Aerobic Digester Design for the Biodegradation of Plant Tannins in Industrial Wastewater

M. Tramšek and A. Goršek

Abstract
This paper describes aerobic digester design for the biodegradation of plant tannins in industrial wastewater. For optimal design, using the criterion of minimal total holding time, some experimental investigations into tannins’ biodegradation rate in industrial wastewater were performed in the first part of this research. The chemical oxygen demand method (COD) was applied to follow the tannins degradation rate. The kinetic parameters of a supposed Aiba’s inhibition kinetic model were determined using experimental data. In the second part of the study, equations for determining the optimal volumes of two in series connected aerobic digesters were established. Furthermore, a comparison is presented of volumes between one and two in series connected aerobic digester systems regarding wastewater volume flow rate, qV = 120 m3 d–1 and wastewater treatment efficiency, ηCOD = 9 8%.

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Keywords
Digester design, plant tannins, Aiba’s inhibition kinetic model, aerobic digestion, industrial wastewater