Comparison of intermittently fed trickling biofilter models for the treatment of domestic wastewater

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find the best empirical modeling approach for establishing intermittently fed biofilters (ITBFs). Three modeling approaches, including the Schultz-Germain, Velz, and Eckenfelder equations, were evaluated for removing soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD). Only sCOD variation was monitored and modeled. The ITBFs at a pilot scale were constructed to rehabilitate a facultative pond (FP) in an available wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Salchnin, northern Israel, in April 2005. Results indicate that the Velz equation gave the best compatibility with the experimental data for sCOD removal.