Compared to two continuous flow reactors (A/O and OD) in this plant, different microbial communities were found in the full-scale SBR.
Compared to an anaerobic/oxic plug flow (A/O) reactor and an oxidation ditch (OD) being operated in this wastewater treatment plant, the sludge from full-scale SBR has more compact structure and excellent settling ability.
However, OD measurements at different reactor locations shown to diverge at the onset of growth.
The devices used commercially available fluorescence lifetime sensor spots to measure DO and pH, while transmitted 600 nm light intensity was measured vertically through the reactor chamber to calculate optical density (OD), and hence cell density.
The activity testing for methanol dehydration was carried out in an isothermal fixed-bed reactor made of stainless steel (6 mm OD).
The activity testing for the TMO was carried out in an isothermal fixed-bed reactor made of stainless steel (6 mm OD) at atmospheric pressure.
The biomass reached in each batch reactor was similar, about 3.82 ± 0.35 OD, although production deceased with each cycle.
In E. coli fermentations the reactor was successfully operated for 180 h at an OD of 1, at dilution rates up to 1.5 h-1.
Hence, the substrate concentration in the A/O experienced a change from high to low along the reactor length which matched the feast-famine regime while in the OD the substrate concentration had almost not changed.
The aqueous-octane culture system was maintained in operation for 24 h, then the volume of the aqueous phase corresponding to a final 0.05 OD was used as the inoculum for a second batch reactor (taking into account the viable cells fraction).
