抄録
Bio-drying process used in MBT is removing water content of waste by using heat generated by aerobic degradation. In bio-drying process, operating parameters such as aeration, temperature, moisture content, inoculum and mixing are correlated with each other and drying efficiency. Aeration supplies the oxygen to thermophiles for their growth and also carries away the evaporated vapor to outside of the reactor. The waste temperature and water removal rates are depend on aeration. The higher air-flow rate causes lower waste temperature and higher water removal rate. Moisture content of waste affects microbial activity and the air movement. The proper moisture content for effective bio-drying is around 40~70 % w.w. In order to improve the bio-drying process, sometimes inoculum is injected into the reactor. Solid type inoculum such as sawdust or straw is used for decreasing initial moisture content of waste and simultaneously, increasing the free air space for air moving. Current studies of bio-drying are normally focused on the effectiveness of the process parameters on drying efficiency. However the specific results of the correlation has not yet been established.
