Nicholas D. Sylvester

Control of phenol in biological reactors by addition of powdered activated carbon

Abstract A biological reactor containing a pure culture of E. coli was subjected to a variety of feed upsets involving phenol with powdered activated carbon applied as a control mechanism. The amount and rate of addition of the carbon was varied to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy for maintaining the effluent quality. It was found that the carbon addition greatly reduced the magnitude of concentration transients and permitted operation with an input phenol concentration above 1000 mg 1−1.

Effect of mass transport on BOD removal in trickling filters

Abstract The effect of liquid-phase mass transport on BOD removal efficiency in a trickling filter is presented based on an analytical model of the process. It is shown graphically that liquid-phase mass transport resistances can significantly affect BOD removal for a given trickling filter. The applicability of the results presented to the analysis of experimental data and trickling filter design is discussed.

A General Nonequilibrium Multicomponent Adsorption Model: Numerical Solution

Abstract A comprehensive mathematical model has been developed to describe the process of multicomponent adsorption from a well-stirred bath. Both internal and external diffusional resistances were included in the physical model. A nonlinear Fritz-Schluender isotherm was used to describe the adsorption equilibrium. An infinite bath, one-component, non-equilibrium model was compared with an equilibrium model. A numerical solution for a binary system in an infinite bath was obtained. The numerical solution for a two-component model in a stirred finite bath was shown to satisfactorily match previously published experimental data. Its extension to an n-component system was shown. It was shown that the solution of nonequilibrium model is easier and more efficient than that of the equilibrium model. The nonequilibrium model is especially advantageous for a large number of solutes.

Computer Prediction of Multicomponent Sorption with Variable Initial Concentrations Using a Complex Model

Abstract A generalized mathematical model describing the process of multicomponent adsorption on activated carbon in fixed beds has been used to study the influence of changes in feed concentrations for a ternary system by using an accurate computer solution.