A Survey of Operating Conditions of Rotating Biological Contactors

Abstract

Practical operating conditions of the rotating biological contactor (RBC) wastewater treatment facilities were investigated by the questionary method.
The results showed that the exaggerated design of the treatment facilities caused from the overestimated prediction of BOD load gives excess energy requirement in operation, while the BOD concentration in the effluent from RBC units are considerably lower than the design level. It was also noted that the electrical power consumption for the aeration in the reservoir tank is usualy greater than the power consumed by the rotating discs.
In the design stage of the treatment facilities, the need of an exact estimation of BOD load is the most important. The modification of the reservoir tank system should be suggested for energy saving in RBC units.