varied between 5 and 7.5. Sucrose concentrations were also varied starting from 0 up to 30 g/L. Higher hydrogen production yields can be achieved by batch experiments through continuous pH control than by simple initial pH adjustment. In the case of continuous pH control, maximization of hydrogen yield was acquired for slightly acidic pH of 6.5. Continuous pH control in the neutral pH range of 7.0 and in pH lower than 6.5, induced a reduction in the hydrogen production yield. Sucrose can be completely degraded only for a pH higher than 6. Lower pH values seem to inhibit the hydrogen-producing bacteria. Under the conditions of continuous pH adjustment at pH 6.5 and a sucrose concentration of 25 g/L the maximum hydrogen yield of 1.79 mol H(2)/mol hexose was obtained. These conditions could be applied for the batch start-up of large fermentors.     

Evaluation of three unit hydrograph models to predict the surface runoff from a Canadian watershed

The predictability of unit hydrograph (UH) models that are based on the concepts of land morphology and isochrones to generate direct runoff hydrograph (DRH) were evaluated in this paper. The intention of this study was to evaluate the models for accurate runoff prediction from ungauged watershed using the ArcGIS^® tool. Three models such as exponential distributed geomorphologic instantaneous unit hydrograph (ED-GIUH) model, GIUH based Clark model, and spatially distributed unit hydrograph (SDUH) model, were used to generate the DRHs for the St. Esprit watershed, Quebec, Canada. Predictability of these models was evaluated by comparing the generated DRHs versus the observed DRH at the watershed outlet. The model input data, including natural drainage network and Horton's morphological parameters (e.g. isochrone and instantaneous unit hydrograph), were prepared using a watershed morphological estimation tool (WMET) on ArcGIS^® platform. The isochrone feature class was generated in ArcGIS^® using the time of concentration concepts for overland and channel flow and the instantaneous unit hydrograph was generated using the Clark's reservoir routing and S-hydrograph methods. An accounting procedure was used to estimate UH and DRHs from rainfall events of the watershed. The variable slope method and phi-index method were used for base flow separation and rainfall excess estimation, respectively. It was revealed that the ED-GIUH models performed better for prediction of DRHs for short duration (≤6 h) storm events more accurately (prediction error as low as 4.6–22.8%) for the study watershed, than the GIUH and SDUH models. Thus, facilitated by using ArcGIS^®, the ED-GIUH model could be used as a potential tool to predict DRHs for ungauged watersheds that have similar geomorphology as that of the St. Esprit watershed.     

Production of hydrogen and methane from wastewater sludge using anaerobic fermentation.

The hydrogen and methane were produced from wastewater sludge using a Clostridium strain. The original sludge and the pre-treated (acidified, sterilized, freeze/thawed, and sonicated) sludges were tested. Some pre-treatment could enhance hydrogen yield, and the other tests could enhance methane yield. Hydrogen yield followed freeze/thawed>acidified>sterilized>original sludge>sonicated; while methane yield followed sonicated>freeze/thawed>sterilized>acidified>original sludge. The production and consumption of acetate correlated closely with the trends in both yields.