Mechanism of adhesion to activated sludge on carbon fiber at initial stage

Abstract

It is known that a large amount of activated sludge was quickly adhered on carbon fibre that was soaked in water containing activated sludge.
As carbon fibre has an excellent bio-affinity, it is very interesting to use carbon fibre as carrier water of bio-film for wastewater treatment.
Several factors that affect the amount of adhered activated sludge on carbon fibre were considered.
The change of amount of activated sludge adhered on carbon fibre soaked in water was observed through the period from just before soaking until several hours after.
Adhesion of activated sludge occurred rapidly in the initial stage and got slower, after that.
According to a numerical analysis, the amount of adhered activated sludge was calculated by y=A (1-EXP (-t/τ)) (here A and τ are constant).
This was corresponding in the experiment result at the first stage.
When an activated sludge was shake off from a carbon fibre, it was found that a tightly adhered layer of activated sludge exist around the carbon fibre.