Control of Volatile Organic Compound

(VOC) and Odorous Emissions using

Biofilters
Dr. Suchismita Bhattacharya
SIES BRSI Workshop on Recent Advances in
Medical, Plant and Enviro Biotechnologies
January 13-14, 2006
Contents
Introduction to Biofiltration
Types of Biofilters and Configurations
Research at the New Jersey Institute of
Technology
VOC removal methods and comparison
Practical Applications
Case Study
Conclusions




The problem
Volatile Organic Compounds
Odors
Removal Methods
Chemical Scrubbing
Activated Carbon Adsorption
Thermal Oxidation/incineration
Catalytic Oxidation
Absorption on Activated Carbon
What is Biofiltration
Contaminated Air Stream is passed through a packed bed on which
pollutant degrading organisms are immobilized as biofilms
H
2
S : autotrophic organisms oxidize sulfite to sulfate using CO2 as
carbon source
Volatile organic compounds: heterotrophic organisms utilize VOCs
as carbon and energy source
Gas Liquid Biofilm
Mass Transfer Mass Transfer
Packing
C
Gj

C
Lj

S
j

Reaction
Reaction
Gas Liquid
Packing Media
Biofilm
Types of Biofiltration
Based on Operational mode
Biofilters
Packing contains nutrients
Possibility of clogging of biomass
Accumulation of acidic products
Biotrickling filters
Continuous nutrient recycle
Removal of dead biomass
pH control possible

Based on Packing material
Organic media
Peat, wood chips, soil
Synthetic media
Synthetic Packing Media
High Density polypropylene
media 132 ft
2
/ft
3
PVC hollow polymeric spheres
Biofilter Configurations
Biotrickling Filter Configurations
Biotrickling Filter Configurations
Possible Substrates
Substrate Bio-
degradibility
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (Methane, Propane) Low-Moderate
Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(Benzene, Toluene, Xylene)
Moderate -Good

Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Carbon tetrachloride, Chloroform
Trichloroethylene (cometabolic)
O-Dichlorobenzene, monochlorobenzene

Low
Moderate
Low
Aldehydes, Esters, Ketones Good
Ammonia
Hydrogen Sulfide
Nitrogen oxide
Good
Good
Poor
Schematic of BTF Unit at NJIT
S
S
2
1
3
4 5
6
7
8
8
9
11
10
MEDIUM
WATER
AIR
S
1. Air pump, 2. Rotameter Assembly, 3. Humidification tower, 4. Ethanol tank, 5. o-DCB tank, 6.
Biotrickling Filter, 7. Tank for recirculating medium, 8. Peristaltic pump, 9. Flow meter, 10. pH
Meter, 11. pH Electrode, S=Sampling Port. (Not to scale)
Experimental
Set-up
Humidifier Humidifier
Biotrickling Filter column
How it appears
Clean
Packing



Biomass on
Packing



Biotrickling Filter Model
Assumptions
E D, i , =
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
i
i
Li Li
Gi
G
m
C
C K
dh
dC
u
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
O
GO
LO LO
GO
G
m
C
C K
dh
dC
u

With boundary conditions
;
GDi GD
C C =
;
GEi GE
C C =
;
GOi GO
C C = at 0 = h
No axial concentration gradients in the gas and liquid films
Negligible mass transfer resistance from the bulk liquid to the
biofilm.
The liquid film is modeled as a CSTR.
The density of the biofilm and biomass concentration.
At equilibrium, the concentration at the air/liquid interface follows
Henrys law.
Diffusion and reaction in the biofilm can be described by using a
biodegradation effectiveness factor;
Balances In the gas phase
Model Equations
Balances In the liquid phase
) ( ) 0 ( H h C h C
LD LD
= = = , ) ( ) 0 ( H h C h C
LE LE
= = = , ) ( ) 0 ( H h C h C
LO LO
= = =
( )
( )
(

+ +
(

+ +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
) ( ) , (
) ( ) , (
LO LE LD E
OE
S
L V L V OE
LO LE LD D
OD
S
L V L V OD LO
O
GO
LO
LO
L
C f C C
Y
A
X X
C f C C
Y
A
X X C
m
C
K
dh
dC
u
o o c
o o c
| | | | ) ( ) , ( ) ( ) , (
LO LD LE E
E
S V
E LO LD LE E
E
S VL
L LE
e
GE
LC
LE
L
C f C C
Y
A X
C f C C
Y
A X
C
m
C
K
dh
dC
u o c o + +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
| | | | ) ( ) , ( ) ( ) , (
LO LD LE D
D
S V
D LO LD LE D
D
S VL
L LD
D
GD
LD
LD
L
C f C C
Y
A X
C f C C
Y
A X
C
m
C
K
dh
dC
u o c o + +
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Mass Transfer Reaction in liquid Reaction in biofilm
With boundary conditions
Validation of the Model
Percent Removal Removal Rate
(gm
-3
-reactor h
-1
)
Inlet
Concentration
(gm
-3
) Experimental predicted Experimental Predicted
Error %
(Rpred-
Rexp)/Rexp
t = 4.2 min ; Q
L
= 8.7 Lh
-1

o-DCB 0.91 95.88 92.57 12.46 12.14 -2.60
Ethanol 2.51 95.38 98.32 34.20 35.38 3.46
o-DCB 3.35 90.25 90.19 43.19 43.37 0.43
Ethanol 2.35 97.35 98.35 32.68 33.13 1.38
o-DCB 2.11 95.24 91.47 28.71 27.77 -3.27
Ethanol 2.62 95.38 98.27 35.70 36.92 3.43
t = 4.00 min ; Q
L
= 4.2 Lh
-1

o-DCB 2.20 85.88 85.62 26.99 27.05 0.22
Ethanol 2.57 94.36 97.19 34.64 35.95 3.77
o-DCB 3.50 81.89 82.30 40.95 41.16 0.51
Ethanol 2.51 92.76 97.19 33.26 35.11 5.55

VOC Removal Technologies
Technology Air Flow rate Concentration in ppmv
Condensation 200 20,000 m
3
/h
(120-12,000 SCFM)
50-200 g/m
3
(2.8 % - 11.2% by volume)
Cyro-Condensation 30-600 m
3
/h
(20 -400 SCFM)
5-90 g/m
3
(0.28 % - 5% by volume)
Scrubbing 200 20,000 m
3
/h
(120-12,000 SCFM)
10-40 g/m
3
(0.56 % - 2.3% by volume)
Incineration 10,000 100,000 m
3
/h
(6000-60,000 SCFM)
8-140 g/m
3
(0.5 % - 8% by volume)
Catalytic Oxidation 10,000 100,000 m
3
/h
(6000-60,000 SCFM)
1-10 g/m
3
(500 ppmv 6000 ppmv)
Regenerative
Adsorption
100-10,000 m
3
/h
(60-6,000 SCFM)
1-10 g/m
3
(500 ppmv 6000 ppmv)
Non-Regenerative
Adsorption
10-60 m
3
/h
(6-40 SCFM)
0-5.0 g/m
3
(<1 ppmv 2,800 ppmv)
Compost Biofiltration 60-300,000 m
3
/h
(40 180,000 SCFM)
(<1 ppmv 25 ppmv)

Biotrickling filter 10 300,000 m
3
/h
(6 180,000 SCFM)
0-8.3 g/m
3
(20 ppmv 5,000 ppmv)
Cost Comparison
Biofiltration Thermal treatment
with Concentrators
Thermal treatment
without
Concentrators
Capital Cost $1.4 million $1.8 million $0.9 million
Operating Cost for
ten years
$820,000 $7,100,000 $10,955,000
Natural gas Nil $0.65-$0.7 million
/year
$1.05-$1.1 million/
year
Electricity $42,500/ year
(2000 kWh/day)
$35,000/year (1700
kWh/day)
$20, 500/year (1000
kWh/day)
Water $12,500/year
(1,100 cu.ft./day)
Nil Nil
Bed Replacement $180,000/four years Nil Nil
Removal Efficiency 85% >95% >95%
Cost/Ton of VOC
removed over Ten
years
$5,800 $20,800 $27,700
Technology Suppliers
Aromatrix Technologies Pte Ltd
Singapore
S&H GmbH (Zeestow/Germany)
PPC Biofilter: Airphase Biofilters & Bioscrubbers
Texas, USA
PRD Tech Inc.
Ohio, USA.
Biospeedup
Biorem Technologies Inc
Ontario, Canada
Biomix, Biosorbens


Biotrickling Filter Applications
Air at Effluent, Waste Water Treatment Plants
Odor, Hydrogen Sulfide, VOCs
Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Mycobacteria,
Acetobacteriaceal
Thiobacillus
VOCs from Microelectronics Industry
Toluene, Acetone, Trichloroethylene
Forest Products industry
o-pinene (55C), Methanol (70 C)
Thermophillic bacteria
Vapors from Bathtub manufacturing facility
Styrene
Flue gas from Coal based power Plant
SO
2
removal
Off-gases from Bakery plant
Ethanol
Biofilter Applications
Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing
Propylene Glycol, Monomethyl Ether Acetate
Vinyl Resin Production
MEK, Toluene
Animal Rendering Plant
H
2
S, VOC
Waste Water Pumping Station
H
2
S, Dimethyl Sulfide, Methyl Mercaptan, Dimethyl
Disulfide
Sludge Conditioning process
Odor Treatment



Feasibility of Biofiltration
Gas Stream Specification
VOC specification. Use of flame ionization detector (FID) or GC/MS
Temperature.
Relative humidity
Particulate loading, including condensables.
Air flow and volume to be treated

Applicability of Biofiltration
Mixture or single substrate
Production of acid during biomass metabolism
Temperature: For mesophilic bacteria 10-40 C.
Humidity of Air should be close to saturation
If the particulate loading is water soluble and biodegradable, 0.034 g/std.m
3

may be allowed. If the particulate loading is not water soluble and not
biodegradable, a maximum of 0.009 g/std.m
3
is allowed.
Pretreatment may be required for warmer air or air containing particulates
Pilot Studies and Data analysis
Economic analysis

Case Study: Conversion of Chemical
Scrubber to Biotrickling Filter
Treatment of odorous emissions from waste water treatment plant
Air flow rate 16,000m
3
h
-1
(9,600cfm)
Inlet H
2
S concentration 5-35 ppm
Existing chemical scrubbers modified:
Random Packing replaced by polyurethane foam packing 4 cm cubes
with 600m
2
m
-3
specific surface area
Existing 7HP recycle pump replaced with 0.5 HP pump for trickling
rate of 77 Lmin
-1

Secondary effluent instead of inorganic nutrients pH recycle liquid
1.5-2.3
Dimensions/Operational Parameters
Internal Diameter 1.8 m
Reactor height 9.7 m
Bed height 3.7m
Empty Bed residence time 2 sec
Start-up time 9 days

Case Study: Conversion of Chemical
Scrubber to Biotrickling Filter
Measurement of Process Variables
Online H
2
S Concentrations at inlet/outlet
Inline pH sensor
Bed pressure drop with U-tube manometer
Gas chromatography of grab samples for Carbonyl sulfide,
SO
2
, Methyl Mercaptan, etc
VOC using portable Scentograph
Water samples for CO
2
, NH
3
, foul airflow
Economic Analysis
Conversion cost $40,000-$60,000
Chemical costs for removing 3,000 kg of year H
2
S= $30,000.

Conclusions
Biofilters and Biotrickling filters are an
established technology in USA, Canada and in
Europe
Biotrickling filters may be more suitable for
recalcitrant compound removal
Biofilters with synthetic packing media have
solved some of the problems with organic media
Both technologies have enormous odor/VOC
control potential
Can these work in India?