ABSTRACT
As a synthesis media, polyurethane sponge has a high porosity and external surface area, rough surface, and uniform open-pore reticulated construction. However, no report has been published on the performance of BAF systems that use polyurethane sponge as packing media. The present study aims to
1 INTRODUCTION
Biological Aerated Filters (BAFs) are a promising biological oxidation technology for wastewater treatment and reuse (Bao et al., 2011; Qiu et al., 2010). A BAF is a fixed film biological process used for the simultaneous removal of carbonaceous matter, ammonia, and suspended solids in a single unit primarily by interception, biological metabolism, and adsorption (Ryu et al., 2008). The advantages of this system include high efficiency, small footprints, ease of operation and management, and modular construction; the system also does not require a secondary clarifier (Osorio and Hontoria, 2001). Given these merits, BAFs serve as an effective alternative to the traditional activated sludge process commonly used in wastewater treatment. BAF systems are currently widely used for secondary and tertiary treatment of wastewater or reclaimed water reuse. Improving the treatment efficiency and operation stability of BAFs necessitates further study of impact factors such as packing media and operation optimization (Shen et al., 2009; Qiu et al., 2010).
