This research describes the design, construction, and characterization of a novel annular gap bioreactor. The bioreactor was conceived as a tool for the shear-based control of activated sludge floc particle size in batch and continuous-run experiments. Initial experiments on the feasibility of cultivating aerobic granular sludge in the bioreactor are described. The bioreactor was found to experience turbulent Taylor vortex flow, rather than laminar Couette flow, at all rotational speeds tested. This flow regime is the result of inner cylinder rotation. Despite turbulent flow conditions, the bioreactor was found to behave approximately as a plug-flow device when not aerated, and as a complete-mix reactor when aerated. Floc size control was found to depend on bioreactor rotational speed for two sludges tested, with higher rotational speed leading to smaller particle size. Three experimental attempts at aerobic granular sludge cultivation in the annular gap bioreactor are described in this study. Although none of the three attempts was successful at producing aerobic granules, the experiments allowed critical control issues related to bioreactor operation and influent composition to be identified and addressed. The Bacterial and Eukaryal population dynamics during each run were tracked with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and rDNA sequence analysis, using methods developed or streamlined in the course of this research. The foundational work described in this study culminated in the development of a series of protocols and recommendations for the next phase of aerobic granular sludge investigation with this novel annular gap bioreactor.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NCSU/oai:NCSU:etd-04172005-142501 |
| Date | 19 April 2005 |
| Creators | Williams, Jon Christopher |
| Contributors | Morton A. Barlaz, Joel J. Ducoste, Detlef R. Knappe, Francis L. de los Reyes III |
| Publisher | NCSU |
| Source Sets | North Carolina State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04172005-142501/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to NC State University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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